Flytoget Airport Express (Oslo, Norway)

Photo courtesy of the Visit Oslo Website

Flytoget is one of the cheapest, fastest comfortable means to get to the airport. Cheap for Norway, of course. There are other ways to get to the airport, cheaper, but not as convenient.

The train is located on the station's ground area, and you can buy the tickets through their website, through their app, or just at the station by using their ticket vending machines (using cash or credit card). At working hours there are different staff members helping customers with the machines.

Trains run very frequently, so if you miss one, another will be there in about 10-15 minutes. And the train being a specific service to the airport, it is very punctual.

The train is fast, has short stops in different places between the airport and the central station, and is very comfortable. There is a screen with scheduled flights arrivals and departures and some tourist info.

Taking into account the prices of everything in Norway, the ticket is OK. Children under 16 travel for free if accompanied by an adult; half price for kids from 16 and 20, students from 21-31yoa and retires over 67, and full price for adults without a concession.

The only thing I disliked is that the carriages have no ramps to the platforms, so you have to move your suitcase inside by using your muscles, which is not great if your suitcase if very heavy. Also the space devoted to the luggage has not barrier or stopping bar, so the suitcases with wheels tend to move in and out the compartments.

Overall, very good. I will take it again if I return to Oslo.

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Roe St Bus Station (Perth WA, Australia)

The Roe St Bus Station opened in January 2014 as a funny spin-off of the Wellington St Station, while the underground internationally designed station is being built. We will have this station operational for at least for two years, as the works are scheduled to finish in 2016

Located in a fantastic location on Roe St, this station services the bus lines tending to Perth's northern suburbs. What I love the most about it is how easy is to access the heart of the city from here: Train Station, William St, Forrest Place, Wellington St.

The place is more a jump on-jump off sort of place. There are a few information poles, a few covered seating benches, an information booth, and, surprise!, the buses. It is very Spartan, still functional with 12 bus stands, two of them devoted to replacement buses when any of the train lines stops. 

I don't understand why they have left one of the sides of the station almost bare of seating benches. Even if they are costly, they can be recycled afterwards. Just saying. 

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Claremont Train Station (Claremont, Perth WA)

This is a cute station, wooden, level ground, that makes me think of what train stations used to be and still are in small European towns.

The former station (nowadays just a train stop) is very functional and it has an information booth, a ticket machine, a newspaper machine, poles with the train timetable, an emergency phone, and an ample seating area. There are no electronic informative panels

The station has a retro feeling that I love, with a wonderful pedestrian overpass wooden bridge, surrounded by bedded plants and flowers, the old signal station (what I call "the tower", which can be visited -at least in the past- on weekends), as well as some of limestone buildings across the tracks, and some of the seating area.

The station is at a killer location, about 100 metres from Claremont's coffee strip and Claremont Quarter Shopping Centre, and a few more paces from other nice shops and cafés in the area.

The access to the tracks is a bit long, unnecessarily so, as the shortest access has been fenced, and one can only enter by the picket fenced area now. On the other hand, this is a nicer entrance.

The only line stopping at Claremont is the Fremantle Line.

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Granada's Bus and Coaches Station (Granada, Spain)

Carretera de Jaén, s/n
18013 Granada
Spain
Phone  +34 958 185 480
 
Granada, despite being a very small town, is a buzzing one, with lots of travellers moving in an out every single day.  People move basically by bus, so the station is always busy.

The station is located in the outskirts of the city, but well communicated by normal city buses (number 33, especially) and taxi, and has provincial, regional, national and international services. There are more than 25 platforms in the station, which shows the volume of travel in this small town. 

The building is very functional, as well as the whole structure of the station. You will find the services you expect to find in any station, but nothing fancy, as the movement is steady and you won't need to spend hours waiting there. So you will find the information and sale windows upstairs, an escalator to access the waiting area, café-bar and toilets, plus some tiny shops and shopping stands around. There are electronic information panels in the waiting area, as well. The place is kept clean.

The Station's sales windows can have long cues at pick ours or pick departing hours, if you arrive with not much time to buy your ticket, it might be too late. Buy you ticket online through Alsa's website or in advance.

