Wherever you go, in most cases you can not do without public transport. This mode of transportation is not only the most convenient, but also the cheapest. It should be understood that each country has its own rules and nuances of using this type of transport. Therefore, it is worth familiarizing yourself with them in advance so as not to get into an unpleasant situation. Using the example of the most popular tourist cities in the world, we will try to understand the peculiarities of traveling by bus, tram and metro.
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The Czech capital offers guests a wide range of means of transportation around the city. There are underground and surface railway facilities, buses and even funiculars. Due to the fact that Prague belongs to compact settlements, only three metro lines have been laid underground, marked with different colors. It is this type of transport that is the most popular not only among the guests of the capital, but also among the local population. After all, you can get from one end of Prague to the other in just a few minutes! Accordingly, you can have time to see more attractions.
Corresponding to this is the convenient schedule of the Czech subway, the wagons of which are ready to ride tourists through long tunnels until midnight. You can buy a ticket at any station. Bus routes are no less popular. You can buy a ticket for this type of transport at any kiosk and even a hotel. Buses, like trams, run on schedule every 30 minutes, which guarantees your mobility. But the funicular runs every 15 minutes in only one direction - towards the Petřín hill.
Cities in Germany
In Germany, there is a more practical system of movement. Travel documents here can be bought both for 1 trip and for an unlimited number of trips for a certain amount of time. It is very practical and saves money. Interestingly, the settlements are divided into several zones - the central and suburbs, which are marked with different colors. But you can travel around all with a single ticket. Shuttle trams and buses run around the clock.
As an alternative means of transportation, tourists are offered the metro, which combines a network of underground and surface trains. Trains run until 1 am.
Amsterdam
The most popular mode of transport here is the tram. The city has as many as 16 railway lines that penetrate into the most remote areas of the Dutch capital. You can buy a ticket both when landing at the conductor, and in any public place. And you can follow the schedule using electronic scoreboards, which are located everywhere. If you have not been to Amsterdam before, it will be useful to find out that you can get inside the car by pressing a special button that opens the doors. And in the dark, you can move around with the help of night buses, which stop only on demand.
Stockholm
Stockholm has a similar interchange system. The metro is divided into three branches, which originate from the central railway station. Local stations can claim to be works of art in their own right, each one artistically designed. After visiting them, an impression is comparable to a visit to an art gallery. As an alternative urban transport, buses are proposed that will take tourists to anywhere in the city. Be aware that you will not be allowed on board without a ticket, so make sure to purchase a travel document in time, which can apply to both one or several trips.
Oslo
The Norwegian capital is pleased to offer four options for the movement of tourists at once. In addition to the already familiar underground and surface facilities, guests of the city can appreciate the advantages of ferries. With their help, you can get to one of the nearby islands. You can buy tickets for all types of transport at the box office or a special kiosk. They give the right to use the services both one-time and for a certain period of time. By the way, buses are divided into day and night. In the latter, it will not be possible to pass on a regular travel pass.
Austria and Poland
In the capitals of these neighboring states, there is an extensive network of metro, buses and trams. And if in Vienna it is the underground type of transportation that is considered the most popular, the branches of which lie under all districts of the city, then in Poland preference is given to ground trips. If in Austria it is allowed to purchase a single document for all types of trips, then in Warsaw you will have to separately buy a ticket for each type of transport. It is also common that bus trips are divided into night and day, and travel documents make it possible to make a certain number of trips.
London
In London, the easiest way for tourists to travel is by trams or double-decker buses that have already become legends of the island nation. Transport operates around the clock, and you can pay for the service using a special Oyster electronic card, which must first be replenished using the terminal. You can also ride on the subway, but be careful: the railway lines are divided into several zones and lines, and each has its own document.
Paris
Enjoying a huge tourist attraction, Paris offers many tourists a wide choice of public transport. There are buses, trams, metro, and even trains.
You can buy a ticket almost everywhere - from a newsstand to information centers and stops, and depending on its type, you will get the opportunity to make a one-time trip or ride for several days. Accordingly, this also affects the cost.
Public transport in Germany ranks first in Europe in terms of development. Even the smallest German city has a regular bus service, and larger cities have a versatile system of ground and underground public transport, allowing you to move freely without using a car or taxi.
Route maps and timetables for public transport in German cities can be obtained free of charge from tourist offices or downloaded from the website of the local transit agency. They are also often included in local printed guidebooks.
city buses
Buses (Omnibus) are the most common form of public transport in German cities. Bus stops in Germany are marked with a green “H” (Haltestelle) symbol and can be equipped with a special display showing the arrival times of routes in real time. The interval of bus traffic can be reduced during "rush hours" and increase in the early morning and late evening.
In many German cities there are night bus routes. In the central cities of many German regions, routes of "tourist" buses are laid along the historical center, covering the most interesting sights.
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Trams
Tramways (Trambahn) are laid in most large and medium-sized cities in Germany. Settlements in the eastern regions of the country and in Bavaria have a particularly extensive tram system. In some German cities, tram tracks in the historic center may run underground.
