The sad part is these drivers would probably get more in tips if they were just friendly and helpful to foreigners. Well done for standing your ground, it isn't about the money as I've seen some people commenting, obviously 1000 PKR isn't going to break the bank, but the more people let it slide, the more it rewards such nasty behaviour.
In a situation like Noel experienced with the Uber, I would recommend anyone to just grab a bellhop or a receptionist from the hotel or with any authority and ask for help with the Uber driver or any similar scammer. They would undoubtedly sort the guy out and send him on his way. Vast majority of people would gladly help a tourist from being scammed.
When possible, just don't put your bags in the trunk of a cab / uber. If Noel didn't have his bag in the trunk, the driver wouldn't have as much power in the scam. If he left the car to get help, the driver would probably just have stolen his bag thinking there was a good payday there since Noel doesn't look like a hobo.
Wow, Uber allowing drivers to cancel rides mid ride seems like a huge oversight, especially since both the driver and passenger’s gps will still be together and moving.
Anything, literally anything, can be cancelled or halted midway through if the situation calls for it. An abusive driver or customer would fit that description for example.
@@thesampsoninstitute oh yeah sure, but like I said, if the ride is cancelled and both their gps still indicates they’re still together, it should’ve raised red flags for the company.
@@thesampsoninstitute Except if the driver does it a lot, would that not be grounds for an interview with the driver, and the client? Since the company has contact information of both?
@@ElectableDane It's Pakistan, Uber probably just doesn't really care all that much about drivers and ride experiences in the smaller third world markets. I'm sure they know the games that are being played, but they don't spend the manpower to actually do any investigations or take any action. Focus completely on their profitable markets.
@@jesuschrist69 yup. And Americans/Englishmen are too cowardly to give companies like Uber the boot from their countries if they dont take car of them in other markets. Uber would magically have the ability to fix stuff like this if not fixing would cost them the US market.
How sad that such a positive experience of travel in Pakistan, on the coach, should be spolied by the greedy Uber driver. Well done for holding your ground and not giving in to his attempted scam.
That was one cool bus ride! $19 USD for that seat is very nice! As for the scammer Uber driver. Report his name/plate and ask Uber to see if he is constantly cancelling rides. Good for you to not accept being scammed. Next time, don't put the bag in the trunk. LOL
@@SpadesPlusYT58 Tell me you didn’t watch the entire video without telling me that you didn’t watch the entire video. 12:29 is the part of the video involving the car.
Noel you were amazingly calm when dealing with the Uber scammer. You need to do a masterclass video for your subscribers as it will be very useful for newbie travellers and old timers too. I would totally dissociate..
I am astonished that nobody recognized you. You are one of the biggest transport vlogger. I as a Pakistani love to watch your vlogs. Again thankyou so much for coming to Pakistan!
I tried to take this exact same route from Islamabad to Lahore. I showed up and QConnect canceled the trip. I had bought my ticket online, but of course they didn't email to tell me. Thankfully the cab driver knew there was another bus station a mile away. The company I ended up with was a much more typical bus, but the bus was half empty, so all was good. Same rest stop too!
I always fear the worst when I see you getting on a bus, but this one looked great! Also, kudos for standing your ground against the Uber scammer. Cheers.
Excellent video, as always. Some points from my side. At 4:38, the checkpoint takes data of all buses entering the motorway and captures pictures of all passengers in case of an emergency. At 6:48, the bus stopped as they received a time and speed limit form from the motorway police to control their speed while going down the hills to increase safety. Lastly, I am surprised you have not been served food on the bus.
Hey Noel, glad you are ok. As a fellow Northerner (been living overseas for 6 years), you have much more patience than myself, as I would have lost it with that Uber guy very quickly!.Anyway, I really enjoyed a slightly different angle on travel, by way of coach and it was a really great experience. As always, you smashed it, so keep diversifying. Enjoy the rest of the trip 🙂
I like the migration from an airline reviewer to a train, bus and airline reviewer. Its been very informative and attractive, as you use almost the same criteria than you do for airlines. That bus line was a surprise when comparing to the one you took in India and even with the Greyhound in the States. And on the Uber issue I think your defense was impecable, the truth was on your side. I like your attitude facing these travel incidents, "its not the end of the world" but Uber should put more attention.
I love it when Noel travels on a bus as it's different from the usual videos. I hope we get to see a part 2 of the longest Greyhound bus route in the US!
I'm glad that you are enjoying your trip to Pakistan,thus far.These scams are common across South Asian countries because they think they can earn a lot more from foreigners.But,happy to see you paid the original price anyway.I cannot wait for more content from Pakistan.Another amazing video.Keep it up.
