Vicenza hospital bus Tuesday June 15,...

Author Message   TR Advanced Member Username: Travel_ready Post Number: 258 Registered: 06-2003 Posted From: 74.192.134.68 Posted on Thursday, June 17, 2010 - 12:55 pm:    Thanks, John. Great info.   john angus kelly Member Username: Jojo Post Number: 9 Registered: 06-2003 Posted From: 91.148.97.110 Posted on Thursday, June 17, 2010 - 06:02 am:    The bus left Landstuhl hospital with about ten passengers at 0900 from outside the main entrance and emergency room entrance to the hospital. It arrived at Vicenza shortly after 2200. The Landstuhl hospital information desk said that it would not stop at Ramstein but it immediately headed for Ramstein. One of the passengers, an elderly retired Marine, had to sign the driver in at the visitor control office, which acted as if they'd never seen the driver before. The bus went to the new hotel, stopped in the driveway, and waited eight minutes, then drove to Vogelweh and laboriously worked its way to the lodging office. There it waited 13 minutes, enough time for two or three cigarettes or two cups of coffee for the passengers, and it left Vogelweh's gate at 1029. Nobody boarded at either stop after Landstuhl. To anyone unfamiliar with the Landstuhl hospital, it is quite confusing to know where to go. The bus leaves from just inside a pedestrian only gate. That gate is up a long steep road from downtown Landstuhl. The taxi drivers know it well. They made a small killing Tuesday, hauling passengers there from Ramstein. The bus stopped 40 minutes for lunch at a McDonalds about 1315. Fortunately there was a Restaurant Gallerie very close with real food. The dinner stop was at another McDonalds. So the information posted here a few weeks ago about this bus, i.e. Mon/Thur from Vicenza, Tue/Fri to Vicenza 0900 from Landtuhl, 0930 from Ramstein, 1030 or so from Vogelweh, seems 100 percent correct, and the information available at Landstuhl was not reliable. That source said he had just ridden the bus a couple of weeks before and that it left at 0845 and made no local stops. The number originally provided is at Vicenza and since this bus is an Army show, it's probably best to telephone DSN 6347777 or commercial 0444 71 7777 to inquire about schedules, etc. on either end. It was busy when I tried it. The driver told one passenger that the bus might not end in October, so stay tuned. At Vicenza there is some very decent Army contracted bus service from the base to Marco Polo airport and back. Departures from Ederle Inn are at 0405, 0705, 1005, 1305, 1605 1905 weekdays, arriving about an hour later. There are a few stops within the caserne, which is quite small. This bus departs the airport at 0530, 0920, 1220, 1520, 1820, 2120 weekdays. Saturday, Sunday and holidays there are runs only at the earliest four weekday times, i.e., first at 0405, last at 1305. The airport stop is beside the city bus stops, of which there are many, with great service to Venice and to the nearest Italian train station at Mestre, for 3 euros per person. Do your schedule research early if you plan to use this system. This looks like a great way to get started or to return in eastern Italy. It was particularly neat to drive around the traffic at Venice and not get into it.