On holiday in D&G and yesterday weather forecast for today was rain so decided to have a day trip to Edinburgh.
I didn't plan ahead just got up late and got into car and set off. Signposts dropped reference to the capital at the M74 - replaced with the helpful North and Glasgow. Arrived via the road that goes through Biggar and started looking for Park and Ride signs as we approaced the city - no signs. Got close to city centre before giving up and using Google maps/navigation which sent me back where I'd come from and then to Straiton? park and ride. The first signpost for it was when you got within 100 yards - useful.
Anyway we got there 10:15ish. Needed a wee but terminal building closed. Waited 25 minutes for a bus to Granton? Where's Granton? I wanted The Castle!!!! Driver said bus went to West End.
Then I went to pay - 2x adult singles at £1:40 each - profferred a £10 note and then the driver dropped the bombshell - this is an exact fare only system!!!! He suggested that we get change from the terminal building he didn't know was shut and then turfed us off the bus suggesting we go to a shop for change. We look around and it looks like we are in the middle of nowhere, so we get into our car and go home. The nearest shops appeared to be Ikea and Asda on way back.
How is this system helpful/beneficial to the users. If everyone is paying exact fare he must have had loads of change. We offered credit and debit cards - he laughed. The terminal building shuts at 10:00.Why do customers after that time not need the services. Why don't they have a hole in the wall ticket machine that takes cards.
We appear to have gone backwards from a bus conductor with a bag of change to all the tech but still can't pay. I could have even transferred the money to Lothian Buses with my mobile banking app.
Apologies for going on a bit, but I'm a bit mad at myself for not planning the trip better and looking for somebody to blame.
Oh well, you will know better next time.
I suspect the reason you weren't directed to the Park and Ride at Straiton is that it is more for commuters.
As a tourist you are supposed to drive in, pay £15 each to get into the Castle and £20 to park all day.
Lothian buses have never given change. The purple First buses give change, and there is a stop just around the corner from the Park and Ride.
Next time park at the Central Mosque. It's the cheapest in town and as the name implies, central, as long as you don't try and get parked at lunchtime on a friday generally has spaces.
And next time plan it better...
Hard lines whimbrel - the no change rule is aggravating if you're not prepared for it. Not sure that the bus gadge has access to the money at all so it's not like he can do anything about it.
Thanks for parking advice. Will try that next time.
You wont get change on any bus in Cardiff either should you ever visit.
I actually used the bus for the first time in 10 years of living here on the weekend. Saved up loose change all week for it 8)
It's a local town for local people, sling your hook
I think you can blame the bus company for not giving change. It's outrageous that they do this. Really pisses me off and can cause significant problems as above.
No worse than paying at ticket machine and you dont have change. Or is that "outrageous" too?
It is obviously not just Edinburgh, but to my shame I don't use public transport much and when I do it's the train where I've always been able to pay with a card either on the train or via a machine so it never crossed my mind that they wouldn't be able to split a tenner.
What does make me wonder is what the people designing the 'system' are thinking about and who they are serving.
I have a bag of change in the car for car parks etc but had used this up at Mabie yesterday - £3. Cleaned me out.
No worse than paying at ticket machine and you dont have change. Or is that "outrageous" too?
You can normally pay by card though.
whimbrel,
Local bus for local people ... damn you jota180 got there first.
There are plenty of homeless people Edinburgh and many shops are closed ... the place is haunted too ... nothing to see apart from the Scots wondering aimlessly ... bit like zombie.
I beg to differ. Not giving change makes it MUCH quicker for all the other people on the bus, the commuters who make up 90% of the business. There are signs all over the bus stops, and most have a machine at the stop to sell you a ticket that does give change, you were unlucky that the park and ride office wasn't open.
Lothian buses are excellent, should have thrown all the billions for the trams at them.
Regular commuters are very happy about the no change thing. Except during the Festival of course, when it's quicker to walk across Edinburgh anyway, and all sensible residents bug out.
we put up with this shite in this country
popped over to norway using the public transport to get to and from the office at peak times - seriously impressive transport system - everyone seems to use it and it works well , no change - no problem pay with your card* !
doesnt seem to be any slower in my experiance
* my colleague just looked at me like an idiot when i asked if he had change of 200 nok to get the bus. He said why ?? i said because buses dont give change - he laughed and said this is norway - pay by card if you want !
and then we wonder why no body uses the public transport.
tried to use the train last week - had a trailer no ammount of convincing was the conductor going to let me on the train with my trailer - despite it being folded completely flat ! and not attached to the bike "WE DONT TAKE TRAILERS"
I can just imagine the design review of the system:
Callum, what happens if a tourist from out of town arrives after the terminal has shut at 10:00am, doesn't know about the exact fare rule and is unfamiliar with the area?
Frasier, I don't care!
Ok Callum, I'll sign that off.
🙂
If a tourist from out of town is dopey enough to arrive in an unfamiliar city with no change then they are daft anyway. Does nobody keep coins in the car for parking meters any more ? The youth of today, you would be hopeless in any kind of disaster situation when all your i-phones and internets don't work. Sitting there whining while us old people pull out our disaster survival kits and proceed to kill and eat you.
"Does nobody keep coins in the car for parking meters any more ?"
where do you live still edinburgh. when i lived in mid no where ville i did that
then moved into aberdeen and my car got robbed for the change in the pot ....
Now a days when i park up on street parking (which i try to avoid as its horrendously expensive) i can be found looking under the seats for the fallen pound coins 😀
Hels, I bet you are one of these old folks with a money belt bought from the Sunday Express classifieds full of coppers and twenty pence pieces because you think they are a nice shape secreted under your tank top. 🙂
The Edinburgh buses are very good, except when it comes to pushchairs - A warzone. Went duelling banjos with a busdriver over that one time, and know a few folk on the receiving end of an inflexible ruling wrt collapsible pushchairs.Lothian buses are excellent, should have thrown all the billions for the trams at them.Regular commuters are very happy about the no change thing. Except during the Festival of course, when it's quicker to walk across Edinburgh anyway, and all sensible residents bug out.
Does nobody keep coins in the car for parking meters any more ?
I must've only used a parking meter about three times in my whole life, so no.
And I don't care how much time it saves for the regulars - it's shite not giving change. It's not like you have a choice, is it? If you are so concerned get a frickin single swipe card reader. Not rocket science.
No, but I do have a good supply of tinned food, wind up torches, matches and a machete. For when the revolution comes.
You should have took the tram
It's daft not giving change if no other payment option other than cash is accepted.
hels - MemberIf a tourist from out of town is dopey enough to arrive in an unfamiliar city with no change then they are daft anyway.
Ya, but not as daft as the person who does not know how to help tourists spend their money. 🙄
Sitting there whining while us old people pull out our disaster survival kits and proceed to kill and eat you.
You mean zombies wondering the street of Edinburgh? Ya, I will visit place for zombies hunting Benelli M4 style.
There are plenty of homeless people Edinburgh and many shops are closed ... the place is haunted too ... nothing to see apart from the [b]Scots[/b] wondering aimlessly ... bit like zombie.
Scots in Edinburgh.. not likely!
surroundedbyhills - MemberScots in Edinburgh.. not likely!
Sorry I meant the Picts, Gaels and the English.
Scots are foreigners.
😆
Did you not research the protocol before arriving. Did you go to tourist information.
I don't think I could imagine arriving at a new city and then turning around and going home. I would have just paid for city centre parking or done a bit of research online.
there is nearly always somewhere convoinient to park in a central location for free.
eg, you can park for free in central london after 12:00pm just of Chancery Lane, walking distance to covent garden, nobody does it though.