That’s really not bad. Better than about any bus in America. Def better than the transport in Afghanistan! Watching now. Def surprised about the on board entertainment
Reminds me of beautiful 1-2 and 1-1 (flat bed) 1st class busses heading between Kuala Lumpur - Singapore, Kuala Lumpur - Penang etc. Noel, that's one of bucket list items, especially for the price (50 ringitt / 50 sing dollars i.e. $11-22).
Love to see you're still doing some of these non-plane trips in foreign countries that usually don't attention. I mentioned last week that I'd be scared to travel here and that still stands, so nice to see something I'd never get to any other time, these are some of my favorite videos of yours. I'd also love to see you get authentic food and maybe do a small mini section of that on your trips (as you do on your plane rides). Any plans on going to Japan? I'd love to see a review from you of JAL and ANA. JAL is supposed to be 1 of the best airlines in the world and even their economy seats are supposed to be great. They also a ton of bus/trains that you can create a lot of content on in a relatively short period of time. Keep up the good work and I'll keep watching! :D
That taxi driver was a shere scammer for sure! Loved the bus ride though. Didn’t know they had such amazing bus services in Pakistan. Would definitely try it out someday - minus the Uber 😂
Noel, now that you are in the US there is an airline that flies MD-80’s from Miami to the Dominican Republic called Red Air. This might be your chance to get your MD-80 ride and finally get a non-engine window view. Worth checking out!
There is still a sense of unexpected modernity with some of these places. I get Islamabad and Lahore are the bigger cities in Pakistan so will have better infrastructure but still fascinating.
Hey, when you next hit Singapore or Malaysia why not consider trying the Transtar Solitaire Suites, they also offer first class seats for cross border trips from Singapore all the way till Kuala Lumpur 🙂
Amazing trip report. Even more amazing in the sense that I will most probably never get the opportunity to experience it myself. Many thanks for sharing Noel.
Really sorry for being what happened to you while arriving in Lahore, but you handled him like a pro. I am from Lahore and love your videos!! Thanks for portraying the scenic ride through Punjab in that luxurious bus.
@Noel Philips. I was scammed like that by an Uber driver in Tallinn Estonia. I just paid as I had food poisoning and no energy for their BS. Good for you for standing your ground.
I have to admit I love watching noel videos they are so entertaining been watching noel for years even when I was sick just get the coffee and comfy bed and just enjoy noels entertaining videos I especially love where he films the airport environment which is really nice keep up the good work noel and keep posting banger videos especially travelling in the plane.
Happy Easter Noel! What an amazing looking bus that is in Pakistan! I do wish that the buses in the Philippines will be as good as this, but as much as I'd love to, I doubt that it'd be anytime soon, but I know that this was one amazing bus ride!
There are already very good first class P2P bus services here in the Philippines, just as good as this one in Pakistan. They're very popular, too, and you often have to book in advance to get a seat.
There are some very good first class bus services here in Philippines now, most journeys around Luzon range from $15-20 and the service is very good. As for Uber, they could start by disciplining drivers who cancel rides when the pax is already in the vehicle. My usual tactic is to just tell the driver to stop at the nearest police station...
Let’s just set aside the back part of this video. Pakistan looks like a beautiful country and Q Connect Bus looks like they’re running a top notch service. Well done guys!
That bus looked incredible, I’d be very happy to do a long trip in that comfort. Loving Pakistan from what we are seeing so far, definitely on my wish list. As for the taxi driver.. I got ripped off in London the other week so it’s unfortunately a problem everywhere.
If you came to Pakistan anytime don't use Uber cuz it was banned in Karachi & Islamabad They'll be caught several times scamming those foreigners & their locals U Can Use Indriver Or Careem They Had The Best Service Soo Far In Pakistan
You were fortunate that he finally accepted the rate, Noel. This illustrates the risks of booking a taxi or even an Uber. You were lucky to arrive at your destination. Some taxi drivers engage in scams by driving to a remote area, then canceling the ride and demanding a higher price. If you refuse to pay, they may force you out of the taxi. I experienced this as a teenager in Zambia. Back then, there were no Ubers, but the driver stopped midway and abruptly increased the fare. This occurred in a dubious part of Lusaka, so I had no choice but to pay. He stated it was either pay the higher price or leave the taxi. In foreign countries, there are numerous ways to get scammed.
Taking the bus from Saigon to Phnom Penh and hoping we can take one this nice. I've ridden on many buses in Vietnam (incl. long-distance) and I don't recall ever seeing anything this swanky.
It's interesting with all these busses... It seems to be only Japan that has figured out the very simple, yet genius idea to display a screen or a board when the departure time from the service stations is. Simple, cheap, removes confusion, should be everywhere
Did the coach journey from Islamabad to Lahore back in 1994. Wasn't a luxury coach like that. I think it takes in part of the GT Road if I remember. It was fun if not a little hair raising at times.
