Tell me More About The beach Shuttles

[conandrob240]

Are they easy to find as you exit your ship? How do you find them specifically?

Is the cost always $7 pp one way? Do they leave quickly or is it usually a wait for them to fill up? Do they only go to Horseshoe Bay or is there one that goes to Elbow Beach? Do they stop along the way or just go direct? Thanks!

[iheartbda]

The bus is marked as Special and will be with the other buses.They usually wait to fill up but fill quickly so there's not much wait. The fare is the usual one way fare pp. It goes only to Horshoe Bay with no stops along the way. If you want to go to Elbow beach, you must take a regular bus.

[conandrob240]

Thank you!

[shof515]

how often do they run and do they run a shuttle going back to the ship?

[conandrob240]

How much time does it save over the regular bus?

[njhorseman]

Your mention of a $7 fare and use of the word shuttle leads me to believe you weren't asking about buses...although the answer about buses was correct in and of itself.

 

Some taxi and van operators offer group ride shuttle service to Horseshoe Bay...and as you say in the past this cost about $7. (Bus fare is $4.50 cash or $4 for a token.) Since taxi fares increased 25% on May 1, it's likely that they'll now charge more for the group ride shuttles..maybe in the $9 to $10 range. There are signs at Dockyard that will direct you to the area where you can find the group ride shuttles/taxis. There's no schedule...they'll normally leave when they've filled the vehicle .

 

There's also no published schedule for the express buses to Horseshoe Bay. They come along whenever they come along. You'll probably save about 20 minutes over the regular bus whether using the group ride vans/taxis or the express bus.

[conandrob240]

Now, I am confused. There is a regular bus, an express bus, and a shuttle? The shuttle isn't the same as the express bus?

 

I heartbda, you were referring to the shuttle or the express bus when you said it would be with the buses and marked " special"?

Edited May 23, 2014 by conandrob240

[njhorseman]

Now, I am confused. There is a regular bus, an express bus, and a shuttle? The shuttle isn't the same as the express bus?

 

I heartbda, you were referring to the shuttle or the express bus when you said it would be with the buses and marked " special"?

 

No, express buses and shuttles are two different beasts. My friend iheartbda was referring to the express bus...hence the comment about the fare being the same as the usual fare for the regular bus.

 

Regular (#7) bus, and the express bus (marked "special") are both part of the public transportation system and the cost for either is the normal bus fare.

 

The shuttles are privately operated taxis, mini buses and vans that operate on a shared ride basis and charge about twice as much as the bus fare. You can only pay in cash...bus tokens, transportation passes and tickets can't be used.

 

Or, you can taxi your own private taxi to Horseshoe Bay for about $40 plus tip for 1-4 passengers.

Edited May 23, 2014 by njhorseman

[emeraldlover1]

If you have the transportation pass, can you use it for the special busses?

 

Thanks!!!

 

 

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[njhorseman]

If you have the transportation pass, can you use it for the special busses?

 

Thanks!!!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

If you mean the express bus to Horseshoe Bay marked "Special" the answer is yes.

[iheartbda]

Just to confuse Conandrob a bit more, if you go to St. George and want to go to Tobacco Bay, there is a public shuttle, a mini bus. The transportation passes are not good on that. It was $3 dollars each way but may have gone up since we didn't use it last time. In this instance, it's cheaper to share a cab with someone and quicker since you have to wait for the shuttle to make its loop.

 

NJHorseman, I think lots of people assume there's a beach shuttle like places have in the Caribbean. They also think the ferry is a water taxi. Although I think someone was starting a water taxi service which was quite 'spensive.

[emeraldlover1]

If you mean the express bus to Horseshoe Bay marked "Special" the answer is yes.

 

 

Thank you so much! Can you tell me if they run on Sunday and if they it's a normal schedule?

 

Trying to plan our Sunday when we arrive on the Dawn. We dock at 11 and I know the busses run different on Sunday.

 

 

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[njhorseman]

Thank you so much! Can you tell me if they run on Sunday and if they it's a normal schedule?

 

Trying to plan our Sunday when we arrive on the Dawn. We dock at 11 and I know the busses run different on Sunday.

 

 

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There's no published schedule for the "special" express buses to Horseshoe Bay so I really can't say if they run fewer than they would on a weekday. In mid day the regular #7 Sunday schedule is pretty much the same as the weekday schedule...the reductions are mostly early and late in the day...the buses start running later in the morning and end running much earlier than they do on a weekday. Here's the full Bermuda bus schedule for all routes:

 

http://www.gov.bm/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_2_18606_252_993_43/http%3B/ptpublisher.gov.bm%3B7087/publishedcontent/publish/ministry_of_tourism_and_transport/public_transportation_board/bus_schedules/bus_schedule_2014.pdf

[emeraldlover1]

Thanks NJHorseman for your posts. You are very knowledgeable.

