Renowned filmmaker Puri Jagannadh, through his digital talk series Puri Musings, recently shed light on a lesser-known yet fascinating chapter in travel history — the iconic ‘London to Calcutta’ bus service. Launched in 1957 by Albert Travels, this journey spanned over 32,700 kilometers across countries such as England, France, Germany, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India. Considered one of the longest bus routes in the world, the journey took approximately 50 days to complete, with a ticket costing \$85 at the time.
Puri described the journey as an adventurous and joyous ride, especially popular among young travellers, hippies, and backpackers. The double-decker bus offered luxurious amenities for its time, including sleeping berths, a kitchen, a mini-library, and onboard meals. Travellers had the opportunity to visit historic sites like the Taj Mahal and Benaras along the route. He also recounted amusing anecdotes, including one about a British passenger who fell in love in six different countries and another about a monkey stealing a passport.
The service, which ran successfully until 1979, was eventually discontinued due to geopolitical tensions, including the Iranian Revolution and the Soviet–Afghan war. Jagannadh expressed nostalgia for the lost era of borderless exploration and remarked that such a service, if revived, would offer a unique cultural experience for modern-day travellers.