Well done with the driver! I have no end of trouble with Uber rides here in England. Amount of times they've cancelled journeys mid journey and tried to charge double! I got blacklisted for a while for refusal to pay. Love it, I even got threatened by one lad who I'd already noticed didn't match the photo on the medallion. Gotta love Uber, these scammers do the good lads a serious harm.
@Mattybaby our train system breaks down . New trains sitting idle as in correct build, platforms need grinding back as trains to wide. Buses always on strike . Public transport in tatters
This was just a few years ago, but when I was in Australia, I found the transportation good. The trams in the CBD of Sydney and Melbourne ran well. I took a few trains a bit outside of that area too, and it was fine. Everything was clean and ran smooth. Also took Australia’s Greyhound(Not the same as the U.S., but name is licensed out). Took this from Sydney to a stop somewhere high up the north east coast(forgot the name atm but it was before Whitsunday’s). Making multiple stops(on/ off type of bus) was no really issue. The cost was definitely not as cheap as the above,lol and the Wi-Fi was basically non existent), but it was clean enough for carrying mostly backpackers up the coast. Not as comfortable as it could of been but not as rough as a city bus seat would be. Even the planes were good. I missed a flight by accident and they got me on the next one with no issues and no extra charge! That I found amazing. Maybe things have changed in the past few years, I’m not sure, but I’m from right outside NYC, and have been riding trains and buses all my life. Not just here, but other major cities and in my smaller area. I felt quite comfortable and safe on the Aussie transport. It came decently on time too. Just my experience 😉✌️
Your experience with the Uber is the thing that spoils travelling for me. I just can't be doing with the stress. I just did a six week tour around SE Asia and used exclusively public transport for that reason - not a single taxi, Uber (actually Grab in most places) or even hotel van! Very satisfying even though a lot of trips took me twice as long. But what's the rush anyway? I just looked up the exchange rate for Pakistan Rupee and your ride only cost 3.20 Euro (and he wanted over 7), so hardly a huge amount, but that's not the point! Thanks for standing up to him.
In Vietnam I had issues with Uber drivers (before their SEA division was purchased by Grab) quite a few times. So many drivers would accept a ride and then refuse to move. After a few minutes, if you canceled you'd have to pay the driver a cancelation fee. So they'd make money by doing nothing. I ended up using medallion cabs more often. Of the many I took, only one tried to take a circuitous route. I think a couple padded the route by 5-10% by taking slightly less direct thoroughfares, but it wasn't aggregious enough to care about. Using cabs is almost always riskier, though. I tried to avoid it as much as possible on my last trip (Colombia). Uber and other rideshare apps weren't available outside mid-large cities. It was about 50/50 for honest cabbies vs scamming ones. Cabbies mostly deserve their reputation as being scummy towards tourists, unfortunately.
I just flew back from India and seeing a bus in Pakistan it makes me realise, India and Pakistan are storming towards the future while the UK is being dragged back without a struggle into the 70's!
Q-Connect takes like 5 hours to travel between Islamabad to Lahore and you can take any other bus which also has wifi on board and will do the same journey in the same time at less than 3rd the price. The stop after 1 hour at Kalar Kalhar is a time ticket given to buses so that they do not speed their way down and reach within the allocated time. That is a safety check by Motorway police. If you have a car, you can do the same journey non stop in 3:30 hours.
very good report. Very impressed with the luxury level and cleanliness of the bus. Who would have thought this would be Pakistan! Alot nicer then the USA..
Wait! We need a Loo Review! Especially on longer distances, the difficulty in timing my kidneys with the rest stops is what keeps me off buses without functioning toilets, at least for “short calls.”
Uber needs to implement a thing where you, as the passenger “starts” the trip when you get in and if the driver tries to cancel the journey, then it should deny them the ability to do so.
You are always so polite when you are obviously being ripped off. Thanks once again for a most entertaining adventure. Travel safely. Ps. When are you and Josh going to team up again?
I see people focusing on Uber than a wonderful buss. By the way, taxi scam in Pakistan is very very rare. One bad apple doesn't represent the majority.
You say the roads are smooth. Maybe on motorway, but try the old trunk routes. Very bumpy. As for the Uber, Pakistan already had a lot of scams before the inflation.
16:04 That's kind of scary. I guess keep your luggage with you, if they haggle just walk away. What are they going to do? It's not an Uber ride anymore, so you can just say you didn't have any valid contract to pay for that ride.
Welcome to Pakistan and the beautiful "City of Trees," Islamabad! We’re thrilled to have you here, and I hope your journey has been filled with adventure and memorable experiences.
Here in Brazil, we have first class bus service better than one of this video - double decker vehicle, massager seats, entertainment system and much more modern rest areas. Price? US$ 70 for Rio - São Paulo trip
Happy first American Easter,Noel! Aslo i liked how you serched yourself up on youtube and youtube 😂 so does that mean Qconnect is now subscribed to your channel and might see this video?