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
> Some of the services to Málaga Airport or to the big cities are always full. Depending on demand, there can be more than one bus doing the same route. This means that the volume of passengers in the cue in front of a bus can be humongous as the drivers need to check the tickets before passengers board and place their luggage in the luggage compartment. It would be great having another person doing just this, so the boarding is quicker, and people don't get confused or annoyed. 
> A better lighting for the platform area is needed!
> A few more coffee and snacks machines would be handy.

MIND
> If you are a foreigner holding an electronic ticket, the bus driver will request you to present your passport together with your online ticket. This is the law. If you are trying to jump about basic travelling regulations, you are just being obnoxious, are giving a terrible image of your fellow-nationals and are being a nuisance to other travellers. There was a group of fellow-Aussies doing just that, making demeaning comments on the country just because they were requested to show their passports! I felt very ashamed that we were holding the same passport.
> There can be some drug addicts and odd people begging around the main entrance at times. Do as you would do at home, ignore them with gentleness and keep an eye on your luggage. 

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Table Mountain Aerial Cableway (Cape Town, South Africa)

Tafelberg Road

 Lower Cable Station, 

Cape Town Central 8001, South Africa
Phone: +27 021-424-8181
Website

There are cable cars and then there is "the" Table Mountain cable car - one of the most spectacular cable cars I have ever seen. Just the engineering of the cable car is amazing due to the roughness and remoteness of the area. The cars are perched in the sky, and seeing the cable car from afar is an spectacle of its own.

The return ticket is about 20 Au/USA Dollars (if purchased at the window), but well worth it the price. Why?
>> Because you get to Table Mountain, one of the natural wonders of the world (tick)
>> The cable car revolves around itself, so all passengers have a view of the spectacular surroundings (tick).
>> One of the window panels has no glass, so passengers can take a picture or enjoy the scenery without barriers (tick).
>> The guys driving the car are very welcoming, lovely and informative (tick).
>> There are cars going up and down every five minutes (tick).
>> You can buy the tickets online so you don't have to cue (tick)

If you go to Cape Town you MUST a) take the car. b) see the car from afar and take the very sought photo with the the two cards crossing in space. Just saying.

The main downside is that the cable car is subject to weather conditions, which are quite unpredictable in Cape Town, and change from day to day and from hour to hour at the top. There is an electronic board before entering the lower part of the ticketing area informing whether the cablecar is open or not. To avoid any disappointment, check their website on your smartphone before heading that way.

MIND

Prices are reduced for children, South African senior citizens, students and for SANPARKS pass holders.

WARNING

The cable car closes annually for maintenance works. This year 2014, it will be closed from the 28th July to the 10th August.

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Gautrain (Johannesburg, South Africa)

Phone: 0800 428 87 246
Website
Facebook
 
I have used the Gautrain train a lot during my stay in Johannesburg and I love it. 

The Gautrain (pronounced Hah-ooh-train) is a fantastic first-class train service that takes you to major destinations in Johannesburg.

The stations are well organised and signalled, with plenty of ticket machines and info booths, and electronic boards informing of time and platform of the departures. The trains run every 10-15 minutes and they are fast, reliable, uber-clean, pleasant to the eye, and comfortable. They have a very efficient information system on the train: voice information is given throughout the trip regarding stops, connections and destinations, while the electronic boards provide the same info in English, Afrikaans and Zulu (?) languages. There is lot of space to park your baggage while travelling, but they get filled up quickly and a landscape of suitcases is part of the Gautrain experience.  

At the moment, the Gautrain has two train lines. The first one goes from Park to Hartfied (Park, Rosebank, Sandton -change line here if you go to the airport- Malrboro, Midrand, Centurion, Pretoria, and Hartfied) and the second one from Sandton to the Airport (Sandton, Malrboro, Rhodesfield, and O. R. Tambo International Airport). 

If you are the distracted type of person or your brain is off during the trip, no worries,  you don't have to remember anything about these lines. Once you get your train gold card (the one you use to top up and use as a ticket pass), turn it over, look at the back, and voila, the route of both lines is shown there. How mindful is that?!!!

Prices are OK for foreigners, but a bit high for most working class locals; however, discounts are available by purchasing weekly and monthly passes. The ticket to the airport is around 135-155 Rands, depending on which station you jump on the train; nothing compared to the rip-off prices that taxis charge foreigners from/to the airport.

