New Touristic Bus season 2013

New Touristic Bus season 2013

Starting in Spring, Touristic Bus keeps on going on weekends and daily in summer.
And there are some news. Take a look:

ENLARGED JOURNEY.

In spite of a 1h15m journey we will have a 2h00 journey with the touristic bus. This means that if you want to have a fast visit in any language, it will be enough to take it... and most of main monuments will be in front of you.

It will be hold by three buses having a 40 minutes frequency. As usual, first stop is in front of the cathedral and the bus will make a tour.

WHICH ARE THE NEWNESS THIS YEAR?

First of all, the bus will cross again besides Pignatelli park, Jose Antonio Labordeta park and Gran Via. They seem to be housing areas and parks... but there are some cool houses in the journey and both parks have some corners that worth a lot. We will talk about them in other blog entrances. Just think that there are stops besides there

Secondly, the bus will make a tour inside the Expo area (2008 international exhibition area) with stops very near of Bridge Pavilion and the Aquarium. It will go across a restricted area only able to some vehicles, and be aware that it is the most useful way to go to the Aquarium, Expo area and Bridge pavilion.

HOW DOES IT WORKS?

Just read this entrance according to last season touristic bus because only the journey and frequencies have been changed.

2013 Price is 8 euro.
Tickets can be booked online (ask in this forum about official webpage), in the tourist office and on board.


Timetables are the following ones: Starting, in the morning, at 10:30, and in the afternoon at 17:00, one bus every 40 minutes. In every stop you will find the exact hour.

This is, in front of the cathedral 10:30, 11:10, 11:50, 12:30 and 13:10 (last full tour that will arrive to the cathedral at 15:10). Same for afternoon: 17:00, 17:40, 18:20, 19:00 and 19:40.

Be aware that, for instance, if in the morning you are taking the first two buses you will be able to cross the cathedral stop. This is, the 10:30 bus can be taken at some other time in some other stop and will arrive at 12:30 to the cathedral, making a second tour. No need to get off. The same ticket remains valid.

But if you take the three last ones in the morning or afternoon/evening, you will have to get off in the cathedral stop and continue in the afternoon or following day.


In April, May and June and second half of September it will run on saturdays and sundays
In July, August and first half of September it will run daily.

In October (second half only because in the first half there are major days), a long-weekend in November (1st to 3rd) and a long-weekend in December (6th to 9th) it will run again but starting at 11:00 and in the afternoon, last departure at 18:15.

Have a look to last season service where some FAQs are answered there. Any other one, just post here a question.

MAP

this is current map.

2013 STOPS

1- Plaza de La Seo (Roman Forum)
2. Plaza de España
5- Paseo Renovales
7- Paseo Pamplona 14
8- Museo Pablo Serrano
13- Palacio Congresos / Pabellón Puente
14- Zona Expo / Acuario
15- La Aljafería
16. Paseo Echegaray y Caballero /c/Jardiel (close to El Pilar)

NIGHT TOURISTIC BUS

It will have a similar but shorter journey and no stops.

Bus will depart at 21:45 on the following days:
July: Saturday
August: Friday and Saturday
1st half September: Friday and Saturday

from the Cathedral square.

Price is 11 euro and can be booked on line or bought at the tourism office or on board (we recommend to buy it in advance).

Touristic Bus

Touristic Bus

As many other cities, Zaragoza has a touristic bus too.

It was in 1997 when first service was created. Just a bus with a 30-minute tour only in city centre but enough for a fast visit to the city.
Today service has been enlarged. In last years and according to city enlargement we have seen many changes. Sometimes two different tours, shorter and enlarged. Sometimes two different tours in different ways and today a single tour but much longer.
In fact it takes 75 minutes to make a tour in the Touristic Bus.

2013 UPDATE: SAME STOPS, JOURNEYS AND FARES THAN 2012

What is the touristic bus?

It is a service in double deck bus where you can get on and get off as many times as you want while a full day.

It has twelve stops. It will start in city centre, in front of the Cathedral and Roman forum, but after a Tour you can remain in the bus (except in the last service in the morning and evening).

You can choose any stop to get off the bus, visit something around and get on again... as many times as you want within the same day.

Where are those stops?

This is the last map for service

You might consider only the largest journey with red line and red spots (we will talk later about green and blue lines).

