albert tours bus london calcutta

The Bus Service From London To India Was Once The Longest Bus Route In the World

The epic journey crossed Europe and Asia, taking in 20,000 miles and 12 countries in just 50 days.

If we told you that you could travel from one side of the world to another, on a bus, would you believe us? Probably not, given the current state of London public transport . While this may not be a possibility now in 2024, it sure was in 1957.

For a humble £145 , the bus service also known as the ‘Hippie Route’ would travel from London through Belgium , Yugoslavia to Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) in India.

According to reports, the journey took about 50 days for the bus to reach Kolkata from London , spanning across 10,000 miles one way. The bus was an AEC Regal III model with ‘London to Calcutta’ displayed right across it that departed from London on April 15, 1957 and was driven by a man called Oswald-Joseph Garrow-Fisher.

This bus service was considered to be the longest bus route in the world. With the first service arriving in Calcutta on June 5, 50 days later – the bus travelled from England to Belgium and then to India through Germany , Austria, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and North Western India.

The bus was better equipped than you think. Sleeping compartments, fans, music – there was more to keep the passengers comfortable during the long trip and in some cases passengers slept in hotels overnight or even camped if there was no other accommodation available.

The trip was more like a tour than just a single bus journey.

Some of the stops on the tour included stunning sights like The Taj Mahal, Banaras on the Ganges, The Caspian Sea Coast, Khyber Pass to name a few with shopping days in Tehran, Salzburg, Kabul, Istanbul and Vienna.

After a good few years, the bus met with an accident and became unstable. It was later purchased by Andy Stewart, a British traveller who rebuilt it to be a ‘mobile home’ and double decker! Renamed as Albert, the double decker traveled from Sydney to London via India in 1968.

This bus route reached India via Iran and continued its journey to Singapore through Burma (now Myanmar), Thailand and Malaysia . The bus was then transported to Perth by ship from the ports of Singapore where it travelled to Sydney by road.

With the same facilities as before, the charge for this bus service was £145 as well.

Albert Tours, a company based in England and Australia, operated the London-Calcutta-London and London-Calcutta-Sydney routes for years to come completing 15 trips before discontinuing its service in 1976.

With heated political conditions leading up to the Iranian Revolution and the rising tensions between India and Pakistan, the route became too unsafe and so the service ended permanently.

Pretty crazy, right?

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The World’s Longest Bus Route (London-Calcutta)

Prepare to be amazed by this intriguing historical journey – a time when one could embark on a bus ride from Calcutta to London! Unbelievable but true, the world’s longest road stretched from Calcutta to London. Surprisingly, it wasn’t an Indian or English initiative but the brainchild of Sydney’s Albert Tour and Travels Company.

Spanning an impressive 25-year period, starting on April 15, 1957, this extraordinary bus service offered an unforgettable odyssey. The rent was just 85 pounds to 145 pounds.

An Epic Overland Adventure

The historic bus route, orchestrated by Albert Travel, commenced its maiden journey on April 15, 1957, departing from the vibrant city of London. This extraordinary expedition embarked on a momentous quest, reaching the enchanting city of Calcutta (now Kolkata) on June 5, marking a captivating journey of approximately 50 days.

If you start from Kolkata, the journey will take you through a mesmerizing path encompassing Banaras, Allahabad, Agra, Delhi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Kabul, Kandahar, Tehran, Istanbul, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Vienna, West Germany, and finally Belgium, before reaching the captivating destination of London. This remarkable expedition covered a staggering 20,300 kilometers and spanned across 11 diverse and captivating countries. This journey earned the nickname “Hippie Route” due to its popularity among adventurous travelers.

This extraordinary bus tour offered a luxurious experience with reading facilities, separate sleeping bunks, and fan-operated heaters. A fully equipped kitchen catered to all culinary needs. The upper deck featured a forward observation lounge, and onboard entertainment included radio and music for lively parties. Travelers enjoyed ample time to explore tourist hotspots like Banaras and the Taj Mahal. Shopping opportunities in Tehran, Salzburg, Kabul, Istanbul, and Vienna added to the enchanting journey.

Albert had completed about 15 tours between Kolkata and England and four trips between England and Australia until 1976. It had crossed nearly 150 borders without much scrutiny and had earned the tag of ‘ friendly ambassador ’ in all the nations it traversed.

Unfortunately, the service ended in 1976 due to challenges in Iran and escalating tensions between Pakistan and India, leaving behind a lasting legacy in travel history.

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World’s longest bus route, 20,300 miles from London, England to Calcutta, India!

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Earlier today, my casual scroll on twitter brought forward this gem from yesteryear – The world’s longest bus route, which ran between London, England and Calcutta, India, a whopping 20, 300 miles! And if that wasn’t mind-boggling enough, the bus route was only part of the journey which continued all the way to Sydney, Australia! Wow.

World’s longest bus route: London-Calcutta-London

The longest bus route in the world spanned 20,300 miles, across 11 countries (at the time), and was covered 15 times between 1968-1976, on a luxurious Double-Decker bus nicknamed ‘Albert’. The trip from London to Calcutta cost £145 for the overland portion of the full itinerary to Sydney, Australia. The route from one such odyssey in 1972-73;

London (England) Dover (England) Zeebrugge (Belgium) Antwerp (Belgium) Frankfurt (West Germany) Munich (West Germany) Salzburg (Austria) Vienna (Austria) Zagreb (Yugoslavia) Belgrade (Yugoslavia) Sofia (Bulgaria) Istanbul (Turkey) Ankara (Turkey) Trabzon (Turkey) Tehran (Iran) Mashhad (Iran) Herat (Afghanistan) Kandahar (Afghanistan) Kabul (Afghanistan) Rawalpindi (West Pakistan) Lahore (West Pakistan) New Delhi (India) Agra (India) Allahabad (India) Banaras (India) Calcutta (India)

Connecting flight to Rangoon, Burma,  then a combination of train, ferries and streamers to Perth, Australia

Rangoon (Burma) Bangkok (Thailand) Penang (Malaysia) Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) Singapore Perth (Australia) Sydney (Australia)

High Road Oz states that A lbert completed 4 trans-Australia crossings and 15 overland adventures between India and Britain between 1968 – 1976;

ALBERT’s first journey departed from the GPO in Martin Place, Sydney, on Tuesday 8th October 1968, arriving in London 132 days later on Monday 17th February 1969.. .. Over the years ALBERT made more than 150 border crossings without ever being held up for serious scrutiny, nor was a bribe ever proffered to smooth the passage; this at a time when other vehicles were all too often seen marooned at check-posts with neither body panels nor owners. The bus earned universal respect as a friendly ambassador to all countries visited and was always welcomed and smiled upon by officials and the countless friends made along the way for whom the name A-L-B-E-R-T was one they could read, remember and say – in any language!

