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I was raised in S. Calif. and also lived in the countryside in Hawaii and having lived in the SW states of Nv and Nm, I always drove a car.

Now we are living in the city of Budapest and not buying a car until springtime since we must park on the street and it's not that nice outside to take day trips right now.

We love driving around the countryside or going to the lakes in good weather and much easier to get around with your own car.

Right now, you sort of hit my raw nerve.

I had bought a 30 day bus pass for use on all transportation in Budapest. My husband and I spent $100. or so on two passes. He had to prove he was old enough to get a pass for less which took a couple of months to get straight with all the red tape over here.

Anyways, we had our new bus passes in hand and decided to go to one of the large grocery stores at the far end of the city where we used to shop when we had our car.

We got on board and took two different buses.

The second bus apparently crossed just outside of the city limits and there was no notice over the PA system by the driver, no different color of the second bus, nothing but a very tiny few words on the lower back window of the bus right under the bus number.Almost impossible to read unless you knew where to look and why would anyone do that if they were hopping on board a busy bus, no time to run around to the back of the bus outside and read every small bit of writing.

So we were about to depart from the bus at the stop where our store was, when two and I am not joking, rude, toothless homeless looking hags got on board and threw on their (everyone calls then Nazi's here) armbands to announce they wanted to see every ones tickets.

I was sitting a few rows away from my native speaking husband since the bus was crowded and the tow loud hags came up to me. I smiled and gave them my bus pass totally innocent of the fact that we had just crossed city limits.

They both started to scream at me saying in very bad English over and over again that I was going to jail unless I paid them on the spot for not having the proper ticket.

I called my husband over and he explained we didn't see any sign, no notice from the driver etc. they were screaming at him also, so stupid and rude.

My husband has a bad ticker and didn't need the extra stress so he pulled out about $60. to pay for our two penalty tickets.

We were so upset and spent all our extra cash that we were unable to buy much that day at the store.

We went the next day to consumer agency in Budapest to complain about the rudeness of the agents seeming to pick on tourists the most and their attitude and the lack of proper information on the bus itself.

We were told the agents should of offered to sell us each another ticket for 75 cents only and that it wasn't right they way they acted since they get a commission on every ticket they write.

We wrote the bus co. and within 30 days they wrote back saying we admitted quilt the moment we paid the agents. What like we had a choice.

We will still be going after our $60. out of principle but so busy here with other red tape issues, not easy.

I met an American women here and walked her to a museum, she had also been a target of the bus "Nazi's" seems this city doesn't know how to treat tourists, they just want every penny that can lift off of them but not helpful. Most of the time the ticket machine that punches the tickets doesn't work and they will write you up for that.

Last week a young Chinese women had a pocket full of tickets,she was sitting next to me and the "agent" asked for her ticket, she hadn't punched the ticket and he wrote her up. She was smarter or more dishonest then we are since it was very apparent that she was lying about where to send her fine, she said she had no ID on her etc. although she had her purse and cell phone with her and a shopping bg full of new clothing form the mall.

I now walk almost everywhere unless it is just too far, I buy one transfer ticket and walk home if possible. I only use the bus once every 6 weeks or so.

I am going to write them next time and let them know they lost a monthly customer with their rude service and bad policies.

Sorry this was so long but it still gets me hot around the collar.

The bus is also expensive here, it costs $3.50 for a round trip ticket with transfer.

In Vegas, you could buy a pass for 24 hours for $5.

Here in Hungary things are very corrupt. The BKV bus co. purchased new equipment and funds were stollen by co. officals without being paid back. The cost has gone to the customers and the service isn't any better. Buses run about every 5 to 10 min. but they still look old inside and most don't have air conditioning for the hot summer months.

Public transport is a hot topic here. For years this city had busses all over, most rarely used. Other methods of transportation were put in like trolleys and like jitneys and bicycles and such and none really took off, some closed down, some still struggling since this is a tourist area. The bus remains, it's still clean, the cost has gone higher and it's mostly the poor that use it. A different kind of transport (actually there are 2) for the disabled and seniors and this system works with the county, on one the county pays for you if you're in that welfare bracket and on the other you pay a declining amount according to your benefits. Those with income ride the bus and can get discounted rates.

The bugaboo is that even though the normal bus lines routes have been streamlined a few times not that many people use them, and especially aren't use them in this poor economy as job losses are high here. While all this is going on the government allows us the money for a speed train. We're up in the air as to if it would pay for itself or not. Probably not but it would mean jobs for a while till it fails.