When in another country and i get uber ,i never put my stuff in tge back and i always have problems with drivers trying to scam me....they always try to scam tourists so sometimes its good to threaten them with police
9:00 never been to Pakistan or India but I’m sure you could have just asked the attendant or driver how long the stop will be. I mentioned India because the some thought occurred when watching your India trip. I’m sure even if they are not fluent English speakers you could have been able to communicate. A huge percentage of people know English if I’m not mistaken especially in Pakistan. In Türkiye they will always announce how the stop will be.
You're a brave man Noel, ha! Im from India and I would never take a bus in India over 6-8 hours, ha! Also, incredible to see that the bus was so fully featured. Thanks for the video! Was just thinking that its because of videos like this that service around the world can improve; by seeing what other places have to offer and hopefully bettering their own product! Also, what was up with the Vistara logo, ha! Always funny to see blatant design/logo "inspirations" in South Asia, ha!
The sad part is these drivers would probably get more in tips if they were just friendly and helpful to foreigners. Well done for standing your ground, it isn't about the money as I've seen some people commenting, obviously 1000 PKR isn't going to break the bank, but the more people let it slide, the more it rewards such nasty behaviour.
Please just to correct you. Public transport drivers don't expect or receive any Tips in Pakistan.
I've often wondered about this as the scammers (which in Thailand are few and far between) are probably organised and are paying someone else.
@@mabcapri2527 Uber isn't public transport.
@@mabcapri2527doesn’t mean people from countries that do wouldn’t do so genius
@@mabcapri2527”correct” lol piss off
You handled the Uber driver like a champion! Cheers!
In a situation like Noel experienced with the Uber, I would recommend anyone to just grab a bellhop or a receptionist from the hotel or with any authority and ask for help with the Uber driver or any similar scammer. They would undoubtedly sort the guy out and send him on his way. Vast majority of people would gladly help a tourist from being scammed.
When possible, just don't put your bags in the trunk of a cab / uber. If Noel didn't have his bag in the trunk, the driver wouldn't have as much power in the scam. If he left the car to get help, the driver would probably just have stolen his bag thinking there was a good payday there since Noel doesn't look like a hobo.
Wow, Uber allowing drivers to cancel rides mid ride seems like a huge oversight, especially since both the driver and passenger’s gps will still be together and moving.
Anything, literally anything, can be cancelled or halted midway through if the situation calls for it. An abusive driver or customer would fit that description for example.
@@thesampsoninstitute oh yeah sure, but like I said, if the ride is cancelled and both their gps still indicates they’re still together, it should’ve raised red flags for the company.
@@thesampsoninstitute Except if the driver does it a lot, would that not be grounds for an interview with the driver, and the client? Since the company has contact information of both?
@@ElectableDane It's Pakistan, Uber probably just doesn't really care all that much about drivers and ride experiences in the smaller third world markets. I'm sure they know the games that are being played, but they don't spend the manpower to actually do any investigations or take any action. Focus completely on their profitable markets.
@@jesuschrist69 yup. And Americans/Englishmen are too cowardly to give companies like Uber the boot from their countries if they dont take car of them in other markets. Uber would magically have the ability to fix stuff like this if not fixing would cost them the US market.
How sad that such a positive experience of travel in Pakistan, on the coach, should be spolied by the greedy Uber driver. Well done for holding your ground and not giving in to his attempted scam.
That was one cool bus ride! $19 USD for that seat is very nice! As for the scammer Uber driver. Report his name/plate and ask Uber to see if he is constantly cancelling rides. Good for you to not accept being scammed. Next time, don't put the bag in the trunk. LOL
Here's the thing he should of researched most major city's from Islamabad and Karachi Uber is banned
Uber won't do anything especially in another county :/
Don't go to Pakistan. Problem solved
Next time don't put your luggage in the trunk. That way you are the one in control and they can't hold your luggage hostage
He usually has a not-small suitcase so not really an option.
@SpadesPlusYT58 Michael is speaking about the Uber car.
@@SpadesPlusYT58 Tell me you didn’t watch the entire video without telling me that you didn’t watch the entire video. 12:29 is the part of the video involving the car.
Taxis- this is a brilliant rule. Never doing that one again after an incident in Vietnam with bag in trunk and extra money requested.
I was thinking the exact same Mate....
Great advice 👍
It's been a minute since you dropped a bus video, but I'm stoked to see that you're still keeping the public transit content flowing on your channel.
Id love to see noel do a japan tour of the transit, trains, buses etc
And aircraft are not public transport? I do get what you mean, just saying...
I love how Noel doesn't just travel on planes; he's done boat and buses. Amazing
...and trains and taxis.... So he's like the rest of us
And trains.
Yes he is frodo
so do I, adding trains, boats and buses give much more fun, and content to channel as well. :)
People like you need to get a better grasp on reality.