Here is the picture of one such incredible tour from ’72-73, courtesy High Road Oz;

Passengers at Victoria Coach Station, London, boarding the first run of the world’s longest coach route, between London and Calcutta, 15th April 1957. The journey to Calcutta takes five days and the single fare is 85 pounds. Passengers include two ex-firemen emigrating to Australia, as well as Indians and Australians returning home. (Photo by Fox Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Other sources confirming the world’s longest bus route;

• Shutterstock Images of London to Calcutta bus trip from 1957
• The New York Times Archives

The currently active longest bus route in the world pales in comparison, only 3,850 miles connecting Lima, Peru and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

So glad I came across the London-Calcutta route, a hat-tip to the real road warriors!

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Home / Culture / History & Heritage The bus route between Calcutta and England that crossed 150 borders!

A bus ride from London to Calcutta in the 1950s sounds incredible, right? That was the general consensus when random news about the world’s longest luxury bus route cropped up from time to time. But recent photographs have popped up from the annals of long-forgotten history to bust the large-scale confusion and skepticism of the masses. Since last year, an image went viral on internet depicting passengers boarding the Calcutta-bound bus from Victoria Coach Station in London. And now an advertisement of the bus has also appeared in the public domain to substantiate the claim.

The double-decker bus was known as Albert and the trips covered by it were called Albert Tours service from London, England to Calcutta. It is said to be the longest bus route in the world that began its journey from London on April 15, 1957. Tickets were priced at £85 for the London to Calcutta section and £65 for the return journey. The inaugural trip started with 20 passengers on board among whom seven passengers (two women and five men) returned to London, thus completing the round trip. The bus was routed to India via Belgium, Yugoslavia  and the 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 7,997 km long and included all amenities like food, travel and accommodation. The bus service was operational till 1976.

During its journey, the bus travelled from England to Belgium, and from there to India via West Germany, Austria, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and North Western India. After entering India, it eventually reached Calcutta via New Delhi, Agra, Allahabad  and Banaras. A year-round timetable was created for the operation of Albert across Calcutta, London and Sydney. As per reports, the trips numbered 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, ran right to Sydney. The trips with numbers 12 to 15 ran between London and Calcutta.

The British luxury passenger liner RMS Titanic was called a ‘dream ship’ and was the ultimate in grandeur. Albert tours were likewise, profoundly opulent. An Albert Tour advertisement read: “'You Gain... Freedom of Movement Within the Bus. Independence From Hotels, Camp Sites, Inclement Weather.” While taking a journey on the Albert bus, one could enjoy luxury at its zenith. The lower deck of the bus had a reading and dining lounge and the upper deck had a forward observation lounge. Also, there was a fully equipped kitchen with all the amenities. For parties, there were arrangements of radio and taped music. Fan heaters inside the bus helped to keep the travelers warm. Apart from these, the interiors had bright curtains and carpets with individual sleeping bunks. With all these luxury arrangements, Albert was aptly like a ‘home away from home’.

Also read : Chugging tales of Bengal Railways: Was Bengal’s Agricultural Decline related to Railways?

While making its way from England, bus Albert passed by breathtaking tourist destinations like the Golden Horn of Istanbul, old Delhi, Taj Mahal of Agra, Benaras on the Ganges, the Caspian Sea coast, the Blue Danube, the Draconian Pass, the Rhine Valley, the Khyber Pass and Kabul Gorge. Additionally, the package included free shopping days in places like New Delhi, Kabul, Istanbul, Tehran, Vienna, Salzburg and many more. 

After some years the bus met with an accident and became unusable. Later it was purchased by Andy Stewart, a British traveler. He rebuilt it to be a Double-Decker mobile home, which marked the beginning of the next journey. The double-decker bus was renamed Albert and travelled from Sydney to London via India on October 8, 1968. According to a report by ‘Central Western Daily,’ Stewart started from Martin Place, Sydney with 13 co-passengers to cover the journey of nearly 16,000 kilometres. He arrived in London after 132 days, on February 17, 1969. 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 travelled to Singapore through Burma (nee Myanmar), Thailand and Malaysia. From Singapore, the bus was transported to Perth in Australia by ship, and from there it travelled by road to Sydney. The charge for this service from London to Calcutta was £145. The service had all the modern facilities as before. 

The bus service was discontinued in 1976 due to escalating problems in Iran and the aggravation of tensions between Pakistan and India. Albert Tours had completed about 15 trips between Calcutta and England and four trips between England and Australia until 1976 before the service ended permanently. During its tenure, the bus had crossed nearly 150 borders and had earned the tag of a ‘friendly ambassador’ in all the nations it traversed. 

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This Was ‘World’s Longest Bus Route’ From Kolkata To London

This bus service from London to Calcutta (Kolkata) is considered to have been the longest bus route in the world.

The service, which was started in 1957 and operated by Albert Travel, was routed to India continuing after the UK, to Belgium, through Europe via Yugoslavia, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan and West Pakistan. After entering India, it eventually reached Calcutta via New Delhi, Agra, Allahabad and Banaras.

This route became known as the Hippie Route. It took about 50 days for the bus to reach Calcutta from London. The voyage was 32669 km long and was in service until 1976. By then the cost of the trip was £145, including food, travel and accommodation.

The bus was equipped with reading facilities, separate sleeping bunks for everyone, and fan-operated heaters. There was a kitchen with all equipment and amenities. There was a forward observation lounge on the upper deck of the later version of the bus.

The bus provided radio and a music system for parties. It had time to spend at major tourist destinations along the way, including Banaras and the Taj Mahal on the banks of the Ganges. Shopping breaks were organised in Salzburg, Vienna, Istanbul, Kabul and Tehran.

