Number 1 guide: Travelling Europe by bus
The Paramount guide to traveling Europe by bus!
Europe is a relatively small continent compared to the United States so, in a world where sustainable travel has become the norm, why not skip the long airport waiting lines and travel Europe by bus?
Bus travel is by far the cheapest way to travel around in Europe. It beats the prices of low-cost airlines such as Ryanair and even train travel. In addition, it is surprisingly cheap!
Whether you want to go on a city trip in Europe and explore its culture, go on a hike in the outdoors, or just enjoy the scenery while traveling, traveling by bus is generally a very good option.
How easy is it to travel by bus across Europe?
How to travel Europe for free is a well-searched search term in Google. While traveling for free is, sadly, not easy.
Luckily, bus travel in Europe proves to be a very affordable option, as the prices are mostly lower and more fixed than those of flights.
Only when seats are getting limited on the last moment, prices may go up a little.
The bus network in Europe is quite extended and well-serviced. All capitals and a wide range of cities and towns are connected to each other on a regular schedule, which allows planning your trip through Europe easily.
In plenty of cases, it is also faster than flying. For instance, a bus trip from Amsterdam to Brussels takes about 2,5 hours and no check-in is required. You will have to order a ticket upfront in some cases, though.
Next, you just show up at the time of departure and hop on the bus. In comparison, flying takes only approximately half an hour of flight time, but would require showing up at the airport at least two hours in advance.
Benefits of traveling by bus in Europe
Several European bus companies are in fierce competition with each other, so as a passenger you can choose the lowest price, better comfort or a combination of both.
Traveling by bus is not only cheap, but a full bus is also the least polluting way of traveling.
You can read, watch a movie or just sleep on a night ride. Because yes, buses also run at night, unlike planes, whose night flights are prohibited. So you can save an expensive hotel night.
The reservation systems, the network, and the comfort are getting better and better. Reason enough to opt for bus travel in Europe!
To sum it all up:
● Cheaper prices
● Save accommodation costs with a night bus
● Least polluting way of traveling
● Easy reservation systems
Traveling by bus in Europe: with which operators?
There are several major bus companies in Europe that allow you to travel quickly and cheaply between European cities. Below you’ll find a short overview.
Eurolines
Eurolines is a group of independent bus providers sharing their services across Europe. At the moment they serve no less than 500 destinations in 29 countries. If you plan to travel long-distance, Eurolines is the way to go. They have comfortable seats and wifi and toilets onboard. Their prices allow for two medium-sized bags of luggage and one piece of hand luggage. Using Eurolines might well be the best way to travel Europe in a month.
Website: www.eurolines.de
FlixBus
FlixBus is one of the largest providers of intercity bus services in Germany but has expanded considerably in recent years to other countries in Europe. FlixBus also has buses running to and from the Netherlands, Belgium, Scandinavia, France, and Austria. A few years ago, the company started bus services to winter sports areas in Austria and Bavaria. Now they serve destinations all over Europe. It is now the biggest bus company in Europe since it has taken over Eurolines in 2019.
Website: www.flixbus.nl
BlaBlaBus
A smaller bus company is BlablaBus with which you can commute for low prices between Amsterdam and Rotterdam to Brussels, Lille, Paris, and London.
BlaBlaBus is a bus provider system owned by the carpool website and app BlaBlaCar. It is a French company but serves about 17 countries in Europe with a wide range of cities that are connected.
There is free WiFi on board the buses.
Website: https://www.blablacar.co.uk/bus
How to search for the best bus tickets in Europe?
It can seem to be a bit overwhelming to find your way in the different bus providers in Europe. Besides the international bus services, every country has a local one as well that brings you to even more locations.
Fortunately, there is a website (and app!) that gives you the best overview and allows you to book your tickets online immediately. Omio is a comparison website for all bus, train, and air travel in Europe. So you don´t only get an overview of the routes and schedules, but you will be guaranteed the best prices. A must-have app to have the cheapest way to travel europe with family within reach.
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