Secrets of surviving on a bus. Tips for tourists. Bus tour. How to prepare for a long trip? What to take on a bus tour

Initial stage of preparation

When planning a trip by bus, find out what kind of transport will be provided by the carrier company. Ideally, these should be comfortable buses designed for long-term transportation and equipped with everything necessary for the comfort of passengers. If you get motion sickness, ask to be seated further away from the window and closer to the middle of the bus. On the site mega-motors.by you can see all the buses allowed for long-distance travel.

When packing your luggage, take into account the number of overnight trips and separately put the things you will need when spending the night in a transit hotel, so as not to take out the entire travel bag each time. In the cabin, put only the essentials for the trip: water, food for the first day, a special pillow, a blanket. It is not advisable to take carbonated drinks, juices and perishable foods on the road.

Don’t forget to wear comfortable clothes on the trip that won’t lose their appearance during a long journey, and shoes with flat soles, as you will have to walk a lot on excursions. It is also recommended to take a pair of cotton socks with you on board the bus to take off your shoes after long walks - this will help relieve tired feet.

Be sure to get some air during sanitary stops - walk around, stretch, drink tea or coffee.

It should also be noted that long bus journeys can be very difficult for people over 70 years old, taller than 190 cm, under 5 years old and with a large body weight.

Luggage packing

Rent a tourist bus in Minsk will make your trip memorable and filled with impressions. But a lot will also depend on your preparation for the trip. When packing for a trip, don’t take extra things with you - now you can buy everything everywhere.

In addition to water and food, a special pillow, a blanket, don’t forget wet wipes, disposable handkerchiefs and medications (for indigestion, headaches, motion sickness, antipyretics, painkillers, antiseptics for sore throats and drops for the runny nose). Don't forget sunscreen, hats, umbrellas, windbreakers - no one is immune from weather surprises.

The mega-motors.by website will provide you with information about the size of the luggage compartment on the bus and the seating chart for passengers.

And, of course, don’t forget documents and money, which should be put in a safe place and not advertised in front of large crowds of people, and also not left on the bus during sanitary stops.

Every time, getting ready for a trip, many, willy-nilly, experience a kind of jitters. Especially if it’s coming and you’re going there for the first time. It seems like you calmly put things away, made a list, took care of every little detail, but you still can’t shake the feeling that you forgot something. There is even such a funny saying: every trip begins with the phrase “ well, what have we forgotten».
No panic! Calm down, sit down and think - what to take with you on a bus tour, based on our understanding of the upcoming event.

Cloth

Clothing on a bus tour should be comfortable, preferably wrinkle-resistant. The ideal option is good old jeans. A few T-shirts are a must. Warm sweater or a sweater won't hurt us either. A light jacket, ideally with a hood, may also come in handy. Even if we go traveling in the summer, it can be quite cool at night.
By the way, about the night. If you are traveling without your family, you should not hope that you will be given a separate suite where you can walk around in a negligee. Even if it is not a budget hostel with a room for a dozen people, most likely they will be accommodated in a double or triple room. Therefore, you need to remember to put on pajamas or at least a long T-shirt, in which you can appear in front of your roommates without a twinge of conscience.

Don't be lazy to quit several pairs of socks. If your feet get cold or chafed, they will help you out a lot. You can take one thing, as we say, on your way out - perhaps you will have the opportunity to visit a decent restaurant, or maybe if you were alone, a romantic evening will take place, who knows. Despite the tediousness of the road and the rich excursion program, most European cities evoke a special romantic mood. So, on a bus tour you need to be prepared for anything. The main thing is that this thing does not take up much space.

Shoes

Can you imagine yourself wearing 10 centimeter heels, sitting in a bus seat for 8-10 hours? And then, in heels, get to know the city of your dreams while walking at a fairly fast pace, and even along the cobblestones of ancient streets...
That’s right, you shouldn’t imagine or make such fatal mistakes. Only flat shoes, only worn and tested and, of course, comfortable.
Plus, certainly in two copies. You should not rely on the excellent quality of expensive moccasins and your own ability to wear shoes carefully. It’s better to have a spare pair that doesn’t come in handy than for an unexpectedly torn sole or broken zipper to ruin your mood for the rest of your trip. Of course, we are not going to a desert island, and we can pop into the store for an emergency purchase. But the amount of unforeseen expenses could have been spent on something more pleasant and enjoyable.

