City to City on Coaches

Okay I gotta start talking about the trip sometime soon right? Yes  and so here we go.....

Due to it's more 'romantic' aspects, thank you so much " Before Sunset", most 'travelers' would prolly use the extensive and time-trusted trains by using Eurail Pass. If you are  25 or under it shouldn't be a problem, but if you are older then it is. The price difference is pretty stiff. For instance if we want to travel to five bordering countries (using the Global Select Pass) by train, the cheapest would cost you €399 (valid only for 5 days of travelling up to 2 months), if you use bus instead it would only cost you half the price (depending on the season). Since I was travelling in Mid- Season using the Euroline Pass cost me €235 (for adult, valid for 15 days and you have to pay another € 5 for booking or administration or something, so it's € 240).

However, there's a downside, oh yes there's always a downside isn't it? Firstly, the buses, depending on the arrival and departure cities, ARE NOT scheduled to travel everyday. So you have to plan your itinerary according to the timetable. The seats may also come as a problem, so don't expect too much comfort, the leg-space were uuuummmm modest. Indonesian business and executive AKAP (inter city - province crossing) buses have way better seatings. Which makes me wonder how those tall Europeans could fit into such tiny spaces. If you are lucky, sometimes you'd find your self seated in roomy and soft faux-leather seat, with nobody else around, and even manage to have a free wi-fi connection on the go. You see they have a range of buses depending on the local bus company they're working with or something, their arrangements are still pretty hazy to me, so longer travel time doesn't really mean comfier seats. 

I have no problem with the seating at all nor the nonstop babbles of fellow passengers, since I'm pretty much get used to long travels and love the idea of being on the road,  so much that I actually sleep better on a moving vehicle, but it took my sister awhile to get used to. Avoid: Complaining, it would only make it worse. Cheap-travels and luxury never go hand-in-hand. Solution: Bring a cushion, it will make your journey much more comfortable and no more ouch-my-back-moanings. Result: My sister bought a plushie/pillowy owl on Belgium and she claimed that her 3 hours journey from Amsterdam to Brussels was "walk slowly will you, my back hurts" while the 8 hours bus ride from Brussels to Vienna was "okay, I'm hungry, so hurry up"

The scenery? Mostly it was highways and more highways, you could see glimpses of the contour of the land as soon as you are exiting the highway. So you'd have try to stay awake two hours after your departure and do likewise before your arrival.

And another thing, using Euroline Pass means that you cannot travel back and forth on the same, so you have to keep moving forward (detouring to another destination more likely) before you touch home base and full-circling your travel.

Still it's the cheapest way to go around Europe. C H E A P E S T. 

No complaints here......