Imagine being able to go to an internet site where you can search the timetables and connections for all modes of transport - air, train, ferry, bus etc. You can also book taxis for sections of the journey which other, timetabled modes do not cover. You can then select the quickest, cheapest and/or easiest route and book the whole thing using one ticket.
I would imagine it would be possible to simply link exisiting databases together although i am not an expert...meaning the timetables and prices could be kept accurate and meaningful.
This would save hours of messing around with different hard-copy / internet based timetables (or phoning around - very time consuming) and buying lots of different tickets. Also, the stress of trying to get a taxi at 5 am from Katmandu airport (if there is one) would be eliminated.
I know I've not explained it perfectly, but what do you think?-- ferret, May 09 2002 (?) Transport Direct http://www.transportdirect.infoYou can't buy a ticket here, but it is an all-encompassing, national database nontheless. [kinemojo, Sep 07 2005] The timetables of UK train companies are pretty much a mixture of conjecture and blind hope. I doubt it if they could be integrated with anything. If you've got these clowns in the critical path of your journey, it breaks everything else. And there is an airport in Kathmandu, at least I hope there is - I'm flying there in a couple of months.-- mcscotland, May 09 2002 blissmiss - I'm aware of that site but it is hardly the same thing is it?! This is for everyday travel, not holidays. Also, you didn't book the whole thing at once did you, on one ticket?
mcs - This would not necassarily be implemented in the UK firstly (as nothing good ever is nowerdays). We would just have to wait until branson takes over the whole lot or the government takes it all back.-- ferret, May 09 2002 Taxis and hotels don't use tickets.-- waugsqueke, May 09 2002 Integrating the databases would be one ferocious task. But assuming that all scheduled modes of public transport managed to publish their schedules to a central database in a timely manner, it could work. But what happens when a leg of your journey misses schedule? You miss your connection to the next mode of transportation. How do you reschedule, and who bears financial responsibility for making that happen in a reasonable time frame? How much time will you have to waste at each connecting point to ensure adequate margins of safety in scheduling?
What you need is a person or company to check the database, plan your primary route, and ensure the availability of alternate contingencies. For a fee, this company can assume the financial risk of missed connections and maintain reservations on alternate carriers for you. This company will then present you with a single bill and itenerary. Now wouldn't that make life easier? But what could we call such a company? Oh yeah, I know! Let's call it a 'Travel Agency'.-- BigBrother, May 09 2002 I seem to remember a similar scheme from a trip to Brisbane a number of years ago; One ticket worked on the buses as well as the river taxis. If the system could be extended in other cities, and sold along with air tickets online, maybe we'd have something here.-- yamahito, May 09 2002 In other words, it's baked to a blackened crisp -- including the database.-- BigBrother, May 09 2002 // And as waugs well knows, you can go from top o' my state to beautiful Mystic, at the bottom in less than 45 minutes. //
Yep. And east to west in about double that time. (Though I take the Merrit Parkway whenever possible, which makes it a little longer.)-- waugsqueke, May 09 2002 waugsqueke - I never said anything about hotels. The taxis taking part in the scheme would have been pre-paid as part of your ticket.
BB - Baked? Hmmmmm....how? Is such a scheme database in existence? I think not! Do you have a link?! To answer your queries: I think the company whos transport had been delayed would bear the cost as it would be their fault. This is by no means a travel agency, this is not for the annual holiday. This is for regular business or leisure trips domestically and internationally.-- ferret, May 10 2002 waugsqueke - I never said anything about hotels. The taxis taking part in the scheme would have been pre-paid as part of your ticket.
BB - Baked? Hmmmmm....how? Is such a scheme / database in existence? I think not! Do you have a link?! To answer your queries: I think the company whos transport had been delayed would bear the cost as it would be their fault. This is by no means a travel agency, this is not for the annual holiday. This is for regular business or leisure trips domestically and internationally.-- ferret, May 10 2002 // I think the company whos transport had been delayed would bear the cost as it would be their faultNice idea [ferret], but one that's proved not to work in practice. Again, witness the collection of trained monkeys that run the UK train companies, people who spend the majority of their time trying to blame fuckups on other companies.-- mcscotland, May 10 2002 ferret, I mention hotels because it makes sense to include them in your ticket plan, and as bliss and BB point out, hotels are already covered by online sites and travel agencies that perform this function now. Removing hotels from the plan makes you system even less useful, rather than just as useful as current methods. Perhaps it's not baked in a literal sense, but it's clear that there are current methods that perform this function as well or better than your plan does.-- waugsqueke, May 10 2002 waug - I hate to disagree but the whole point of this is simply for travel purposes, not including hotels. Everyone has to use the same transport system, but there are so many hotels to choose from, friends to stay with, homes to go to etc. that would be irrelevant and far too complex. Next you will be suggesting the ticket includes restaurant meals or perhaps a trip to a brothel? LOL!
mcs - OK, then perhaps they should just use their travel insurance!?
PS - Can't belive this new rail crash! 7 dead in total now! I agree our railways are pathetic.-- ferret, May 11 2002 random, halfbakery