Travel Guide of Islamabad

[Faisal]

Re: Travel Guide of Islamabad

@MiniMe

Code, there is a difference between public transportation and the privet buses and vans which are allowed to roam around the city, hurling passengers. Public transportation is a system, which on the very least level provides maps and schedules for the convenience of the public (poor public in case of Islamabad) and on a higher level provides the easiest and most convenient service between two points in an urban setup. Now look at Islamabad, and tell me when did it ever had a public transportation system? As a matter of fact there is no city, and I mean no city in Pakistan, which has ever published a public/private bus route chart for public convenience.

MiniMe…

I am not aware of any definition of “public transportation” that comprises solely of government-controlled buses, or link it to distribution of maps or schedules.

In fact, public transportation is technically definedas “all transport systems in which the passengers do not travel in their own vehicles. It is also called public transit or mass transit. While it is generally taken to mean rail and bus services, wider definitions would include scheduled airline services, ferries, taxicab services etc. — any system that transports members of the general public.”

Government does not have to directly run buses and cabs… but they should have regulatory oversight to make sure public is getting the best service possible at the fairest price.

Islamabad, just like almost every city in Pakistan, does have and has always had public transport available. It may not be as extensive, as nice or as cheap as we’d ideally want, but then, we as a nation are never happy about any part of our governance or civil structure anyway.

[Bookworm]

Re: Travel Guide of Islamabad

I think VARAN is filling the vacume.... but even the old days when there was GTS running it was not better then what we have now as VARAN. Wish there should be another company who provide all that??????

[MiniMe]

Re: Travel Guide of Islamabad

Faisal, you might be right as per the definition of Public Transportation. But Since public transportation is a recognized form "Public Service" which the state has to provide to its citizenry, so the state ultimately has to do more than just providing regulatory services, its just like health and education.

As we all know that not all the people can afford health and education in any given system so it is the same with Transportation. This is where the state comes in and provides the service to the de-franchised public. This is what is absent from our cities.

Now in Islamabad, as you said, there is "Public Transportation" system per definition but its only for issuing licenses to private vehicle owners to operate in the city, that can never be compared to “public transportation” in a real sense. There is nothing more than that in Islamabad. Routes, schedules and service areas or any thing like that are never issued by CDA, or any other transportation entity, this shows lack of control rather any regulation from the state. Getting nice and inexpensive service would be too much to ask from our government, that’s why I was just asking for some route maps, nothing more. I am sure a city like Islamabad can afford to do that or they may ask some privet owners to publish such a document.

[Bookworm]

Re: Travel Guide of Islamabad

Route Maps, Time Schedule, City Maps are prepared when people use that facility. Sorry don't take it wrong?????

I want to say is that all those people who are responsible to produce that stuff are not using public transport or they do not feel the need of it. They do not have to look at the map when they have driver to take them there. They dont care about time schedule as they are not the one who will be travelling on it.

If only for one month they have to travel in public transport that will solve almost 80% of problems.

[yusuf1982]

Re: Travel Guide of Islamabad

@coolmunda_2000

Chattar Bagh

Nestling at the base of Murree hills at a distance of 15 km on Islamabad-Murree road, TDCP Chattar Bagh recreational facility provides a quiet break from the hustle and bustle of the twin cities.

Scenic walks, gently flowing stream, water fall and the surrounding hillside are a perfect attraction. The resort has a restaurant, barbecue and two air-conditioned tourist cottages. The Children’s Park and playground are spread over an area of 12.5 acres.

yusuf, what is the cost per night to stay at Envoy continental? What is Blue Area exactly, just shopping and eating? how far is jinnah from blue area? thanks for the transport advise.

what is the F-sector?
Is there much to see in rawalpindi?

[/quote]

Did you copy this from some website? STAY AWAY FROM CHATAR PARK!!! Just remember, they make something in pakistan, they dont make it very nice in the first place, and they NEVER maintaint it. Chatter is a perfect example of this. TOTALLY fallen apart, dont bother going there at all.

Envoy contintntal, maybe around 3000 a night? not sure. Blue area is the strip of plazas straight in front of the President House of Islamabad. Jinnah is about 4 minutes from blue area, located in F7 sector.

There is not much to see in rawalpindi unless you want to get away from the foreigness of islamabad and see a real paki city. Shopping in pindi sadar can be fun though.

F sector is a series of sectors in islamabad. The city is a long rectangle divided into squares. The mountain is the top of the rectangle, and the top of it is sector A, then going down towards the rectangle it becomes B, C, D, E, F, G, etc. The president house is nestled between F and G 4 or 5 I assume, not sure. So you have F6, F7, F8, F9(a park only), F10, F11, F12, F13, etc, and G6, 7 Etc. After I -sector it runs into rawalpindi an defense islamabad (under construction). Each sector, IE F10, is divided into 4 more squares, 1, 2, 3 4 etc.

[yusuf1982]

Re: Travel Guide of Islamabad

@Bookworm

I think VARAN is filling the vacume… but even the old days when there was GTS running it was not better then what we have now as VARAN. Wish there should be another company who provide all that???

Newsflash, Varan tours shut down over a year ago, and have auctioned off all their buses. It started with the wagon mafia (people who own those toyota vans who lost their routes and business to varan due to their inefficiency) and ended with a person being ran over on murree road and the bus being burned down while the police silently watched at the sidelines)

@lunaticCalm

how close? is it in the same sector?
sometime ago they were thinking of turning a makeshift canteen to an icecream shop on the corner of nazmudeen and margala college road.

The best place if you really want Ice cream in Islambad is Gelator Affair in F7, near civil junction, olive garden, hot spot etc

@lunaticCalm

^ has arizona grill shut down?
around 5 yrs back you couldnt go wrong with papasalis, dont know if they maintain the same standards today
zenose(sp) in melody and sufi on peshawar moor were excellent choices as well.

Arizona grill is still around, its pretty cool. Papasalis quality of food and service has gone down a LOT. There is this new place near american express called “the cave” these days, reminds you of the flinstones though because it is in a basement and the ceiling is covered in rocks so feels like your in a cave, and the chairs look like their from the flinstones. Melody food park in G6 has gone down the tubes MAJORLY. YOU WILL GET SICK if you eat there, the food quality is below zimbabwai’n standards and the service is bad. The food people there are constantly fighting with the CDA. Sufi restaurant is a whole different ballpark my friend =)

[Rush]

Re: Travel Guide of Islamabad

Yousuf 1998 "the food quality is below zimbabwai’n standards and the service is bad. " would you like to share some more regarding your experience of zim food standards and service??

[yusuf1982]

Re: Travel Guide of Islamabad

@Rush

Yousuf 1998 "the food quality is below zimbabwai’n standards and the service is bad. " would you like to share some more regarding your experience of zim food standards and service??

I dont know, lots of people always complain about pakistan, but its a much bettery country than 90% of African Countries (economically, educated, developed etc), so i thought why not throw in an african countrys name here. Maybe you can go to zimbabwe and contradict my statement