Would you like to know how public transport works abroad? Thanks to our international sales, we have some details about urban and interurban mobility in different countries.
In this post, we tell you what public buses are like in some cities where Castrosua buses operate and how they coexist with other transport alternatives.
## Urban buses in Seoul
Seoul, the capital of South Korea, is one of the cities where Castrosua buses operate and stands out for its firm **commitment to public transport**. The Seoul Metropolitan Government imposed a series of restrictions on older, more polluting private vehicles a couple of years ago: these are not allowed to circulate in the city from Monday to Friday between 6 AM and 9 PM.
The price of a single bus and metro ticket is reduced by 100 KRW if the user pays with a T-Money card, a stored-value card that allows payment for bus, metro, and even some taxi services in various cities in South Korea (e.g., Seoul and Busan). The T-Money card can be purchased at stations or in convenience stores, which are quite numerous in Seoul.
There is another card in the city, the Seoul City Pass Card, which is very popular with tourists as, in addition to regular bus or metro trips, it also allows unlimited travel on tourist buses.
## The modern buses of Abu Dhabi
We continue with the capital of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi, whose Department of Transport, through Famco Al Futtaim Auto & Machinery Co (FAMCO), placed an order in 2019 for **more than one hundred and fifty units of the Castrosua Magnus.E bodywork**.
The vehicles have been delivered progressively over the last two years, with the order being completed in June 2021. It is a source of pride to have been able to adapt to the characteristics of such a distant market: currently, a total of 168 Castrosua interurban buses operate on the roads of Abu Dhabi.
The streets of this city are full of vitality; in the last decade, Abu Dhabi has significantly increased its tourist and business appeal, making the urban bus a key element in meeting mobility demands.
Something that will surprise you if you take a bus in Abu Dhabi is that, due to the country’s customs, the front seats of the vehicle are reserved for women. There are also pink taxis driven by women and for women, who can be accompanied by their male children if they are under ten years old.
Taxis and buses are currently the best options for getting around the urban center of Abu Dhabi. However, a metro system is under construction and will be operational by 2030, with several underground metro and tram lines covering a total of 131 kilometers. This project also includes the preparation of a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system. Abu Dhabi’s citizens will thus find their public transport even more reinforced, which will encourage them even more to leave their private vehicles at home.
## Lithuania, in love with the bus
Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital, is another of those cities where Castrosua buses operate. In 2014, our group received an order for more than 90 buses for Lithuania: 10 of the **Tempus GNC bodywork and the rest of the City Versus GNC bodywork**.
As in other European capitals, the use of buses is widespread in Vilnius’s city center and for traveling to the outskirts of the city. It is the most popular mode of transport, with quite frequent and very punctual services.
The buses that run through the busiest areas of the city center are called trolleybuses, and the wait between trolleybuses is between two and ten minutes. In addition, on some routes, there are fast buses, identified by the letter ‘G’, which are slightly faster than regular buses as they only stop at half the stops on a route.
Photograph: Luke Paris
Seoul aims to be a city where private transport is unnecessary, offering residents fast and efficient mobility alternatives while simultaneously caring for the environment. In fact, the more than one hundred buses that Castrosua sold to South Korea between 2017 and 2019 are powered by compressed natural gas (CNG), a cleaner and quieter option than vehicles powered by diesel engines. The Seoul Transportation Vision 2030 plan promotes shared transport to reduce emissions and avoid traffic congestion. To ensure complete resident satisfaction, **bus flow during peak hours will be improved (among other things), as will the service provided during night hours.** As part of this plan, the Seoul Metropolitan Government has also committed to having more pedestrian-friendly streets and promoting cycling. For now, Seoul residents can boast of having a very good public transport service that combines metro and urban bus services. The price of a bus ticket is slightly lower than that of the metro; while a bus ticket costs 1300 KRW (€0.96), a metro ticket costs 1350 KRW (€1).
The price of a single bus and metro ticket is reduced by 100 KRW if the user pays with a T-Money card, a stored-value card that allows payment for bus, metro, and even some taxi services in various cities in South Korea (e.g., Seoul and Busan). The T-Money card can be purchased at stations or in convenience stores, which are quite numerous in Seoul.