A couple won't hurt on the bus tour either. slippers, maybe even rubber ones. They won’t take up much space, but they will be useful on the bus and in the hotel. Spending the entire trip, if it is planned for a cool season, in sneakers or boots is not pleasant. Your feet will be uncomfortable and stuffy, swelling and a specific smell from staying in shoes for many hours cannot be avoided. Even in winter, the bus will be warm enough to create a comfortable environment for your feet in comfortable slippers.
Now about the hotel. The fact that you should take off your shoes when entering a room where you will live and spend the night, even for a short period of time, is unnecessary to explain. But even if you are quite happy with the prospect of running around the room in socks, there is one more important nuance. The fact is that showers may turn out to be shared, but to tell you a secret, this happens quite often. Spanking barefoot in public places, you see, is not very pleasant, and most importantly, unsafe.

Bags

You need two bags. One large one, where all the main luggage will be stored. This bag will be located in the luggage compartment of the bus.

Be sure to take it to the salon hand luggage– this handbag should be comfortable and compact. In it you will add:
— personal hygiene products (at a minimum, only the essentials, a chest of cosmetics, if you can’t live a day without it, you can pack it in your main luggage), wet alcohol wipes;
— a minimal first aid kit (a classic set for standard ailments: motion sickness, head, stomach, calluses, cuts, etc., and individual ones, if any);
— a book/magazine/press (or other means of passing time usefully);
— an umbrella, if required by the weather;
— phone, charger, headset;
— a camera, if you don’t have it in your phone (it also comes with a charger and/or several sets of batteries);
— tasty snacks (no perishable foods (!), ideal set: still water, unsweetened soda, mints, dry cookies).

If you have a small travel hairdryer, that won't hurt either. You can’t count on a 5-star hotel, and in a cheap hotel the hairdryer may be broken or absent altogether.

There are still some important things that will be useful to you. For example, blanket, pillow and bottle of water. The purpose of the first ones is clear, even if your bus tour does not include night transfers, they will not be superfluous. As a pillow, you can use special ones - inflatable travel ones; they take up minimal space, often in the form of a “horseshoe” for convenient support of the head.
Water, of course, is also used to quench thirst, but a bottle can be placed under the sacral spine if congestion occurs in the back - in other words, if discomfort begins to bother you from sitting for a long time.

And the most important thing is, of course, money. It is advisable to always have some, albeit small, amount of cash. It would be good if you had the currency of all the countries you are passing through, including small bills, because you will need to give tips and buy souvenirs. But first of all - the currency of the country where you will spend most of the tour (for Europe this is, of course, the euro). Let large sums remain on the card.

Getting on the bus, before the long-awaited departure, make sure that your seat reclines and nothing is broken. If problems arise, it is better to solve them immediately. Is your immune system not making you happy? In this case, position yourself away from the air conditioner or sunroof. If your accommodation is limited by the seat number, do not be discouraged, there will always be kind-hearted passengers who are ready to change.

Be sure to listen carefully to all organizational aspects of your trip. They will explain to you in detail how the border crossing will take place or what to do if you fall behind the group. But the main rule is to always have with you the phone numbers of your guides and the exact addresses of the hotels where you are staying along the route.

In general, be prepared for anything, and most importantly, to receive new wonderful impressions and emotions, which, without any doubt, your first one will certainly give successful bus tour in Europe.

29 January 2019, 13:56

How to prepare for a bus tour? What to take with you, besides documents? How much clothing do you need, what kind of food should you take, where should you put everything? PROTourism has collected all the most important things you will need on such a trip.

Let's imagine: you will spend many hours in transport, among other people, change several hotels, walk a lot and get impressions. This means that your luggage should be comfortable, safe and not too tiring.

So that everything fits

Probably the first question when packing for a bus tour is: what size bag should I take? But we advise you to take not one bag, but three! And here's why. One bag – the largest – will go in the luggage compartment. It should contain things you will need at the hotel or during an overnight move. Despite the fact that most of the time it will be carried by a bus, it should not be bulky - after all, you will also have to carry it, and up stairs.

The second bag will be located next to you on the bus. There should be spare clothes, snacks, medicines, napkins, a book, etc. And with the third bag - it will probably be a light backpack - you will walk around the city.

For comfort on the bus

In order for the road to pass unnoticed, you need to sleep during long journeys, especially at night. To make yourself as comfortable as possible, grab a thin blanket - it will make you cozier and warmer. Many people use bolster pillows and eye masks - these things are worth trying at home and taking with you if you really feel more comfortable with them. To prevent your feet from getting tired, you will have to take off your shoes on the bus. Instead of outdoor shoes, bring several pairs of socks and slippers to keep warm or walk around the cabin if necessary.