Trams in Germany run strictly according to the schedule, with an interval of about 20-30 minutes. Tram stops, as well as bus stops, are marked with a green "H" sign and are equipped with a board showing the waiting time for each route.
City railways
Many large and developed cities in Germany (Berlin, Hamburg, Hannover, Cologne) have systems of light urban and suburban electric trains similar in name and purpose, one of which is called the S-Bahn, and the other is the Stadtbahn.
The S-Bahn operates on the basis of the railway lines (operated by Deutsche Bahn), as a surface version of the metro, with a possible extension to the suburbs and nearby cities. The Stadtbahn is based on tram lines, as a faster substitute for tram routes serving the city center and its surrounding areas. Some sections of the route of city electric trains, as well as in the subway, pass underground.
Unlike the subway, city electric trains of different routes can arrive at the same platform, and the main difference from suburban regional trains is a much shorter distance between stops. Stadtbahn trains are given priority over tram lines, which significantly reduces travel time.
The names of Stadtbahn routes begin with the letter "U", S-Bahn - with the letter "S" and are displayed on the board at the beginning of the cars and on the information board of the station. S-Bahn train platforms are identified by "S" signs, and Stadtbahn by "U" signs with "Stadtbahn" added.
The doors in the cars of German trains do not open automatically at the bus stop - to do this, you need to press the special button located on them after it lights up green.
Metro
The largest German cities have their own underground metro lines (U-Bahn or Untergrundbahn), passing mainly through the central regions. The underground (together with the city trains) in cities such as Berlin and Munich forms the basis of the public transport system.
The entrance to the subway in Germany is marked with a sign with the letter "U".
Other forms of public transport
In various regions of Germany, the following types of public transport are also found:
- Zahnradbahn - rack railways used in the country's highlands
- Seilbahn - cable cars or funiculars
- Schwebebahn - suspension railways, the oldest of which is located in Dresden
- H-Bahn/Hochbahn - monorail elevated trains
- R-Bahn - commuter regional trains
Tickets and prices
In every city or region in Germany, the public transport system is operated by regional transport operators or "tariff unions" (Verkehrsverbund), which regulate fares and fares.
Tariffs for public transport services in Germany are based on a zone system. The regions of the country are divided into tariff zones (Tarifzonen), usually grouped around large settlements.
Travel by public transport in Germany is paid according to the system - "one ticket - one zone". Those. there is a single ticket (of different types) for all modes of transport, which is valid within one zone. Crossing each of the tariff zones, you need to buy a new ticket, or a ticket that is valid in several zones at once (a more profitable option for regular trips).
In general, a trip for short and medium distances in German cities will cost 1-4 €.
Where to buy tickets
Tickets and passes for public transport in Germany can be purchased:
- At the office or on the website of the regional transport operator (for example, the Berlin company BVG)
- In ticket machines installed at most stops and platforms (payment in cash and with a German bank card)
- In ticket machines installed inside the transport (payment only with a German bank card)
- Directly from the driver (bus, tram), its cost depends on the end point of the trip
- At the metro ticket office
Ticket machines are usually equipped with detailed instructions, however, there are also old-style machines, where all the functionality is only in German. The important items in the machine's "menu" to fill out are: ticket type, four-digit "destination" code (Fahrziel), and the passenger's age category - "adult" (Erwachsene) or "child" (Kind).
In order not to understand the confusing settings of the automatic cash register, you can
ask to buy a day ticket located next to the machine
German, addressing him with the phrase in English: "Please, can you buy me a ticket for a day."
Tickets become valid from the moment they are validated in special machines (Entwerter) installed at the entrance to the vehicle (bus, tram) or station (metro), without which the ticket is considered invalid. A ticket purchased directly from the driver does not need to be validated. Travel tickets are shown to the driver at the entrance, and validated tickets can be checked by controllers (Fahrkartenkontrolleur) directly in the transport. The fine for traveling without a ticket in Germany is 30-50 €.
With early booking, the cost of tickets can be significantly reduced.
Ticket types
All tickets for public transport in Germany are divided into several main types:
- Disposable- a regular ticket (Einzelfahrausweis), allowing you to use all types of public transport for 2 hours (within 1 zone). The cheapest one-time tickets - Kurzstreckekarte are designed for travel over short distances (4 nearest stops for a bus, tram or 1 stop for a train).
- group ticket- multi-ticket (Mehrfahrtenkarte, Streifenkarte) can be used by 3-10 passengers 1 time per 1 hour. There is a group ticket for the whole day for 5 people.
- 1 day ticket- day ticket (Tageskarte) is valid within one zone, until 4 am the next day.
- 1 week ticket- valid during the calendar week, until 4 am on the first day of the next week.
- 1 month ticket- valid during the calendar month, until 12:00 on the first day of the next month. Another type of monthly ticket is a transport subscription, which can be purchased at the office of the regional transport operator.
- Annual ticket- Valid for 1 adult or 3 children. It is suitable for a long stay in the country.
