The government Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC; DIT Ave) buses leave from Kamlapur station. It’s best forgotten as the service is far inferior to that of the private lines.

Train
Dhaka’s main train station is Kamlapur station in Motijheel. Many trains also stop at the smaller Banani and Airport train stations, both of which are more convenient if you’re staying in Gulshan area. Buying tickets is easy and there’s a large timetable in English. Double-check it for accuracy because the schedules change slightly in the summer and the board may not reflect this. The inquiry counter, which is open until 11pm, and the chief inspector are both helpful. The table below shows some examples of express trains from Dhaka. If you’ve just arrived from India, you will be in for a shock when you see how comparatively organized everything is here.

Boat
Book 1st- and 2nd-class Rocket (paddle-wheel) tickets at the Bangladesh Inland Waterway Transport Corporation office (BIWTC; 955 9779, 891 4771; Sun-Wed to 5pm, Thu to 2pm, closed Fri & Sat) in Motijheel, a block east of Dilkusha Circle I. You may be told that only 1st-class tickets can be booked from this office. A smile and some persistence should change this policy.

The Rocket departs from Sadarghat and, on rare occasions, from Badam Tole boat terminal, 1km north of Sadarghat. Get there in plenty of time. The trip to Khulna takes from 27 to 30 hours. Fares to Khulna are roughly Tk 1010/610/150 for 1st/2nd/deck class, depending on which Rocket you catch. Prices are sequentially less, depending on where you want to jump off along the way. For an explanation of classes see p175.
Boats depart for Khulna every day (except Friday) at 6pm sharp.

Those traveling deck classes (good luck convincing someone to sell you a deck-class ticket) may want to stake a place before the hordes arrive. You could pay a local to occupy a place for you, sitting all day for a fee of around Tk 50.

Private launches operate up and down the major rivers but most head south. Short-distance destinations reached by services from Dhaka include Bandura (30km west), Munshiganj (25km southeast) and Srinigar (20km southwest). Long-distance destinations include Barisal (110km south), Bhola (110km south), Chandpur (60km southeast), Madaripur (60km southwest) and Patuakali (40km south).

Short-distance launches travel during the day. The large long-distance launches travel at night, arriving at Sadarghat in the morning and remaining there all day, until departing at around 6pm or 7pm. Tickets are usually sold on board on the day of departure and require some bargaining.

Getting around
Car & motorcycle
Car
Unless you have an International Driver’s License, self-driving isn’t an option (ironic when you consider how bad some of the locals are at driving!). Even if you do have a license, hiring a self-drive car for cruising Dhaka (or anywhere else in Bangladesh for that matter) has got to be the silliest idea in the world. However, hiring a car or van with a driver can make a lot of sense.

There are numerous car/driver-hire places scattered around Dhaka. One is Dhaka Tours Rent-A-Car Association (861 1313), with an office opposite the Sheraton, just off Kazi Nazrul Islam Ave. If you venture out of Dhaka you will have to pay extra each day for the driver’s food and accommodation. When you are negotiating with any company, make sure you are clear on what is included in the price.