For cleanliness

Even if you have a bathroom every morning, take a bar of soap in a soap dish and a small towel. Toothpaste and brush should also be on hand. You also need wet wipes (larger ones) and antibacterial gel. Also, just in case, bring a couple of garbage bags.

Clothes and shoes

Perhaps, as part of your bus tour, a trip to the theater or some kind of celebration is planned? Only in this case is it worth taking evening clothes and weekend shoes. The rest of the time you should be comfortable - not hot, not cold and not cramped. Give yourself the opportunity to put on several layers of clothing: a T-shirt, a thin sweater, and a warm sweater and/or jacket on top. Depending on the weather and temperature on the bus, all this can be combined. Soft trousers will come in handy for relaxing on the bus or in a hotel.

To have a snack

Some people on the road cannot look at food, while others want to chew endlessly. In both cases, the stomach must be helped.

What you should not take: fish, chicken, eggs, pies and other food with a strong smell, from which even the air conditioner will not save your neighbors in the confined space of the bus. There are other reasons: animal products are sometimes not allowed to cross the border.

What you can take: yogurt, kefir and other fermented milk products in convenient packaging, porridge in bags, raw smoked sausage, which does not spoil for a long time without refrigeration.

What you need to take: bread, nuts, fruits, chocolate, candies (these supplies must be replenished as you move along the route). Be sure to take water, then buy more (it will be more convenient not with a liter bottle, but with two half-liter bottles). If you like tea and coffee, try to find out in advance whether you can brew a bag on the bus. On some routes this is not permitted due to safety reasons. Then take a thermos - you can fill it in hotels. Don't forget a knife and a light mug (it's good if it has a tight lid).

So as not to get bored

Doctors do not recommend reading on public transport – but how else can you while away the long journey? You can download a couple of audiobooks - when you listen to them simultaneously with another activity, the thread of the story is lost every now and then, but here is such an opportunity to immerse yourself in the work! The same can be said about music, crafts and cinema. And a collection of crossword puzzles, and a thicker one!

To walk

Rely on a guide, but don’t make a mistake yourself! We hope you don't get lost, but you will certainly have free time to walk around the city. In both cases, maps, guidebooks and phrase books will come in handy. Decide which is more convenient for you - electronic or paper. You may need useful apps for tourists.

Find out in advance all telephone numbers that may be needed in an emergency, including the local police and the Russian consulate if you are traveling abroad.

Two more important points - a camera and... vigilance. Watch your things and wallet, tourists are easy money for scammers!

For comfort in the hotel

A hairdryer and an iron are individual things. It’s hard to carry, but if you can’t live without them, and the hotels on your way have few stars, it’s better not to hope that you’ll find everything upon arrival, but to take the equipment with you.

A boiler - in case there is no electric kettle in the room, and you want to drink tea or make soup from a bag.

Adapter for sockets - if where you are going, the sockets are different from Russian ones.

To spend

You will need money for food, shopping, souvenirs, additional excursions and tickets. The approximate amount for a cultural program can be found out in advance from the travel agency, and then it must be multiplied by 1.5. To this add some money for unforeseen expenses and as an emergency reserve - “just in case.”

Currency must be changed before departure. You will need petty cash in small towns where cards are not accepted everywhere. Read more about bank cards abroad.

To avoid getting sick

If you have chronic diseases, take medications in reserve. This is especially true for bus tours in Europe, because it will be difficult to buy drugs abroad without a prescription. What else should be in the first aid kit?

• remedies for poisoning and diarrhea, as well as for facilitating digestion;
• antipyretic and analgesic;
• motion sickness remedy;
• medicine for allergies (even if you have never had one);
• cough and runny nose medications;
• callus patch.

The rest is based on your personal characteristics.

For contact

Everyone knows that the phone, camera and other useful electronics run out of charge at the most inopportune moment, so you need to take spare batteries and external batteries on a bus tour. Also prepare for roaming: in Russia it is disabled, but for traveling abroad you need to select a suitable tariff in advance. And put enough money into the account so as not to go into the red before returning home.

The most important

So, you were far-sighted and uncompromising, you emptied your bags twice and are now ready to go on a bus tour light, but fully armed. All that remains is to take the most important thing on such a trip: a good mood and anticipation of adventure!

Long bus journeys, and we are referring specifically to them in this article, have some nuances, neglect of which leads to very negative consequences. Unhappy travelers arrive at their destination tired, sleep-deprived, with stiff legs and crooked necks. They remember the night on the bus as their worst nightmare and vow never to use this type of transport again. And it’s completely in vain, because ensuring yourself comfort and safety on a trip is not at all difficult.

