After the launch of the night buses earlier this month, we wondered if Bucharest’s public transport operator RATB could become even more proactive… Well, today we got our answer.

As of Monday, August 1st, Bucharest will get its first double decker buses. And not just any double decker buses either. Oh no. These are special tourist buses, which will run from 09:00 to 20:00 along a circuitous route from Casa Scanteii to Piata Unirii, taking in Bulevardul Kiseleff, Calea Victoriei, Bulevardul Libertatii and Bulevardul Unirii along the way.

On the way back the buses will travel along Bulevardul I.C. Bratianu, Bulevardul Magheru, Ana Ipatescu and Bulevardul Aviatorilor.

The buses will make frequent stops at both existing bus stops and at new ones put in place at the (still closed) Grigore Antipa Museum, CEC, Biserica Creţulescu and Piaţa Charles de Gaulle.

The service will apparently run at 15 minute intervals, although as there are only four actual buses we find that rather ambitious. There will not be any commentary or such like, but a ticket (which will cost an eye-watering 25 lei for adults, 10 lei for children aged 7-14 – younger kids ride for free) will be valid for 24 hours, allowing you to hop-on and hop-off as many times as you like.

We can hardly wait.

Here’s the official press release (in Romanian).

UPDATE:

The bus actually starts service today (July 28th). Here is a map of the route.

With eternal thanks to George Hari Popescu, who wrote about this yesterday on his terrific blog, it now looks as though Bucharest is to get some kind of tourist bus route. The final decision will be taken on Tuesday, but it looks a done deal.

In a nutshell, some kind of hop-on, hop-off bus (probably a double decker, see below) will run from Piata Scanteii to Casa Poporului and back, stopping at all of Bucharest’s worthwhile sights. (It’s a non-stop service then? – Ed). Tickets, valid for one day, will cost 25 lei for adults, half price for children.

The proposed route of the Bucharest tour bus

And there’s the first problem…

We do not want to be cheap (although we are), but 25 lei? That’s almost €7, or five quid. For that money you can buy a one-day travelcard in London (a city not until now famed for its accessibly priced transport).

Reading through the deadly dull as dishwater proposal last night (Romanian bureaucrats are still living in the 1980s when it comes to the language they use), we did discover one real nugget that kind of gives the game away:

If done well...

Somebody called Mircea has noted that the project might succeed, if implemented correctly. The implication of course being that it will be one massive fuck-up all round. Also note the brilliant last comment he makes ‘perhaps I am asking for too much.‘

Alas, experience leads us to agree with Mircea on this one.