There is another card in the city, the Seoul City Pass Card, which is very popular with tourists as, in addition to regular bus or metro trips, it also allows unlimited travel on tourist buses.
## The modern buses of Abu Dhabi
We continue with the capital of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi, whose Department of Transport, through Famco Al Futtaim Auto & Machinery Co (FAMCO), placed an order in 2019 for **more than one hundred and fifty units of the Castrosua Magnus.E bodywork**.
The vehicles have been delivered progressively over the last two years, with the order being completed in June 2021. It is a source of pride to have been able to adapt to the characteristics of such a distant market: currently, a total of 168 Castrosua interurban buses operate on the roads of Abu Dhabi.
The streets of this city are full of vitality; in the last decade, Abu Dhabi has significantly increased its tourist and business appeal, making the urban bus a key element in meeting mobility demands.
Photograph: Kamil Rogalinski
The public bus service in Abu Dhabi is popular for working really well, with different lines (urban and metropolitan transport) covering the entire city and frequent and very punctual journeys throughout the day. Bus users can use a simple app, DARB, which provides all the information needed to plan quick trips in Abu Dhabi: it shows routes, schedules, nearby stops… The buses in this city are also notable for being **very modern**; due to the high temperatures in the area, they all have a **powerful air conditioning system**. The same applies to bus stops: these facilities are comfortable, quite spacious, and also have air conditioning. ### Prices in Abu Dhabi and other transport options The price of each bus trip is not excessive, another reason to choose this mode of transport in Abu Dhabi. Most urban bus trips cost 2 United Arab Emirates dirhams or AED (€0.46); for suburban or interurban services, the price increases by 0.05 AED (€0.01) per kilometer traveled. Intercity bus journeys start at 10 AED (€2.30), with an additional 0.10 AED (€0.02) per kilometer traveled. **Tickets are not sold on buses**, and each user must have a Halifat Card to pay for their journeys. These cards can be topped up at many bus stops (with enabled machines), in shopping malls, and even in hospitals.
Something that will surprise you if you take a bus in Abu Dhabi is that, due to the country’s customs, the front seats of the vehicle are reserved for women. There are also pink taxis driven by women and for women, who can be accompanied by their male children if they are under ten years old.
Taxis and buses are currently the best options for getting around the urban center of Abu Dhabi. However, a metro system is under construction and will be operational by 2030, with several underground metro and tram lines covering a total of 131 kilometers. This project also includes the preparation of a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system. Abu Dhabi’s citizens will thus find their public transport even more reinforced, which will encourage them even more to leave their private vehicles at home.
## Lithuania, in love with the bus
Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital, is another of those cities where Castrosua buses operate. In 2014, our group received an order for more than 90 buses for Lithuania: 10 of the **Tempus GNC bodywork and the rest of the City Versus GNC bodywork**.
As in other European capitals, the use of buses is widespread in Vilnius’s city center and for traveling to the outskirts of the city. It is the most popular mode of transport, with quite frequent and very punctual services.
The buses that run through the busiest areas of the city center are called trolleybuses, and the wait between trolleybuses is between two and ten minutes. In addition, on some routes, there are fast buses, identified by the letter ‘G’, which are slightly faster than regular buses as they only stop at half the stops on a route.
Photograph: Victor Malyushev
Tickets are available (hourly or daily) that reduce the price per bus or trolleybus trip. For example, a ticket to travel by public transport in Vilnius for one day costs €5; for three days, it costs €8. If, on the other hand, you buy a single ticket on board, it costs €1. In Vilnius, it is also very common for people to travel by bicycle. Its culture of cycling, urban buses, or trains when visiting other regions of the country undoubtedly benefits the environment. **Have you been to any of these cities where Castrosua buses operate? They are an example of quality and efficient public transport! If you know of any interesting facts about mobility in other countries, share them with us in the comments of this post!** Cover photo: Nicki Eliza Schinow
