Bermuda: How to get around - Tour on the cheap and fun.

[grinthock]

i'd like to answer some questions i've seen in dozens of threads here.

 

Here are your transport options when you come in on a ship and land at Dockyard....

 

 

Here is some important info.. Dockyard is on the opposite side of the island from almost everything, but it's not that far.

 

There are three main roads in Bermuda. North Road, Middle Road, South Road. The place is is simple (I love it)

 

Here are your options.

 

1) Motorscooter: Get ready to be bombarded with offers the minute you step off, all the cruiselines say "don't do it" -- i'm an experienced motorcyclist, and i'd say unless you are -- don't do it. The roads are narrow and curvy, the drivers are quick, and they drive on the left, and if you get hurt, that's a real good way to screw your vacation and waste a ton of cash. I saw girls with tanks and shorts on them laughing and gigling on the wrong side of the road - fun times -- but you are asking for it. You fall and you are SCREWED. If you are going to Horseshoe Bay and only Horseshoe Bay, then it's not too bad because you drive only a little bit on south road, but again, if you don't have experience this isn't the place to try it. Many do, many are fine.

 

2) Taxi: The tarrifed rate is $40 / Hour - no matter how many people step on board, they will give you a tour -- for that rate, and take you anywhere, the rate is $40/hour -- period, tarrifed. Taxi's are EVERYWHERE. If you have lots of disposable income, it's a good way.

 

3) Ferry: Ferries will take you from Dockyard to Hamilton and St George (the two main places people go) and some other places, they are quick, and easy. $4 per person gets you to hamilton from Dockyard, and it has a pretty good schedule, go download it online before you leave. A 1 day transit ticket covers the Ferry as well.

 

4) Bus: The Bus system in Bermuda is spectacular, buses come every 15-30 minutes during the day, and they will take you everywhere. If you are going to Horseshoe Bay only, there is a bus called "7 - Special" it's the #7 that goes to only horseshoe bay, if you are going there -- only take that bus, it's fastest.

 

The #7 and #8 buses spend their time on south road, they will take you from hamilton to dockyard in about 60 minutes, in rush hour it's a little more, and the bus will get crowded. BE AWARE OF SHORT TURNS. Watch the sign, and ask the driver, some #7 buses don't go the entire distance, the drivers are nice to help.

 

Avoid travel at rush hour, the locals are trying to get home or to work and we are visiting THEIR country/land and we should respect that, the #7 during rushhour is PACKED, you might even have to wait for another one, no different than any other major place i've been in rush hour. So just have and pack some patience, or take a Taxi.

 

 

For a nice tour, get a $12 day pass just off the pier, take the ferry to St George, see the old areas around St George, you can do it by foot, take the #6 to the old lighthouse. Then take the bus from St George along north road back to Hamilton, a nice ride and you see lots, if you are lucky a local will chat you up and give you info along the way. Once in Hamilton, get off downtown, walk around, see what there is, have lunch, go shopping -- pro tip -- the Goslings store has duty free and they deliver to the ship FREE, so make your purchses and you don't have to carry them -- I recommend Goslings Old Rum, it comes in a wax dipped bottle, it's rare and VERY good.

 

Done shopping? Head north up the hill to the City Hall, there you find the main bus station, grab the #7 and head off, get off at Horseshoe Bay (easy to find, EVERYONE will get off, and they announce it) enjoy the nice beach, the caves, the climbing, the sand and water, grab a slushie.

 

Done at the bay? Pay the nice guy $2 with the VAN to take you back up that hill, he gives a nice talk on the way up and gives more the $2 in info, plus it doesn't tire you out. Wait about 5-10 for the #7 special back to Dockyard. Get off, go buy some Rum Cake, see the glass blowing.

 

Head back to the ship, just in time for 6 oclock first seating, take in a show, then you are ready for the night tour out to the coral reef on the glass bottom boat.

 

A good day, full day, you see lots and spend little.

