Creativity. Uniqueness. Out-of-the-box thinking. These are not words we commonly associate with public transportation, much less the very utilitarian piece of infrastructure we call a bus stop. But this hasn’t stopped some architects and designers from deciding to put together something truly special for all the daily commuters that wait, rain or sun, night or day, for a bus to show up.
Internet users from all over the world share the signal and at times bizarre bus stops they have encountered, so if you are waiting for a bus, congratulations, otherwise, get comfortable and be sure to upvote your favorites.
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#1 In Japan, These Grandparents Didn’t Want Kids To Feel Lonely While Waiting For The Bus. So They Made A Life-Size Version Of Totoro, A Famous Cartoon Character, At The Bus Stop
#2 Someone In Norway Has Furnished A Bus Stop, Nobody Knows Who
#3 This Bus Stop In Brazil, Before And After An Artist Added Their Touch
If some of these stops seemed luxurious, in the 18th and 19th centuries, when coaches and carriages were the main means of overland transportation, travelers would find inns and similar establishments along the route. Imagine a bus stop with beds, a restaurant, and other amenities.
An early example of this was the Angel in Islington, which was a multi-floor building, where people could eat, sleep and refresh themselves when entering or leaving London for one trip or another. Modern travel is fast enough to no longer require these sorts of establishments, but we can find their spiritual successors in the rest stops dotted along highways all over the world.
#4 The Most Beautiful Bus Shelter In The South Hui – Shimmer Xuan Pavilion
#5 To Launch Its New Breakfast Sandwiches Caribou Coffee Turned Bus Shelters In Minneapolis Into Ovens – With Real Heat
#6 Bus Stops In Japan, Modeled After Fruits Such As Watermelon, Lemon, Strawberry, Tomato, & Muskmelon
These days, a seat and some protection from the elements are considered sufficient. These are welcome additions for anyone who has to regularly wait in the rain for transportation to arrive, but this has also perhaps been the cause for some fascination with “unique” bus stops. After all, if most are just brick, concrete, or glass boxes, anything more will draw a person’s attention.
#7 My Mum Painted This Mural Over Graffiti At A Bus Stop
#8 Amazing Idea For A Bus Stop
#9 The City Of Leicester Starts Turning Bus Stops Into “Bee Stops”
Indeed, the average bus stop is so nondescript that many of us overlook them, despite interacting with them in one way or another constantly. Bus stops are generally where trash cans are placed, many will feature advertisements that may catch our eye even if we don’t pay attention to the location. In this way, they already serve some public utility. Similarly, one might use a stop to shelter from the rain, even if they aren’t actually taking a bus anywhere.
#10 This Beautiful Bus Stop Is In Holstein, Germany. In Front Of The Local High School
#11 Today’s Art Bus Shelter Is The Bright Green Canopy Of Ginkgo Leaves On North Ave. One Of My Favorite Ones
#12 Kwik-E-Mart Themed Bus Stop In London
Just because they are commonplace and utilitarian, doesn’t mean they have to be bare. This list shows all the creativity that one might find when designing a stop but in some places, but in some places, certain luxuries are becoming standard. For example, in particularly hot countries, like India, Turkmenistan, Israel, and the UAE, bus stops may be enclosed and air-conditioned, so passengers don’t have to sit in blistering heat for extended periods.
#13 The Most Beautiful Bus Stop I’ve Ever Seen
#14 Bus Stop With Buster The Cat
#15 It’s Not Every Day You Find Yourself Installing A Life-Size Sheep On The Roof Of The Village Bus Shelter, But Today Was Such A Day
Ultimately, what prevents bus stops from being as comfortable, interesting, and unique as they could be are the age-old issue of costs. Similarly, many areas have rules and regulations dictating specific standards that need to be met. Overall, this is a good thing, as public utilities should be safe and functional, but the utilitarian nature of public transportation often limits how creative one can get with it.
#16 A Playful, Practical And Quirky Bus Stop That Draws The People Of Baltimore. State Of Maryland, USA
#17 Bus Stop In Thailand
#18 Boa Noite, Curitiba
#19 Bus Stop In Korea Spraying Mist During The Summer To Keep People Cool
#20 Someone Took Advantage Of The Pattern Of Holes In This Bus Stop Bench To Macrame A Peacock Into It
#21 This Was A Bus Stop In Bangkok. Each Side Of The Stop Had A Small Garden With Essential Herbs For Cooking Like Basil, Watercress, And Lemongrass
I guess you pick some on the way home to add to your dinner. I thought it was pretty cool.
#22 Next Level Bus Stop At Žďár Nad Sázavou, Czech Republic
#23 Green Roofs Contribute To The Reduction Of Dust In The Surrounding Area And Improve The Microclimate In Urbanized Areas Lacking Green Spaces
In addition, they naturally cool the space under the shelter and provide a natural habitat for small animals, thus contributing to the increase of green areas in the urban environment.
#24 Cat Bus Stop, Japan
#25 Bus Stop – Library In The Polish Village Of Uwieliny
#26 The Mushroom Bus Stop
#27 This South Korean Bus Stop
#28 Today’s Art Bus Shelter Is Pillsbury. It Makes Me Smile Every Time I See It
#29 This Bus Stop In Germany That’s Been Decorated By Local Residents
#30 Dutch Cities Have Managed To Stabilize Urban Bee Populations By Turning Bus Stops Into “Buzz Stops”
#31 A Very Special Bus Shelter In Älvnäs, Ekerö. For Those Of You With Children Who Love Harry Potter, You Just Have To Visit This Place
#32 How Adorable Is This Bus Stop?
#33 A Bus Stop Made From An Old School Bus
#34 Modern Bus Stop In Sweden
The Station of Being features wooden pods in which travelers can lean very comfortably. The pods are shaped so that they automatically turn out of the wind, providing comfort without requiring any power. Travelers can also turn the pods to personalize the station and enable various social settings.
Designed and developed by Rombout Frieling lab and the Research Institute of Sweden.
#35 I Found This Most Attractive Thatched Roof Bus Stop Shelter In Dunchurch, Warwickshire
#36 SG Upping The Game For Buses & Bus Stops! From Swing, Book Corner To Charging Ports, Panel Showing Next Few Stops In Buses
#37 This Bus Stop
#38 This Heated Bench With A Wireless Charging Pad For Your Phone At A Bus Stop In South Korea
#39 Bus Stop In Norway With Books You Can Read While You Wait
#40 Bus Stop Mario
1. Go to a local WWII flak tower;
2. Add an image to a nearby bus station;
3. … And align!
#41 “Wave” Bus Stop, Gagra, Abkhazia
#42 First-Class Bus Stop. Why Can’t Taking The Bus Be More Luxurious? Happiness By Design
#43 This Enclosed Bus Stop For The Kids To Use While Waiting In The Cold
#44 This Bus Stop Was Decorated To Look Like The Set Of Rosanne
#45 Bus Stop, Austria
#46 Bus Stop, Poland
#47 This Bus Stop Next To A Football Field
#48 This Is How The Dutch Keep Their Hands Warm At Cold Bus Stops
#49 Creepy Altered Carbon Bus Stop Ad
#50 This Bus Stop Ad For A Health Club In The Netherlands Had A Scale In The Seat And Displayed The Sitter’s Weight For All To See – To Shame Him Or Her Into Joining