Main stop is with a green square besides the cathedral in this map. That is the first stop.
Take advice that journey makes a picture like a "snake". This means that you can get off anywhere and, if after your visit maybe a stop in the opposite direction is not far away. You can have a look to schedules for each stop and organise your visit.

Hint: Delicias train and bus station has a stop in the Arrivals area. If you arrive by train to Zaragoza... you can get from station to your hotel or destination just by touristic bus. Tickets can be bought in the bus too.

In the centre of this image, a Touristic Bus Stop, near La Aljafería. It appears a map and schedule on it

Google street Image

What is its schedule and operating dates?

It will operate mainly weekends and bank holidays from middle March to December.
Since 1st July until middle of September it will operate daily.
In some dates (mainly Easter and special holidays) service can be only in the morning.

Frequencies are one bus every 25 minutes. There are three buses, 75 minutes per journey... so 25 minutes every bus.

In almost all the year when service operates this is the schedule (departing Stop number 1 in front of Cathedral).
Morning: 10:30 to 13:25, one bus every 25 minutes
Evening: 16:45 to 19:40, one bus every 25 minutes.

Take advice that they are last services for each stop. This is... bus departing at 19:40 will make a full tour and finish at 20:55 in the same point. Just think that at Plaza La Seo you will not be able to take a new bus after that hour, and some minutes later at P.Independencia and so on.
Of course tickets used in the morning are accepted in the evening. Just service stops from 14:40 (last morning arrival to Cathedral Square) to 16:45 (first evening departure).

With your ticket you will receive a handout with monuments in each stop and schedules for them.

Where can I buy tickets?

Tickets can be bought at the same bus prior to entry.
Nevertheless if you want to save time, or if you want to assure you have your ticket you can buy them in advance on-line (http://www.zaragozaturismotiendaonline.com/turismo/inicio.asp) in the official Zaragoza municipality webpage or in any tourist office

Having a ticket do not assure seat in each bus. Seats have no numbers and you cannot choose upper or downer deck. They just assure you can entry them.

Prices and languages

Touristic bus for one day costs 8 Euro / person
Youth pass is accepted and cost will be 6 Euro
Kids younger than 5 are free but have no seats.

Touristic bus is included in Zaragoza Card and other cards that we talk about them in other entrances in this blog. Depending about your stay in Zaragoza it will worth to buy the Zaragoza Card because includes this service

A guide will make explanations at least in Spanish. Nevertheless they speak English too.

Headphones are included in the price with the full explanation of the tour in several languages including English.

Does it worth the Touristic Bus?

Yes. 

Except in that case you know the city, it is a fast and nice way to move within main touristic points in the city, specially those that are interesting but not in the city centre. You will have the schedules and a sum-up about the monuments or areas you can visit in every stop.

If you are going to stay for a short time in Zaragoza or you have a full agenda and not too much time, it will be the best way to know about the city and have a full look around it.

Better than visiting only a monument or something like that, having a full tour.

And... you can plan the bus you are going to get. Even if you make a full tour with non-stops, just hearing explanations, it will make you knowing something better about the city.

Which are other Touristic buses in the city?

Children touristic bus

Everyday there is a touristic bus with animation for children (sorry, but live animation is available only in Spanish).
It is at 16:30 everyday except in July and August when it is at 20:15. It take an hour and will make the green line tour (the same one that in the touristic bus with without going to arrivals in the Station and not approaching Casa Solans near the river)

It has no stops. You will enter and make a full tour (can be taken on only in front of the Cathedral)
Fare is 7,50 Euro.

Night touristic bus
Even the touristic bus tour is nice... looking from an upper bus deck in the night with all monuments lighted can be nicer!!!

In July, August and until middle September every Friday and Saturday night at 21:45 a night journey will run.
They will depart in front of the cathedral and will not make any stops. Journey will be the same than for children bus (blue line in the map).

Are you in Zaragoza because other reasons rather than tourism and really have no time to visit the city?
Sorry but... there is no excuse. At 21:45 you have an appointment and in one hour, even with live explanations, or headphones, you will have a full view of the city.

Tickets can be bought at the same bus but we will recommend to buy them in advance on-line or at tourism office if possible.

Sites that can be visited very near to any Touristic Bus Stop and have a thread in this blog:

Zaragoza Aquarium
The four cathedrals (Different stops)
El Pilar Tower (Lift)