The cost of children's tickets (up to 13 years) in Germany is much lower than an adult. Preschoolers ride for free. Students in Germany have the opportunity to purchase a special ticket for 6 months, at the cost of a regular monthly ticket.
Travel tickets
Both international (Eurail Pass, InterRail for S-Bahn trains) and national (WelcomeCard, CityTourCard) travel tickets are suitable for paying for public transport in Germany, allowing you to save a lot on regular trips.
read UkrainianIn Barcelona, it is better to travel by metro, and in Madrid, do not forget to buy a tourist pass.
Photo 1 of 21:© Harry, flickr.com
Many tourists are delighted with Ukrainian metro prices. It is considered one of the cheapest in the world. In Europe, it is sometimes better to walk around the city on foot than to pay 2 euros for a one-time pass.
How public transport works in the most popular cities and which travel cards are better to buy, read the article website.
Prices for public transport in Barcelona
An amazing city where the influx of tourists is twice the number of the local population.
Despite this, public transport in the city of Gaudí is the fastest and, by the way, the cheapest way to get around the city.
Very convenient transport - subway. Almost all over the city you can ride on 5 lines, the metro is open until 12 pm, and on weekends until 2 pm. A one-time ticket costs €1.45, for schoolchildren - 90 cents.
The bus is also a fairly convenient mode of transport; there are about 70 routes throughout the city. But be careful: during peak hours it is quite difficult to move around the city.
You can get stuck in the same traffic jam as on the Kiev Air Fleet Bridge. The price for the bus is the same as for the metro - €1.45.
There are 6 transport zones in Barcelona and the Integrated Fare System operates here.
This means that you can purchase a one-time travel card that will be valid for 4 types of transport during the time and zones for which you bought the card.
For example, a day pass for all modes of transport in zone 1 will cost €6.2. If you plan to move in 2 zones, then the price will increase to €9.75. The same travel card for 2 zones, but for a month will cost €73.6.
You can buy a pass for 2 days for all modes of transport for €11.5, for 4 days - €21.
Also in Barcelona there are different tariffs for pensioners, large families, travel by sightseeing buses.
Prices for public transport in Madrid
Madrid is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. Be sure to check out our material so as not to miss anything in this temperamental Spanish city.
The metro in Madrid is considered one of the largest in Europe. Trains run on 12 regular metro lines and 3 light metro lines.
Interestingly, metro line 12 (South of Madrid) is served by a different company - Metrosur, regular tickets are not valid for it, you have to buy another ticket at the same price.
One trip on the Madrid metro costs €1.5, while 10 tickets will cost you €9.3.
If you decide to go out of town, you need to use a special suburban train. There are 7 zones here, if you travel within one zone, then the ticket price is €1.35, if you need to go to the 7th zone - €4.4.
It is possible to purchase a ticket for an out-of-town train, which is valid in all zones. It costs €6.2 and a round trip will cost you €12.40.
City buses in Madrid are operated by EMT and you can see their logos on the buses.
The price of buses depends on the number of zones where you travel. 1 trip within one zone costs €1.1. 10 tickets will cost €10. Bus tickets are valid in the Madrid area, as well as for trips outside the city. Ticket prices are the same for night and day buses.
If you are a tourist, the best way to travel around Madrid is to purchase a Tourist Travel Pass. With this ticket, you can travel by all means of transport.
Such a ticket is divided into zone A - valid only in Madrid, T - in addition to trips in Madrid, you can also use it on buses in the city of Guadalajara and Toledo, some types of metro and trams.
Children under 11 years old are entitled to a tourist pass with a 50% discount. Tourist Travel Pass can be purchased for 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7 days.
Traveling in zone A for one day will cost €6, and zone T will cost €12. Prices for other days can be found on the official website.
Prices for public transport in Warsaw
In connection with Euro 2012, next summer Warsaw will be filled with football fans. If you are one of them, the more you need to carefully study the public transport system in the city.
You can travel around Warsaw by tram, bus, metro and high-speed city railway.
- Read
You need to know that all major trams are numbered 1-39. If you see trams numbered 40 to 49, remember that they run at certain times of the day and week. All types of tickets are valid on trams.
Buses in Warsaw are marked with numbers from 100 to 399, keep in mind that numbers from 300 to 399 are temporary lines. If you see a letter and a number on the bus, for example E-5, then these are express buses.
They move quickly between the outlying districts of Warsaw and the city center. These buses do not stop at every stop, so find out their route in advance.
High-speed trains (SKM) are identified by the letter S and a number. Their route passes through two ticket zones. And they are paid in the same way as buses, but more on that later.
One metro line in Warsaw connects the Bielany district with the Ursynow district and passes through the city center. Here the metro runs until 1 am, and on weekends - until 3 am.
Regarding the travel zones, everything is very clear with this in the city. There are two of them: 1 is the city, 2 is the suburban areas of Warsaw.
As for tickets, you can purchase temporary tickets: 20-minute (PLN 2.6), 40-minute (PLN 3.8), 60-minute (PLN 5.2).
They give the right to an unlimited number of passes in two zones within the corresponding time from the moment of composting.