Noel you were amazingly calm when dealing with the Uber scammer. You need to do a masterclass video for your subscribers as it will be very useful for newbie travellers and old timers too. I would totally dissociate..
I am astonished that nobody recognized you. You are one of the biggest transport vlogger. I as a Pakistani love to watch your vlogs. Again thankyou so much for coming to Pakistan!
never put bags in trunk, as then the driver can hold your luggage ransom. You did well.
Noel we feel sorry whatever happened with you its very ashamed to betrayal as a human being
i am from islamabad pakistan we love your videos
I tried to take this exact same route from Islamabad to Lahore. I showed up and QConnect canceled the trip. I had bought my ticket online, but of course they didn't email to tell me.
Thankfully the cab driver knew there was another bus station a mile away. The company I ended up with was a much more typical bus, but the bus was half empty, so all was good. Same rest stop too!
I always fear the worst when I see you getting on a bus, but this one looked great! Also, kudos for standing your ground against the Uber scammer. Cheers.
The "Q Connect" buses are well known , safe , reliable and fantastic value for money. Glad you got to experience a journey on on one.
Was not expecting that from a bus.. wow 😍
Me neither
You mean the "Niazi Express"? 😂
Excellent video, as always. Some points from my side. At 4:38, the checkpoint takes data of all buses entering the motorway and captures pictures of all passengers in case of an emergency. At 6:48, the bus stopped as they received a time and speed limit form from the motorway police to control their speed while going down the hills to increase safety. Lastly, I am surprised you have not been served food on the bus.
Hey Noel, glad you are ok. As a fellow Northerner (been living overseas for 6 years), you have much more patience than myself, as I would have lost it with that Uber guy very quickly!.Anyway, I really enjoyed a slightly different angle on travel, by way of coach and it was a really great experience. As always, you smashed it, so keep diversifying. Enjoy the rest of the trip 🙂
Thanks for that!
Hey Noel, I hope you are going to have a nice trip across Pakistan. Thank you so much for highlighting the positives of Pakistan ❤❤
I like the migration from an airline reviewer to a train, bus and airline reviewer. Its been very informative and attractive, as you use almost the same criteria than you do for airlines. That bus line was a surprise when comparing to the one you took in India and even with the Greyhound in the States. And on the Uber issue I think your defense was impecable, the truth was on your side. I like your attitude facing these travel incidents, "its not the end of the world" but Uber should put more attention.
Uber in Sydney Australia 🇦🇺 were fined one hundred thousand dollars for price gauging . Uber are needed, but have to comply to Australian laws
I love it when Noel travels on a bus as it's different from the usual videos. I hope we get to see a part 2 of the longest Greyhound bus route in the US!
I'm glad that you are enjoying your trip to Pakistan,thus far.These scams are common across South Asian countries because they think they can earn a lot more from foreigners.But,happy to see you paid the original price anyway.I cannot wait for more content from Pakistan.Another amazing video.Keep it up.
R u from pakistan o rindia
Dont be sorry. British has looted us. These guys should be asked to pay more.
Wow what a bargain! Nice one Noel,taxi driver is despicable,👍😉💪
That’s really not bad. Better than about any bus in America. Def better than the transport in Afghanistan! Watching now. Def surprised about the on board entertainment
Reminds me of beautiful 1-2 and 1-1 (flat bed) 1st class busses heading between Kuala Lumpur - Singapore, Kuala Lumpur - Penang etc. Noel, that's one of bucket list items, especially for the price (50 ringitt / 50 sing dollars i.e. $11-22).
Yes. Many times I've used the super-vip buses in Malaysia with the 2+1 seating configuration. They're brilliant.
Love to see you're still doing some of these non-plane trips in foreign countries that usually don't attention. I mentioned last week that I'd be scared to travel here and that still stands, so nice to see something I'd never get to any other time, these are some of my favorite videos of yours. I'd also love to see you get authentic food and maybe do a small mini section of that on your trips (as you do on your plane rides).
Any plans on going to Japan? I'd love to see a review from you of JAL and ANA. JAL is supposed to be 1 of the best airlines in the world and even their economy seats are supposed to be great. They also a ton of bus/trains that you can create a lot of content on in a relatively short period of time.
Keep up the good work and I'll keep watching! :D
That taxi driver was a shere scammer for sure! Loved the bus ride though. Didn’t know they had such amazing bus services in Pakistan. Would definitely try it out someday - minus the Uber 😂
Noel, now that you are in the US there is an airline that flies MD-80’s from Miami to the Dominican Republic called Red Air. This might be your chance to get your MD-80 ride and finally get a non-engine window view. Worth checking out!
Watch this space!!
The bus looks as good as most planes. How cool! Also, it’s a great way to see the country.
That bus was super duper. And the roadway down was in great shape. $19 is a lot of money for the village people.
