Public transportation info please.

[MrsJed]

What is it like?

Does it cover the whole island?

Cost of getting on and off?

 

Thinking of taking it to the Animal flower caves (Harrison will be closed during our visit) and any other parts that we find interesting.

 

Thanks for any info

Michelle

[Aplmac]

What is it like?

Does it cover the whole island?

Cost of getting on and off?

 

Thinking of taking it to the Animal flower caves (Harrison will be closed during our visit)

and any other parts that we find interesting.

If you were staying on the island for a week

I'd say you might definitely give it a try -you might have quite some fun

and save quite a bit of money but..

(isn't there always an annoying but?)

- you'll be ashore for a few short hrs. and you may not have been here before

so you don't quite know what you're dealing with.

 

 

To get to your questions....

What's it like?

Not bad for a Caribbean island, but it's not going to be

like your cut-and-dried municipal bus service in Bigtown,USA...so let's not fool ourselves. ;)

This is the Caribbean, not Heaven,

and it's certainly not USA or UK where Things run a lot more clockwork-like.

 

 

Does it cover the whole island?

Pretty much, but no promises for remote areas like North Pt.

and Animal Flower Cave at the extreme Northern tip of the island,

where you might get a bus every hour. Might. ;)

 

 

Cost of getting on and off:

Bus fares on the island were recently hiked to Bds.$2 per ride.

That's the equivalent of US$1. per ride.

You get off, and that's the end of your ride.

You get back on another bus, you pay again.

i.e. there is no Hop on/Hop off arrangement.

Barbados bus service is a commuting thing,basically.

 

You are not going to successfully get to your several destinations on the island

within the short time-frame you'll be on the island.

 

If you want to simply go up the West Coast to Mullins or to Holetown,

catch some rays,feed the turtles while there at the beach

and then catch the bus back down to the Port area

that could work for you, and it does....for many people.

I.e. short,direct trips hubbing out of Bridgetown generally

-not going hither thither and yon!

 

 

Using the local bus system to do island tours is largely impractical

within your 8-hour time frame, ashore.

You have a ship to catch, at around 5 p.m. remember?

 

In short, you need to hire a taxi or take a tour bus and pay the money. :cool:

That choice will be a lot wiser and a lot more efficient...trust me!

I live here on the island, although not for long (only about 60 years).

 

_______________________________________

Not what you wanted to hear, I know

but I'm trying to save you a whole lotta frustration and hanging around waiting in rather hot sun

while you wait a precious 45 mins. waiting for the next bus to come, at some remote location.

 

 

There are other threads on this subject

waiting to be found within the Barbados message boards.

Suggest you use the excellent cruisecritic Search function

and submit the word bus.

Lots of 'hits' will come back -you aren't the first person with this idea.

[ming]

Listen to the man, he speaketh the truth.

 

Come back for a week and do the bus thing when you have infinite time to burn. ;)

[icequeen]

We have used the bus many times when on Barbados but Aplmac knows of what he speaks and we always just use it to get to a beach! For that purpose, it is a fantastic savings over taxis :)

[michellejed]

Thanks so much for the feedback.

I think we may just have to come some time for a week to see every thing we want to!

 

I guess a tour it is, so off for more reading.

 

Thanks again all!

Michelle