I hope the train adds some more stations or lines in the future.

More ticket windows, or at least two vendors per window, are needed at certain stations and times when cues are normal and you can easily spend more than 10 minutes waiting. No kidding. 

MIND
The Gautrain station and the sightseeing Red Bus are directly connected and easy to combine.  

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Fremantle Railway Line (Perth WA)

Perth City Train Station to Fremantle Train Station
Perth Western Australia 6000
13 62 13
TransPerth Website 

The Fremantle Railway Line was the first train line opened in Perth, in 1881, during  the charming Colonial era, when trains and steam machines had the wow factor. Fremantle Train Line is still a charming line, whether you need to use it, want to get lost, or you are a tourist. 

The train departs from Perth and passes trough City West, West Leederville, Subiaco, Daglish, Shenton Park, Karrakatta, Loch Street, Showgrounds, Claremont, Swanbourne, Grant Street,  and North Fremantle before arriving at Fremantle. The whole ride takes about half an hour. 

This is my favourite train line, and one of those lines that I enjoy riding for the sake of riding it, disregarding I need to go somewhere, or just want to venture somewhere out of the blue. There are many charming places you might decide to stop at to have a meal, a coffee, a drink, go to traditional markets, visit an exhibition or fair, or just to take a stroll. My favourite stops are Subiaco, Swanbourne, Cottesloe and Fremantle. 

One of the things I like the most about this line is the fact that it traverses very different urban areas: from the dry City of Perth to the coastal towns of Cottlesloe and Fremantle; from the urban to the suburban, from the middle and middle-upper class areas to the bohemian areas. No surprise, this line also has a mixed colourful group of riders: locals, tourists, beach lovers, market lovers, students, business people, families with kids, intellectuals, Footy fans, loonies, loners, you name it. An archetypal collection of human beings. You will not need a book or a phone to pass the time. Just open your eyes and enjoy the ride.

Fremantle is within TransPerth Zone 2. Fees from Perth to Fremantle or vice versa (effective 1/7/2013), are 50 cents for students, 4.20 cash (or 1.70 concession), 3.47-3.15 for multi-rider users (1.45-1.28 concession).

The Fremantle Train Line's timetable is very good, the service very frequent all day long and great part of the night. Some of the trains stop at all stations, and others just at selected ones. 

MIND
Two main shuts will affect this line in the coming days. Alternative transportation will be provided. Afterwards, there were be changes in the trains timetables.
Shut 1: Friday 12 July- Wednesday 17 July 2013.
Shut 2: Wednesday 31 July-Sunday 4 August 2013

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Fremantle Train Station (Fremantle, Perth WA)

Phillmore St
Fremantle Western Australia 6160

Fremantle Train Station is an iconic Fremantle landmark, Heritage listed since 2001. The Station has an air of grandeur, with an impressive and charming stone Federation Classical façade, whose elegance and magnificence gets somewhat magnified by its less impressive surroundings. In a way, it feels a bit too grand for a bohemian little town like Fremantle. However, once you enter in, the Station reflects well the laid-back style of the town.

The Station is clean, well organised and fuss free. Only the Fremantle Train Line operates in this station and, although the trains arrive and leave frequently, there is never a huge traffic or big human agglomerations except for peak hours some days. The Station reminds me of those little old train stations you find in some small European villages and towns; if they hanged a few flower plants from the beams, the space-travel-machine feeling would be magnified. 

 

Part of the original grandeur of the Station can still be appreciated, if you happen to be a lady, at the surprisingly magnificent eerie toilets. They seem designed for giants or, most probably, for ladies wearing long dresses with cancans, awesome feather hats and delicate parasols, who needed to get from "Lady" to human being in need of physical relief, and lots of space for the gruelling and almost Kafkaesque transformation. They probably have huge bottoms, too. If you happen to have one, congratulations!, this is your place. The chilliness of the place, the large empty space, the high dark-wood doors and the ultra-white walls create a ghostly atmosphere that you do not want to miss.