Omg who knew 🎉 Pakistan is a beautiful country and that bus is off the charts and how can it only be 19 dollars🎉
Great video 🎉
Low wages and cost of living.
There is still a sense of unexpected modernity with some of these places. I get Islamabad and Lahore are the bigger cities in Pakistan so will have better infrastructure but still fascinating.
You can read about motorways here if you are interested
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorways_of_Pakistan
Hey, when you next hit Singapore or Malaysia why not consider trying the Transtar Solitaire Suites, they also offer first class seats for cross border trips from Singapore all the way till Kuala Lumpur 🙂
that q connect logo looks a lot like Indian airline Vistara
That bus and the sights on the way totally destroyed my largely negative preconceptions of Pakistan. Thanks.
4:16 Noel talking about flight attendants, in complete flying mode!! ✈✈✈✈
😹😹😹
Well handled with the Uber driver. Great to understand how these loopholes are leveraged!
Amazing trip report. Even more amazing in the sense that I will most probably never get the opportunity to experience it myself. Many thanks for sharing Noel.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Really sorry for being what happened to you while arriving in Lahore, but you handled him like a pro. I am from Lahore and love your videos!! Thanks for portraying the scenic ride through Punjab in that luxurious bus.
Great video Noel. Always need to be weary of Uber, even here in the United States. Pakistan is beautiful.
I love the way you are so complimentary about the countries you visit, always pointing out the good stuff!
Thanks! 😃
Loving this Pakistan adventure! Bus was amazing ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
About that “interestingly named bus”: Niazi is a common surname in Pakistan, and bus services are often named Express.
Not to be confused with "Nazi" !!
Hey Noel! Pakistani-Canadian here recently arrived in Islamabad. Hope you enjoyed and thanks for this great Vlog.
Glad you enjoyed it!
@Noel Philips. I was scammed like that by an Uber driver in Tallinn Estonia. I just paid as I had food poisoning and no energy for their BS. Good for you for standing your ground.
Not somewhere i`v ever wanted to visit, but i was impressed with the coach.
I have to admit I love watching noel videos they are so entertaining been watching noel for years even when I was sick just get the coffee and comfy bed and just enjoy noels entertaining videos I especially love where he films the airport environment which is really nice keep up the good work noel and keep posting banger videos especially travelling in the plane.
Glad you like them!
Be carefull man.. thats sneaky driver 😊
Happy Easter Noel! What an amazing looking bus that is in Pakistan! I do wish that the buses in the Philippines will be as good as this, but as much as I'd love to, I doubt that it'd be anytime soon, but I know that this was one amazing bus ride!
There are already very good first class P2P bus services here in the Philippines, just as good as this one in Pakistan. They're very popular, too, and you often have to book in advance to get a seat.
Victory Liner's first class bus service isn't as good, but not too far behind. I hope they have more of it across the country
Can someone import a Setra 500HR to the Philippines and run regular services with it?
There are good buses but not airline style yet
There are some very good first class bus services here in Philippines now, most journeys around Luzon range from $15-20 and the service is very good. As for Uber, they could start by disciplining drivers who cancel rides when the pax is already in the vehicle. My usual tactic is to just tell the driver to stop at the nearest police station...
Lol Uber is banned in Islamabad 😂
@@petesmart1983 this incident is from Lahore !! Not Isl
19 dollars to ride on a bus like that! Wow, definitely worth the price of admission. That was a very nice bus and looked very comfy.
Great Vid Noel, excellent value on that bus, ❤ to Pakistan from 🇬🇧
Let’s just set aside the back part of this video. Pakistan looks like a beautiful country and Q Connect Bus looks like they’re running a top notch service. Well done guys!
That bus looked incredible, I’d be very happy to do a long trip in that comfort. Loving Pakistan from what we are seeing so far, definitely on my wish list. As for the taxi driver.. I got ripped off in London the other week so it’s unfortunately a problem everywhere.
If you came to Pakistan anytime don't use Uber cuz it was banned in Karachi & Islamabad They'll be caught several times scamming those foreigners & their locals U Can Use Indriver Or Careem They Had The Best Service Soo Far In Pakistan
@@dayyanx169 thanks for the heads up I appreciate it 🙏
You were fortunate that he finally accepted the rate, Noel. This illustrates the risks of booking a taxi or even an Uber. You were lucky to arrive at your destination. Some taxi drivers engage in scams by driving to a remote area, then canceling the ride and demanding a higher price. If you refuse to pay, they may force you out of the taxi. I experienced this as a teenager in Zambia. Back then, there were no Ubers, but the driver stopped midway and abruptly increased the fare. This occurred in a dubious part of Lusaka, so I had no choice but to pay. He stated it was either pay the higher price or leave the taxi. In foreign countries, there are numerous ways to get scammed.