A one-time trip in one zone costs PLN 3.6, in two zones - PLN 5.6. With such a ticket, you can ride in one mode of transport, just keep in mind that the total time should not exceed 120 minutes.
One-day travel in one zone costs PLN 12, in two - PLN 19.
A travel card for 30 days for all types of transport will cost you PLN 90, for 90 days - PLN 220.
In Warsaw, it is very convenient for students to travel by public transport. They have a 50% discount on all tickets.
More information It is very useful that there is also a Russian version, so no questions or problems should arise.
Prices for public transport in Vienna
Vienna is one of the brightest and most beautiful cities in Europe. Especially before the Christmas holidays.
- Read article
It has a very simple and, perhaps, the most convenient public transport system in Europe.
The network of buses, trams, metro and trains completely covers the whole of Vienna and its suburbs. A ticket of a single sample is suitable for all types of transport in the city.
A one-time pass (Einzelfahrschein) costs €1.8 if you buy from ticket offices or vending machines. And - attention! - if directly on the bus or trams, then the price is already €2.2.
A one-time ticket is valid within one zone, and with it you can only move in one direction, but at the same time you are allowed to transfer to other lines and modes of transport.
In Vienna, there are also tickets at a special half price. 2 trips at this price will cost €1.8, 4 - €3.6.
You can purchase a ticket for 24 hours, its price is €5.7, for 48 hours - €10, and for 72 hours - €13.6.
If you decide to go shopping in Vienna, buy a special shopping card (Wiener Einkaufskarte). Its price is €4.6.
Such a pass is valid for one day for an indefinite number of trips within the city from 8:00 to 20:00, except Sundays or public holidays.
A very favorable rate is also 8-Tage Klimakarte. It costs €28.8. The ticket contains 8 lanes for composting. What's convenient is that you can use non-consecutive travel days.
In Vienna, they also thought about tourists, there is a special Vienna tourist card (Die Wien-Karte). Its price is €18.5.
This card can be used for 3 days, and it also gives discounts to museums, galleries, concerts. This card can also be used by a child up to 15 years of age at no additional charge.
The Vienna Tourist Card can be bought at the information office on Albertinaplatz and is also sold in hotels.
For more information about all types of travel cards, check the Vienna public transport website.
Prices for public transport in Amsterdam
You need to pay for travel in Amsterdam with a special electronic card OV-chipkaart.
This card is valid on metro, buses and trams. These cards differ in different operating hours: from 1 hour to 168. A-card is an anonymous card, P-card is a personal card, and a one-time use card is called a D-card.
It is these latter that tourists receive. And the first two are valid for 5 years, in order to issue them, you need to write an application in Dutch to the GVB city service. All information can be checked on the official website.
An OV-chipkaart card costs €2.6 for one hour, €7 for 24 hours, and €11.5 for 48 hours. If you plan to use transport for 72 hours, then it will cost €15.5. 144 hours of card validity will cost €27.5, while 168 hours will cost €30.
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Ever since the wild man realized that in addition to his tribe "there beyond the mountains, behind the valleys" there is also life, transport has become an integral part of human life. Because a person longed to personally get acquainted and take a picture against the background of a falling tower, a large canyon or a statue of the Motherland. Better yet, cut out the imperishable "Vasya was here." Therefore, the aforementioned person, along the path of his development, systematically changed from one artiodactyl to another, then moved to a bicycle, traveled some area in a hot air balloon, airship, stagecoach, gig, carriage, train, car, etc. and so on. and finally got on the plane. Then he - a man, in the sense - set off on wanderings in a rocket, but so far this device cannot be called a vehicle. Why am I? Such a lengthy introduction, in fact, is devoted to a rather short topic - buses and bus crossings. City, intercity and international buses. Because, despite the variety of transport in our century, buses are still very relevant and irreplaceable. Somewhere because of the cheapness of moving, somewhere because of the convenience, and somewhere because of the impossibility of getting there by other means of transport. Of course, I can’t cover all countries and cities in one article, I’ll write what I know and what I found in due time. So, bus service in Europe.
Russia
Routes of Russia. Here you can find information about long-distance and international routes in Russia. You cannot buy a ticket. But search for cities alphabetically. The system gives all possible routes between cities, after which you can see the specific one. Information that can be viewed: stops along the route, travel time, distance, transport company, luggage cost (unfortunately, there is no ticket price).
Ukraine
Buses in Ukraine are quite common, both urban and intercity.
Belarus
MinskTrans website. Timetable of international, interurban and suburban buses. Fares, travel information. There is a mobile version. Transport timetable "MinskTrans".
Tickets for travel in urban passenger transport (bus, trolleybus, tram, metro) in Minsk can be purchased at specialized kiosks of the Minsktrans Agency, Belsayuzpechat, at Belpochta post offices, at Beltelecom points, at the box office bus stations, bus stations, metro, in city shops, at control stations, at the driver's - before the start of the trip, the conductor (if any) - until the next stop after landing. You can also buy a travel card for 10, 15, 30 days, available on the website.
