I'll slot this one in here...
Although not strictly public transport, it does involve international borders...

Over the years I've spent a fair amount of time travelling between the UK and the Czech republic.

Overland.

26-ish hours straight on a chartered bus full of wannabe rock stars and groupies, and that in itself has led to some pretty interesting experiences.

However, the one that sticks prominently in the mind is this; Coming out of CZ into Germany, which was always a trial (now you just sail through...), early hours of the morning having finished a gig several hours previously (finish the pint, load the gear, get on board).
We'd been waiting at the border for a while as we paid the various bribes when we noticed the interest being paid to the next coach over.

It's heading into Germany and appears to be full of young, teenage girls.

Curious...

It looked like the border guards suspicions were aroused (steady) too because all the girls were ordered off the bus and the hold was opened up and the contents pulled out on to the tarmac.

They had presumably been asked to prove that they weren't evil human traffickers, carting these girls to some sordid brothel somewhere which meant they were going to have to back up their cover story.

Which is how we, after a week of rock and roll excess, just beginning to sober up, ended up at 3 in the morning at a bleak international crossing point in the middle of nowhere, being treated to a full marching band and majorette display, complete with pom-poms and baton twirling.

Happy times...
( IHaveABadFeelingAboutThis most likely working from home on, Tue 3 Jun 2008, 20:50, Reply)