Editor’s Note: Jane has just started a new job at the State Department of Transport in an undisclosed location. Congratulations Jane, and keep the masses traveling.
Sunday morning, New York City, D Train
Get on the bus
There are all kinds of ways to see a city. If you take a tour, you’ll know you’re getting through all the highlights in an efficient and reliable way. Or you can jump on one of the many tourist-oriented transport options you find in big cities: San Francisco’s trolley cars, for example, the subway in New York City, or the City Circle antique tram in Melbourne.
Hopping on a bus, train or tram can give you a real insight into the lives of the locals. What do kids gossip about on their way to school? What are the latest fashions in office wear and mobile phones? What do old ladies buy at the market? What constitutes personal space in this culture? And how do people react when a drunk vomits on himself on the last train of the night?
The following is a small selection of some of the world’s great public transport trips – in other words, it’s only the ones I’ve been on. So get yourself on down to the comments page and let me know about the great trips I’ve missed.
San Francisco, USA: 33 Stanyan bus
When I lived in San Francisco, I’d catch the 33 Stanyan bus for kicks. The line starts a short stroll from The Presidio – a park with a great view of the Golden Gate bridge – then heads down Arguello Blvd until it hits the city’s hippy-and-buffalo hangout, Golden Gate Park. Stay in your seat for the ride down Haight Street (or hop off for a cocktail at Murio’s Trophy Room and a CD purchase or two at Amoeba) to the corner of Ashbury, where no matter how hard you look for history you’ll only see a Ben & Jerry’s outlet.
You’ll get a taste of San Francisco’s famous hills as you head up Ashbury Street. As you cross over 17th and make a couple of tight turns into Market you’ll get a spectacular view over the Mission District, San Francisco Bay and – if there’s no fog – maybe even Alameda. You could get off here and enjoy the view for a while, but the 33 isn’t legendary for its reliability, so ‘a while’ may constitute up to an hour.
The bus heads downhill to the corner of 18th and Castro in the heart of the Castro district, the city’s gay neighbourhood and another good candidate for a spot to alight. If you stay on you’ll make your way down 18th along the side of gorgeous Mission Dolores Park and on into the Latino-dominated Mission. On weekends, the bus terminates around here, so hop off as the bus crosses either Valencia or Dolores for a wander around hipster clothing stores and tasty taquerias. If you want a quicker route back to downtown, the BART train stops at the corner of 16th and Mission.
Melbourne, Australia: 96 tram
Melbourne, view from a tram window
National Geographic recently listed Melbourne’s 96 tram among the world’s top 10 tram trips. It doesn’t have the glamour and gorgeous views of other nominees, like the Lisbon 28 or the Budapest 2, but the 96 will take you around some of Melbourne’s top sights without the kitschy trappings of a more touristy tram.
The 96 starts its travels on Nicholson Street in the northern suburb of East Brunswick, currently just about the most fashionable hipster area in the city. Stroll over to parallel Lygon Street if you want to indulge in some mod-Lebanese at Rumi or a glass of pinot at the Alderman.
On its trip southward, the 96 skims the edge of Fitzroy – previous contender for most fashionable hipster area – and if you hop off at Johnston Street you can wander through the Spanish district to its heart, Brunswick Street. Otherwise, take a look out to the right as the tram passes the Carlton Gardens, home to the disconcertingly opulent Victorian-era Exhibition Building and its contrastingly modern neighbour, the Melbourne Museum. The tram then scoots past the steps of Parliament House, where there’s bound to be a bridal party or two lining up for photos, and along Bourke Street, downtown’s main artery and shopping strip.
At the south end of the city centre, the 96 heads east over the river and past Crown Casino, where most of your fellow passengers will alight, tempted by poker machines and cheap booze. Don’t do it! Stay on board and you’ll leave the streets and turn on to a disused rail line, a treat for public transport nerds. South Melbourne station is the stop for the South Melbourne Markets, where you can while away an hour or two tasting produce and buying ridiculously cute cupcakes. The tram rejoins street traffic at St Kilda, where you can take a ride on a 1912 rollercoaster at Luna Park or have a paddle at St Kilda beach, and terminates at Acland Street, home to some of the city’s most artery-clogging cake shops.