Did you know that there was a bus that used to run in the 1960s from Kolkata ( then Calcutta) in India to London in England? The double-decker bus was known as Albert and the trips covered by it were called Albert tours. Interestingly, this was the world’s longest bus route and one side travel between London and Kolkata on it would cost £145 ( around ₹13518), which was undoubtedly a whopping amount in those days. Rare pictures of the historical bus are now doing rounds on social media and the netizens are loving them

The World’s Longest Bus Route From London To Kolkata

According to a report by Central Western Daily, Andy Stewart, a British traveller had bought the bus in 1968 to travel from Sydney to London via India. On October 8, 1968, he had started from Martin Place, Sydney with 13 co-passengers to cover the journey of nearly 16,000 kilometres. He arrived in London after 132 days, on February 17, 1969. The bus used to travel from England to Sydney via Belgium, West Germany, Austria, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, West Pakistan, India, Burma, Thailand, Malaya and Singapore. In India, Albert covered Delhi, Agra, Allahabad, Benaras and finally Kolkata.

A year-round time table was created from the operation of Albert across Kolkata, London and Sydney. As per reports, the trips numbered 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, ran right to Sydney. The trips with numbers 12 to 15 ran between London and Kolkata.

Albert Tours Were Profoundly Luxurious

While taking a journey on the Albert bus, one could enjoy luxury at its zenith. The lower deck of the bus had a reading and dining lounge and the upper deck had a forward observation lounge. Also, there was a fully equipped kitchen with all the amenities. For parties, there were arrangements of radio and taped music.

Fan heaters inside the bus helped to keep the travellers warm. Apart from these, the interiors had bright curtains and carpets with individual sleeping bunks. With all these luxury arrangements, Albert was aptly like a ‘home away from home’.

Tourist Spots On The Way Of Albert

While making its way from England to Sydney, Albert passed by breathtaking tourist destinations like the Golden Horn of Istanbul, the Peacock Throne of Delhi, the Taj Mahal of Agra, the Benaras on the Ganges, the Caspian Sea coast, the Blue Danube, the Draconian Pass, the Rhine Valley, the Kyber Pass and Kabul Gorge. Additionally, the package included free shopping days in places like New Delhi, Kabul, Istanbul, Tehran, Vienna, Salzburg and many more. Meanwhile, meet this Kolkata engineer who had left his corporate job to travel for a year.

Albert had completed about 15 tours between Kolkata and England and four trips between England and Australia until 1976. It had crossed nearly 150 borders without many scrutinies and had earned the tag of a ‘friendly ambassador’ in all the nations it traversed. There are oodles of intriguing stories hidden in the pages of history. Unveiling them one after another will leave us spellbound.

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Meet Albert: A Bus to Show You the World

I’ve never pondered how long I could endure a bus ride, but I’ll tell you the answer is probably lands in the neighborhood of “not very”. For travelers seeking adventure in the late 1960s and early 1970s though, a mega trip was available for the taking. A double-decker bus dubbed Albert ferried passengers between London and Calcutta. If you wanted to press even  farther,  the bus was then put on a boat and continued on down to Australia before completing its journey in Sydney. From start to finish, you’re looking at a trip of over 130 days.

https://twitter.com/RKDasgupta/status/1277694020916056064

This incredible route was brought to my attention by Friend of Hooniverse Jim Yu , when he retweeted the above tweet. Jim is actually an avid bus traveler himself, so it makes sense for him to find this and freak out about it.

The story of Albert the bus actually stats down in Oz, not in London. Its first trip started in Sydney on October 8th, 1968. The trip to London took 132 days, with Albert finishing its wild route on February 17th, 1969. Then Albert turned around, to repeat the journey in reverse. Over the course of the next few years, Albert would ten more trips between London and Calcutta. The 10th trip overall saw Albert return all the way to Sydney, and the 11th trip was from Australia back to London to continue with more trips between England and India. There was a 16th trip planned, but the political and revolutionary upheaval in Iran in 1976 put a stop to that.

The cost, at the time, was 145 pounds to get from London to Calcutta. And once on the bus, guests could enjoy a reading and dining saloon on the lower level. The upper deck had a forward observation lounge, and each passenger had his or her own sleeping bunks. There were highlight spots along the journey, shopping days mapped out, and even music available if you wanted to throw a mid-journey party.

My favorite part of the bus though is the signage on the back:

[ More images and Info found on High Road for Oz ]

Jeff Glucker

Jeff Glucker is the co-founder and Executive Editor of Hooniverse.com. He’s often seen getting passed as he hustles a 1991 Mitsubishi Montero up the 405 Freeway. IG: @HooniverseJeff

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12 responses to “Meet Albert: A Bus to Show You the World”

In these times, when nobody has months of sabbatical conduct to spend, Rotel Tours travel agency will provide your fix. https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotelbus#/media/Datei%3AMercedes-Benz_O404_Rotel_Tours_2.jpg

“ If you wanted to press even farther ….”

A nice if subtle nod to Ken Kesey and his Electric KoolAide Acid Test bus, Further.

https://us-browse.startpage.com/av/anon-image?piurl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.pinimg.com%2Foriginals%2F00%2Ffc%2Fc6%2F00fcc631f3134432be7609a5471c29cd.jpg&sp=1593534948T45138bf0c7690c41f485343ee76b80e8e5337fb5c497013c164da21eeb88ed46

I can’t make out if yer man sitting behind the the dude standing in front is using a giant mobile phone or about to stab him with a trowel.

That’s the second Further, thrown together in 1990 and used intermittently after that, so “giant mobile phone” isn’t unreasonable, although my guess would be walkie-talkie. I’m pretty sure the “dude standing in front” is Kesey himself, based on what I remember from the one time I heard him deliver a lecture on the UO campus* when he was briefly a faculty member in creative writing.

*Why, yes, I was born in Eugene and went to the University of Oregon…

Threads like this normally provide me with many happy hours of googling, but in this I sense a black hole from which I may never emerge.

I’ll give it a go.

