New Pope gets on board

Just hours after being elected as the leader of the world's 1.2bn Catholics, Pope Francis jumped on a bus with other cardinals instead of the usual papal limousine to 'help set a good example of what priests and bishops should do'.

15 March 2013 - Newly elected leader of the world's estimated 1.2 billion Roman Catholics, Pope Francis surprised Vatican watchers when he decided to ride on a coach with cardinals when leaving the Sistine Chapel.

In one photo, the Pope is pictured smiling, seeming to enjoy the ride. As archbishop of Buenos Aires, Argentina, he was frequently seen riding on transit buses and taking the regional subway system to visit Catholic parishes and attend meetings.

The Pope's high-profile trip on a coach once again shows the benefits of bus travel. The Union of Concerned Scientists and other environmental groups say that coaches are the greenest form of transport. Each full coach has the potential of removing at least 30 cars from the road. In North America and Europe combined, coaches carry out an estimated 1000 billion passenger kilometres annually, second only to airlines.

Regarding the Pope's frugal and modest lifestyle, a Vatican spokesman commented, "He was concerned about giving a good example of what priests and bishops should do."

No wonder the Pope's image is now adorning bus tickets in Rome!

Discover more about Rome’s bus tickets