E M T - An Overview (2)

Dotting between phone and laptop it is possible, with minimalist linguistic skills to grasp the Tarragona town network and source any information that you may desire. fbb always starts with a map and the EMT Planol General is of the highest possible standard. It can be enlarged beyond the needs of any user ...

... and useful for those with limited vision. The old man's eyesight is still good so he doesn't need to enlarge to the maximum, but chose to take a look at one are where three routes come together.

The map is geographically correct and each route is colour coded. Every stop is marked and named and the terminus is labelled with the route number. Much as fbb would like someone to offer him an all expenses paid trip to Tarragona, he accepts that such effusive generosity is unlikely, so needs to make use of Google Streetview; where he finds, tada, Co-op Tàrraco with a service 6 ...

... and a service 54 waiting for their departure time. A quick nip to St Bartomeu reveals a stop for thr 6, 54, and 55 as expected.

Yes, it is there, centre right and below enlarged rather too much for comfort below.

So we have found where we want to go; now what about the timetable. fbb struggled with his phone ...

... but he was offered Detall de Línies, so went for route 6, where he found an all stops timetable on his laptop ...

... and a stop to stop timetable ...

... accompanied by a Goggle-based route map.

Frankly the network map is so much better you might only need the Google effort if you needed to find a specific address.

On his phone, however, your investigative blogger could only find a complete list of stops ...

... and a search panel to give you a simple departure list.

The language barrier would, fbb suggests be overcome for Seleccioni, possibly CERCAR and, if you know a bit of French (Horaire) for Horari. But Aturada (possibly meaning "time point") and Anada (depart - literally "going") would be more challenging.

What you are not told unless you can find it on the network map is the Via Roma 2 (not "via" but "street"!) is the city centre stop at the huge bus station and interchange roundabout ...

... and, indeed, it is right there next to the bus station building. Route 6 is coloured LIGHT GREEN.

For the record, the 54 (RED) is also frequent but the 55 (GREY) links the 6/54 at St Bartomeu with a number of more remote communities.

Here, they don't go in for bus stop signs and probably don't carry too many passengers ...

... and, in one location (Mas Pastor - top of map above) ...

... don't go a bundle on a road surface!

Despite the somewhat amateur looking service 55, chum David reports that the towns buses are all in good condition and all that he saw were well loaded.

More tomorrow when fbb looks at the train services in Tarragona.

Meanwhile ...

... enjoy a bit more of the Catalan language!

 Next E M T blog : Friday 18th October