The World’s Longest Bus Trip Once Operated Between Kolkata And London. London — Kolkata bus.
*Kolkata was Calcutta in 1960, the city changed its name in 2001.
India is a fascinating country and much more enigma about it resides in its glorious past. Who would have known that there was an operational bus services from Kolkata to London back in 1960? Yes. You read it right.
World’s longest bus route operated from Kolkata to London during the1960s and it ran around 15 trips between the Indian city and the capital of UK. The double-deckered bus called Albert was one hell of a luxury, going by the details that have surfaced recently.
The bus fare which was 85 pounds at that time! It converts into 2560 pounds today (or US$3100) which could have burnt a hole in our wallet given the year the bus service began.
The journey was famously known as The Albert Tour. The bus took 15 Albert Tours between London to Kolkata. The one-way fare of the bus between Kolkata and London was 85-145 pounds, due to which only royals could afford the trip. The fare included travel, accommodation and food.
Going by the schedule as shown in the image above, the journey started on July 25, 1972 from London and reached Kolkata by September 11, 1972. That makes the journey of 47-50 days in total.
The Albert Tour was announced and published well in advance so that people wishing to book their slots can plan accordingly.
On reaching India, the bus stopped at Delhi, Agra and Banaras for a little sight-seeing and excursion. The trip became widely famous worldwide for its adventure and attractiveness. It became a favourite among the royals who could afford the trip.
The Albert Tour was no short of luxuries, hence the fare. It was like a Palace on Wheels for the 1960s. The fare included all the royal amenities that were there on the bus. The lower deck of the bus had a reading and dining saloon while the upper deck had a lounge to rest and sleep. A wide assortment of cuisines was served on the bus. For added comfort, the bus even had heaters and fans for its passengers. The radio music was also there for entertainment of the travellers.
Albert crossed more than 150 border without any scrutiny or controversy. In the present times, we are just surprised to see how ‘open’ the world’s borders used to be back then.