Best of 2022 (Ep. 2)

The Business End

This category in my annual awards is for “other” transport – airlines being covered by Episode 1. Certainly I disregard routine things like the bus to the airport, and it does only apply to transport I used when I was away on a trip.

The point-to-point nature of most of my travel in 2022 has resulted in quite a limited choice in this category, and it must be the first year in a long time without a ferry journey to take into account.

My visit to Portugal did involved some travelling around while I was there. I took trains from Porto to Lisbon, and then from Lisbon to/from Évora. The inter city journey was on Comboios de Portugal’s Alfa Pendular high speed service. CP offers generous discounts for early booking to travel on certain services, and as a senior I quailify for an additional discount. (I like Portugal.)

The upshot was a 3 hour journey in 1st class. It was comfortable, on time, and cheap.

Porto Campanha

Between Lisbon and Évora the service was on intercity trains. They were less speedy but still excellent.

I had a rented car for a couple of days during my week in Évora to enable me to explore some places outside the town. It was a Renault Kaptur supplied by Guerin for €95 per day. I was happy with the car and the company’s service.

Vila Viçosa

I used a city bus to get from the centre of Bratislava to the castle at Devin, which is well outside the city. It was fine, but nothing was memorable about the transport itself.

I could say the same about my tram travel within Rīga, although taking a Soviet era tram across the River Daugava does offer wonderful views combined with a healthy dose of nostalgia.

Rīga Panorama

Most of the city’s trams are very modern, before anyone gets the wrong impression, but the (refurbished) older ones survive on a couple of routes.

Rīga Re-furbished

In Porto I took a vintage tram from the transport museum up the hill towards my apartment – very much a touristic service, but enjoyable anyway!

Porto Tram

I think that leaves the 1970s Škoda which was the transport for my guided tour around communist era Bratislava. That was special.

My choice is easy this year! The Škoda.

Škoda

It was a lot of fun, helped by the excellent guide and a pleasant fellow passenger from Iceland.

ⓒ iain taylor, 2022

🇵🇹🇱🇻🇸🇰🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇪🇺

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