Although the seating area is large and quite comfortable, and the station has electronic info pannels regarding trains departures, the station lacks some facilities that, due to he ample room available, one wonders why are not there. A cosy elegant French-style café could be perfect here, a small newsagent, a colourful flowers stand, and the now absent Info booth. That is my vision. The vision of TransPerth is a bit more Spartan, and at present there is just a little convenience store, and a Security booth, plus the ticket machines, which, of course, have a charm of their own. The security guards at the station are very friendly and helpful if you happen to request their help. 
 
Fremantle Train Station  makes you at ease as soon as you enter in. Things change after the lights of the day fade off, but, even then, the Station lives up to its Jekyll & Hyde soul.

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Showgrounds Railway Station (Perth WA)

The Showgrounds Railway station is one of the stops in the Fremantle Railway Line, and very close to the Claremont Showgrounds, where the Royal Perth Show, business fairs, expos, exhibitions and craft and vintage markets take place. Do not to be mixed with Claremont Railway Station, which is a different one.
 
The place looks as new and it is well maintained, spotless clean and tidy, has a decent seating area, and a few ticketing machines on the ground.  The access to the platforms is by underground stairs, no lift or escalator available, but there is an access ramp for wheelchairs. 

The Claremont showgrounds and the station do no have a regular connection system, but a free shuttle operates during scheduled events, which is great, as the station and the grounds are close, but not that close!

There is no electronic or printing information system on the premises showing the timetable of the trains, and time remaining for the next train to arrive. There is a small information booth on the ground, but, if there is nobody there, an alternative information system is needed. I have just seen it closed, so it was of no use to the many customers arriving with the shuttle to the station. How difficult and expensive can be having a framed timetable placed in different areas of the station for the travellers to check?

There is a security booth on the platforms, but no body guard was there in the late afternoon of a Saturday. I hope the security camera is working and big brother is watching, especially after sunset.

There are no toilets in the premises or around them.

TIP
There are not machines to recharge your multirider, so do so before heading that alley.

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Beaufort St Museum Bus Stop (Perth WA)

This central bus stop channels most of the bus lines going to the Northern Suburbs as far as Morley, Bayswater, Dianella, Bassendean, and Maylands,. 

There are two stands at this location: bus stop no. 12132 (also called Stand 1) faces the Police Headquarters, and is where lines 16, 21, 22, 60, 67, 68 and 40 stop. The other stand, no. 12131, faces The Court Bar, and is where lines 41, 42, 43, 44, 48, 55, and 66 stop. Both stands are usually full at after-work hours during week days and at the sparse scheduled times that these buses pass by during weekends.

If you use the stop three things will be obvious to you. Firstly, that the area is always colder and windier than the rest of the surrounding area, because of the confluence of different streets on that precise point of Beaufort St. Secondly, the crowds do not line here, but people manage to get onto the bus without order but orderly, if that makes any sense: no pushes, not cranky people, and many gentlmen and nice kids letting ladies go on first. Isn't that nice? Thirdly, and most importantly, the stop is quiet and secure even in late evenings, despite drunkards and party-goers passing by all the time - the stop being in front of the Police HQ & Perth CSIs, you would not expect differently, no?

The timetable poles are quite precise and reliable, although occasional delays occur and people are left behind if there are traffic delays, heavy rain, or special events are happening in the city.

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
At first sight, the seating area is sufficient, with two covered places, and three uncovered benches. However, the uncovered area should be covered, and the covered area modified because when it rains, you get soaked wet even if you are underneath the covered booths! Moreover, during the summer days, a covered area it is just a relief from the scorch!

TIP
If you want to secure a seat, go to the stops on Barrack St.  The crowds are also considerable there, but the buses reach that point empty.

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Subiaco Railway Station (Subiaco, Perth WA)

Subiaco Square Road
13 62 13
Transperth

Buzzing with activity any time of the day, any day of the week, the Subiaco railway station is the only train station in Subiaco, and part of the Fremantle Railway Line. 

THE GOOD
- Subiaco Train Station is very clean and functional, quite open and luminous but still protected by a contemporary cool metallic structure and good lightning in the evening. 
- There are just two platforms, so it is easy to move around, and they have a simple and effective electronic information system.
- Moreover, the station is in the heart of the shopping and restaurant and café area, with several cafés, restaurants and a shopping centre at barely ten metres from the station. The vibrant Subiaco Street Markets, trendy Rockeby Road and the gorgeous St Joseph's Catholic Church are also a a few minutes walking distance from it.

