I was 20 years old before I took my first bus or train anywhere, and that was during the first week of my semester abroad in Perth, Western Australia!
Growing up in the suburbs 20 minutes outside the city of Baltimore, there wasn’t really any public transportation available to me.
When I realized I would have to learn to navigate a bus and train system in a foreign country, I was petrified! But I not only managed to do it in Perth, I somehow learned the systems in Melbourne and Sydney during my brief holidays there as well.
The experience may be intimidating at first, but you can and will conquer it eventually by using some of these strategies:
The best way to learn is to experiment
One of the most helpful things for me was a scavenger hunt that our study abroad advisors had set up as an orientation for us.
We were to follow the vague instructions of our guides and navigate TransPerthfrom landmark to landmark and get to our final destination: the beach. (It became a vital stop for many of us a couple times each week).
The “Race Around Perth” showed us the city center along with some of the touristy spots we would want to check out later.
You don’t need an advisor – your can set one up yourself!
Look up a list of some of the attractions or hot spots you may be traveling to most often – shopping areas, the bank, the main nightlife neighborhoods, etc. Take a day to just ride the bus and/or the train and find your way from one to the next.
And be sure to check them out at night too, especially for those nightclubs and restaurants! The first bus ride in the dark can be scary because the city looks so different lit by artificial lights, but you’ll get the hang of it after a couple of times.
Pay attention to the landmarks
During that “Race Around Perth,” I learned that when I saw the kangaroo statues just past the Perth Mint, I should hit the button for the next stop.
From there, I could access a main train station, cross the street to my favorite areas to shop in the city, and turn the corner for some delicious food.
It may seem silly at first to think in your head, “Look for the giant kangaroos,” or “Press the button when you see the house on the corner with the yellow door,” but it could be a lifesaver.
These landmarks will allow you to zone out for some portions of the ride. You won’t have to count each stop or be able to read street signs. Choose something you’ll recognize easily and you’ll be golden.
Check the timetables online
Hopefully your city’s public transport system has a website where you can check timetables and routes. If so, bookmark it immediately.
Enter your starting station, your destination and what time you want to leave or arrive by and it should give you all the information you need to take a successful trip.
Be sure to note the last pickup times for each stop so you don’t get stranded.
Some cities’ transport systems may have different hours on weekends. Perth, for example, had very few buses after 5 p.m. on Sundays. Make sure you check those details and leave yourself enough time to catch your train or bus.
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