Getting Around
By Bus: With its overcrowded, packed-to-the-rim hulks, Dhaka’s
bus system is all but impenetrable, literally. But once in awhile you
may find yourself unable to find a taxi; and so hopping onto to these
scarred-looking vehicles might become the only option. At some
locations around the city there are ‘sitting bus’ stands, usually
marked by a group of men selling tickets under an umbrella. If you’re
up for a bit of adventure, tell these waiting ticket sellers where you
want to go and they’ll tell you which bus to catch.
By Taxi:
Four kinds of taxis ply Dhaka’s streets. At the top of the heap are the
yellow Nirvana taxis, all of which feature working air conditioning and
upholstery that’s a little less battered than the others. Following
this is an army of blue and black taxis, most of which sound and feel
like they could fall apart at any moment. Finally, there is the green
baby taxi, known as ‘CNG’ for the type of fuel it uses—compressed
natural gas. These are the cheapest and probably the most
roller-coaster like of the available hired transport. Fares are usually
negotiated beforehand and unless you know the city well you are
unlikely to get the local price. But once in awhile you will find a
driver willing to travel on the meter, and offering him Tk10 above the
metered fare will usually be enough of an incentive for him to take
you.
By Rickshaw: No Dhaka experience is complete
without clambering aboard one of the city’s estimated 600,000
rickshaws. As a foreigner it is expected that you pay more than what
locals pay for your rickshaw rides, and this is acceptable to some
degree but not to the point where the local economy changes because of
overpayment. A good rule of thumb is Tk1 per minute of rickshaw travel,
even if that time is not spent pedalling but only waiting in traffic.
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