 

ENJOY! I hope my tips and experience make your trip a little more fun, a little more relaxing.

[Solution]

Thank you OP! This is what I am looking for as we will be sailing the Summit to Bermuda in August. It is a perfect guideline for us.

[searoses]

thanks for taking the time to post this. my husband will be delighted with his wax sealed goslings!

[smalltimecruiser100]

I hate climbing hills. Thank you for you tips

[grinthock]

Glad I could help! you are in for a nice day...

[red919]

Excellent informative post....thank you! :D

[ozark74]

We are going in three weeks and plan on renting scooters. We used then before in 1986. Was the traffic bad? Just bad scooter drivers?

Thanks

[Barsnikel]

Excellent :)

 

I agree on the scooters. I went to Bermuda many years ago and I did in fact rent a scooter. I got along fine, but it wasn't without difficulty. Driving on the "wrong side" takes a LOT of concentration, and it's very, very easy to fall into "normal" driving habits

[grinthock]

We are going in three weeks and plan on renting scooters. We used then before in 1986. Was the traffic bad? Just bad scooter drivers?

Thanks

 

traffic is VERY heavy in Hamilton, scooter drivers are crazy and car drivers have ZERO patience for stupid scooter drivers.

 

I'd stay away -- personally, I see NO REASON to rent one, there are just as fast and safer ways to get around.

[PorkChopKid]

FWIW, I am on the Sept 11th Carnival Miracle Roll Call and have been gathering anything posted about Bermuda. I added the OP's information about Bermuda to the bottom of the page. Here is what I have so far.....

http://pasqualehome.com/miracle2011/bermudainfo.htm

 

I've never been to Bermuda so I cannot validate the accuracy of what I've gathered.

[MCAT48]

Oh man..Here's a tip: If you want to take the bus in hamilton you have to goto the bus terminal to get to the right bus. My husband and I stood at a bus stop for about an hour on the main street before I asked a bus driver "are you going XhereX" and he said "No..I'm going to the bus terminal..." Yeah...was not aware that you had to goto the bus terminal....:rolleyes:

[suezyq50]

Good info. Thanks for taking the time.

[SingingMom1]

i'd like to answer some questions i've seen in dozens of threads here.

 

Here are your transport options when you come in on a ship and land at Dockyard....

 

A good day, full day, you see lots and spend little.

 

ENJOY! I hope my tips and experience make your trip a little more fun, a little more relaxing.

 

 

Thanks for your informative post! I shared it with our Roll Call thread!

[Pears13]

What a great thread! Thank you so much! I was trying to figure out how to do ALL of what you have in here in one day! I didn't know if it was all possible, but you have alleviated my doubt. Thanks for all the tips. I really appreciate this! I won't worry that we'll miss any of our must-sees now!

 

Angie

[3rdGenCunarder]

Ginty, you pack a lot into a single day! I agree about the scooters. Just too risky to be worth it unless you have experience.

 

A reminder on the bus stops. Because traffic is on what we think of as the "wrong" side of the street, the bus stops are on the opposite side of the street to ours. think about the direction in which you want to go and make sure you're on that side of the road. Smaller stops don't have shelters, just poles. Pink poles mark bus stops that will take you toward Hamilton. Blue poles mark stops that will take you away from Hamilton.

[hawaiilvr]

We used buses and ferries and had no trouble. One thing to remember, it is a small island, but it takes a long time to get from point a to point b on the bus. The speed limits are very slow. My biggest problem the first day was I thought since it is only a seemingly short distance from the Dockyard to Horseshoe Bay, it should be just a quick bus ride. Once I set my clock on vacation time and relaxed a little, I was fine using the bus to get around. Because it took longer to get around that we thought, we didn't see as much as we wanted to, but we can always go back, right? We had a great time and Bermuda is a wonderful place to visit.

