Travel News: London to Kolkata Bus Tour

Travel News: Well many of us have travelled between Kolkata and London. The obvious means being a flight and in the yesteryears, it was majorly the ships. Now also various cargo ships or some passenger ships operate between the two major cities of the world. But you must be astonished to hear that many years back there was actually a London to Kolkata Bus tour and vice versa. For the knowledge of many, Kolkata is the city in the eastern part of India and is famous for historical buildings and monuments. The majestic river Ganges flows across this beautiful city known as the City of Joy. London we all know, do not need any specific definition. The bus route was considered the longest in the world, covering a total of 15 trips during its operational services period.

The History

The bus tour was first started by a British Traveller, Andy Stewart. He had a special fascination for travelling long distance, a desire to cover miles after miles in a bus traversing multiple countries. He fulfilled his dream and launched the bus tour between the two metro cities Kolkata and London. The company under him was named as the Albert Tours. The itinerary was phenomenal covering the countries of Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkey, Iran, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Germany, Austria and Belgium.

The Route

The historic route was covered in total 49 days traversing 150 countries. The buses were provided with all the modern amenities of those years. They were lavishly decorated and maintained, much to the appreciation by the travellers. It was a phenomenal experience of covering many countries and their wondrous landscape in a bus. The expenses varied between 85 and 145 GBP, a costly one in those days. It was commonly availed by the royal and the rich families. Yet the important point is the thought process behind embarking in such an adventurous initiative. And furthermore maintaining it for years, entertaining the tourists through lustrous travels.

The Facilities

People enjoyed the facilities offered by London to Kolkata bus operators. Food and drinks were served in a sumptuous amount much to the delight of the tourists. A dedicated kitchen was present in each of the luxury bus coaches for the guests. The buses had 2 decks. The upper one had a sitting place for relaxing and watching the vivacious sceneries. The lower deck had a lounge where people can sit and read in solitude. The buses even had a salon for refreshment and leisure. At the various sightseeing spots, parties were arranged accompanied by music, dance, food and drinks.

The bus coaches were elaborately decorated. There were elegant carpets laid down on the floors for a comfortable and safe walk. Colourful curtains adorned the windows and the doors of the buses, adding an aesthetic tough to the décor. Sufficient and adequate heating and cooling arrangements were provided, adding warmth and pleasure to the tourists travelling. The journey was long, but the tourists were provided with utmost luxurious amenities and joyful entertainments for a peaceful and enthralling journey.

The Tourist Spots

The London to Kolkata bus tour covered some of the renowned and historic tourist spots in India. Taj Mahal, the monument of love in Agra built by the Mughal King Shah Jahan for his lady love Mumtajmahal is one of them. The various local markets of Delhi, the capital city of India, were visited by the tourists to fulfil their shopping desire. The bus also moved past the grand Raj Path (road) of Delhi. The holy city of Banaras in India was another destination covered as part of the Albert tour itinerary package.

In India, the bus tour ended at the old city of Kolkata. The passengers enjoyed watching the beautiful river Ganges and its majestic aura and charm. The sun set at the river was an and still now an awesome experience, the golden hue spreading its magnificent grandeur across the sky.

A Pride

It is astonishing to imagine years back how a thought occurred to establish the World’s largest bus route between two historic places Kolkata and India. There was dearth of modern inventions and technologies, yet there was courage, passion, zeal and interest to create an innovative venture. It’s a matter of pride that India featured in such an initiative.

Author

Kuntala

A travel enthusiast craving to explore the exotic destinations in the world, deciphering the mysteries and the thrill concealed in them.