I use it every day .In London we are very lucky as we can use buses, trams, railways and the Underground. If I were to pay fares to go to the local baker,it would cost £4 plus the price of the loaf. I think the fare went up at the New Year and it was £2 per journey.Where I live, there are two bus routes,one 5 mins to a Tube station, 2 train stations, so we can be in Oxford St in half an hour ; I do hope te Government do not take this privilege away from us.

I have used our bus network yes, on occasion over the years. The trouble with ours is that it is most often packed solid with commuters and you can never get a seat! With my arthritis that is a big concern.

As to cleanliness--the buses are washed up every night. But with hundred of people tramping in and out of the mess from the melting snow outside, you have to make allowance when that mess gets carried inside.

I will say that most of the bus drivers I have encountered have been helpful and kind. Although I feel they do not police the rowdy element strictly enough when you find them acting up on occasion. I also like the fact that most of the bus drivers will allow someone to ride for free if it is imperative they get somewhere -- like years ago a young man, clean and dressed for a job interview, got on and asked the driver if he could ride for free downtown, because he had a job interview to go to and no money to get there. The bus driver let him. When I asked later if this was a regular occurrence, he told me that he assesses each person on their own merit--if he feels like he is being lied to he will not allow it. If the person is being sincere and the need is obvious then he does....I think that is a very good strategy and I hope that all bus drivers follow it! (Even though it means lost revenue and a possible fare increase for the rest of us.)

Buses - when I have to.

Can't stand trains - for decades I commuted 110 miles to/fro London - subject to HUGE expense, GREAT discomfort and stressful DELAYS. (I'd rather be in a box on board a hearse than on board a train again.)

Had to catch a bus the other day - 1st trip to town for about 3 months - for an unavoidable medical 'consultation'. We're well served by buses locally - being on a main route into town - opposite the main hospital - we have a dozen or so different 'services' from various outlying rural districts - all finding their way in/out of town on the same route. Time-tables are irrelevant - 4 or 5 often come in procession - but then will so another 2 or 3 within 10 or 15 minutes.

My FREE bus pass makes even any such 15 minutes delay easily acceptable. T'other day - I missed 3 buses by a 100 yards or so - being slow on my feet - but within 10 minutes another arrived - and got me into town dead on time for my appointment.

(The economics worry me - since out of peak hours, these buses are cruising up and down virtually empty - apart from the occasional tax-funded 'freebie' OAP such as myself. Whereas train travel cost is rocketing through the roof.)

Doesn't seem to add up, somehow.

But then I don't get much these days, anyways.

; ))

Yes, Cleo....I do use it. I live on a major street that goes from one end of town to the other. Many major shopping areas and offices are on the bus line that stops a block away from my house. I will often hop on the bus just for a change in routine...to save on gas....to save on using the car. There is a senior discount which makes it a million times cheaper to ride the bus when you factor in all the criteria that affect a car mileage cost.

I am careful when I go out now to run daily errands to ALWAYS dress down....no jewelry, no purse...nothing that will make me look like someone who has something of value to steal. I think it is a bit odd to go out, wearing jewelry, wagging a purse about....nearly screaming to someone not very nice....Here I am ...all by myself....a woman carrying around alot of stuff for you to make a few bucks with....

What I never do is ride the bus when the children in the city are using the bus to get to or from school. It is not so great on the busses at that time of day...and I feel sorry as anything for the poor bus drivers who OUGHT to have a policeman on their busses at that time of day.

I use local buses almost every day.

Where I live we are lucky enough to have an excellent bus service. The nearest bus stop is just two minutes' walk from my house and there are six buses every hour. Some services run every five minutes. Most bus stops have real-time departure screens that show the service number, destination and arrival times of the next 3 or 5 buses due at that stop.

Living in Scotland, us senior citizens get a free bus pass that allows us to travel on a bus anywhere at all in Scotland. I have to admit, though, I only use mine to go to the local town centre. We have a good bus service here - every 10 minutes.

If I need to go to the retail park, where the supermarket is, I need to take the car as the bus doesn't go there.

In Scotland senior citizens get free travel on buses. But how much you use it depends on where you live. If we were still in Fife, I would use my bus pass a lot more as the buses were clean and the drivers friendly and helpful.

But we moved to Tayside and the buses are filthy, the drivers and staff at bus stations are unpleasant at the best of time especially in Dundee and Perth. So I never use them now.

Beulah

Yeah I have a bus pass and use it all the time - why not? It saves on petrol and the bus stop is just thirty paces away from my gate.It's reliable and four stops, at the ding of a bell, takes me right into town. I wouldn't be without it.

suzyque

No virtually never .. Have car ,, Have a bus pass but used it once in 3 years ,, Not been on a train for many years ,, Been on a couple of pleasure coach outings .