[corey07850]

Rented a scooter a couple years ago and it was my first experience with a scooter or motorcycle. It takes a bit getting used to, especially if you are going to have someone else on the back. I found that driving on the opposite side of the road was not much of an issue, you get used to it pretty quick (even navigating roundabouts). You also get used to the buses and locals tailgating you but they simply pass you when they have a chance. Hardest part for me (especially with the 2nd rider on board) were situations where you have to turn onto a main road on a steep incline - which there are plenty of. We were there for three days and it wasn't until the third day that I was comfortable with the scooter. Since we were there for 3 days with the ship docked it was beautiful being able to walk off the ship to your parked scooter and take off for the day. You get so much more done instead of waiting for buses/taxis, and it is always a beautiful ride with the wind in your face.

 

I really wouldn't recommend it unless you have experience on scooters/motorcycles though. It worked out great for us but it was generally a nervous experience.

[marci22]

For a nice tour, get a $12 day pass just off the pier, take the ferry to St George, see the old areas around St George, you can do it by foot, take the #6 to the old lighthouse. Then take the bus from St George along north road back to Hamilton, a nice ride and you see lots, if you are lucky a local will chat you up and give you info along the way. Once in Hamilton, get off downtown, walk around, see what there is, have lunch, go shopping -- pro tip -- the Goslings store has duty free and they deliver to the ship FREE, so make your purchses and you don't have to carry them -- I recommend Goslings Old Rum, it comes in a wax dipped bottle, it's rare and VERY good.

 

Done shopping? Head north up the hill to the City Hall, there you find the main bus station, grab the #7 and head off, get off at Horseshoe Bay (easy to find, EVERYONE will get off, and they announce it) enjoy the nice beach, the caves, the climbing, the sand and water, grab a slushie.

 

Done at the bay? Pay the nice guy $2 with the VAN to take you back up that hill, he gives a nice talk on the way up and gives more the $2 in info, plus it doesn't tire you out. Wait about 5-10 for the #7 special back to Dockyard. Get off, go buy some Rum Cake, see the glass blowing.

 

Head back to the ship, just in time for 6 oclock first seating, take in a show, then you are ready for the night tour out to the coral reef on the glass bottom boat.

 

A good day, full day, you see lots and spend little.

 

ENJOY! I hope my tips and experience make your trip a little more fun, a little more relaxing.

 

Did you really do all that in one day? Sounds pretty impossible.

[NYChris]

PorkChop:

 

You are the BEST! Great info. I know it took alot of time and I really really appreciate it. I just booked to go to Bermuda June 26th on NCL Gem. Can't wait! Thanks for you time preparing and posting for us!

 

Laurie (NY)

[RICKnVICK]

Thanks so much for this great information about getting around in Bermuda. Since my cruise is a year from today woo-hoo!!! I am trying to research and get as much info as possible. It will be our first time there, so again-thanks for this great post!

 

Vicki

[scubacruiser099]

We just returned yesterday from Bermuda. While waiting in line for the ferry, a cruise passenger lost control of his scooter and ran into a landscaped area and sculpture nearby. The following day a passenger was involved in a serious scooter accident and had to have surgery. It was amazing how many people we saw who looked like they had never been on a scooter before, and yet they were trying to practice in a place they had never been with different rules of the road, including many roundabouts and driving on the opposite side of the road!

We were very happy with our 2-day transportation passes that easily and safely took us all over Bermuda.

[westview1]

Thanks for the info! I am just starting to research what I need to know about Bermuda and this is a big help! :D

[kzooknoedel]

Quick question. This is our first trip to Bermuda. When people say you need cash for buses and so on do they mean US Cash or Bermuda dollars? Or will both work?

[SailBadtheSinner]

For buses, Cash Fares require exact change only. Drivers do not make change, and are forbidden from receiving and depositing money in the farebox. Dollar bills are not accepted.

 

It is much easier with tokens, tickets, or a transportation pass.

 

 

SBtS

[phantom48v]

i'd like to answer some questions i've seen in dozens of threads here.

