ferrying to the tram Istanbul style

today i ended up takıng
three dıfferent modes of publıc transport
ferry,train & the tram
have the metro and the bus
on my agenda next

Istanbul is traveller´s delight
so many ways to move around
how many cities can claim more than four?



the tram system started way back in 1869
in fact the official tram website
lists six(!) different transport systems over land
that are beıng managed today

an interesting trivia is that
most trips cost the same
about 50 rupees
it does not matter how far you are going

if you think that is strange
check this out...

you can get a smart tıcket - Akbıl
that can be used
on all publıc buses, ships, ferrıes, metro and tunnel systems
so if i am hopping from one system to the other
i do not have to buy a new ticket
just walk across and board that tram
or bus
or metro
or ferry


now if only we would have something
lıke this for the Metro and the DTC in delhi....
but not at Istanbul prices !!!

A better public transport

Conversation in a car in Kolkata.

"The Delhi Metro is better than Cal Metro."
"Come on, we had a Metro many years before you even thought of one."
"But ours is a larger network."
"Ours is much older."
"Our is air conditioned."
"Ours cheaper. Everyone can afford it."

This exchange set me thinking. The Kolkata Metro began construction in 1973 and the first line opened in 1984. But since the standard at that time was carriages with open windows and no air conditioning the trains look a little outdated.

But the present network has been in use for more than a decade and so is frequented by all kinds of people. Unlike in Delhi where people are still reluctant to completely abandon their cars, in Kolkata the metro is the first choice for most people living and working near the network. And since there is already a link to the Dum Dum airport, traveling by the metro is a practical option.

Like Istanbul, Kolkata has a variety of transport systems. Growing up in that city in the 1990's must have been fun. If you got bored of the Metro there was always the tram. At other times you could take a boat across the river. But the sad part is that apart from the Metro, the other transport systems are falling apart. Just eight months ago I was imagining that Kolkata was the nearest when it came to Istanbul, but the mind can play tricks when you are away.

This time when I had a closer look, in terms of travel options Kolkata has a long way to go in offering a variety of travel experiences to the international traveler. In the case of most tourist friendly cities around the world, good public transport is the one big plus point.

So instead of arguing whether the Delhi Metro is better than the one in Kolkata we need to look beyond the shores and compare our systems with the best in the world.

BRT - why we should support it

The Bus Rapid Transport started its trial run on the Chiraag Dilli -Moolchand stretch this Sunday and apparently it was huge mess. The BRT is a new system of dividing up roads so that the traffic is smooth. At the core the idea is to separate cars, buses and cyclists. Ever since this system has been launchedseveral parts of the city are witnessing a feverish division of the roads.

In this system, all the present buses will be replaced by low floor high capacity buses which will run in the middle of the road. The bus stops have also been made in the center, well protected and actually easier for the pedestrians and bus users if all of us obey rules.

If all of obey rules that's the key phrase here. Every one has to stick to their lane. Something a dilliwalah never learnt. Apparently on Sunday no one understood which was their lane and kept jumping over dividers and therefore leading to a traffic jam.

When such practices are working in other cities (Istanbul, Paris) why should it not work here? Once you have air conditioned buses connecting upto metro stations, less people will use personal transport and lead to less cars on the road. As it is most of our laws, motor taxes and road planning favours private vehicles. No one bothers about the bus commuters or pedestrians.

Most of the complaints on news channels and newspapers have been from motorists who say it will not work in Delhi since people do not obey rules. About ten years ago many people argued that the Metro was expensive and people in Delhi will not pay for it. But once it has connected up to several parts of the city and made travel easier, most people prefer to use it.

I feel once the BRT system is put in place and people get used to lane driving, this will really ease out problem of traffic in many parts of South Delhi. But then for that the dilliwalah has to stick to his lane. Will that miracle ever happen?

The last tram outpost

Last week i spent some time in that city
which still has trams running as a regular mode of transport...

Kolkatta

crisscrossing the city i remembered Istanbul
Kolkatta has almost the same variety of travel options for the tourists
rickety buses
a metro with 80's style bogies
river ferries
cycle rickshaws
hand drawn rickshaws
and the trams

yes those rickety things that lumber along
and you can actually catch up on
your morning paper (twice over)
or catch up on your sleep




i encountered so many streets in the city like this one
where one could see
different technologies transporting
the people to their destinations

i think the tourism people here
should seriously consider
making a day tour schedule of the city's landmarks
using different modes of transport

after all many tourists
use Palace on Wheels to travel in Rajasthan
in the case of Kolkatta
this kind of a day tour would appeal to
the back packer tourist

a real sastaa way to see the city....

riding up the tünel ın Istanbul

went for an trip to Taksim Square
on the tünel
actually a single bogey tramlike contraption
which runs underground
from Karaköy to Tünel Square

the ride was hardly five minutes
the train literally creaked
as it climbed up the hill

no wonder
it is desctribed as a
''railway in the form of an escalator''
this supposed to be the second oldest form of underground transport
after the London Underground

after i had wandered around a bit
i decided walk down to the hotel
when i caught sight of this cute lookıng tram
what a ride !!
the system is slow but works fine
since the streets designated for the tram
rarely have cars

with shops lined up on both sides
you can window shop as you
move along


it must be fun growing up
in this city
that is if your parents let you ride these things alone...

On trains and trams

In Istanbul one can go about the city

in all kinds of trains

built right from the 19th
to the 21st century