The largest bus company in Lisbon is Carris.

Most of their buses look like this:

image:/images/autocarro_carris_back.jpg

On the front (and usually on the sides too) you can see the number of the route and its destination. Do note that most of these buses perform a round-way trip, so watch for which side of the road you catch it, or you'll end at the opposite end of the ride.

image:/images/autocarro_carris_front.jpg

While the bus always opens its doors on the first stop, it will only do so at a bus stop if someone signals the driver (just hold out your arm).

Each bus stop has one of these:

image:/images/bus_stop_all.jpg

The top part is a map of the city, with a circle over the area you're in.

image:/images/bus_stop_mapa.jpg

Right after the map there's a list of places marked on the map.

image:/images/bus_stop_list_of_things.jpg

And then the schedules:

image:/images/bus_stop_schedules.jpg

From top to bottom, the schedule contains:

  • the number of the route, point of origin and destination
  • the list of stops along the way, with a hand pointing to the one you're at
  • the time table, which is explained after the picture

image:/images/bus_stop.jpg

Here's how the time table works:

  • the left column is for weekdays (non-holidays) during Winter
  • the second column is for Saturdays
  • the third column is for Sundays and holidays
  • the fourth (and last) column is for weekdays (non-holidays) during Summer

The rows:

  • the first row has the time the first bus departs the point of origin
  • the last row has the time the last bus leaves the point of origin
  • the middle rows show you the expected time between two buses during a specific time frame of the day

Example: for the schedule we're looking at, at Monday (during Summer) around 08:30, there's a bus every 14 minutes.

If you're on the first stop (the one the bus departs from) you're likely to find a schedule that has the list of all hours buses depart:

image:/images/IMGP1378.JPG

Many bus stops now also have a panel with the time left until each bus arrives. This is not the expected time according to the schedule, it's the actual time according to where the bus is right now and how long it should take to get to that stop.

image:/images/time_left_to_bus.jpg

When you want to leave the bus, press one of the red STOP buttons (there are many of them along the bus). This lights up a signal near the driver, telling him to open the doors at the next stop.

image:/images/carris_button.jpg

Remember: the bus may start moving before you got a chance to sit.

Last modified: 29/07/09 19:08 by José Castro (‎cog‎)

Tags: bus lisbon

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