Most buses leave from Florenc bus stations ( Florence) and Roztyly ( Roztyly). International flights most often arrive at the Florenc station, which is close to the metro station Florence where lines B and C intersect.
On all types public transport in the Czech Republic(bus, tram, metro) the same tickets are valid, the cost of which depends only on the duration of the trip.
Bus service in Prague
Buses ( autobusy), mainly ply in the outskirts of Prague. Travel time - from 4:30 to midnight, traffic intervals - 6-8 minutes during peak hours and 10-20 minutes at other times. On weekends, traffic intervals are 15-30 minutes. Night buses (Nos. 501-512) run from 00:30 to 04:30 at intervals of 40 minutes.
Bus No. 119 and No. 100 Bus No. 119 runs from Ruzyně Airport to the metro station Dejvicka. Bus number 100 runs from the airport to the metro station Zlicin. This is a convenient and cheap way to get from the airport to the city.
There are two types of tickets used to pay for public transport in Prague:
Single ticket (single mode/short trip): Adult: 18 kr, child (6-15 years): 9 kr, child (under 6): free.
This ticket can only be used on one mode of transport for a non-stop trip. It is designed for 20 minutes of travel (from the moment of activation of the ticket) by tram or bus or 5 stops by metro (and you can make a transfer within 30 minutes). This ticket is not valid for night trams and buses, as well as for the funicular to Petřín Hill.
Multiple ticket (multiple modes/long trip): Adult: 26 kr, child (6-15 years): 13 kr, child (under 6): free.
This ticket is suitable for all modes of transport; with it you can make transfers both within one transport system (from one metro line to another, from one tram line to another), and from one type of transport to another (from metro to tram, from tram to bus) within 75 minutes from the date of activation of the ticket.
Single and multiple tickets are sold at yellow ticket machines (instructions are also written in English, the machine only accepts coins), as well as at ticket offices, which are available at some metro stations; tickets can be purchased at kiosks and shops Tobacco/Traffic, newsstands and tourist information centres.
At the entrance to the metro station, tram or bus, you need to validate the ticket so that the start time of the trip is noted on it, otherwise the ticket will be considered invalid.
There are also several types of short-term and long-term travel cards: Short-term (tourist) travel cards: for 24 hours - 100 kroons, for 3 days - 330 kroons, for 5 days - 500 kroons. The passes are suitable for all types of public transport in Prague during the period of validity of the pass. Travel cards are sold at ticket offices at some metro stations, as well as at tourist information centers.
Germany
Urban transport in most cities in Germany it is represented by buses, trams, metro or light rail (U-Bahn) and suburban trains (S-Bahn). Tariffs are the same for all types of transport, the ticket is valid with transfers. There are many travel and tourist tickets that allow you to save money.
All tickets can be purchased in special machines at metro and suburban train stations. Tickets must be punched in the red machines located on the platforms. The fine for traveling without a ticket is very high.
Buses run strictly according to the schedule. Only entry is allowed through the front door. You can only buy a ticket from the driver for one trip. If the ticket has already been purchased, for example, in the subway, it must be shown to the driver. In some cities, the entrance is through the front door only in the evening, when the controllers are not working. There are also two tourist passes, which include, in addition to free travel on transport, discounts on museums, attractions and excursions. WelcomeCard is valid for 3 days and gives discounts up to 50%. CityTourCard gives smaller discounts, is valid only in the central part of the city, but costs less, is valid for 2 and 3 days. I do not write prices, because they tend to change.
Austria
Urban transport in most cities in Austria it is represented by buses and trams, sometimes trolleybuses.
Tourist Vienna Card for 72 hours, which includes travel by public transport, as well as discounts in some museums and restaurants will cost 19.9 euros, can be ordered on the official website.
Tours is a big city and there are quite a lot of buses. There are two stations - actually Tours (Tours) and Saint-Pierre de Corps (Saint-Pierre des Corps). The second is the TGV station.
From Saint-Pierre de Corp to the center can be reached by bus number 3 (stop in front of the station) or by electric trains called navettes. Maps of local buses can be downloaded from www.filbleu.fr, bookmark Horaires Trajets.
Of the suburban buses, the most interesting for tourists are line C (direction Montrichard, via Amboise, Chenonceau) and line V (Savonniere, Villandry, Azay-le-Rideau, 2 times a day, in July and August every day, in other months on certain days you can borrow bicycles). Finding the right bus can take quite a long time: drivers do not know where which bus is, so it is better to find out at the information center (a small building next to the bus stand). In addition, the bus can run right under your nose, 5 minutes before the scheduled time.
Buses in Brittany
Compared to other regions, Brittany has a fairly developed bus network, especially where there are developed resorts. The region consists of several departments, each of which has its own bus network, and large cities also have their own buses. Links to some transport sites.
Ille-et-Vilaine department:
www.illenoo-services.fr - transport in the department
www.ksma.fr - buses to San Malo
www.star.fr - transport in Rennes
www.lesurf.fr - buses in Fougères
Not the territory of Belgium offers its services international european bus carrier- Eurolines.