 

Melissa

 

 

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[njhorseman]

Thanks NJHorseman for your posts. You are very knowledgeable.

 

Melissa

 

 

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You're welcome. ( Thanks for the compliment. I appreciate being appreciated !)

Edited May 25, 2014 by njhorseman

[fridaythe13th]

Thank you so much! Can you tell me if they run on Sunday and if they it's a normal schedule?

 

Trying to plan our Sunday when we arrive on the Dawn. We dock at 11 and I know the busses run different on Sunday.

 

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Ferry/bus schedule. http://www.bermuda4u.com/transport/ferry-service/schedule/

 

Since it's a short day we usually take the ferry over to Hamilton for the afternoon. Some people say everything is closed, but there's plenty open. There is a great souvenir shop on Queen St, Flying Coulors, http://www.flyingcolours.bm/ Monday we take the first ferry to St Georges and bus it back, stopping along the way to do the tourist stuff, Swizzle Inn, Gibbs Lighthouse, Caves, etc. Tuesday we do whatever.

 

Bon Voyage'

[njhorseman]

Ferry/bus schedule. http://www.bermuda4u.com/transport/ferry-service/schedule/

 

Since it's a short day we usually take the ferry over to Hamilton for the afternoon. Some people say everything is closed, but there's plenty open. There is a great souvenir shop on Queen St, Flying Coulors, http://www.flyingcolours.bm/ Monday we take the first ferry to St Georges and bus it back, stopping along the way to do the tourist stuff, Swizzle Inn, Gibbs Lighthouse, Caves, etc. Tuesday we do whatever.

 

Bon Voyage'

 

FWIW, that link is to an unofficial ferry schedule, not a ferry/bus schedule, and the poster asked for the bus schedule. Further I provided a link to the official bus schedule on the same day they asked the question.

 

If someone needs a ferry schedule I suggest they go to the official schedule below, not a third party website.

 

http://seaexpress.bm/Documents/Ferry/Summer%20Ferry%20Schedule%202014.pdf

[fridaythe13th]

Soooooo sorry for picking and posting the erroneous link...... I should have known better and should learn how to read. For some reason I knew I'd get reprimanded :rolleyes: :p Jumping the gun as usual.........

Edited May 30, 2014 by fridaythe13th

[renjrusa]

Isnt it faster and easier to take the ferry to Hamilton from the dockyard and then take the bus to horshoe beach. Going in Oct and have read reports of the steep slope from the road to the beach, as I will be traveling with my 80yo Dm am concerned as she is not as mobile as we are. Are the 2$ shuttles from the road to the beach and then take another from the beach up. If so that would be sooo helpful...

[Libra_Critic]

Isnt it faster and easier to take the ferry to Hamilton from the dockyard and then take the bus to horshoe beach. Going in Oct and have read reports of the steep slope from the road to the beach, as I will be traveling with my 80yo Dm am concerned as she is not as mobile as we are. Are the 2$ shuttles from the road to the beach and then take another from the beach up. If so that would be sooo helpful...

 

No, the bus is much faster.

 

Dockyard to Horseshoe Bay:

 

Express Bus ("Special" to Horseshoe Bay) - 25 minutes, or

Regular #7 Bus (incoming to Hamilton) - 30 minutes

 

Ferry to Hamilton, then #7 Bus (outgoing from Hamilton) - 20 minutes ferry, plus walk to bus, plus wait for bus, 25 minutes bus = 45 to 55 minutes total.

 

$2 per trip - shuttle from road to beach, or from beach to road - 2 minutes (takes longer waiting for additional passengers or for shuttle to fill up).

Edited May 31, 2014 by Libra_Critic

[Charles4515]

Isnt it faster and easier to take the ferry to Hamilton from the dockyard and then take the bus to horshoe beach. Going in Oct and have read reports of the steep slope from the road to the beach, as I will be traveling with my 80yo Dm am concerned as she is not as mobile as we are. Are the 2$ shuttles from the road to the beach and then take another from the beach up. If so that would be sooo helpful...

 

As the other person answered it is faster to take the bus from the Dockyard.

 

As an alternative you could take a taxi the Dockyard to the beach and back. You won't have to worry slope of the road as the taxis go down th road to the beach.

[renjrusa]

No, the bus is much faster.

 

Dockyard to Horseshoe Bay:

 

Express Bus ("Special" to Horseshoe Bay) - 25 minutes, or

Regular #7 Bus (incoming to Hamilton) - 30 minutes

 

Ferry to Hamilton, then #7 Bus (outgoing from Hamilton) - 20 minutes ferry, plus walk to bus, plus wait for bus, 25 minutes bus = 45 to 55 minutes total.

 

$2 per trip - shuttle from road to beach, or from beach to road - 2 minutes (takes longer waiting for additional passengers or for shuttle to fill up).

Thank you for the info, will take the bus and wait with looking forward to visiting Bermuda in Oct..mom while she waits for the shuttle to beach...