Safety

1. Evaluate the route

Try in any way to find out about the route you are going to take. If buses regularly crash into the abyss, robberies or other accidents occur along the route, then perhaps you should change the route to a safer one, or at least choose a daytime route.

2. Choose first class

In many countries, several transport companies operate on the same route, and their prices can vary significantly. How are savings achieved? Maybe due to the bald tires, lack of air conditioning and the presence of only one driver who will drive you all night without shifting? Or maybe your bus will stop in every village and pick up everyone who wants it, so that there will be some people constantly jostling around? In any case, you need to think about whether saving a few dollars is worth your peace of mind and safety.

3. Luggage

Before boarding the bus, put all your valuables in a small bag or backpack and do not part with it for a minute. Take it with you at bus stops. While moving, it is better to hold it on your lap or, if it is in the way, put it on the floor and step on the belt with your foot. In this case, even during your sleep, nothing will happen to it.

4. At the bus stop

If you want to get out and warm up, be sure to check with the driver about the duration of the stop. Remember the bus number and where it stops. It is better not to go too far from a bus station or stop if you do not want to get acquainted with the criminal life of this locality, which in such places is usually especially lively.

Comfort

1. Choosing a location

Not all seats on the bus are the same. From a safety point of view, it is always better to choose seats in the middle, since according to statistics from insurance companies, most problems occur in a frontal collision or rear impact.

In terms of comfort, there are many more factors to consider.

• Near a window or aisle? Many people choose a seat near the window for the beautiful views. In addition, the surface of the window gives you the opportunity to lay your head on it and sleep. However, at night you still can’t see any beauty, and after half an hour your curved neck begins to go numb, so all the advantages of a window seat may turn out to be insignificant. But near the aisle you will have more space and will even be able to stretch your legs.
• Front or back? Remember that in the rear seats you cannot recline the backrest and there is more vibration there. If you sit in front, you will have to squint all the way from the headlights of oncoming cars and contemplate all the bends of the road surface. Also a pleasure for everyone.
• Near a man or a woman? If there are no numbered seats on the bus and you can choose where to sit, then first of all evaluate the general adequacy of the fellow traveler, and then his size. Sitting all night next to a body that has spread across one and a half seats can only be wished on the enemy. And gender is a matter of taste. :)

2. Light and sound insulation

The first time you ride the bus, you look at all these people who took earplugs and a sleep mask with them with surprise: “Here you go, sissies!” But then you quickly begin to envy them and reproach yourself for your lack of foresight. Don't repeat this mistake. It is difficult to sleep on a bus at night, and without these cheap devices it is almost impossible.

3. Blanket and pillow

Yes, of course, we are not talking about those familiar objects that we use at home. As a pillow, it is better to take a special inflatable donut that supports the head and neck in an optimal position. This is a brilliant invention of mankind, which your crumpled jacket or bag will never compare with.

As for the blanket, you should take a light blanket or a long jacket on the bus that you can throw over yourself. Sometimes the temperature difference along the route can reach several tens of degrees (especially if the bus passes through mountainous areas), so if you do not want to shake half the night from the cold, then you should take this circumstance into account.

4. Drinking and toilet

What kind of comfort can we talk about on a trip if you are thirsty? Even more painful moments come when you realize that you want to go to the toilet, but have to drive and drive to the nearest stop. Dealing with these two types of discomfort is very simple.

• First, always take a bottle of water with you on the bus. Even if it should be there, take it anyway.
• And second: at every stop, think about visiting the toilet. Don’t pay attention to your laziness and all these “I don’t think I want to” and “it’s bearable for now.” At the same time you will warm up.

What to take with you

Traveling by bus is not a space flight, but you need to prepare for it no less carefully. While you're on the move, you'll be sealed into a fairly small space in your seat, so it's worth making sure you have everything you need at hand in advance. Here's a short list to guide you.

1. A small handbag or body wallet with the most valuable things. Documents, money, tickets, cards, smartphone and so on.
2. A backpack or bag with things you might need.
3. Sleeping items: earplugs, light-protective mask, blanket or jacket, inflatable pillow.
4. Entertainment: smartphone, book, player, tablet.
5. Medicines that may be useful to you for motion sickness, poisoning, or that are prescribed to you by your doctor.
6. Water and, if necessary, a small snack: nuts, energy bars, candy.
7. Toilet paper!