The picture isn’t showing up for me, but the original bus was “Furthur”. The second bus included a sign spelled “Further”.

https://fightingmonarch.files.wordpress.com/2019/10/keseys-bus.jpg?w=1086

Good point. The second bus has “Further” on the front and “Furthur” on the back. I’ll defer to its license plate as definitive:

https://woodstockwhisperer.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/2014-08-16-Furthur-license-plate-1038×576.jpg

Maybe it’s because I’ve read “Heart of Darkness” and “In A Sunburned Country” in the past month but my interpretation of this bus is that it’s a Colonialist attempt to prove the British Empire hadn’t collapsed into a pathetic, embarrassing shambles. “Look, we still have the right of way to drive unmolested across every border between London and Sydney!” From High Road For Oz, “Over the years ALBERT made more than 150 border crossings without ever being held up for serious scrutiny, nor was a bribe ever proffered to smooth the passage; this at a time when other vehicles were all too often seen marooned at check-posts with neither body panels nor owners.”

Apart from that, why did they have to eat kitty food?

A long way at 30mph

There are a number of successful reality series crafted around the conflict that erupts when a small group of strangers has to share a mansion or an island or whatever for a few weeks.

Imagine what it must have been like to live in a $400, 400 square foot bus for 4+ months, with 13 other people, crossing three continents and an ocean at sub-35 mph speeds, without air conditioning or a convenient place to shower.

On the other hand, last year I met a group of hippies who traveled around the country in a converted 1970’s city bus, surviving off of donations, scrounging, and occasional barter. I think their headcount was around 15, but the group kept changing when new people joined up or others left.

They also didn’t mention the word toilet

Hi I was wondering if you had a schedule of when your showing your Albert bus as i seen it on the local news it was at orange car show over the last weekend, I have an invested reason to see this bus as my daughters aunt was one of the travellers on this but and she wrote a book on her travels.

Regards Cathy wilson

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Back in 1968 When People Travelled From London To Calcutta, On A Bus

Ever wondered what’s possibly the longest route for bus service? Well to answer that we have to go back in time, more than half a century before, in the 1960s. People were able to travel from London (England) to Calcutta (India), and that’s not on an airplane, it was by a Bus!

A recent viral image started doing rounds all over the internet showing passengers at Victoria Coach Station, London boarding a bus named ‘Albert’. The image was circulated claiming that the ‘Albert’ bus services provided transportation from London to Calcutta.

As it turned out, this is in fact true. Back in the 1960s, ‘Albert Tours’ started a lavish bus trip from London to Calcutta (now Kolkata), India, and making it the world’s longest route ever. The trip took 5 days from London to Calcutta also covering other countries like Belgium, Austria, West Germany, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Iran, Afghanistan, West Pakistan, and then to its destination, India.

The one side trip cost about 145 pounds (approx £1600 of today) which is not that expensive given the era. And this included a luxurious 5 day trip on a Double Decker bus. The services included Radio/Taped music, a lounge, individual sleeping bunks, fan heaters, dining on the bus, and other amenities.

The cool interior of the bus provided a lavish feel and as their tag line said: “Your complete home while you travel”, seems fair to what was being provided at that cost.

Reportedly, the bus service did a total of 15 rounds from London to Calcutta and used a fuel-efficient AEC Regal III bus for its first four trips and an AEC Mandator for the later trips. Perhaps, passengers had the option to choose from the type of luxury they needed for their trip since reportedly, there were buses other than a Double Decker used for this trip.

The first passengers on the bus included two ex-firemen, emigrating to Australia, as well as Australians and Indians returning home.

However as we found out, this was not the first cross-continental journey by road. Before ‘Albert Tours’ started this luxurious trip, a group of students (six) from Cambridge and Oxford Universities traveled from England to Singapore, and reportedly they were sponsored by a young broadcaster for BBC, named David Attenborough. Although, ‘Albert Tours’ remains the first to start a public cross-continent transportation through roadways.

What do you think about this type of bus services ? Would you book a trip like this if it starts now ? Let’s us know in the comments below!

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Throwback To 1968, When 'Albert' The Bus Made Trips Between London & Kolkata On 'The World's Longest Bus Route'

In the late '60s, a double-decker bus nicknamed 'Albert' made 15 trips between India and UK and about four trips between London and Sydney, claim several sources. 

A picture of passengers at the Victoria Coach Station, London, boarding the bus apparently right before its first run on the world's longest coach route--between London and Kolkata--is now going viral online.

The single fare between Kolkata and London was 85 pounds (Rs 7,889) which is pretty expensive given the year the bus service began.  

Also Read:  These Travel Quotes Are All The Inspiration You Need To Take That Long Pending Break   

According to  Central Western Daily , after a loyal service of 21 years and an accident that left it unsuitable for public use, a British traveller named Andy Stewart who was looking to make his way home to London  bought it in May 1968.  Stewart converted it into a mobile home and set off with 13 others on a 16,000-kilometre journey from Sydney to London via India in October the same year.  

High Road For Oz   claims 'Albert's' first journey started from the GPO (general post office) in Martin Place, Sydney, on Tuesday, October 8, 1968, after which it arrived in London, 132 days later, on Monday, February 17, 1969. The website terms it 'an epic adventure .'

Literally just finding out about the London-Calcutta bus service which apparently existed well into the 70’s. Wow. 😳😳 pic.twitter.com/VZAHtkbwzD — Rohit K Dasgupta (@RKDasgupta) June 29, 2020

Things turned out to pretty awesome for Albert the bus considering it went on to complete 14 more Sydney-to-London trips until 1976.

According to reports, 'a year-round timetable' was drawn up for a regular service between London, Kolkata and Sydney in what was called Albert Tours.   High Road For Oz goes on to say that all the trips numbered 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, ran right through to Sydney. The trips numbered 12, 13, 14 and 15 operated between London and Kolkata. On arrival in India, the bus made stops in Delhi, Agra, Banaras and Kolkata. 

Going by the schedule shown above, a July 25, 1972 departure from London got passengers to Kolkata by September 11, 1972. That made it a journey of 49 days at the time. Quite the adventure, indeed.

The bus also had some extra ‘luxury services' like a reading and dining room at the lower deck, individual sleeping bunks, fan heaters to keep passengers warm and aesthetic interiors to make the bus feel nothing less than home while on the long journey.