Eurolines buses you can travel with Brussels V Amsterdam, Berlin, frankfurt, Paris And London.
You can take such a bus at the Brussels North Station.
Traveling by bus is cheaper than by train, but this mode of transport is slower.
Although railways serve many areas, buses are indispensable and some tourist cities in Holland can only be reached by bus. The buses use the OV-chipkaart tariff system, but each company in the region can also enter its own tickets.
Buses in Luxembourg
Along with the train, the bus is a popular public transport in a small country. Luxembourg. There are intra-city and regional flights, buses run to every locality in Luxembourg at least once an hour, but on Sundays the number of flights is significantly reduced. In addition, you can get to/from many major cities in Europe by bus.
There are about 25 routes in the capital, 3 at night. Bus number 16 runs to the airport. The traffic interval is 10 minutes and is carefully observed.
The fare system for bus and train travel is the same. Tickets can be purchased from the bus driver, at newsstands, banks, bakeries and some shops, as well as at the municipal bus information center in the underground part of Gamilius Square in the capital.
In addition, the right to free travel can be purchased by purchasing the Luxembourg Card tourist card, which provides free admission to 55 museums in Luxembourg. You can buy a card at tourist offices, hotels, private boarding houses, railway stations and the main attractions of the city.
Great Britain
Traveling by bus is much cheaper, although longer. Intercity services from London are carried out by two large bus companies National Express and Green Line. On the websites of bus companies, you can see the cost of tickets for intercity buses, for example, National Express, Green Line or Megabus. The bus station is next to Victoria Station. But you can catch a bus along the way, you just need to check in advance where it stops. True, there may not be places, then there is a warning sign on the side of the bus. Tickets are cheaper if traveling in the early hours.
Local buses usually run between nearby cities. Their schedule can be viewed on the Traveline website.
The National Express website also has information about the Brit Xplorer Pass. It is valid for 7 days and costs 79 pounds, there are also options for 14 and 28 days. As far as I understand, you need to order in advance, but you can pick it up at the airport, at Victoria station and in other places indicated on the site. Allows unlimited travel on National Express buses throughout the UK.
Main types urban transport in London- metro and bus, and in addition, you can use the railway, whose trains often come to the metro station, and trams on the outskirts. Buses run quite often, they are much cheaper, there are no problems with traffic jams. The most convenient way to move around zones 1-2 of London is to download a bus route map from the site and buy a day pass. Maps hanging at stops are extremely stupid, it is better to take care of this in advance. But at many stops there is an electronic scoreboard on which it is written when the bus you need arrives. Tickets are sold for one trip, day and 7 days. Regular tickets are bought from the driver or in yellow boxes at the bus stop. Day pass - only in a box. If there is a box at the stop, the driver may not sell the ticket, but send it to buy it in the machine.
Ireland
National operating company Bus Eireann- the main intercity bus carrier in the country. It provides a wide range of services, including suburban and urban routes in cities such as Waterford, Drogheda, Galway, rural routes, intercity routes (Expressway) and international routes to continental Europe (Eurolines). Its network covers the entire country except for the capital region.
Buses operate from 5.30 to 24 at night (some have a reduced schedule, approximately from 7.00 to 21.00), then night. Tickets (common for all transport) are sold at tobacconists, vending machines at stops (not everywhere) or at metro stations. Also, some buses have machines that sell only a regular BIT ticket - they do not give change. Be careful when buying tickets from vending machines at bus stops - they only give you 4 euros in change. Maps can be downloaded from the site.
Trips outside the city are handled by Cotral. There are several bus stations, in addition, buses can stop at other metro stations, but it is better to catch them at the end stations. The company frankly warns that the schedule is not guaranteed - buses may get stuck in traffic or drivers may go on strike. The bus to Tivoli goes from the Ponte Mammolo station, buses to the airport - depending on the company.
Buses in Florence
Florence is a compact city, here it is quite possible to miss the buses. You will need them if you do not live in the center, for a trip to the observation deck (if you do not feel like walking) or for a trip to Fiesolo. On the company's website you can download maps (Mappe delle linee) and find out the timetable (Orari e linee). Buses A, B, C, D run in the center. To the observation deck - bus 13. To Fiesole - bus 7.
A regular ticket is valid for 90 minutes after composting and costs 1.20 (2013). The same ticket from the driver costs 2 euros. Ticket for 4 trips - 4.70. If 2-4 people travel on such a ticket, it is validated as many times as the person travels. Carta AGILE - a card for 10 trips of 90 minutes (10 euros, the same for 21 trips - 20 euros).
Ticket for 24 hours - 5 euros. You must write your name and validate the first time you use it. A ticket for 3 days costs 12 euros.
There is a special bus to Florence Airport for 6 euros (Volainbus ticket)
Malta
The main form of public transport in Malta is buses, which operate around the clock. Public transport routes mainly depart from the central terminal before entering Valletta and diverge throughout the island. Such routes have two-digit numbers, while the numbers of one ten follow the identical route for the main part of the path, only at the end diverging to different settlements. The route map is also pasted on the sides of the buses. Before boarding, it is necessary to check the route number indicated on the driver's windshield, since buses are often transferred from route to route.