Very often, when people hear the phrase “bus tours,” they make disappointed faces. Like, I can’t get a good night’s sleep, I can’t see the country, I just run and catch a glimpse of everything. In fact, unrealistically cheap tours “all over Europe” for 100-200 dollars with disgusting organization and the same service are a thing of the distant past. Current bus tours are designed for the middle class in terms of cost and quality of service for travelers. They no longer try to take travelers through all European countries in five days. Various thematic programs are drawn up for 2-3 countries, visits to the most famous museums, parks and other attractions are planned in advance. Tourists are accommodated in 2-3* hotels for two people. It is also possible to take a single room. In short, the level of comfort has increased significantly. Serious travel agencies try to fulfill all the wishes of their clients and organize the most interesting trip. Tourists are only required to properly prepare for the trip and follow a few simple rules during the trip. Then everyone is guaranteed a good mood. First of all, you need to get ready properly.

So, on the road you will need:

• Comfortable shoes, preferably several pairs for different weather conditions, as well as slippers for the shower and bus.
• Wrinkle-resistant clothing made from natural fabrics. You should not take evening dresses and high-heeled shoes with you, even if you plan to visit theaters and music halls. An elegant jacket, light blouse and trousers will look much more organic on a traveler than a rumpled dress with a train just out of a suitcase. And it's much more convenient.
• Warm clothes, even if you go on tour in the summer. In Europe, the weather can change significantly.
• Toiletries. Many hotels may not have shampoo or towels.
• Water and other drinks, especially if traveling in summer. The coffee maker on the bus has a capacity of about 5 liters, that is, half a glass per person. This is clearly not enough, and at the bus stop it is not always possible to purchase anything. If you load a package of mineral water into the trunk of a bus, many problems can be avoided.
• It is better to take coffee and tea in bags, and refined sugar.
• Light snacks, such as chips and crackers, and instant food. You should not take perishable products. They are confiscated upon entry into the European Union.
• Fruit candies, peeled nuts and dried fruits will help pass the time, but chocolate candies, on the contrary, should be abandoned. Cookies, crackers and pastries should be purchased that are least crumbly and brittle when consumed. It is advisable to buy sausage and other smoked meats in the form of slices and certainly in vacuum packaging, since tourist buses do not provide refrigerators. Fans of cheeses and sausages with a strong specific odor should avoid these products while traveling.
• It is advisable to take with you disposable tableware, unbreakable cups, a couple of packs of wet alcohol wipes
• An individual first aid kit, which must contain a remedy for motion sickness. Usually this medicine is taken not during the trip, but twenty to thirty minutes before the departure of the tourist bus or a few kilometers before the start of the mountain serpentine.
• An inflatable pillow and blanket for the bus, especially if you plan to travel at night.
• Boiler for the hotel.
• A small thermos that maintains water temperature for a long time.
• Money, of course, is in foreign currency. Do not take bank cards, and if you do, under no circumstances insert them into ATMs. It is better to purchase in advance the currency of the country in whose territory you will be spending most of the excursion for a long time. Even in large foreign cities, finding an exchanger in the evening becomes a serious problem, but in small cities it is almost insoluble.
• It’s more convenient if the suitcase has wheels, although you still won’t have to carry your luggage and things far. It is advisable to have a separate bag that will accompany the tourist on excursions and trips to the city.

It is better to book tickets for a bus tour long before the trip, then you will be able to choose your seats.

As a rule, the travel agency provides some information about your fellow travelers. In any case, if a youth group is traveling with you, you must be notified about this. It is your right to refuse such a neighborhood and reschedule your trip. Be prepared for a lot of children traveling during the holidays. They are always more fun, but many people find it annoying. If you are traveling alone, the travel agency will select a travel companion for you according to your wishes. You can do this yourself.

Many travelers are surprised that the guide strongly does not recommend using a dry toilet on the road. The question is, why was it installed then? For emergencies. Dry toilets are designed for 40 visits, after which they must be serviced. It is not always possible to do this during a tour. Therefore, it is better to use a dry closet as a locker room, and to satisfy other needs, sanitary stops are made every two to three hours.

On the road, guides often entertain tourists by showing documentaries and feature films. Sometimes these are virtual tours around the country, stories about attractions as part of consolidating what has been covered or, conversely, to whet the appetite. Sometimes they just show good movies. If you are picky about movies, take your player with you.

While traveling you will often have to cross the border. Do not forget that you cannot use a camera or video camera in the border area. The travel agency takes care of obtaining visas.

The most common complaint from tourists when traveling is the lack of time for sightseeing. The guide, as a rule, has nothing to do with it. Tourists usually do not have enough free time to visit unplanned sites and shopping. To avoid incidents, prepare for the trip in advance. Through the Internet, learn as much as possible about a particular city, create your own program. In any case, the guide will give each tourist his phone number in case anyone gets lost.