The bus made more than 150 border crossings without ever being held up for 'serious scrutiny or bribery at the state borders.' and earned the tag of being a 'friendly ambassador' to all countries it visited along the way,    

Also Read:  You'll Soon Be Able To Take A Road Trip From India To Thailand In A Caravan

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London to Calcutta Bus Service, the Longest Bus Route in the World

Hidden in the pages of the past, a fascinating journey is unknown to many. It’s a bus service from London to Calcutta (Kolkata), considered the longest bus route in the world. The double-decker bus service was operated by UK-based Albert Travel and named after it, the trip was called Albert Tours.

The maiden journey set out from London on April 15, 1957. The first service arrived in Kolkata on June 5, 50 days later. 

The route taken was from Victoria Coach Station UK to Belgium, through Europe via (then) Yugoslavia, Türkiye, Iran, Afghanistan, and West Pakistan.

After entering India, it reached its final destination Calcutta (Kolkata) via New Delhi, Agra, Allahabad (Prayagraj), and Banaras (Varanasi).

The trip was advertised as “the world’s longest bus route” and “your complete home while you travel”.

The Hippie Route

This route later became known as the ‘Hippie Route’. Ironically Hippie Route was supposed to be a cheap travel but this trip wasn’t cheap.

The whole journey which took 50 days for the bus to reach Calcutta from London, was 32,669 km long and the bus remained in service until 1976.

The journey cost a whopping £145( ₹ 14665), including food, travel, and accommodation. Adjusted for inflation it would cost nearly £ 6000 (₹ 6,07,159) today.

Numerous United Kingdom–India bus routes ran from the 1950s to the 1970s. The first of these was “The Indiaman”, a service from London to Calcutta that was inaugurated on 15 April 1957.

At least 32 other operators ran services, including Albert Travel which ran 15-round journeys from London to India

It had crossed nearly 150 country borders without the many security hurdles that you would expect by today’s standards. It had even earned the title of a ‘friendly ambassador’ in all the nations it passed through.

Amenities on the bus, a luxury ride

The bus was owned and also driven by a spirited 40-year-old called Oswald-Joseph Garrow-Fisher and it had ‘London to Calcutta’ emblazoned right across it.

The bus had all the amenities that were available during the time to make the long journey enjoyable and relaxing. This experience felt more like a guided tour rather than just a long trip.

The bus was equipped with reading facilities, separate sleeping bunks for every individual, and fan-operated heaters. There was even a fully equipped kitchen on board to take care of the food and drinks for the passengers.

There was a forward observation lounge on the upper deck in the later version of the bus. The bus provided a radio and a music system for onboard parties.

The itinerary allowed for extended time at major tourist spots en route, including Banaras and the iconic Taj Mahal situated along the banks of the Yamuna River. The journey also had shopping opportunities in other major cities such as Tehran, Salzburg, Kabul, Istanbul, and Vienna.

Once in a Lifetime Journey

In a New York Times newspaper report on the journey, Garrow-Fisher said he was not as bothered by the cliffs and hairpin bends of Mount Ararat region in Turkey as by the ‘narrow roads with soft shoulders and wandering cyclists’ in India.

In Iran, plans had to be placed under the wheels to prevent the bus from sinking into the desert sands. There were sandstorms and torrential rains, dust, and energy-sapping heat which must have made progress nightmarish.

On the return trip, they had to make a huge 1200-mile diversion because the Pakistan-Iranian border was closed due to an outbreak of Asian influenza.

A rumor spread during one of the trips that everyone on the bus had been murdered by bandits in Iran. The staff at the British embassy in Teheran were so relieved when they discovered that it was just a rumor that they threw a cocktail party for the passengers.

One of the passengers, Peter Moss, 22, did not return to London but continued his journey eastwards, by sea, to Malaya.

He wrote a diary which he later turned into a book called ‘The Indiaman – When the Going was Good by Land and Sea’ which is a colorful description of his once-in-a-lifetime bus journey.

The end of the iconic Calcutta to London bus service

The bus operated successfully for many years. The operation took a downward turn when the bus had an accident, which made it almost unusable to operate.

But the saga didn’t end there. A British traveler named Andy Stewart came to the rescue and transformed it into a double-decker mobile home. This marked the start of the bus’s next incredible journey.

The double-decker affectionately retained the name Albert and, on October 8, 1968, it set out on yet another remarkable experience. This time from Sydney to London, it was still passing through India.

The new trip took a total of about 132 days, with the bus covering extensive distances and beating even the earlier journey record.

Operating under the banner of Albert Tours, the company was based in England and Australia. It offered routes from London to Calcutta and back to London, as well as from London to Calcutta and onward to Sydney.

The bus’s new route to India included a path through Iran, followed by an incredible journey through Burma, Thailand, and Malaysia before reaching Singapore. From there, the bus was transported by ship to Perth, Australia, and then continued its road journey to Sydney.

Overland routes became more challenging due to the political unrest in the Middle East during the 1970s that ended with the 1979 Iranian Revolution and Soviet–Afghan War.

Sadly, the bus service came to an end in 1976 due to complications in Iran and escalating tensions between Pakistan and India. It’s worth noting that Albert Tours successfully completed approximately 15 trips from Kolkata to London and back to Sydney before the service concluded permanently.

The Albert bus was refurbished in 2009 and made a one-off return trip from the UK to Australia in 2012. No new bus journeys between the two countries are currently planned.

The bus remains in Australia making appearances at car shows.

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Fact check: Viral images of people boarding a bus from London to Kolkata is true

Hyderabad: What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word 'TRAVEL'? It almost sounds like an unattainable dream now. Ever since the implementation of social distancing, courtesy novel Coronavirus, travelling has become an activity to be cherished from the past.

Going across the nations in a bus without any inhibitions and formalities is just a dream nowadays. In these days of restricted travel, old images of people boarding a bus travelling from London to Kolkata are going viral on the social media. A bus starting from London, going via countries like Belgium, Germany, Austria, Yugoslavia, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, then to India and the final destination being Kolkata in India.

Several users on Facebook shared the pictures with a claim "Did you know about a luxury bus service from London to Kolkata which existed till up to 1970s? It started from UK-Belgium-Germany-Austria-Yugoslavia-Bulgaria-Turkey-Iran-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India. It included of travel-food-accommodation-sightseeing. Here are the photos and the itinerary for this wonderful bus service."