Taking the bus from Saigon to Phnom Penh and hoping we can take one this nice. I've ridden on many buses in Vietnam (incl. long-distance) and I don't recall ever seeing anything this swanky.
Yeah a big difference between Futa bus and this!
It's interesting with all these busses...
It seems to be only Japan that has figured out the very simple, yet genius idea to display a screen or a board when the departure time from the service stations is.
Simple, cheap, removes confusion, should be everywhere
I’m so glad to see you didn’t take any shit off that scam artist!! Proud of you buddy, also please be careful out there as well my friend!
I wish they had buses like this across Canada.
Train would be nice too. All we have is tourist ones. I’m in Calgary and they keep talking about a high speed rail link up to Edmonton.
Do we even have busses that go across Canada these days?
@@canadiangirl8368 distance too far. No market for it. Fly
@@canadiangirl8368 I don't even know. Since they got rid of Greyhound.
5:14 yup the logo is like vistara 😂
Did the coach journey from Islamabad to Lahore back in 1994. Wasn't a luxury coach like that. I think it takes in part of the GT Road if I remember. It was fun if not a little hair raising at times.
So many things have changed since 1994 bro
@@user-Rayyan123 Well, yeah! Obviously 🙄
There's the M2 Motorway since 2003.
@@shahedmc9656 I haven't been back since 2000.
Welcome to Pakistan... good information, video and editing...be happy.. from Lahore Pakistan
Please do something about the uber guy who tried to scam him. It's ur city. It's a shame to have have such uber drivers
Well done with the driver! I have no end of trouble with Uber rides here in England. Amount of times they've cancelled journeys mid journey and tried to charge double! I got blacklisted for a while for refusal to pay. Love it, I even got threatened by one lad who I'd already noticed didn't match the photo on the medallion. Gotta love Uber, these scammers do the good lads a serious harm.
And the bus was the easy part of the trip. Great awareness of the trick unfolding before your eyes.
Only $19 dollars, what a deal. Wish Australia had buses like this
wish we had a real passenger service....trains and buses - so backward down here
you wouldn't find a bicycle for that price in Australia
@Mattybaby our train system breaks down . New trains sitting idle as in correct build, platforms need grinding back as trains to wide. Buses always on strike . Public transport in tatters
@@William2512 mate believe me I know all about it. Although as a Queenslander our system is probably better than the other states.
This was just a few years ago, but when I was in Australia, I found the transportation good.
The trams in the CBD of Sydney and Melbourne ran well. I took a few trains a bit outside of that area too, and it was fine. Everything was clean and ran smooth. Also took Australia’s Greyhound(Not the same as the U.S., but name is licensed out). Took this from Sydney to a stop somewhere high up the north east coast(forgot the name atm but it was before Whitsunday’s). Making multiple stops(on/ off type of bus) was no really issue. The cost was definitely not as cheap as the above,lol and the Wi-Fi was basically non existent), but it was clean enough for carrying mostly backpackers up the coast. Not as comfortable as it could of been but not as rough as a city bus seat would be.
Even the planes were good. I missed a flight by accident and they got me on the next one with no issues and no extra charge! That I found amazing.
Maybe things have changed in the past few years, I’m not sure, but I’m from right outside NYC, and have been riding trains and buses all my life. Not just here, but other major cities and in my smaller area. I felt quite comfortable and safe on the Aussie transport. It came decently on time too. Just my experience 😉✌️
I love your bus trips! That’s nicer than the bus you took for the 12 hour sleeper a while back
Your experience with the Uber is the thing that spoils travelling for me. I just can't be doing with the stress. I just did a six week tour around SE Asia and used exclusively public transport for that reason - not a single taxi, Uber (actually Grab in most places) or even hotel van! Very satisfying even though a lot of trips took me twice as long. But what's the rush anyway? I just looked up the exchange rate for Pakistan Rupee and your ride only cost 3.20 Euro (and he wanted over 7), so hardly a huge amount, but that's not the point! Thanks for standing up to him.
all the small amounts add up after a week in some of these places
In Vietnam I had issues with Uber drivers (before their SEA division was purchased by Grab) quite a few times. So many drivers would accept a ride and then refuse to move. After a few minutes, if you canceled you'd have to pay the driver a cancelation fee. So they'd make money by doing nothing.
I ended up using medallion cabs more often. Of the many I took, only one tried to take a circuitous route. I think a couple padded the route by 5-10% by taking slightly less direct thoroughfares, but it wasn't aggregious enough to care about.
Using cabs is almost always riskier, though. I tried to avoid it as much as possible on my last trip (Colombia). Uber and other rideshare apps weren't available outside mid-large cities. It was about 50/50 for honest cabbies vs scamming ones. Cabbies mostly deserve their reputation as being scummy towards tourists, unfortunately.