As a general rule, those who are 20 minutes late for departure dance on the bus, and those who are 40 minutes late dance behind it. If you are delayed for 40 minutes or more, you will have to catch up with the group.

The main advice for the bus journey is to maintain a positive attitude! After all, if you follow these simple rules, the trip will be easy and pleasant, and the memories will be bright.

If you have chosen a bus tour, this means that you are not afraid of the length of travel and the monotonous change of scenery outside the window. And that you are ready to put up with the need to live for three or more days according to a single schedule for the entire excursion group, taking into account collective preferences, as well as the weaknesses and shortcomings of your fellow travelers... In general, you are easy-going, forgiving and patient, you know how to Seeing something interesting in the most ordinary things and value the opportunity to satisfy your curiosity above comfort.

These are the qualities that will be useful to you on your journey. No relaxation from the very beginning!

At the border crossing, you may be delayed for several hours and will not have the opportunity to have breakfast for a long time. For this occasion, save some chocolate with nuts.

About 15-20 minutes after passing the border, the bus will stop so that you can wash, have breakfast, buy something for the trip, and exchange money for local currency.

Take advantage of the services offered. Don't be fooled by the fact that the bus is equipped with a water boiler and a toilet. Many drivers do not like to boil water often and in large quantities for tourists (your entire supply of packet soups may not be in demand!), and they are only allowed into the coveted cabin to change clothes or... as a last resort.

You will definitely need zlotys exchanged at the Polish border, or rather pennies, including on the way back, because in Poland, the first (and final) European country on your route, there are no free toilets, and they don’t charge euros or cents for this service . By the way, try to understand the conversion systems for all the currencies you need along the way before your trip. Otherwise, due to inexperience, you risk purchasing from a cunning seller for four euros a bottle of water, which costs only two throughout Europe!
Think carefully in advance about what items you will put in the luggage compartment and what you will take with you on the bus. During the journey, the weather can change significantly. Asking the driver to open the trunk and look for your suitcase... It’s troublesome, and there’s no time.
In summer it is good to take a light plastic raincoat.
More or less warm clothes are necessary for boat trips along rivers and canals, which feel cool even on a hot day. They are also needed when climbing the Eiffel Tower in Paris: there, at the height, there is always wind, and in the evenings it is simply cold.

There are stops along the way for various purposes - photography, short walks, buying souvenirs, etc. Try to stay within the time allotted for each stop. The point is not even that by constantly being late you can incur the dislike of your fellow travelers. In Europe, the schedule of each tourist bus is monitored by special devices. Safety rules require that it sit for at least nine consecutive hours every day. Drivers cannot violate this order or make up for time lost due to disorganized tourists by speeding - both of which are fraught with heavy fines. This means: the more time you lose on the way, the later you arrive at the hotel for the night and the later you go on excursions in the morning (some of them may fail).

Thanks to bus tours, you can visit different cities and countries in a short time and minimal money and get a lot of impressions.
Cheap and cheerful? The point of bus travel is precisely the rich “excursion” experience. At the very beginning of the journey, the guide accompanying the group gives all the information about the history and culture of the countries where the route will pass.

Bus tours have one more trump card, and an indisputable one - affordable prices. Combined tours are more expensive. This is when you need to get to the border, for example to Brest (or even better to Warsaw, Berlin, Vienna - then there will be no need to cross the border by bus, which will save a lot of time), you need to take a train, and then transfer to a bus. Such a trip will cost approximately 500 euros per person. More expensive, of course, than a bus “in its pure form”. However, compared to a traditional “non-bus” tour, this is just pennies. Sometimes a bus tour is combined with an air flight: you get from point A to point B by plane, and in the destination country you travel by bus. This type of voyage is the most comfortable: less time is spent on the road, more time is left for the excursion program. But the price increases in proportion to the cost of the air ticket.

"AWOL" is canceled

The main argument of opponents of bus tours is the lack of comfort. Of course, sitting on a bus for hours is still a pleasure. Even if the bus is modern, equipped with air conditioning, a TV, a VCR and other things that are nice to any traveler. However, this is still a means of transportation, not a motor home. Therefore, there is no point in complaining to the guide that your legs are numb, or thinking about a plan of revenge against the travel agency employees who sold the trip. You knew what you were getting into. If comfort comes first for you, choose an individual tour and vacation in a five-star hotel (but the price for such a vacation will be many times higher than for a bus tour). If you're ready to trade silk sheets for a bunch of new experiences, you belong in a bus seat.

