They travel far, for a long time. These were the elite of the bus world, the generals and marshals in the army of passenger transportation. Riding one of these is happiness and good luck!
Yes, yes, I think many of us liked to ride this type of transport.
What do we remember about this comfortable foreign bus made in Hungary “Ikarus”. I will focus only on the so-called soft or as they were called “intercity” buses, namely “Ikarus-250” and “Ikarus-256”, which I rode on in my childhood a lot!
The large black bumper with four headlights is the top of an aggressive design, the panoramic windshield of a huge area and the inscription in “English” Ikarus for some reason caused awe.
I remember the Ikarus 250 bus as a truly top-level bus. It was more comfortable than the other “red” ones and, moreover, it had various modifications with different comfort features. In general, its interior is comfortable, the seats are soft with adjustable backrests and the ability to move into the aisle. As a child, I especially remember the sharp difference in height between the floor and the level of the seats in the cabin. Due to his age, he had to climb to his personal place, naturally, by the window, not without difficulty. A warm interior darkened by curtains with wide windows, chairs with adjustable backrests. Individual lighting and ventilation are located above each seat.
A pocket for newspapers and other amenities created a pleasant feeling of comfort. A passage with blue floor lighting. Entering the bus interior, the feeling was so pleasant: visibility, appearance, space, comfortable seats, well, what else did a Soviet person want then? I just wanted a pleasant comfortable travel, sit back in a soft chair, and enjoy the ride.
The 255 and 256 had tighter seating and more seating capacity than the 250. Under the ceiling, instead of ventilation and lighting, there were shelves for things. The Ikarus 256s were, of course, simpler than the 250s: devoid of frills, but retained the appearance of noble cars. Ikarus 255 was a workhorse, where the main thing is not appearance, but the result.
The door opened unusually (a childhood impression) - it moved to the side.
I also remember the folding seat of the second driver at the first door. How I wanted to sit on it during the trip!
What about the green anti-fog filters and the spotlight on the top of the bus!
A refrigerator was installed in the back of the bus. However, in most of the buses we operate, instead of such “excesses” there are 5 additional seats, although in the back of the bus it is very noisy and stuffy due to the operation of the engine.
And here is the refrigerator itself! Unfortunately, we couldn't find a better photo!
I was also impressed by the driver’s workplace as a child. This is a large steering wheel and an impressively sized gearshift lever!
Well, a couple more photos of these legendary buses!
Ikarus 250.59 One of the most popular buses in our country. Vehicles of this modification could have two automatic doors.
And here is such a nice little specimen in Evpatoria that took vacationers to a boarding house (old photo)
An advanced interior and soft seats for those times, a reliable suspension and a normal ventilation system - these are the factors that made it possible to travel long distances with relative comfort. And the Ikarus engines had the unique soothing timbre of the RABA-MAN engine. For its time, the car was magnificent. Despite the outdated design, non-compliance with environmental and safety standards, Ikarus 250 buses can still be found on Russian routes.