Prague, Czech Republic: 22 tram
Tram in Prague
The 22 tram (PDF) in Prague is a beauty. It treads a fine line between tourist tram and actual mode of transport, but that’s just because it goes past so many spectacular attractions. It’s also popular with pickpockets, so it’s a good way of offloading any spare euros you have on you.
The 22 is one of the city’s longest routes, but for visitors its logical end points are probably Namesti Miru (or Peace Square) in Vinohrady and Prague Castle (though enthusiasts can stay on past the castle to visit the Hvezda summer palace and the site of the famous battle of Bila Hora).
Take the metro to Namesti Miru station, which has the city’s longest escalator and some of the best interior decoration in the metro system. Up above, there’s a pleasant church, restaurants and some lovely residential architecture. Hop on the tram as it runs towards the river, passing by the Gehry-designed ‘Dancing House’ on its way to the seemingly bubble-wrap-shrouded National Theatre. Cross the Vltava River on the Legii bridge – on the far side you can hop off and duck down a little flight of stairs to lovely, riverside Kampa Park, which leads to the tourist-thronged Charles Bridge.
The tram turns right on Ujezd, past backpacker fave cafe, Bohemia Bagel, and the funicular that runs up to Petrin Hill, home to a fake Eiffel Tower and a beautiful monastic library. You can also stop off at the church were the Infant of Prague lives – he’s an odd little Jesus figure who wears a frock and attracts hordes of pilgrims – or stay on until you get to Malostranske Namesti (Little Town Square) and the spectacularly baroque Church of St Nicholas, a stand-out even in this church-saturated city. From there it’s up a steep hill and you’re at the Castle gates.
My public transit wishlist
What I wouldn’t give to ride the Loop in Chicago and admire some of the most spectacular skyscraper architecture in the world. Less accessible, more dangerous but doubtless just as thrilling is the Simonstown suburban line in Cape Town, South Africa, which teeters along a sea cliff for much of its length (or so I’m told). India’s sparkling new Delhi metro doesn’t offer much in the way of sightseeing, what with being underground, but would surely be one of the world’s most interesting rides.
And this one is just a hunch, but given the alleged unpopularity of Santiago’s new bus system, I reckon a ride on the Transantiago would be a luxuriously uncrowded way to see the Santiago’s sites.
May 6th, 2008 at 11:01 am
Jane, I’d like to add 2 public transit lines to your list.
#1: The above-ground tram line in Istanbul. It goes from the train station into Sultanahmet and beyond, there’s no better way to see all of Istanbul — the tourist part, the local part — than on this tram.
#2: The snotty green double-decker buses in Dublin. Not sure if they’re running them these days. When I lived there, they were nicknamed ‘vomit comets’ because of the crowds of very drunk people going home after the pubs close. I met some lovely people on the vomit comets. Sadly, few of them have the slightest recollection on having met me!
-Scott
May 6th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
I’d like to recommend the New York subway station at 81st St. and Central Park West, next to the American Museum of Natural History. The standard tile walls of the station are interspersed with colorful mosaics of various animal species, and this post on Intelligent Travel features the scientist who has made a pet project of photographing each mosaic animal and giving its scientific name:
http://intelligenttravel.typepad.com/it/2008/04/subway-art.html
May 6th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
My fabulous friend Danny in San Francisco used to call the 33-Stanyan the “33-Godot,” because waiting for a bus to show up on that unreliable line often became an exercise in absurdity. But I agree — what a ride once you’re on it! The hairpin turn on Market west of 18th is probably one of the sharpest turns you’ll experience on a bus, even in hilly San Francisco. The 33 is also convenient for going to the top end of Buena Vista Park, although bring a map along because the walking route from the stop to the park isn’t all that obvious.