Route numbers starting with a hundred are local, plying within the same locality or city. At the same time, buses on such routes run quite rarely.
Intercity bus routes start with two hundred numbers. At the same time, transit buses do not call in Valletta.
On the island of Gozo, bus routes run starting with three hundred numbers.
Routes connecting the settlements of Malta with the airport are indicated by the letter X.
Night buses running after 23:00 are marked with the letter N. The route network of night buses does not coincide with the routes of day buses, with rare exceptions. Night buses depart not from Valletta, but from St. Julian - the main tourist center of Malta, where most of the country's nightlife is concentrated.
Tickets are sold at stops and at the entrance to the bus in special machines, tickets can also be purchased from the driver.
All stops - on demand, to get out, you need to pull a special cord connected to the bell, or press the button by the window. It is not difficult to stop the bus by simply voting on the side of the road, while if you just stand at the bus stop, the driver can pass by. Also, the driver may not stop if the bus is full.
Greece
The entire mainland of Greece is surrounded by bus routes. If a round-trip trip fits into one day, then it is cheaper to immediately buy a round-trip ticket.
Intercity bus service in Greece very convenient and quite cheap, but organized quite unusual. Transportation between Greek cities is subordinate to the KTEL syndicate (KTEL), which is an association of joint-stock companies founded in each region of the country by private bus owners, but under state control in a single network. KTEL of a certain region operates bus routes: a) within its region; b) to Athens and/or Thessaloniki; c) occasionally to the centers of neighboring regions.
Therefore, at the bus stations of Athens and Thessaloniki, where buses from all over the country gather, there is no single ticket office, but you need to look for the KTEL box office of that particular area Greece where you need to go. Accordingly, to board the bus, you must again look for the platform of the KTEL you need. In large cities, there may be several bus stations, on which KTELs of different regions are based. For example, there are three bus stations in Athens.
Due to the mountainous terrain Greece railway communication in the country is poorly developed, so the main burden of passenger traffic falls on the KTEL bus companies. Communication between major cities is quite frequent.
If you are planning a trip between sparsely populated areas, then you should know that there are no bus stations in the villages, buses stop there near caffeine, tickets can be purchased either from their owners right on the spot or from conductors (there are no conductors on buses connecting large cities). Buses run extremely infrequently on local routes, two or three times a day, so try to check in advance the bus departure time from the places you are going to include in your trip.
The result was an article with a large bunch of links. Therefore, everything that I did not write, look further. It is likely that later I will write in more detail both about buses and other modes of transport, and soon I will write about buses in other countries, so I recommend subscribing to blog updates on your Email to stay in the know.
Data
The whole of Germany is divided into urban transport zones, which are served by one or another company. Each such firm has, so to speak, “subordinate” to many tariff zones, with one zone most often corresponding to one large population and its province. When several adjacent firms decide to merge, there is "Transport Union". In the case of, for example, Halle and Leipzig, this union is MDV.
Therefore, ordinary tickets are sold according to the “one ticket - one zone” system and are valid within this zone for all types of transport: metro, buses, trolleybuses, trams, short-range trains. If you need to get on any transport to another zone, then you need to buy either multi-ticket for several tariff zones, or, when moving outside the first zone, get off at the nearest stop, buy another ticket, and only then continue the journey. It is more profitable to buy multi-tickets, since you only need to pay VAT for them once and, as a result, they are cheaper (and yes, due to this we save paper, thereby saving the environment).
Transport types
In Germany, there are absolutely all types of transport, if we take the country as a whole. If we consider each city separately, then
- Subways are only available in major cities.
- tram lines - a privilege of East Germany (former GDR) and Bavaria
- buses - everywhere
- trolleybuses have almost become obsolete, today cities with trolleybus connections can be counted on the fingers of one hand
Tickets
Tickets can be purchased at three locations:
- at the branch of the transport company serving this area
- in vending machines that stand at almost every stop (shown on the line diagram with a special icon)
- in vending machines inside the vehicle (they accept payment only by credit card and not every car has them. Basically, the presence of such a vending machine is indicated by a special sticker on the front door)
The vending machines on the streets look like this:
You can pay in them both by card and in cash. In the case of the latter, you need to be careful: machines accept almost any bill, but give change exclusively small change! Therefore, I highly do not recommend giving them more than 10 euros :-)
In the first week of my life in Germany, I overpaid a lot for tickets, because I did not know (and there was no one to find out from anyone) how this or that ticket differed from the rest. Therefore, the next part will be of interest to those who do not plan to constantly drive a car. Others can safely scroll the page down to the next section.
Ticket types
In vending machines you can buy:
- Single ticket. These tickets needs to be activated breaking them in special machines (available in every tram / bus). The machine puts the date and time on them, the countdown starts after activation. If you bought a ticket, but didn't break through then in case of control you will be forced to pay a fine (40 euros per person). The same applies to old-style train tickets.