A few even shared with caption "I wish, I could board this bus. Amazed to know the bus service from Calcutta to London in 1950s and 60s. Around 50-day travel via West Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Austria, West Germany, Belgium and England."

These black and white photos were taken in the 1950s at the Victoria Coach Station, where people were boarding a bus named 'Albert'.

Fact Check:

The claim made is TRUE .

When we searched the images with Google Reverse image search, we found several websites confirming that there indeed was a bus service from London to Kolkata run by Albert Tours.

We found Shutterstock images and also Getty images relating to 'London to Calcutta bus trip 1957 stock photos'.

https://www.shutterstock.com/editorial/search/london-to-calcutta-bus-trip-1957

https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/passengers-at-victoria-coach-station-london-boarding-the-news-photo/85574538

We also found a blogspot highroadforoz, where pictures from the trip in 1968 of Albert Bus , from Sydney to London via Calcutta. In 1968, a Sydney double-decker bus set off for England overland. A few months later it made a return trip. And another. Then 13 trips from London to Calcutta and back. 35 years later, it's time to return to Sydney and well-earned retirement. YOU CAN BE A PART OF THIS BIG ADVENTURE!

The journey to Kolkata took five days and its single fare was 85 pounds which convert to Rs. 8000. That is quite an amount especially back in those days! Albert's first run started on April 15, 1957. They reached Calcutta on June 5.

https://edtimes.in/are-these-images-of-a-bus-from-london-to-calcutta-fake/

This bus trip seems to have extended to Sydney in 1968. According to the report of Hooniverse, first bus trip started in Sydney on October 8, 1968. The trip to London took 132 days, with Albert finishing its wild route on February 17, 1969.

https://hooniverse.com/meet-albert-a-bus-to-show-you-the-world/

The image of a brochure displaying the ticket fare, agenda and other details is also being shared virally.

We also found a book by a young traveller Jan Ward named Travellers Wanted...: 1968: Sydney to London in a double-decker bus . The book explains her travel from Sydney to London in 1968. The book is available for sale on Amazon.

Hence, the claim that a bus travelled from London to Kolkata is TRUE.

Claim Review: Viral images of people boarding a bus from London to Kolkata

Claimed by: social media users, claim reviewed by: newsmeter, claim source: social media, claim fact check: true, latest news, video stories.

Did You Know There Was a 48-Day Double-Decker Bus Tour from England to India?

You like road trips, do you? How about one that lasts seven weeks and spans eleven countries?

_JamesGilboy

jamesgilboy

Driving almost 6,000 miles from London, England to Kolkata, India may sound like a road trip too ambitious even for 2000s Top Gear , but for a brief period in the early 1970s, well-to-do adventurers could undertake in such a journey. No, not in cutting-edge high-performance cars , mind you, but in what amounted to an upscale hostel on wheels; a heavily modified Sydney Albion double-decker bus named Albert.

Purchased as surplus from the New South Wales, Australia government in 1968, according to a charming Web 1.0 site documenting its existence , Albert was the pride and joy of Scottish-born travel enthusiast and aviophobe Andrew Stewart, who repurposed the vehicle to run a tourism route between Perth and Kolkata. In 1972, Stewart's ambitions reached intercontinental scale when his company Albert Tours announced it would run "The World's Longest Bus Route," one visiting 11 countries en route from London to Kolkata.

Google Maps calculates that this drive would span 5,800 miles of roads on modern infrastructure, meaning it would've probably been an even longer trip on 1972's roads—if you can even call some of them that. At Albert's top speed of a mere 32 mph, occupants would've spent a minimum of at least 182 hours (or eight days) in transit, all in a bus that Stewart himself said was "far from weather-proof!"

Granted, Albert had been fancied and freshened up before entering service as a long-haul tour bus; onboard amenities included dining, two lounges, individual bunks, a music system, and heating. Even so, many may balk at the London-Kalkota route's one-way price of £145, which comes to $2,400 in today's money. Considering that this fare included seven weeks of meals, lodging, extra activities, and an unforgettable journey across two continents and eleven countries, though, that's hardly poor value for money, especially as compared to going on a cruise .

And for those who didn't get their fill after those 48 days were up, Albert offered an extension for another £145, which added Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Australia legs to the trip—making it three continents and 16 countries.

Predictably, Albert's tri-continental tour route didn't last long, but not for the reasons one might expect. It wasn't replaced by air travel or even more luxurious forms of ground transport . It took a roadblock in the form of Iranian political unrest in 1976 to halt Albert's travels, so with no alternate route in mind, Andrew Stewart returned to Australia for work, leaving Albert in the British Isles, where it spent decades decaying.

Fortunately, though, Albert's tale ends on a happy note. In 2003, a curious Stewart tracked the bus to a group of hippies in Wales, who in 2010 sold the bus back to its delighted former owner. Albert got a rigorous restoration in 2010 in preparation for a 16th and final romp in 2012, before returning to its country of origin, Australia, where Albert lives today. All things considered, not a bad life for a humble bus.

Got a tip? Send us a note: [email protected]

h/t: India Times

London to Calcutta by Bus

For fifteen years from the late 1950s to the early 1970s, it was possible to hop on to a bus in London and travel all the way to Calcutta, India. The journey took fifty days and went through such breathtaking destinations such as the the Caspian Sea coast, the Rhine Valley, the Khyber Pass and the Kabul Gorge.

The first London to Calcutta bus service was “The Indiaman” run by Oswald-Joseph Garrow-Fisher. The bus itself was a refurbished AEC Regal III model, that already had 100,000 miles on its odometer when it left London on April 15, 1957, with twenty passengers on board. It arrived in Calcutta on June 5. After a brief stay in Calcutta, the same bus started the return journey to London, successfully concluding the 20,300-mile round trip (about 32,000 km) on August 2, 1957. For the forward journey, Garrow-Fisher charged a fare of £85 and £65 for the return. Reportedly, only seven of the original twenty passengers (two women and five men) were brave enough to endure the journey back to London.

