London to Calcutta by Bus

a day ago

A bus service called "The Indiaman" operated from London to Calcutta from 1957 to the early 1970s, taking 50 days for the journey.
The service was started by Oswald-Joseph Garrow-Fisher using a refurbished AEC Regal III bus, completing a 20,300-mile round trip with fares of £85 for the forward journey and £65 for the return.
The route passed through multiple European and Asian countries, including France, Italy, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, before reaching India, with overnight stays in hotels or camping when necessary.
Passengers faced challenges such as dangerous roads, sandstorms, heat, border closures, and rumors of bandit attacks, but the trips were completed successfully.
The success of The Indiaman inspired other operators, leading to up to 32 services on the London-India route using various vehicles, with some extending to destinations like Kathmandu, Mumbai, and even Sydney.
Albert Travel, operated by Andy Stewart from 1968 to 1975, used a refurbished double-decker bus named Albert for Sydney-to-London trips until political instability in Iran and the Soviet–Afghan War ended overland routes in 1979.
Recently, Adventures Overland announced a revival with a New Delhi to London bus service planned for 2022, covering 20,000 km in 70 days through 18 countries, delayed from 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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