In Kolkata for a day and want to have a quick tour Or, planning a day tour of the city&rsquos many attractions over the weekend with your family Or have to hop across the city for business on a single day Then the new Travel Pass introduced by West Bengal Transport Corporation (WBTC) will come in handy.
The Travel Pass, an all-in-one transport ticket, will be valid on all WBTC (a state government unit) run buses, trams and ferries. The pass will be valid both on air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned buses and trams. Priced at Rs 100 per head, it offers unlimited travel options for the day it is issued.
For example, if you have arrived by train in Howrah and have a train in the evening, hop on to a ferry to arrive at Millennium Park across the river and take a bus to Esplanade and from there take a tram to visit the Kalighat Temple or go to College Street. Or, from Esplanade, take any of the buses going down Chowringhee to visit the Victoria Memorial and the Indian Museum. The travel pass can also be used to travel by WBTC&rsquos AC buses plying from the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport to the city and back.
Travellers are eligible for a 10 per cent discount if they buy over 20 passes in bulk, which makes the pass convenient for large groups travelling together or school students on an excursion trip (after the pandemic has eased of course).
WBTC has also reintroduced its all-day Tram Pass with additional benefits. Priced at Rs 100 per head, it allows unlimited travel for a day on all AC and non-AC trams. According to WBTC, the pass is also valid on special trams such as the Library Tram.
Other benefits include a free ride on the special tram called Paat Rani (a regular ride costs Rs 99 per head) and free entry to the Tram World Exhibition (a regular ticket costs Rs 30 per head). The Paat Rani Tram, which makes a round trip four times a day, starting from the Esplanade Tram Depot and going up to the Tram World Exhibition (inside Gariahat Tram Depot), is also a shop on wheels. You may buy jute products on display inside the tram.
The Travel Pass is available from the conductors in WBTC buses, trams and ferries, and designated point of sales in airport, Howrah railway station and Esplanade.
