Best and worst non-UK transit publicity experiences?

[Zamracene749]

Spain. Apart from some honourable exceptions (eg Seville or Barcelona) city bus information is hard to find and regional/interurban bus info almost non existant. Timetables are a state secret, information at stops is missing or scant and often outdated, don't even think about maps and websites - if they exist at all- are usually terrible. Even intercity bus timetables, unless run by ALSA are awkward to find. RENFE timetables? Nope, you have to use their journey planner, which is an almighty shame because once you suss it out the Spanish rail network is fantastic, modern and efficient.

It mystifies me how a modern western European country like this is so bad when it comes to transport info. I'm more than happy to be corrected!

Regarding good experiences, most of Germany, Czechia, Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, Netherlands, Belgium seem well set up.

 

[AlbertBeale]

Spain. Apart from some honourable exceptions (eg Seville or Barcelona) city bus information is hard to find and regional/interurban bus info almost non existant. Timetables are a state secret, information at stops is missing or scant and often outdated, don't even think about maps and websites - if they exist at all- are usually terrible. Even intercity bus timetables, unless run by ALSA are awkward to find. RENFE timetables? Nope, you have to use their journey planner, which is an almighty shame because once you suss it out the Spanish rail network is fantastic, modern and efficient.

It mystifies me how a modern western European country like this is so bad when it comes to transport info. I'm more than happy to be corrected!

Regarding good experiences, most of Germany, Czechia, Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, Netherlands, Belgium seem well set up.

I've found that bus travel around smaller places in Italy seems difficult, since co-ordinated information isn't always available, and what's on bus stops seems scrappy and looks like it might well be out of date. However, whenever I've found a bus stop which says it's for where I want to go, and gives bus times, I've always been pleasantly surprised to find that the buses do run when it says they will. Some touristy places I've stayed in have had information points where they've had bus timetables to give out, and they've always been accurate in my experience.

But in bigger cities, where you need a bus map, not everywhere has such things.

 

[duesselmartin]

even in Germany, Bus travel can be a challenge.
Take my hometown Duisburg, the Tram, U-Bahn stop is at the end of the platforms, not accesable from the main hall, signage is poor.
Buses are spread between Duisburg Hbf East and West, while both east and west have to separate locations. This means there are four different locations to find your bus, if you take both directions you wander around eight different locations and that with a relatively poor 30 or 60 minute interval.

 

[DanielB]

even in Germany, Bus travel can be a challenge.
Take my hometown Duisburg, the Tram, U-Bahn stop is at the end of the platforms, not accesable from the main hall, signage is poor.
Buses are spread between Duisburg Hbf East and West, while both east and west have to separate locations. This means there are four different locations to find your bus, if you take both directions you wander around eight different locations and that with a relatively poor 30 or 60 minute interval.

Looks like Utrecht Central with three bus platforms (A, C and D), two tram platforms (B and H) and platform G for rail replacement buses.
No idea what happened to E and F by the way, both have never existed and the Flixbus etc stop has no letter

In total there are 25 different stops for regular buses and trams, distributed over three bus stations (Centrumzijde - A1-4/B1-4, Jaarbeurszijde - C1-10/D1-5 and Jaarbeursplein - G/H1-2).
Even though there is plenty of signage on the station concourse, the enormous amount of buses makes finding your bus on the departure boards quite a challenge. That some destinations can be reached from more than one bus station doesn't help as the departure boards on the concourse are grouped by bus station. And it's quite a walk from one to the other.

 

[b0b]

The worst experience I had was in Chicago, publicity and signing was very poor and it took me about 15 minutes to find my way to Millennium Station as the signage was practically non-existent.

Millennium station is a hard one to find, but generally I find the Chicago L and Metra system easy enough to navigate, I think you were a bit unlucky with that one.

 

[stuu]

Spain. Apart from some honourable exceptions (eg Seville or Barcelona) city bus information is hard to find and regional/interurban bus info almost non existant. Timetables are a state secret, information at stops is missing or scant and often outdated, don't even think about maps and websites - if they exist at all- are usually terrible. Even intercity bus timetables, unless run by ALSA are awkward to find. RENFE timetables? Nope, you have to use their journey planner, which is an almighty shame because once you suss it out the Spanish rail network is fantastic, modern and efficient.

The absolutely bizarre thing about Renfe is the journey planner doesn't acknowledge the possibility to change trains. Even when it is a perfectly sensible option e.g. Fuengirola to Cordoba. It's like they refuse to admit what the first letter of their name stands for

 

[WestCoast]

Spain. Apart from some honourable exceptions (eg Seville or Barcelona) city bus information is hard to find and regional/interurban bus info almost non existant. Timetables are a state secret, information at stops is missing or scant and often outdated, don't even think about maps and websites - if they exist at all- are usually terrible. Even intercity bus timetables, unless run by ALSA are awkward to find. RENFE timetables? Nope, you have to use their journey planner, which is an almighty shame because once you suss it out the Spanish rail network is fantastic, modern and efficient.

It mystifies me how a modern western European country like this is so bad when it comes to transport info. I'm more than happy to be corrected!

I have travelled quite a bit in Spain and generally I agree. I avoid buses there outside cities. However, there are some notable exceptions. Down in the Canaries, I find TITSA in Tenerife to be generally very good now with info and the service they provide - up to date maps and timetables on the website (with QR codes on the stops linking to real time info), integrated and cheap smart ticketing also with the tram and very easy going staff. Also multilingual info in English and German in the touristy south, which is a very nice touch. Really recommend it if you like bus jaunts as they have some amazing scenic routes.

On the other hand I have found the buses in both Majorca and Gran Canaria to be confusing as there isn’t the single operator like Tenerife and the info is a bit lacking.

Basically with Spain being so decentralised it comes down to how much effort is put in locally.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Not day to day but I love the "cutesy" way DB portray engineering works with the "Max Maulwurf" mole cartoon character. I thought Network Rail using a seagull in a hi vis for South Coast engineering was amusing but not quite as good.

Edit: he even has a fan website:

BauInfoPortal

Excellent - a touch of fun in the network.

I confess to being not amused with the "Travel Buddy" cartoon character when a minor route (Thameslink) was sliced in half for a long period. The German Max hits the spot for me.

 

[riceuten]

I have travelled quite a bit in Spain and generally I agree. I avoid buses there outside cities. However, there are some notable exceptions. Down in the Canaries, I find TITSA in Tenerife to be generally very good now with info and the service they provide - up to date maps and timetables on the website (with QR codes on the stops linking to real time info), integrated and cheap smart ticketing also with the tram and very easy going staff. Also multilingual info in English and German in the touristy south, which is a very nice touch. Really recommend it if you like bus jaunts as they have some amazing scenic routes.

On the other hand I have found the buses in both Majorca and Gran Canaria to be confusing as there isn’t the single operator like Tenerife and the info is a bit lacking.

Basically with Spain being so decentralised it comes down to how much effort is put in locally.

I think TIB do a pretty good job at keeping people informed on Mallorca

Inici - CTM

Transport públic interurbà de Mallorca: bus, tren i metro. Informació sobre la xarxa TIB: línies, horaris, títols de transport, atenció a l'usuari.

www.tib.org