Hi,
I'm not getting any feedback from you guys recently. First, more info
about the transportation options:
13.04.2016 11:16 "Brian (bex) Exelbierd" <bex(a)pobox.com> wrote:
On Apr 13, 2016, at 8:24 AM, Rafal Luzynski <digitalfreak(a)lingonborough.com>
wrote:
>
[...]
> If not, do you want to rent a bus (how many?) from a local company?
Would you mind checking with a few companies on the cost of busses for about
200-250 people back and forth to the city center on the 2nd and 4th of August?
I have a price, but it is through an intermediary and probably inflated.
Of course, I have not checked all companies around but please see this:
http://mpk.krakow.pl/pl/wynajem-pojazdow/uslugi-dodatkowe/cennik-i-dostep...
(skip the sections about trams and historic buses).
One can rent a bus from the municipal bus company. The price list is
in Polish but you can easily figure out the numbers or pass through
a translation software.
Roughly, there are 3 groups of buses:
* small bus: 37-60 passengers, price: 292.68 PLN;
* normal size bus: 80-110 passengers, price: 395.41 PLN;
* large (articulated) bus: 160-170 passengers, price: 439.02 PLN.
Rules:
* the prices exclude VAT, add 8% if needed;
* the price include 3 hours and 54 km (34 miles), you can't order less;
* each additional 18 km and/or 1 hour: add ⅓ of the price;
* the time and distance is calculated from/to the bus garage;
* night cruises (after 10pm): add 20%.
Time/distances:
* bus garage → hotel: 10-12 km, 20-60 minutes
* hotel → city center: 5-10 km, 10-20 minutes
* city center → bus garage: 5-8 km, 20-40 minutes
The distance depends on the route chosen and the detailed location in the
city center, time depends also on the traffic jams (day, rush hours);
one can expect no traffic jams at night.
Since the distance from the hotel → city center is not large we can
order one bus to cruise 2 or 3 times, no need to order more buses, pay
more and use each for just 20 minutes.
It seems to me that the cheapest option to get the people to the
city center is to order a large articulated bus and let it cruise twice
(garage → hotel → city center → hotel → city center → garage),
the price is 439.02 PLN and I think that even in the rush hours we
will fit into the 3 h/54 km limit. Alternatively we can:
* Direct the people to the public transportation. There are group
tickets 36 PLN each, 20 persons per group, we must arrange into 13
groups, price: 468 PLN if you think that these tickets must be sponsored.
The price includes VAT so it will be cheaper than a dedicated large bus
if there is a way to cash back the tax. To avoid overwhelming the
transportation system I suggest no more than 40 people (2 groups)
per each bus, that means we need 7 buses and one bus goes every 10 minutes.
We'll have at least 1 hour difference between the first and the last group.
* Order a medium sized bus and let it cruise 3 times but during the day
hours we can't be sure we'll fit into the limits so let's order 4 hours
(72 km): 488.16 PLN. Time difference between the first and the last
group: 1h20m.
* Any combination of the above, for example: one small bus (2 cruises)
will take 120 people + other people will go to the public transportation,
arrange into 7 groups (4 buses) - total price: 544.68 PLN.
* Just to compare: if each person had an individual ticket the total price
would be 700 PLN.
To return back to the hotel: I discourage the public transportation system
for the sole reason that the buses go once per hour. We can rent one medium
size bus and let it cruise 3 times, the price would be 439.34 PLN, I think
we can fit into the 3 hours limit during the night hours (no traffic jams).
Alternatively, we can rent 2 small buses and let each cruise 2 or 3 times,
this could be more convenient for the people: 702.43 PLN. Or maybe one
small bus cruising 5-6 times (5 hours, 90 km, 585.36 PLN)?
This means a total price of transportation per one evening: from
878.36 to 1247.11 PLN, total cost of two evenings: 1756.72 to 2494.22 PLN
($450-$650).
Note that I don't guarantee this is really the cheapest price, there may
exist a cheaper option. Also note that the municipal buses are not very
comfortable, most of the passengers must stand, but this is a normal
way people move around the city. There are many, probably tens other bus
companies around with the comfortable buses but the problem is they are
intended for longer intercity routes, a minimal price may include one day
rather than 3 hours, just not economic enough to move around the city.
* where the walking tour (Aug 2) starts and where does it end?
* when does the last talk ends, how much time do we have to move the people
from the hotel to the city center?
* are we going to move back to the hotel immediately after the walking tour
or are we going to spend some time (how much time) in a pub/restaurant?
* when does the beer party (Browar Lubicz) start and end?
* again, how much time do we have to move the people to the city center?
* when does the party end?
* are everybody going to leave at the same time? if not, when will the first
and the last people leave, or when is the pub closed?
Regards,
Rafal