Rules for travelling by bus in Hannover

Hi All,

I have been living in Hannover for a year now and since I arrived I've been using my car to travel to work. A few weeks back I had to use public transport to work ie. train, tram and bus (because I'm actually living just outside hanover ie. 3 zones) and found it very efficient. On my first day I never expirienced any problems, and on my return I remember the bus operator openning the front door for me to get off, because I was sitting on the first seat.

I again commuted by bus some time later and this time with a different driver of course. Since I was sitting on the same seat ie. behind him - I then proceeded to the door, and to my suprise he did not open the door. When I looked at him, he pointed at the back door and without any further delays I rushed to exit at the back since it was one of those double buses. I realized that there must be some rule not to exit there.

Anyway, I told myself not to sit there anymore and just move straight ahead for easy access when I need to get off. Since then I've been doing that. But to my suprise a couple of times I see people being allowed to exit through the front exit door repeatedly. About 5 people flocking to the door and the driver did not say anything and even chat with some. And all these people were German.

So now I can't help but wonder whether it was because of my being a foreigner to be treated that way. It was so embarassing with all those people watching while I make my way to the other door. The driver could see that I am not German and spoke english so I thought to myself that might be the reason.

Can anyone advise if there any rules and regulations (do's and don't s) for passengers travelling with buses including other cases I should know of-course!

You're supposed to get on at the front door unless you have a baby carriage or are in a wheelchair. They used to let people on at the back doors but changed it several years ago because too many people were riding without a ticket. Now the bus drivers check the tickets instead of having random inspectors come on board.

Normally you're required to get off at the back door ONLY. What that other bus driver did was an exception. Either he knew the people (which I suspect if he was chatting with them) or they had some other good reason to get off in front - physical handicap or whatever. NOTHING to do with you being a foreigner. If they let everyone off at the front there'd be huge jams of people.

Just get on in front and leave the bus through the back doors in future and you'll be fine. Sometimes the back doors won't open unless you press the button on the hand rails. Also, the seats with a white cross sticker at the front of the bus are reserved for physically handicapped people and the elderly.

Thanx for your reply Westvan, I understand and that's what I thought too until I saw other people being allowed to get off. And in these cases I mentioned, there were no babies or handicaped people. It was just individuals like me on separate incidents. That's why it raised a concern to me but anyway I would not dare do that again because I learnt my lesson.

I've noticed the button on the trams and trains though, but never realised that the buses have them too. Thanx for pointing that out!

No, it was the driver being a bastard.
If I do exit my Munich bus via the front door I always thank the driver, either for opening the door or for getting me safely to my destination - his choice.

Coming back home on Sunday morning I found myself alone with an elderly lady in a tram. As soon as door closed, she has asked me for a ticket while still sitting on the opposite side of a car. Some nervous moments later (and my all pockets checked twice!) I had to answer in my best German that there could be a slight problem...
She started laughing - and still seated started telling me how to evade a ticket control on this line. To cut the story short, her strategy was to get out when she saw control at the upcoming tram stop - I haven't asked how long does it get to know ALL controllers... Her biggest achievement was changing trams four times while going from Hauptbahnhof to Messe Nord. That's about it for rules with buses' rail cousins
A stop before I was off, my ticket was found in a pocket I have searched through several times before - strange things these tickets...

Nobody has to be afraid of anything on H's buses. You can "dare" exit at the front any time. Bus-drivers will most certainly tell you if the won't let you out. Nothing to be embarassed about either.

In fact there is a new rule that they are ONLY letting people in and out at the front at night for passenger safety reasons. And be sure it's got nothing to do with anybody being a foreigner. It's basicly the driver who decides - and some do, some don't. simple as that.