You still need the right mindset for this kind of vacation. After all, whether you like it or not, you will have to learn to do everything according to a schedule. Even smoking and going to the toilet (there are “conveniences” on the bus, but they can only be used as a last resort). There are parking lots for this: the bus stops every three to four hours. Try to get everything done during this time. No one will take an unscheduled smoke break, even if you are dying without nicotine. Braking at every bush - too. You will also have to eat and drink collectively and also mainly while stopping at cafes at gas stations. Moreover, you can have a hearty lunch there for only 8-10 euros.

But we do not recommend showing independence by going “AWOL” during a layover - be it unscheduled sightseeing, visiting the most famous restaurant in the city, or something else. You will have free time for this. In the meantime, you are tied to the program, no forays outside of this very program! Otherwise, you may not make it in time for the bus to depart, and it will leave without you. You'll have to catch up with the group on your own. Some companies even stipulate in the contract that the bus waits for latecomers no more than 15 minutes.

A rigid attachment to the team is also fraught with the fact that you will have to get along with complete strangers. Meditate, look out the window, listen to a guide or read a book. Otherwise, everyday troubles and squabbles can ruin your entire vacation. True, most often the impressions of the group are just good, because most of the people who “sign up” for the bus tour are of approximately the same type. It is not surprising that many fellow travelers become like-minded people with whom you later become friends in everyday life.

How to make the most of your time on the road?

Bus tours around Europe year after year are becoming more and more popular and accessible to most Russian tourists. Bus tours provide an opportunity to see the world of Western Europe from the bus window, but also to attend various kinds of excursions and entertainment events.

As a rule, in the first days of traveling on a tourist bus, tourists rarely take their eyes off the window. Behind the glass floats delightful landscapes of pristine nature and trees and shrubs growing along the side of the highway, especially a few kilometers from city life. In the following days, local landscapes begin to be perceived as monotonous and boring.
Many travelers find a distraction or interesting activity during the long and, at the same time, tedious journey of a sightseeing bus along the intended route, getting maximum pleasure from the chosen tour.

It would be a sin to take a sweet nap after eating, leaning on the back of a bus seat, or to study your favorite work of art or magazine during a long journey. These kinds of things can be done at home. After all, most tourists throughout the year collect money for a long-awaited vacation, sometimes denying themselves various kinds of entertainment activities, the need to change the interior of their apartment or purchase new household appliances, only in order to find a way to kill precious time, reading their favorite work, mastering which did not work out during working days.

It is advisable to take a digital camera or video camera on the road to brighten up a long trip. This technique allows you to photograph everything, and most importantly, magnificent landscapes that are not obscured by trees and bushes growing along the side of the road. And, when you arrive home, you can remove everything unnecessary by installing it. After a couple of months or years, it will be pleasant to remember this amazing trip, watching your own amateur family video about the selected bus tour on TV or a personal computer.

How to choose a bus tour?

Don’t be lazy, call several travel companies, find out the prices for a particular tour. This is the number you start from. Too low a price should alert you. Remember, cheap cheese only comes in a mousetrap!

You shouldn’t take a two-week tour right away. It’s better to go to Finland, Sweden or one of the Baltic countries to “get some air” for 3-4 days. Liked? Next time you can go on a longer voyage.

At the moment, there are two main types of bus tours. The first option involves travelers spending the night directly on the bus. This most extreme and cheapest option is suitable for those people who are ready to sleep sitting up, do without water procedures for several days in the summer heat, without being able to have privacy in order to get themselves in order.

The second version of the bus tour is designed for those tourists who are used to relaxing with certain amenities. Travelers spend the night in comfortable hotels, in cabins on ferries or in campsites.

Before purchasing a bus tour, you should pay attention to the condition of the vehicle. Most branded tourist buses are equipped with air conditioning, a toilet, a boiler or kitchenette, a TV, and have seats with an adjustable backrest and headrest.

Some travel agencies actively practice pre-assigning seats on the bus to tourists. Often there is a relatively small surcharge for more comfortable seats. Due to the lack of reservation of specific seats on the bus, disputes may arise between travelers, which can easily ruin the entire long-awaited vacation. The only correct decision in controversial situations is drawing lots before landing. In this case, there is no mutual resentment between tourists, but there is a possibility of getting places that are completely different from what each of the vacationers expects.

As a rule, when drawing up a travel schedule, possible traffic jams, difficult weather conditions and delays at border crossings are taken into account, so when traveling by bus, the exact time of arrival at hotels and excursion sites is quite difficult to determine. The contract must stipulate a clause according to which, after the appointed time, late tourists will be waited for no more than fifteen minutes. Those who do not meet this deadline will have to catch up with the excursion group on their own for a relatively “tidy” sum. Most travel companies adhere to this unwritten rule.