In San Francisco I’m also partial to the N-Judah, at least past the Market Street tunnel and west of the tunnel that begins near the Castro. It’s fun to be able to take a streetcar all the way to the beach, even if the beach is freezing and windy 330 days of the year. The scenery out the window of the N-Judah as it travels through the Sunset District reminds me of the background scenery in a Road Runner cartoon: the pastel-chockablock houses repeat and repeat with minimal variation for block after foggy block.
May 6th, 2008 at 3:20 pm
Brett, your friend Danny is a genius. Yeah, I too enjoy the N-Judah - surely Edward Scissorhands’ neighbourhood was modelled on the Sunset.
Marilyn, that’s a great story. Thanks.
May 7th, 2008 at 11:44 am
this is quite boring. and dull. and all the other stupid antonyms for stupid and boring. and i am not sorry for saying this. please liven up your blog!!!! no one will wnat to read such a long and boring account of this otherwise awful trip. i mean who cares if tyou were on a train!!??? GET TO THE POINT!!!! THE TRIP!!! not the stupid train. so please. state some other lively things in your blog space. or you will make veryone regret wasting their time on reading this.
EMO KIDS ARE NOT DIFFERENT
May 7th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
Hey bipolar emo kid — trains trains trains trains!
May 8th, 2008 at 9:46 am
Asheville, NC’s Route #1 brings you to West Asheville - which is away from the tourists and into some of the best brew-pubs in the United States.
May 8th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
you are right bipolar emo kid; mass transport even in trains is just the boring interlude between leaving wherever and getting to the event at the other end especially for kids. At least in a car you can get away from people while travelling.
I was dragged many times by my dad onto the steam train between Diggle and Huddersfield. Three miles of the journey was in a tunnel. Nothing to look at except the unimaginative black and white landscape photo over the opposite seat in the compartment. Almost always some idiot would open a window and horrendous train noise would billow into the carriage along with choking black smoke. And those people who ate onion sandwiches in public or smelly pies. All to go see Huddersfield Town get beaten again. The only good part was the present at the end; Eagle comic with the adventures of Dan Dare. But the whole thing was memorable and I guess that’s what it’s all about.
May 9th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
I’m going to say I’m with Emo Kid here. Mass Transit for those merely using it as transportation leaves something to be desired.
My lost art of Mass Transiting would include, the sound of a homeless drunk guy shouting obscenities and gesturing violently with the sound of sirens closing in, the visceral smell of “something-used-to-cover-the-smell-of-urine-but-does-a-poor-job” permeating your nostrils, and the ever so fleeting, but butterfly gut inducing thought that you have as a bus driver does some balls out driving, of whether today is, indeed, the day you will die.
That said, the cable cars in SF are technically public transit and always worth hopping on. Granted, you will have to elbow out the tourists for the most part, but there’s nothing like hopping on near Union Square for an evening of dining in North Beach.
~Suzann M
May 13th, 2008 at 11:59 am
OMIGOD. People actually agree with me! The world will not end!!!!! I am so happy. Not. hate being happy. It bites. Anyhoo. I Really think people shuold make the blogs more lively and everything cause (cause is TO a word) everyone wont want to read it and miss out on all the cool places out there. And pardon me Mr SCOTT MC. I know where you live and i will come and murder you in your sleep. With a straw from Mcdonalds. Jk. But you knw i hate reading boring crap like this. My comments get to the point and everyone understands. And this lady LISTENS in the kids convos!!!??? how rude!!! they dont want some old freak lady listening to them. It personal. And this shizbag needs to stop pushing it. SHE IS PUSHING BUTTONS!!!!!!! >:{ i love you Scott
June 25th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
I don’t know–I understand how lots of people find public transit boring, but to me it is a cheap tour and a good way to observe natives.
Growing up in San Francisco and having lived in Melbourne–I love a good tram ride. I’m never bored by it. Lot’s to see and observe.
Sometimes there is too much to observe on the 14-Mission in San Francisco.
There several lines with great views besides the 33. Ride the 18 from the Legion of Honor to the park. The 29 goes through the Presidio and has a stop for Baker Beach–easy walk to the nude part. The 22-Fillmore and the 48-Quintera cross the whole city–one north-south, the other east-west.
Great blog, thanks for doing it.