THE DOWNS
- The multirider tagging machines are located outside, on the ground concourse level over the platforms not in the platforms. This is annoying at peak times, especially if you are tagging on and want to catch a train leaving in a few minutes but find a flood of people tagging off or on in front of you upstairs.
- The number of seating benches is limited. There is room for more.
- There are no public or pay toilets in the station. There is a close unisex public booth toilet very close at the corner between Subiaco Square Road and Brigid Road, but it is not good enough.
- There is no information booth in the premises, just a board with maps and info. 

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
- A toilet booth is needed. If people have an emergency, they could not get to the close-by public booth.
- There is space for at least for two more benches on each platform.
- More tagging machines needed, at least one on each platform. So the tagging is more fluid and faster at peak times.
- We like it tidy and clean, but also beautiful. Why not using the large grey ugly walls in the platform area as a canvas and have a mural painted on them?

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Perth Underground Station (Perth WA)

Corner William St & Murray St Mall
13 62 13
(08) 9428 1900
Tranperth Info

This much needed station opened its doors in 2007 at the corner between William St and the Murray St Mall, coinciding with the opening of the new Mandurah train line. It is a stop for the Mandurah,  Joondalup and Clarkson's train lines.

THE GOOD
- It is in the heart of Perth CBD, easy to access for regular an disable commuters or mums with proms.
- The place is squeaky clean and shiny, and very pleasant.
- The colour-coded flat signing is very easy to follow. You will hardly get lost here, not even if you venture and walk the pedestrian underground passage connecting this station to Perth Central.
- They have a very efficient information system. There is a Transperth information kiosk, stands with timetable brochures, electronic boards at the entrance and all over the place (with info about minutes left for the next train to depart, platform number, and number of cars) plus voice over messages informing of the arrival and departure of the trains, and giving security messages. 

THE NOT SO GOOD
Despite everything, the station is not as customer friendly as it should be, especially taking into consideration that it is five years old.  
* The seating area and number of benches is ridiculously small.
* Perth Underground does not have public toilets in the premises, not even a paid rest place. Shocking!
* The first thing you notice before you get to the platforms is the largeness of the corridors. Even if the train is full at peak hours. It is great having lots of room to move around without having other passengers rubbing your shoulders. Still, the space is large enough to be used to provide commuters some services.

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
- Public Toilets needed right there right now.
- A  Rest Room rea is needed.
- More seating benches are needed at the platforms and in the corridors. There is room for them!
- A newsagent kiosk and takeaway coffee/food kiosks could easily fit in the corridors and pedestrian walking area, as well as any sort of Japanese Style vending machine. It would be a good source of revenue for Transperth, and beneficial for businesses and commuters.
- Make the Transperth info office more eye-pleasing. At present, it looks like those found in stations built 20 years ago - Ugly and unfriendly. Are we in 2012 yet?

Please, Transperth Masterminds, think about us beyond we getting onto the trains. 

MIND
For non-regular users of Transperth, Perth underground is not Perth Station or Perth Central, which always refers to the Central Station located between  Wellington and Roe Streets and facing Forrest Place. 

ALSO MIND
Although the electronic boards show info about the Fremantle and Midland lines, you have to go to the Perth Central to catch those. If you enter Perth Underground, you have about 300 metres of pedestrian underground walk to get there. I always find more pleasant walking the city, and it takes you the same time. Unless you are changing trains of course. 

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Transperth Information Centre (Perth WA)

Perth Central Station
Wellington St
Perth Western Australia 6000
13 62 13
http://www.transperth.wa.gov.au

The Transperth Information Centre within the Central Perth Train Station on Wellington St has improved enormously after its recent refurbishment. The chaos, crowding and lack of order of the obsolete office have been transformed into a clean tidy Customers Office with several tellers and a lined cue.  The office now attends to both TransPerth and TransWA customers, offering general information on buses and trains, printed timetables, sale of SmartRiders cards, and sales and refunds of long-distance train and TransWA's tickets. There are a few general schedule brochures you can grab on your own, while others are only handed down to you by the staff. A convenient flat screen also informs of the departures of the local trains, just in case you are on transit.