- Ticket for four. With this ticket, either four people can ride once within an hour, or one person can travel four times. For each time / each person, the ticket must be punched from a new side.
- Day ticket. Well, everything is clear here. You do not need to punch this ticket, it is valid in one zone until four in the morning of the next day after purchase. You can buy a group day ticket that can be used by five people.
- Weekly ticket. Acts on calendar week, until 4 am Monday next week. This means that if you buy a weekly ticket on Friday, you can only use it three days, not seven.
- Monthly ticket. Valid from midnight on the first day of the current calendar month until 12:00 on the first day of the next. A cheaper version of the ticket is the "after 9:00" ticket, which on weekdays is valid only after 9:00 in the morning.
- Ticket for a year. The name speaks for itself. The ticket is very expensive even by German standards. For orientation: its price in Halle is 450 euros. During certain hours, the ticket allows you to bring either one adult, or three children, or a dog with you free of charge.
Almost all of the above tickets fall into three categories:
- Ticket for one zone. Valid for all modes of transport for one hour for one person.
- Short distance ticket. Valid for the next four stops in the case of a tram / bus OR four kilometers in the case of a train, and you can only drive with it to the next stop, regardless of whether it is four or two kilometers away.
- Children's ticket. Preschool children ride for free. Students under the age of thirteen pay slightly less than adults.
In the office of the transport company you can also order subscription(on the terms of a monthly ticket, only a little cheaper) or student ID(for 6 months). The latter is extremely profitable: it costs the same as 2 tickets for a month for an adult.
Stops
Many stops in Germany, especially in the eastern part, are terribly thought out. An extreme case is the glazed rear side, the side walls are missing (to feel all the charm of the German wind), and the seats are made of iron, which makes them completely useless in the cold season. The next modification of such stops is stops with large gaps between the side and rear walls, in order to form a strong wind directed at the seats.
However, there are also ideal stops, with a slightly sloping canopy (to allow rainwater to roll off), with plastic seats and sealed walls that are only open on one side.
Almost every stop has an electronic scoreboard, which shows which transport line will arrive next, how long it will take and what is the final stop of this line.
But you and I are interested in a lot of information signs hanging either on separate poles (as in the picture above) or under glass on a special stand near advertising.
signboards
This is how the scheme of daytime tram and bus lines of the city of Halle looks like. Usually there is a diagram with a different color scheme hanging nearby, showing which lines run at night. The diagram shows the zone number of the given city, adjacent zones are highlighted in light yellow, and stops in which 2 or more tariff plans are in operation are shown in gray. This means that if you do not need to buy any multi-ticket for this zone. Bus lines are shown in dotted lines, tram lines are shown in solid lines. A little man on an orange background means that construction work is going on in this place and transport is forced to move around for a while.
For each route, a leaflet of the following type hangs at a single stop:
In our case, tram line 94 is a night line, so it only runs between nineteen and three o'clock Monday through Friday. The first column is hours. The numbers in the second and third columns indicate the minutes, respectively. The weekday schedule is always different from the weekend schedule, many routes on Saturdays and especially on Sundays do not go in principle. The letters near may indicate that at this time the tram:
- even goes to sylvester (New Year)
- does not go to sylvester
- goes even on holidays
- will be old-style, i.e. with steps (important information for people in wheelchairs, mothers with babies, the elderly)
The stop at which we are standing is circled, the numbers next to each circle indicate the travel time to the next stop in minutes (counting from the current one). Black circles mean that this number of stops can be traveled with a special ticket for a short distance. For the rest, you will need a "single" ticket.
Even at the stops, there may be a scheme of tariff zones, which are assigned to this association, but there is no practical benefit from this scheme for the traveler.
Lyrics
Personally, I use all forms of transport that my semester ticket allows me to use. During this time, several things became clear to me: firstly, to wash windows in public transport, contrary to the beliefs of our domestic colleagues, not difficult. Proven by the Germans. Secondly, disabled people and children are also people, for them even a series of low-slung trams is not a good thing to release. Speaking for the disabled, for the first time in my life I saw something like this: in Berlin, buses, when stopping, lower the suspension from the side of the stop, thus tilting one side to the ground, so that it would be easier for wheelchairs and their owners to get up.
And there are many such examples. For example, door opening buttons for children, located a little lower than the adult button, so that children do not feel infringed on the rights to open the door on their own. Or announcements about attractions in the vicinity before each stop, which in large cities are pronounced at once in several languages. The seats in the transport are upholstered with soft and, most importantly, clean a fabric that is pleasant to sit on. Each tram-bus-metro is video monitored through several cameras located at the exit, so the damage caused by vandals and cattle is minimal.
In conclusion, I will dilute a barrel of honey with the only minus I noticed: the route schedule leaves much to be desired. On weekends, it is almost impossible to move, especially if the route has transfers. Perhaps that is why every German has in his arsenal, if not a car, then a bicycle, but more often both.
Update from 17.05. As Sergej Kukujzev rightly noted, in the case of buses, tickets can be bought directly from the driver. In this case, you will be informed of the ticket price immediately after you name the end point of your route.