It is definitely recommended to write down the mobile phone number of the guide-translator accompanying the group. After all, in an unfamiliar place you can easily get lost or for other reasons be late for the appointed time to board the bus. In such cases, a guide-translator by phone will help you get your bearings and tell you how best to get to the landing site or where the tourist bus that will pick up the latecomer will stop.

A tourist’s budget is purely individual, but certain subtleties will have to be taken into account when planning it.
As a rule, the cost of a bus tour includes only breakfast in hotels, and less often, dinner. But you will have to dine at your own expense. With normal nutrition, rarely does anyone manage to meet fifty to seventy euros per day. It is advisable to provide money for purchasing tickets to various museums and excursions, visits to which are not included in the price of the tour. Often such excursions are much more interesting than those paid in advance.

Who is contraindicated for bus tours?

Traveling by car is not even considered as a full-fledged tour. After all, it’s quite difficult to call a working driver a tourist - you can’t really look around - you have to constantly watch the road, and the whole of Europe will float past the window completely unnoticed, which is why the car option is excluded.

Bus tours are absolutely contraindicated for those who consider walking in three stops a marathon distance, and the longest walk you have done in your life is the road from the entrance to the tram. A bus tour assumes the presence of a certain group of people and the principle of the primacy of the guide. If the option of unity of command over you is unacceptable to you, then the bus tour is not the event for you! If you do not accept other options for maintaining a clean body other than a daily shower or bath, then on a bus tour your normal cleanliness will obviously be disrupted, so think carefully about the possibility of this type of travel. If it is very difficult for you to limit your physiological needs from parking lot to parking lot, traveling on our buses is directly contraindicated for you.

The ideal tourist on a bus tour is considered to be a sporty person for whom orienteering and race walking are his favorite sports, and you perceive shoes as your second skin. If you are sociable, like to tell different stories in company, if you have a well-developed healthy herd feeling, if for educational purposes you are ready to go to the red light district, to the Louvre, to the zoo, then circumstances require this. If you are very tolerant towards random fellow travelers and do not deny them their small rights, for example, such as any weaknesses such as excessive talkativeness, loud snoring or increased mobility. If your signature trick is to sleep in a sitting position, being well practiced, at work, at home, or on public transport. If you are not too sensitive to odors, including the smell of sweat and unwashed human body. If shopping doesn't mean anything to you, and retail outlets are just a place to buy souvenirs. If you, as a historical figure, are able to accept your guide for the entire duration of the trip, it will greatly determine what memories you will have after the trip. If you want to see for yourself that traffic cops in Poland are even meaner than in Russia, and the roads are smooth but narrow. That there are no bars on the windows of houses in this country, and that the Berlin Zoo is home to amazing fauna, that our girls are a thousand times more beautiful than the Frau of Berlin. if you want to see for yourself the height of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and what Parisian women wear on their bodies (to be honest, it’s such “suck” that our women wouldn’t even wear it in private). What are good and different from our food are croissants and French rolls? If you want to look at the real Gioconda with your own eyes, and feel the transport problems in the center of Paris in your own skin, so to speak.

You will find out during your trip that the bicycle is the main form of transport in Amsterdam, and their houses are located right on the water, that hemp is grown there, if desired, and six acres are considered a fortune. The workers of the “red light district” are united in a union, and all their clients are given checks, if desired. This job, by the way, is no less prestigious than our profession of a doctor or teacher. And Dutch herring has a completely different taste in Amsterdam than in Moscow or Sakhalin. Russians in all countries are treated with respect and sincere interest.

Of the practical tips, you are probably most interested in those that can tell you how to live abroad with a minimum of money. You can live normally abroad with fifty euros a day for expenses. This will allow you not only to eat more or less normally, but also to make the most of the cultural program, buy souvenirs and even try local exotic cuisine. Don't forget that after four or five excursions, at the end of the day there is no energy left for anything. And if you want to make an evening outing to the nearest bar with a bottle of Bordeaux, or even just walk around the city for a couple of hours, think about giving up something from the daily program. All your clothes should consist of the necessary minimum of the most wearable things, without much hope of being washed - anyway, they will not have time to dry in road conditions. Particular attention should be paid to shoes. Unworn, completely new shoes are not accepted on the road, as well as high-heeled shoes, in which you will often have to walk on the most unusual road surfaces, including cobblestone streets, where they are very dangerous. The more comfortable your shoes, the more enjoyable the excursions will be. Do not overload your own luggage, limit it to ONE piece - this will be much more convenient during transfers and stops. And happy journey to you!