Comments on: bus transportation in Brazil http://www.braziltravelblog.com/2008/11/29/bus-transportation-in-brazil/ An independent travel blog with information on Brazil Thu, 17 Feb 2011 09:15:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Tony http://www.braziltravelblog.com/2008/11/29/bus-transportation-in-brazil/#comment-19708 Tony Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:20:49 +0000 http://www.braziltravelblog.com/?p=1005#comment-19708 <strong>Jose</strong>, incomplete coverage is a strong drawback for a search engine. It's a bit like those flight search engines that will not show you flights by Gol or Tam or Azul. The idea is excellent but the user wants an all-in-one solution. It is difficult to sell a foreigner the idea of a bus search engine where they might or might not find what they are looking for depending on where they are going to. Just to set the record straight, as I'm an old hand when it comes to searching for bus info online, in all my unsuccesful attempts I tried searches using all possible combinations, name of city + name of city, name of city and state + name of city and state and so on. A map would definitely be a great idea, but I still think complete coverage is the name of the game. I'm sure it must be a hard task as many companies, specially in the northeast, do not have a computerized system online. Good luck developing your site and let me know of how you get on with it! All the best! Jose, incomplete coverage is a strong drawback for a search engine. It’s a bit like those flight search engines that will not show you flights by Gol or Tam or Azul. The idea is excellent but the user wants an all-in-one solution. It is difficult to sell a foreigner the idea of a bus search engine where they might or might not find what they are looking for depending on where they are going to.

Just to set the record straight, as I’m an old hand when it comes to searching for bus info online, in all my unsuccesful attempts I tried searches using all possible combinations, name of city + name of city, name of city and state + name of city and state and so on.

A map would definitely be a great idea, but I still think complete coverage is the name of the game. I’m sure it must be a hard task as many companies, specially in the northeast, do not have a computerized system online.

Good luck developing your site and let me know of how you get on with it! All the best!

]]> By: Jose http://www.braziltravelblog.com/2008/11/29/bus-transportation-in-brazil/#comment-19687 Jose Mon, 12 Oct 2009 22:05:05 +0000 http://www.braziltravelblog.com/?p=1005#comment-19687 Hi Tony, Thanks a lot for your feedback :) This website is still work in progress and for now it covers mostly Center and South of Brazil destinations. From Rio Grande do Sul to Minas Gerais I think it covers the main routes. I checked in my logs and it seems that you were searching things like (city) - (state). It works just with the city and I think that's why most of your searches failed. It also uses an alias system so that common misspelling or abbreviations should lead to the city names. Like SP to São Paulo and Rio to Rio de Janeiro. I still have the problem with the fact that some of the companies own search engine is sometimes down and as I get the data in real time not always work... I'm building my own database of timetables to avoid this problem. Just to finish, please check a list of routes that should give you results if there is no problem with companies websites: http://www.buscaonibus.com.br/en/sitemap.html And while writing this I just had a good idea to help ppl finding the routes. A search mode where users pick up origin and destination directly in a map. What do you think? Thanks again for your interest and feedback and I will do my best to make the website work as good as possible. Cheers! Hi Tony,
Thanks a lot for your feedback :)
This website is still work in progress and for now it covers mostly Center and South of Brazil destinations.
From Rio Grande do Sul to Minas Gerais I think it covers the main routes. I checked in my logs and it seems that you were searching things like (city) – (state). It works just with the city and I think that’s why most of your searches failed.
It also uses an alias system so that common misspelling or abbreviations should lead to the city names. Like SP to São Paulo and Rio to Rio de Janeiro. I still have the problem with the fact that some of the companies own search engine is sometimes down and as I get the data in real time not always work… I’m building my own database of timetables to avoid this problem.
Just to finish, please check a list of routes that should give you results if there is no problem with companies websites:
http://www.buscaonibus.com.br/en/sitemap.html
And while writing this I just had a good idea to help ppl finding the routes. A search mode where users pick up origin and destination directly in a map. What do you think?

Thanks again for your interest and feedback and I will do my best to make the website work as good as possible.

Cheers!

]]> By: Tony http://www.braziltravelblog.com/2008/11/29/bus-transportation-in-brazil/#comment-19685 Tony Mon, 12 Oct 2009 21:34:55 +0000 http://www.braziltravelblog.com/?p=1005#comment-19685 Thanks Jose. I've tried a dozen typical searches here at the blog and I've had a pretty mixed experience, one positive hit (Porto Alegre - Florianopolis) and many many negatives (Rio - Salvador, Rio - Búzios, Rio - Porto Alegre, Fortaleza - Natal and quite a few others). I think for the engine to be popular among foreigners it needs to explain clearly what are the geographical limits it covers - otherwise it is going to generate quite a lot of frustration. Solving those issues, it could become a great tool. Thanks Jose. I’ve tried a dozen typical searches here at the blog and I’ve had a pretty mixed experience, one positive hit (Porto Alegre – Florianopolis) and many many negatives (Rio – Salvador, Rio – Búzios, Rio – Porto Alegre, Fortaleza – Natal and quite a few others). I think for the engine to be popular among foreigners it needs to explain clearly what are the geographical limits it covers – otherwise it is going to generate quite a lot of frustration. Solving those issues, it could become a great tool.

