Buses in Geneva take a wrong turn at least once every day, according to World Radio Switzerland. Transports Publics Genevois (TPG) says that even though most cases are minor, they are investigated every time a wrong turn is made.
Most of the instances where buses have taken a wrong turn are caused by roadworks, traffic diversions and temporary route changes, according to TPG. Since drivers will often operate on a number of routes, it’s easy to see how changes to a bus route could become confusing.
Some of the accidental turns have caused quite a stir. In October 2022, for example, a line D bus took a wrong turn and ended up on a Swiss motorway, accidentally missing 10 whole stops. Another transport blunder in September saw a trolley bus take a wrong turn, which resulted in a cable being torn from the power line. Luckily nobody was hurt, but the trolley bus did sustain some damage.
TPG has been operating since 1833, with the public transport provider serving the almost 200.000-strong population of the city of Geneva, as well as the surrounding areas of France and the rest of the canton. The network relies not only on buses, but also trams, trains and trolley buses to assist people on their journeys to work, school or simply during leisure time.
For tourists staying in hotels, hostels or on campsites, it is possible to claim a public transport card, allowing short-term visitors to use parts of the public transport network in the city for free. Other tickets allow tourists and visitors to visit attractions in the canton with discounts of up to 50 percent.