This Was ‘World’s Longest Bus Route’ From Kolkata To London. (1957–1976)
The bus service from London, England, to Calcutta, India (now Kolkata), was considered to be the world’s longest bus route. The bus service, which started in 1957, was routed to India via Belgium, Yugoslavia and North Western India. This route is also known as the Hippie Route. According to reports, it took about 50 days for the bus to reach Calcutta from London.
The voyage was over 10,000 miles (16,100 km) one way and 20,300 miles (32,669 km) for the round trip. It was in service until 1976. The cost of the trip one-way was £85 in 1957 and £145 in 1973. This amount included food, travel, and accommodation.
The bus service was operated by Albert Travel. The maiden journey set out from London on April 15, 1957. The first service arrived in Calcutta on June 5, 50 days later. During its journey, the bus traveled from England to Belgium, and from there to India via West Germany, Austria, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan,Pakistan,n and North Western India. After entering India, it eventually reached Calcutta via New Delhi, Agra, Allahabad, and Banaras.
The trip was equipped with reading facilities, separate sleeping bunks for all passengers, fan-operated heaters, and a kitchen. There was a forward observation lounge on the upper deck of the bus. The trip was more like a tour than just a trip. The bus provided radio and a music system for parties. It had time to spend at tourist destinations in India, including Banaras and the Taj Mahal on the banks of the Yamuna. Shopping was also allowed in Tehran, Salzburg, Kabul, Istanbul, and Vienna.
After some years, the bus met with an accident and became unusable. Later, the bus was purchased by Andy Stewart, a British traveler. He rebuilt it to be a mobile home with two levels. The double-decker was renamed Albert and traveled from Sydney to London via India on October 8, 1968. It took about 132 days for the bus to reach London. Albert Tours was a company based in England and Australia, and it operated on London-Calcutta-London and London-Calcutta-Sydney routes.
The bus reached India through Iran, and then it traveled to Singapore through Burma, Thailand, and Malaysia. From Singapore, the bus was transported to Perth in Australia by ship, and from there it traveled by road to Sydney. The charge for this service from London to Calcutta was £145. The service had all the same modern facilities as before.
The bus service was discontinued in 1976 due to political conditions leading up to the Iranian Revolution and the escalation of tensions between Pakistan and India. It is reported that Albert Tours completed about 15 trips between Kolkata and London and again from London to Sydney, before the service ended permanently. Thank you for reading this article, “The World’s Longest Bus Route.”
Reference: Wikipedia
Affiliate Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This blog post may contain other affiliate links as well, through which I earn commissions at no extra cost to you.