The bus travelled through France, Italy, West Germany, Austria, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan before entering North Western India. After entering India, it travelled through New Delhi, Agra, Allahabad and Banaras, eventually reaching Calcutta. It made long hauls in Paris, Venice, Istanbul, Tehran, and Lahore. During the trip, the passengers stayed overnight in hotels, and in some cases had to camp outside when no other accommodation was available.

In The New York Times report, Garrow-Fisher recalled the precarious hairpin-bends along the road passing over the high cliffs near Mount Ararat at the Turkey-Soviet Union border, but also noted that even the high cliffs were not as alarming as the narrow roads with soft shoulders and wandering cyclists in India. In Iran, wooden planks had to be placed under the wheels to prevent the bus from sinking into the desert sands. Sandstorms and torrential rains, dust and heat made progress nightmarish. On the return trip, they found the Pakistan-Iranian border was closed due to an outbreak of Asian influenza. So Mr. Garrow-Fisher diverted the bus from Lahore, beyond which the border was closed, to the city of Karachi from where he intended to take a ship to Iran. Upon reaching the port they learned the land border had reopened. So he turned the bus around and drove back the 630 miles to Lahore, then westward again. The diversion and other obstructions delayed their arrival in London by 16 days, prompting a rumor that the passengers had been murdered by bandits in Iran. The British Embassy in Teheran were so relieved to find the passengers sound and healthy, they organized a cocktail party for the group.

Mr Oswald Garrow Fisher, driver and organiser of the trip.

One of the passengers, Peter Moss, 22, did not return to London but continued his journey eastwards, by sea, to Malaya. He wrote a diary which he later turned into a book called ‘ The Indiaman – When the Going was Good by Land and Sea ’ which is a colourful description of his once-in-a-lifetime bus journey.

The Indiaman made a total of four round trips before the bus was retired.

Garrow-Fisher’s successful venture spawned many copy-cats. At one point, as many as 32 operators were plying the London to India route using vehicles that varied from double decker buses to converted fire engines. Some of the journeys terminated in Kathmandu, some in Delhi, and others in Mumbai. One even went as far as Sydney. The last leg of the journey from India to Sydney was made on ship.

This latter trip was organized by Albert Travel, a venture started by British travel agent and Australian resident Andy Stewart, and operated between 1968 and 1975. Stewart bought a dilapidated Albion Motors CS Venturer double-decker bus from the New South Wales Department of Government Transport, after negotiating the asking price down from AU$1000 to AU$400. The bus could barely manage 32 miles per hour and had a large dent in the rear. Stewart completely refurbished the interiors. He fitted it out with bunk beds to suit 14 passengers, extra fuel tanks and drinking water supply. There was also heating in the lower deck, a radio and cassette player, a reading and dining saloon and a kitchen with a gas cooker and sink. He named the bus Albert.

On Albert’s first journey, the bus drove 13 passengers from Sydney to London —a distance of 16,000 miles. The trip was so successful that Albert went on to complete a further 14 Sydney-to-London round trips until 1976 when the passage through Iran was blocked due to an unstable political climate. In 1979, following the Soviet–Afghan War and the Iranian Revolution, overland routes across Asia became untenable and all London to India bus services were terminated.

Now more than forty years later, an India-based travel operator Adventures Overland announced a bus service from New Delhi to London and back, covering 20,000 km and travelling through 18 countries in 70 days. The service was supposed to start in 2021, but got delayed, probably due to the Covid pandemic. The first bus is expected to leave in April next year.

The bus ‘Indiaman’ passes through Turkey during its trip from London to Calcutta, 1957.

The bus near Tabriz in Persia in flood waters.

In Iran, the bus full of 20 British passengers, faces a washed out bridge under repair. The stream is still passable but the only way across is to drive through it.

Passengers stop for a picnic by the river in Yugoslavia during their trip.

A roadworker helps with his pick-axe after the bus wheels were bogged down in mud in Persia.

Passengers rest during their trip in Yugoslavia.

The bus stops for water in Yugoslavia.

The Indiaman drew a crowd in Sofia, Bulgaria.

The bus passes an elephant in Amritsar, India.

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The bus service from London, England to Calcutta, India (now Kolkata) is considered to be the longest bus route in the world. The service, which was started in 1957, was routed to India via Belgium, Yugoslavia and West Pakistan. This route is also known as the Hippie Route. According to the reports, it took about 50 days for the bus to reach Calcutta from London. The voyage was 32669 km (20300 miles) long. It was in service until 1976. The cost of the trip was £85. This amount includes food, travel and accommodation.

The bus service was operated by Albert Travel. [6]  The maiden travel began in London on April 15, 1957. The first service ended on June 5 in Kolkata. That is, it takes about 50 days to complete the journey. The countries the bus traveled during its journey: from England to  Belgium , and from there to India via  West Germany ,  Austria ,  Yugoslavia ,  Bulgaria ,  Turkey ,  Iran ,  Afghanistan , and  West Pakistan . After entering India, it eventually reached Calcutta via  New Delhi ,  Agra ,  Allahabad  and  Banaras .

Facilities on the bus:

The trip was equipped with  reading  facilities, separate  sleeping bunks  for everyone, and  fan -operated  heaters . There was a  kitchen  with all equipment and amenities. 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  music system  for  parties . [1]  It had time to spend at  major tourist destinations  along the way, including  Banaras  and the  Taj Mahal  on the banks of the  Ganges .  Shopping  was also allowed in  Tehran ,  Salzburg ,  Kabul ,  Istanbul  and  Vienna .

Later history:

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  Double-Decker   mobile home , which marked the beginning of the bus’s next journey. The  double-decker bus  was renamed as  Albert  and was 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. [8]

The bus reached India through  Pakistan  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 . [9] [10]  The charge for this service from London to Calcutta was £145. The service had all the modern facilities as before. The bus service was discontinued in 1976 due to the  problems in Iran  and the escalation of  tensions between Pakistan and India . [11]  It is reported that the Albert Tours completed about 15 trips between Kolkata to London and again from London to Sydney, before the service ended permanently.