]]> By: Jose http://www.braziltravelblog.com/2008/11/29/bus-transportation-in-brazil/#comment-19684 Jose Mon, 12 Oct 2009 21:24:08 +0000 http://www.braziltravelblog.com/?p=1005#comment-19684 Hi guys, Check out this website to search bus times in Brazil (english version): http://www.buscaonibus.com.br/en I've travelled a lot by bus all around Brazil and even with my back problem I've survived :) Hope it helps! Hi guys,

Check out this website to search bus times in Brazil (english version):

http://www.buscaonibus.com.br/en

I’ve travelled a lot by bus all around Brazil and even with my back problem I’ve survived :)

Hope it helps!

]]> By: Tony http://www.braziltravelblog.com/2008/11/29/bus-transportation-in-brazil/#comment-19001 Tony Wed, 26 Aug 2009 12:04:04 +0000 http://www.braziltravelblog.com/?p=1005#comment-19001 <strong>Joanne</strong>, this is an extremely annoying feature of bus travel in Brazil. Purchasing tickets from abroad with a credit card is next to impossible due to stringent credit card regulations that require a CPF number (Brazilian tax ID) associated to each transaction. Pluma has a communication channel with its customers, I suggest you try it and see if you can find out a way around the problem. Joanne, this is an extremely annoying feature of bus travel in Brazil. Purchasing tickets from abroad with a credit card is next to impossible due to stringent credit card regulations that require a CPF number (Brazilian tax ID) associated to each transaction. Pluma has a communication channel with its customers, I suggest you try it and see if you can find out a way around the problem.

]]> By: Joanne http://www.braziltravelblog.com/2008/11/29/bus-transportation-in-brazil/#comment-18999 Joanne Wed, 26 Aug 2009 10:24:06 +0000 http://www.braziltravelblog.com/?p=1005#comment-18999 Hi, Is it possible to buy bus tickets online from Pluma? When I get to the payment page, I'm asked for a CPF, which I don't have. Is there any way to get around this? Thanks! Hi,
Is it possible to buy bus tickets online from Pluma? When I get to the payment page, I’m asked for a CPF, which I don’t have. Is there any way to get around this?
Thanks!

]]> By: Tony http://www.braziltravelblog.com/2008/11/29/bus-transportation-in-brazil/#comment-18475 Tony Sun, 02 Aug 2009 18:46:34 +0000 http://www.braziltravelblog.com/?p=1005#comment-18475 <strong>Stephanie</strong>, there is at least one bus company going from Iguaçu to Campo Grande, it is <a href="http://www.viacaomedianeira.com.br/"target=" blank" rel="nofollow">Medianeira</a>. Check their website for travel schedules. You will need to send them an email to find out the ticket prices. You can fly to Campo Grande with <a href="http://www.voegol.com.br"target=" blank" rel="nofollow">Gol</a> and <a href="http://www.tam.com.br/"target=" blank" rel="nofollow">Tam</a>, but unless you're lucky to get a bargain ticket chances are the flight will be more expensive than the bus. Depending on your budget, if the flight didn't cost a fortune, I would take it. Stephanie, there is at least one bus company going from Iguaçu to Campo Grande, it is Medianeira. Check their website for travel schedules. You will need to send them an email to find out the ticket prices. You can fly to Campo Grande with Gol and Tam, but unless you’re lucky to get a bargain ticket chances are the flight will be more expensive than the bus. Depending on your budget, if the flight didn’t cost a fortune, I would take it.

]]> By: stephanie http://www.braziltravelblog.com/2008/11/29/bus-transportation-in-brazil/#comment-18453 stephanie Sat, 01 Aug 2009 18:11:42 +0000 http://www.braziltravelblog.com/?p=1005#comment-18453 Hi! What is the best way to go from Iguaçu to Campo Grande or Bonito (I want to go to the Pantanal area after Iguacu)? Is it possible to go by bus? Is it safe? Is it the same price by plane? What woud you recommend? Thanks. Stephanie. Hi!
What is the best way to go from Iguaçu to Campo Grande or Bonito (I want to go to the Pantanal area after Iguacu)?
Is it possible to go by bus? Is it safe? Is it the same price by plane?
What woud you recommend?
Thanks.
Stephanie.

]]> By: Tony http://www.braziltravelblog.com/2008/11/29/bus-transportation-in-brazil/#comment-18403 Tony Mon, 27 Jul 2009 00:38:01 +0000 http://www.braziltravelblog.com/?p=1005#comment-18403 <strong>Dana</strong>, it's been a long while since I last heard of any incidents on that route. I wouldn't take the night bus myself, but that's because I'm really afraid of the way Brazilian drives at night time. If that doesn't bother you, go ahead and take the night bus. Dana, it’s been a long while since I last heard of any incidents on that route. I wouldn’t take the night bus myself, but that’s because I’m really afraid of the way Brazilian drives at night time. If that doesn’t bother you, go ahead and take the night bus.

]]> By: Dana http://www.braziltravelblog.com/2008/11/29/bus-transportation-in-brazil/#comment-18399 Dana Sun, 26 Jul 2009 16:39:47 +0000 http://www.braziltravelblog.com/?p=1005#comment-18399 Hello, I'm thinking about taking a night bus from Sao Paulo to the Iguaçu Falls. How safe is this? Thanks in advance Hello,

I’m thinking about taking a night bus from Sao Paulo to the Iguaçu Falls. How safe is this? Thanks in advance

]]>