BUS
Traveling by train in India has long been an irresistible temptation for tourists, who are going to get to know this exotic country thoroughly. Trains with postal wagons, ancient locomotives, characteristic smells and sounds of railway stations, as well as the romantic names of the places passed by, that it is often even forgotten, that there is such a thing, like a bus. Meanwhile, it is the bus that can get there, where no train will go, e.g. to Kashmir.
There are routes, where the bus network coincides with the railway network; however, travel by this mode of transport is usually more convenient and saves time. On the routes, where the narrow-gauge railways run, buses are gaining a decisive advantage. It is worth traveling with them in northern Bihar, Uttar Pradeu, up to the border with Nepal and in many regions of Rajasthan.
Types of buses
The buses that travel across India vary greatly. In the north they are usually overcrowded and move very slowly. There are different types of these vehicles to be found in some states, such as: usually, hurried, semi-luxe, deluxe, deluxe with air conditioning, and even sleeping places.
Inside the "regular" buses there are "regular" rows of five seats, but they tend to be crowded with many more passengers. There are piles of luggage in the aisles, animals are brought to the market under the seats, and on some sections of the route people travel on the roof due to lack of space. The technical condition of these vehicles leaves much to be desired, therefore they do not develop very impressive speeds. They also often stop, and these stops seem to extend indefinitely. Traveling by bus undoubtedly has its charm, on short journeys, of course. Otherwise, you can get impatient very quickly.
Fast buses, the so-called. coffee makers, stop less often than regular buses, Unfortunately, they are just as crowded. The ticket costs, Although, a few more rupees, but thanks to that you can finally get rid of the feeling, that the bus is stationary and never reaches its destination.
Semi-luxe buses rarely stop; they have rows after 5 seats (this time padded): darkened windows. The ticket price is approx. 20% than in a regular bus, therefore very few Indians use them. The Delu-xe has rows of seats dedicated to the 4 people.
It works differently in each state, state bus company, as well as several private shipping companies, serving major routes. Unlike state transport, these companies pay less attention to the technical condition of vehicles, with an emphasis mainly on driving speed, and not the safety of passengers.
Even though the bus journey takes less time than the train journey, you have to remember, that driving becomes very tiring after just a few hours. Therefore, for longer journeys, e.g. all night, better to go by train.
In Indian buses it is customary to turn the music to full blast. Request, to turn it down a little, rarely works. The situation is similar in the case of deluxe buses, but this time, not very ambitious videos are shown endlessly.
Taking seats
It is very difficult to get a seat in constantly crowded buses. Tourists traveling in pairs or in groups should separate, entrusting one of his companions with luggage, while others will take their seats. Another proven method is to throw a garment or newspaper through the open window, which lands on an empty seat. After "booking" a seat in this way, you can easily wait for your turn when boarding the bus.
Seating can be reserved in advance for a small surcharge, but this only applies to espresso machines, semi-luxe i deluxe. Seat reservation is compulsory on all private buses.
Women buying tickets at bus stations are usually handled out of sequence. Unfortunately, Subtitles, which inform about it, they are rarely translated into English. Very often there are two lines at the same cash register, men and women, which are operated alternately. In practice, it means, that if only men are standing at the window, the woman will be served without a queue.
Luggage
Because luggage is transported on the roofs of buses (free), appropriate protection should be considered. It's worth making sure, whether it was carefully tied, and if something fragile is packed in it, take care of it, to be on top. Awning, which extends over suitcases and bags, it does not always secure all luggage thoroughly.
When the bus stops at stops, you need to pay attention to your belongings from time to time, in order to prevent theft. It is good to pack all your luggage in a large and strong bag, not only while traveling by bus, but also by plane.
Usually, a few rupees are awarded for placing luggage on the bus roof.
There are
It is impossible to predict during longer journeys, how often the driver will stop. Sometimes there may be a dozen or so, other times much less than it should be. Longer bus journeys quickly become tiring and strenuous, especially for women, as there are usually no toilets along the way.