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London–Calcutta bus service

by Manager | News

The bus service from London , England to Calcutta , India (now Kolkata ) is considered to be the longest bus route in the world. [1] [2] [3] The service , which was started in 1957, was routed to India via Belgium , Yugoslavia and North Western India. [4] This route is also known as the Hippie Route . According to the 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 32669  km (20300 miles ) for the round trip. It was in service until 1976. [5] The cost of the trip one-way was £ 85 in 1957 and £ 145 in 1973. This amount includes food , travel and accommodation . [3]

The bus service was operated by Albert Travel. [6] The maiden travel began in London on April 15, 1957. The first service ended on June 5 in Kolkata. That is, it takes about 50 days to complete the journey. The countries the bus traveled during its journey: from England to Belgium , and from there to India via West Germany , Austria , Yugoslavia , Bulgaria , Turkey , Iran , Afghanistan , Pakistan and North Western India. After entering India, it eventually reached Calcutta via New Delhi , Agra , Allahabad and Banaras . [5]

Facilities on the bus

The trip was equipped with reading facilities, separate sleeping bunks for everyone, and fan-operated heaters. There was a kitchen with all equipment and amenities. 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 music system for parties . [1] It had time to spend at major tourist destinations along the way, including Banaras and the Taj Mahal on the banks of the Yamuna . Shopping was also allowed in Tehran , Salzburg , Kabul , Istanbul and Vienna . [3] [7]

Later history

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 double-decker mobile home , which marked the beginning of the bus’s next journey. The double-decker was renamed as Albert and was 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. [8]

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 . [9] [10] The charge for this service from London to Calcutta was £145. The service had all the modern facilities as before. The bus service was discontinued in 1976 due to the problems in Iran and the escalation of tensions between Pakistan and India . [11] It is reported that the Albert Tours completed about 15 trips between Kolkata to London and again from London to Sydney, before the service ended permanently. [12]

• “This Was ‘World’s Longest Bus Route’ From Kolkata To London” . Curly Tales . 2020-07-06. Retrieved 2020-07-24.
• “A Bus Ride From London to Kolkata in 1950s? Yes, The Viral Photo is Real” . News18 . Retrieved 2020-07-24.
• Civic Affairs . P. C. Kapoor at the Citizen Press. 1957.
• “London Calcutta Bus Trip 1957 london India Editorial Stock Photo – Stock Image | Shutterstock” . Shutterstock Editorial . Retrieved 2020-07-24.
• “Samayam” . malayalam.samayam.com .
• “London to Calcutta by Road? Picture of 1950s Albert Travel Bus Service is Going Viral, Know Details About This Fascinating Historic Journey” . Unique News Online . 2020-07-02. Retrieved 2021-02-19.
• admin (2020-07-04). “ലണ്ടൻ – കൽക്കട്ട ബസ് റൂട്ട്” . News Kerala online . Retrieved 2020-07-24.
• Eat, Tech Travel (2020-07-03). “ലണ്ടനിൽ നിന്നും ഇന്ത്യയിലെ കൽക്കട്ടയിലേക്ക് ഒരു ബസ് സർവ്വീസ്” . Technology & Travel Blog from India . Retrieved 2020-07-31.
• “ലണ്ടനിൽ നിന്നു കൽക്കട്ടയിലെത്തിയ ഇന്ത്യാ മാന്‍…” ManoramaOnline (in Malayalam). Retrieved 2020-07-31. INGALIS, LEONARD (1957-08-08).
• “London-Calcutta Bus is back in London – Owner drove passengers 20,300 Miles”. The New York Times . K, Noushad K.
• “ലണ്ടൻ – കൽക്കട്ട ബസ്” . Retrieved 2020-07-31.
• “Kolkata, Then Calcutta, Once Had The World’s Longest Bus Route All The Way Till London!” . Whats Hot . Retrieved 2020-07-31.

Resource: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/London%E2%80%93Calcutta_bus_service

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Journey from London to Calcutta: Black and white photo of 1957 bus service makes netizens curious

The route taken by the Albert Travel bus was - England, Belgium, West Germany, Austria, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, West Pakistan and India.

A black and white photo doing rounds on social media shows passengers at Victoria Coach Station, London boarding a bus that would take them to Calcutta. Yes, a journey from Calcutta (present-day Kolkata) to London on a bus. That was back in the 1950s.

"Literally just finding out about the London-Calcutta bus service which apparently existed well into the 70’s. Wow," the viral tweet is captioned. In of the photos, the passengers can be seen boarding the first run of the bus in April 1957.

The route taken by the Albert Travel bus was - England, Belgium, West Germany, Austria, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, West Pakistan and India. In India, the bus travelled from New Delhi to Agra, Allahabad, Banaras and finally, Calcutta.

Along with the photo of the bus, a brochure of the bus' itinerary has surfaced. The luxurious bus provided the facilities of reading, individual sleeping bunks, radio/taped music for parties and pleasure and fan heaters, among other things. The brochure reads, "Your complete home while you travel."

Literally just finding out about the London-Calcutta bus service which apparently existed well into the 70’s. Wow. pic.twitter.com/VZAHtkbwzD — Rohit K Dasgupta (@RKDasgupta) June 29, 2020

Some of the tour highlights included Banaras on the Ganges, The Taj Mahal, The Raj Path The Rhine Valley and The Peacock Throne.

Passengers got free shopping days in New Delhi, Tehran, Salzburg, Kabul, Istanbul and Vienna.

One side travel from London to India cost 85 pound sterlings (Rs 8,019 in present-day). The ticket was inclusive of food, travel and accommodation.

The bus had its first run on April 15, 1957 and it reached Calcutta on June 5.

The viral tweet made netizens excited and curious to know more about the adventures of the passengers.

What a find! And the route is fascinating. I want to know what they served in the dining car. — Arpita Chakraborty (@DrArpitaC) June 29, 2020

I think there's a fair chunk of people who'd pay a month's salary for such a trip nowadays. — Jolly Swagman (@ricardo_bozboz) June 29, 2020

Especially during the month of August.. — Salman Nadir (@SalmanNadir) July 1, 2020

Oh for a world of no visas where you could just pay the fee and get on a bus or a train. Can we get that back please? — Phuket_ภูเก็ต (@Phuket_Bukit) June 30, 2020

One user said, "What a find! And the route is fascinating. I want to know what they served in the dining car." Another wrote, "Oh for a world of no visas where you could just pay the fee and get on a bus or a train. Can we get that back please?"

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