BD Bangladesh: how to get around

Buses in Bangladesh fall into two categories - local bus and AC bus. "Local" Bangladeshi buses are generally crowded, often to the extent of people riding on the bus steps (entrance) and sometimes even the roof. The state-run Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) double decker buses usually fall into this category. BRTC air conditioned buses are different however. The low cost local buses are best avoided. They are easy to spot by their poor condition and battered exterior. If you do use them, it is worth noting that they do not usually stop, but rather slow down slightly to let passengers on or off. Additionally, fare collectors, disconcertingly, do not wear a uniform making them difficult to identify. If you do not speak Bengali fluently you may have to simply jump on the bus (literally) and ask for assistance with translation.

Similar to the BRTC air conditioned buses however, there are luxurious air conditioned bus services connecting major cities and popular tourist destinations. These long distance buses, such as Green Line, Shyamoli, SilkLine and Shohagh, usually have a couple different offices dotted around the cities they serve. Greenline has a few Scania buses running between Dhaka, Chittagong and Cox's Bazar that offer a level of comfort you've probably never seen in a bus before - they cost about 1/3 more than their Volvo buses, but are comparable to business class on an airplane.

Driving in Bangladesh is not for the faint hearted. The road network is fairly good, but dodging irrational bus drivers and weaving in and out of rickshaws isn't easy. Traffic in Dhaka has reached unimaginable proportions and driving yourself is definitely not advised. Parking is non-existent. It is highly advised to hire a local driver. Night time driving is substantially more dangerous as trucks and buses often ignore smaller cars. Road travel at night should preferably be avoided. Regardless of who's driving. If you hire a driver be sure to get a car with heavy window tinting. Traffic is slow enough that your car will likely be surrounded by pedestrians a majority of the time, and foreigners tend to attract groups of curious Bangladeshis. To avoid this level of attention, it is better if pedestrians can't see inside the vehicle.

Officially cars drive on the left side of the road. The speed limit is 25 km/h on all urban roads, though it is highly unlikely a vehicle will even reach this speed with the traffic jams. Many traffic lights can be seen but these are often manually overridden by traffic police. Traffic police direct cars on all major intersections in urban areas. On many country roads, it is sometimes illegal to overtake, but again, this is completely ignored, with locals employing extremely dangerous manoeuvres when passing. The cities are well lit, but country roads sometimes lack lighting. Some new inter-city roads have tolls, especially new bridges, which are fairly inexpensive.

Bangladesh Railways is the state and only train operator. The ticket prices are reasonable and usually similar to or cheaper than bus tickets. However, due to the roundabout routes and tricky river crossings, the journey durations can be longer. Tickets can be booked over the phone, or purchased online if you have a Bangladeshi mobile phone number. If you speak Bengali, you're likely to get better results at one of the computerized station booking offices. It is recommended to buy tickets at least ten days in advance.

Trains are generally comfortable, with more leg room than buses and tea, water, and snacks are readily available from vendors. Although some economy carriages are unclean, the air conditioned and first class seats are good enough. Sulob class is the highest second class ticket, with reserved seating and not much different from first class (except in price). Kamlapur Rail Station in Dhaka is large and modern. It serves all major cities but due to the existence of both broad gauge and meter gauge tracks around the country, it may be necessary to change trains en route.

There are over 230 large and small rivers throughout the country, and boats and ferries are an integral part of travel for locals and tourists alike. A journey along the river in any mode is probably the best way to see Bangladesh. There are a number of private tour operators offering river cruises and river sightseeing trips of various lengths. Using the ferries to get between cities is a great way to see the country at a moderate pace.

Rocket Steamer service connects Dhaka and Morrelganj or Khulna via Barisal, and is a fantastic way to enjoy riverine Bangladesh, for those who prefer the scenic route. The 4 ferries are operated by BIWTC. It's advisable to book several days in advance if possible (available online through Shohoz). While there are several different classes it's unlikely that you will end up in anything but 1st or 2nd class. Both of these consist of around ten cabins on the upper deck of the boat with 2 beds each and a sink, and clean shared bathrooms outside. Some solo travellers pay for the whole cabin with two beds. Some are lucky to get and pay for just one bed. There's a central dining room in each class with a chef cooking Bengali meals. Fish and chips or an omelette goes for around Tk50 to Tk150, if specifically ordered separately. Cheaper food can be bought from the vendors in the lower classes on the bottom level when in port. First class is at the front of the boat, with the bow made into a nice sitting area. The journey is better avoided during the rainy seasons and during Eid holidays when the launches get overcrowded with home-returning city dwellers. The more eco-friendly may prefer a trash bag to take their trash off with them: otherwise, it's likely to end up in the river at the end of the journey. As of December 2018, there are two routes available:

• Dhaka–Morrelganj, operated several times per week in each direction. In the direction to Dhaka, the ferry leaves Hularhat at 14:00 and arrives to Dhaka next day in the morning. Fares from Dhaka, as of February 2015 (1st/2nd class): to Barisal Tk 2310/1260, to Hularhat Tk 3124/1710, to Morrelganj Tk 3740/2100.
• Dhaka–Khulna, usually once per week in each direction. If you are traveling from Khulna, the ferries leave on Thursdays, while most of the other days you can travel on land to Hularhat and board the ferry coming at 14:00 from Morrelganj. The full journey from Khulna takes anywhere from 26 to 30 hours.

Ferries or launches are operated by private companies and Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC). In Bangladesh a ferry is called a launch. They have air conditioned single and double cabins with single and double beds respectively. They operate on many different routes that may be useful for smaller distances or travelling to other parts of the country. BIWTC is a government organisation. Private companies such as Green Line offer air conditioned catamaran and speed boat services on many routes.

There's an international luxurious ship from India called Ganga Vilas (literally 'Ganga Luxury'). It runs from Varanasi to Dibrugarh, with stops at Patna, Ambika Kalna, Kolkata and Dhaka. The ship also provides amazing views of the Sundarbans.

Many ride sharing or ride hailing companies provide easy and affordable travel options in cities. These include Obhai, Pathao, Shohoz and Uber.