Transportation

The photo is Tavis and his Lada (Russian 1980's)
He has become my go to taxi driver..he speaks English a bit--a enough for me to get around. I've been using him since June when Tammy came to visit. The car is shaking..as are all Lada's..but it works for me. Most foreigners have drivers with much fancier cars Lexus, Chrysler 300 (yes, they are here), Range Rovers, etc..I like my local guy.

National railway system is trying to make a come back..it collapsed after the collapse of the USSR..but the tracks are horrible and it takes hours and hours to ride anywhere to the country side. There is a metro (underground system), when Baku was the 4th or 5th largest city in the USSR days...it was built...you can tell it was quite elegant..with all the socialist type worker scenes in mosaic tile...but the system needs a good scrubbing, trains with AC and heat. Finally, the US Embassy does not suggest Americans use it...I've been on it once with co-workers..but there was a bombing in the '90's..Armenia terrorists...and you can imagine with only one exit at each station..it could be a death trap...so..I'm adventurous..but no thank you.

There are tons of public buses (most made in Korea and China) but except for the new models I have avoided them too...people literally hang out of the doors when the buses are crowded.

So I'm very lucky to be able to hoof it just about everywhere I need to go.