The cues move slow at times, especially at lunch time, when the volume of visitors increases and many of them require a bit of time. Still, the tellers work non stop to attend customers as fast and best they can.

In the past, the attention to the customer has been  abrupt and lacking in courtesy at times. However, the refurbishment has also brought younger people who seem to be more enthusiastic and friendly towards customers. Still, the service is, in many cases, matter of fact. You ask something, they reply, and move on without a hint of human connection. It is great that the staff do their job properly, but it should be a policy of any customer service to select people who, beyond efficiency, have some social skills. Those who have them, make a whole difference.

TIP
There is a specific line for the TransWA teller, but any of the tellers in the office do sale and refund tickets. So follow the line that better suits your needs.

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Mandurah Train Line (Perth WA)

Perth City Train station to Mandurah train station
Perth Western Australia 6000
Transperth
Timetable
 
The best train line in Perth, by miles. It is reliable, it is cheap, it is beautiful, and takes you from Perth to Mandurah in about one hour. The Mandurah Line departs from William St Underground Station (corner with Murray St) and stops at Esplanade, Canning Bridge, Bull Creek, Murdoch (connections to Murdoch Uni available), Cokburn Central, Kwinana, Wellard, Rockingham, Wambro and Mandurah.

The ride is really pleasant and comfortable, especially beautiful during the day, as you have picturesque views of the Swam River, the hills, lovely green and marine areas, with a comprehensive view of Perth south western suburbs. One of those lines I would recommend tourists and backpackers to take and get a glimpse of what Perth is beyond Perth CBD and Fremantle.  Moreover, you can spend half a day at Mandurah and check the little posh mini-riviera, have a drink or a meal there and return the same way.


They have the best possible timetable, with trains leaving Perth or Mandurah every ten minutes even on Sundays. It might sound normal to some foreigners, but for us is like wow, as most bus lines are unreliable on weekends.  

Perth Transport System works by zones, the pricing increasing by distance. If you want to go all the way to Mandurah, you pay for a zone-7 ticket. Under the new pricing (effective 1st July 2012), you are looking at 7-9.40$ no concession (cash or multi-rider) or 2.85-3.23$ for concession card holders (ditto). Full-day tickets and family riders cost 11$, and students pay the usual trifle of 50 cents.

 Why would anybody want to drive across the city and go through the always painful Kwinana Highway when you have a reliable, fast, clean cheap public transport?  Why not taking a half day break to Mandurah to check up one of Perth satellite towns?

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Wellington St Bus Station (Perth WA) - CLOSED

Wellington St
Perth Western Australia 6000


Wellington St Bus Station, smells and looks of a bygone era, when exhaustion fumes were fancy, and sharing a platform with the bus was acceptable. However, we are in 2012, the 21st century, such a futuristic date for such a prehistoric central bus station.

Our politicians have been thinking hard on how to "fancify" anything else in the city, while this station, that has been needing of a refurbishment and complete transformation since ever, remains untouched. Where do my taxes go? Is anybody thinking about Perth public bus users?

The station is too linear, the services provided to the customer little and not very good, and the platform system badly designed. There is a small information office that works OK, some benches for you to seat if you are lucky to get there when they are empty, and the bus platforms. Those are very useful....You have to cross the bus roads to move between platforms, which is never good if you are in a hurry to catch your bus, (OMG it is leaving in 10 microseconds!!!), and you can't because there are two big buses obtruding your way or moving your way, or the pedestrian crossing area is in the opposite direction of your bus stop.

The small range of shops (mostly fast food/coffee, newsagent, chemist, etc.) don't contribute to brighten up the station, and share their ugliness with the rest of the area.

The Station needs to be refurbished and reorganised and provide the customer with screens showing buses departing, platforms from where they are departing, and time for the next one to depart, so you don't need to expend your time at the Information office asking about this if you don't know, and you can decide whether waiting for your next bus or taking an alternative way of transport. It is not rocket science, move 500 metres and the train station is another world. There should be an enclosed waiting area so you don't have to stand the heat of summer or the heavy rain of winter in a semi-open area. The platforms should be completely remade.

The Bus system in Perth seems to be secondary in the mind of our Politicians. Wellington Bus Station is a proof of it.

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