Wow experiencing cheap flights as well as luxurious buses, Philips is enjoying everything here in Pakistan
Noel. Thank you so much for standing your ground with that stupid driver. Almost ruined your trip
I just flew back from India and seeing a bus in Pakistan it makes me realise, India and Pakistan are storming towards the future while the UK is being dragged back without a struggle into the 70's!
Q-Connect takes like 5 hours to travel between Islamabad to Lahore and you can take any other bus which also has wifi on board and will do the same journey in the same time at less than 3rd the price.
The stop after 1 hour at Kalar Kalhar is a time ticket given to buses so that they do not speed their way down and reach within the allocated time. That is a safety check by Motorway police.
If you have a car, you can do the same journey non stop in 3:30 hours.
Not in such comfort, though.
very good report. Very impressed with the luxury level and cleanliness of the bus. Who would have thought this would be Pakistan! Alot nicer then the USA..
Cool! I lived in PK while that motorway linking Rawalpindi and Lahore was built!
Wait! We need a Loo Review! Especially on longer distances, the difficulty in timing my kidneys with the rest stops is what keeps me off buses without functioning toilets, at least for “short calls.”
Thank you for your review on this great bus service.
I actually would love to go to Pakistan and now have one more reason to do so!
Thanks again.
Uber needs to implement a thing where you, as the passenger “starts” the trip when you get in and if the driver tries to cancel the journey, then it should deny them the ability to do so.
Good catch on the Uber Scam, Noel! Way to stand your ground!
You are always so polite when you are obviously being ripped off. Thanks once again for a most entertaining adventure. Travel safely. Ps. When are you and Josh going to team up again?
Thanks for watching!
Thank you for your service to armchair travellers sir.
Happy Easter to you and your family
I see people focusing on Uber than a wonderful buss. By the way, taxi scam in Pakistan is very very rare. One bad apple doesn't represent the majority.
You say the roads are smooth. Maybe on motorway, but try the old trunk routes. Very bumpy. As for the Uber, Pakistan already had a lot of scams before the inflation.
Did I notice a slight slip when you ordered that packet of crisps I mean chips.
Fair play not giving in, no messing with you Noel.
16:04 That's kind of scary. I guess keep your luggage with you, if they haggle just walk away. What are they going to do? It's not an Uber ride anymore, so you can just say you didn't have any valid contract to pay for that ride.
Welcome to Pakistan and the beautiful "City of Trees," Islamabad! We’re thrilled to have you here, and I hope your journey has been filled with adventure and memorable experiences.
Here in Brazil, we have first class bus service better than one of this video - double decker vehicle, massager seats, entertainment system and much more modern rest areas. Price? US$ 70 for Rio - São Paulo trip
What, no Loo Review??? That's one of my favorite parts, and a luxury bus like that will have a luxury loo.
Happy first American Easter,Noel! Aslo i liked how you serched yourself up on youtube and youtube 😂 so does that mean Qconnect is now subscribed to your channel and might see this video?
A pakistan Maccies at the service place would have been interesting to see what their big macs are like, missed the oppo there
National express could learn too! Wow 👌 ❤
Lovely video about Q-Connect. Subscribed your channel from Pakistan! Keep up the good work.
When a Pakistan bus puts a Greyhound to shame YOU KNOW THEY ARE GETTING IT WRONG, shame on you Greyhound.
Chris.
When in another country and i get uber ,i never put my stuff in tge back and i always have problems with drivers trying to scam me....they always try to scam tourists so sometimes its good to threaten them with police
9:00 never been to Pakistan or India but I’m sure you could have just asked the attendant or driver how long the stop will be. I mentioned India because the some thought occurred when watching your India trip. I’m sure even if they are not fluent English speakers you could have been able to communicate. A huge percentage of people know English if I’m not mistaken especially in Pakistan. In Türkiye they will always announce how the stop will be.
Great bus. I didn't knew there was such nice buses in Pakistan.
👏🏽 Bravo 🇮🇳🤝🏽🇵🇰
You're a brave man Noel, ha! Im from India and I would never take a bus in India over 6-8 hours, ha!
Also, incredible to see that the bus was so fully featured. Thanks for the video! Was just thinking that its because of videos like this that service around the world can improve; by seeing what other places have to offer and hopefully bettering their own product!
Also, what was up with the Vistara logo, ha! Always funny to see blatant design/logo "inspirations" in South Asia, ha!
Glad you enjoyed it!
India doesnt have such superluxury buses right??
@@sanjoe7265 none that I know of, but maybe they have them there. Definitely haven't seen anything like the one in this video!
@@sanjoe7265 come to Southern India
@@nsuresh91fucker, travel in ksrtc ambari ustav
the best travelling you tubers are noel Phillips, Sam chui and josh Cahill
@Noel Phillips
Welcome back to Pakistan.
Hope you will enjoy your trip.
I'm surprised to see McDonald's, Pizza Hut and Metro in Pakistan. Seems things are going in the right direction there