 

Here are your transport options when you come in on a ship and land at Dockyard....

 

 

Here is some important info.. Dockyard is on the opposite side of the island from almost everything, but it's not that far.

 

There are three main roads in Bermuda. North Road, Middle Road, South Road. The place is is simple (I love it)

 

Here are your options.

 

1) Motorscooter: Get ready to be bombarded with offers the minute you step off, all the cruiselines say "don't do it" -- i'm an experienced motorcyclist, and i'd say unless you are -- don't do it. The roads are narrow and curvy, the drivers are quick, and they drive on the left, and if you get hurt, that's a real good way to screw your vacation and waste a ton of cash. I saw girls with tanks and shorts on them laughing and gigling on the wrong side of the road - fun times -- but you are asking for it. You fall and you are SCREWED. If you are going to Horseshoe Bay and only Horseshoe Bay, then it's not too bad because you drive only a little bit on south road, but again, if you don't have experience this isn't the place to try it. Many do, many are fine.

 

2) Taxi: The tarrifed rate is $40 / Hour - no matter how many people step on board, they will give you a tour -- for that rate, and take you anywhere, the rate is $40/hour -- period, tarrifed. Taxi's are EVERYWHERE. If you have lots of disposable income, it's a good way.

 

3) Ferry: Ferries will take you from Dockyard to Hamilton and St George (the two main places people go) and some other places, they are quick, and easy. $4 per person gets you to hamilton from Dockyard, and it has a pretty good schedule, go download it online before you leave. A 1 day transit ticket covers the Ferry as well.

 

4) Bus: The Bus system in Bermuda is spectacular, buses come every 15-30 minutes during the day, and they will take you everywhere. If you are going to Horseshoe Bay only, there is a bus called "7 - Special" it's the #7 that goes to only horseshoe bay, if you are going there -- only take that bus, it's fastest.

 

The #7 and #8 buses spend their time on south road, they will take you from hamilton to dockyard in about 60 minutes, in rush hour it's a little more, and the bus will get crowded. BE AWARE OF SHORT TURNS. Watch the sign, and ask the driver, some #7 buses don't go the entire distance, the drivers are nice to help.

 

Avoid travel at rush hour, the locals are trying to get home or to work and we are visiting THEIR country/land and we should respect that, the #7 during rushhour is PACKED, you might even have to wait for another one, no different than any other major place i've been in rush hour. So just have and pack some patience, or take a Taxi.

 

 

For a nice tour, get a $12 day pass just off the pier, take the ferry to St George, see the old areas around St George, you can do it by foot, take the #6 to the old lighthouse. Then take the bus from St George along north road back to Hamilton, a nice ride and you see lots, if you are lucky a local will chat you up and give you info along the way. Once in Hamilton, get off downtown, walk around, see what there is, have lunch, go shopping -- pro tip -- the Goslings store has duty free and they deliver to the ship FREE, so make your purchses and you don't have to carry them -- I recommend Goslings Old Rum, it comes in a wax dipped bottle, it's rare and VERY good.

 

Done shopping? Head north up the hill to the City Hall, there you find the main bus station, grab the #7 and head off, get off at Horseshoe Bay (easy to find, EVERYONE will get off, and they announce it) enjoy the nice beach, the caves, the climbing, the sand and water, grab a slushie.

 

Done at the bay? Pay the nice guy $2 with the VAN to take you back up that hill, he gives a nice talk on the way up and gives more the $2 in info, plus it doesn't tire you out. Wait about 5-10 for the #7 special back to Dockyard. Get off, go buy some Rum Cake, see the glass blowing.

 

Head back to the ship, just in time for 6 oclock first seating, take in a show, then you are ready for the night tour out to the coral reef on the glass bottom boat.

 

A good day, full day, you see lots and spend little.

 

ENJOY! I hope my tips and experience make your trip a little more fun, a little more relaxing.

 

Great post!

 

Thank you very much for taking the time to share your tips and suggestions.

 

Mike