What to take on a bus tour. Bus Tour Tips

26.08.2023

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, since on excursions you will have to walk a lot. 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.

Who cares. Personally, I hate organized tours.

Disadvantages of organized tours:

often they include unnecessary sponsored excursions to a jewelry or fur coat store (came across it in Paris and Turkey);

you are partially dependent on the other tourists in your group (they need to pee, they need souvenirs, they have a crying baby on the bus);

tours usually have the most popular excursion spots that you've already paid for. And if you want to go to a non-tourist place, but you are going to Versailles by bus, you’d be sorry to refuse, you’ve already paid.

Advantages of organized tours:

you don’t have to think about anything: what to do with yourself, how to get to the museum, where to eat, what to see. True, it is not a fact that all places will be good.

usually it is cheaper due to travel agencies, hotels on the outskirts or those where travel agencies have special prices, sponsors, whose store they will take you to on an excursion, etc. Also bus tours, such as 7 countries in 5 days, are very cheap.

There are very cool tours that are not for everyone, but especially for you. For example, in Ukraine there are guys who take designers and architects on tours. They plan well and with them you can get, for example, into the workshops of famous architects, where you would never get to yourself. Or there are photo tours. In short, highly specialized tours that will interest you. Or very expensive and rare tours, such as a cruise near Antarctica.

That is, you can have fun on a tour if the planning makes you hysterical and if you don’t worry too much about what you’ll see on the trip. Paris and okay, it doesn’t matter what exactly you see (you will see 100% the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre). Or if you find a unique tour.

If independence and quality are still important to you, it is better to do everything yourself.

Pros of self-guided tours:

you do whatever you want - visit the places you want, plane or bus - you choose yourself, you choose the hotel yourself, everything is up to you.

websites for selecting tickets, hotels, restaurants, establishments and entertainment give complete freedom (tickets.ua, tripadviser.com, hotels.com, anywayanyday and other hundreds of sites).

a guidebook (book) often tells everything you need, and if you choose it wisely, you can do without a guide on a bus, as on an organized tour. The Internet, again, knows everything.

You can get to non-tourist places that you will learn about on some local website, and not to tourist consumer places, where the quality is designed so that you will never return, and others will come tomorrow.

many interesting routes are not the subject of organized tours. I wish we could see the Scottish northern castles, climb the highest point in Great Britain, and visit Glasgow, Edinburgh, Oberdeen, Inverness, Loch Ness, and the Isle of Skye in one organized tour. And on your own it is quite possible.

Disadvantages of self-guided tours:

you have to plan a lot and rely on yourself. Often this means buying museum tickets online, otherwise there will be a huge line waiting for you (Uffizi, Louvre);

you can end up in a bad hotel with bedbugs (Paris:)), travel agencies usually choose proven hotels, because of reputation and all that matters;

Some places can only be accessed with a group, or it is easier to access with a group or an organized tour (in some collections, group-only excursions, cruises, etc. are most often an organized tour).

It’s a little more difficult to find a guide. I don’t know, somehow we have never had the practice of ordering a city guide from the Internet without recommendations. It’s always either a blogger-tour guide, whom I read long before the trip (London, Stockholm), or on the recommendation of friends (Tallinn).

In short, it is usually easier and more pleasant to organize an independent trip to simple places (cities and countries in Europe and the USA). It’s easier and quieter to take a tour to exotic countries, as I understand it

It's not the same for everybody. Last year, my friend and I were looking for a place to relax, looking for options where we could surf (I’ve been dreaming of trying it for many years). The newbies themselves didn’t know how to do anything. First we wanted to get there ourselves, find board rentals and try it ourselves, but in the end we decided to choose a paid surf tour. And you know, we haven’t regretted it at all! We chose surfvan camp at our own risk - thank God. everything went very cool))))

Answer

It's better to travel on your own. Get out of your comfort zone, improve your languages, take local public transport, rent accommodation from locals, eat with locals, go where everyone else doesn’t, watch what group guides don’t show, find yourself in stories that will be interesting to tell. Take risks and discover new things. And you will be happy!

Independent travel is definitely better, and here's why:

Self-planning is the way to travel on any budget. No one in the chain between you and the computer has their own margin for food, flights, housing and all that.

Self-organization is zen. No one but you is responsible for mistakes, delays and failures. And since there is no point in blaming yourself, all you have to do is accept the universe with all its surprises.

Complete freedom of movement. Nowhere and never will you feel so many emotions as at a Bangkok station without boards and signs.

Go for it, friends.

1) If this is a European city, then, of course, travel on your own. Book a hotel on one of the many sites, upon arrival buy a “city name_card” (many European cities sell such cards for a period of one to 3 days, they usually give free travel on public transport and free or partially discounted passes to museums), until There is public transport in the suburbs, where you can take an audio guide, and if you arrive before the opening, you can walk through the attractions in front of all the tourist crowds. The good things about such a trip: you don’t depend on anyone, you walk wherever you want, eat wherever you want, you blend in with the city, and not with the guide’s herd. But for this: you need to plan in advance what you will visit tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, etc., not to spare your legs, because there is a lot of walking, it is advisable to know English.

2) If this is a trip around the country, then the question is the budget. Everyone writes about tours as huge buses filled with time-oblivious women, sober men and their screaming offspring (hello, typical Turkey). Of course, such a journey is comparable to a descent into Hell. Another case: a driver-guide in a good car for a small company or family (assuming that you don’t drive/are afraid of getting confused in maps/not being able to control the controls on unusual terrain/take a break from the wheel and calmly look out the window) - this, believe me, is very good and helps to get to know the country from the inside. However, this is a tour, not an independent trip.

3) There are concept tours, but that’s a completely different story.

4) Destination: the difference between East and West is great, if you are not going to experiment with yourself by placing yourself in the condition of a newly hatched chick, then it is better to use a tour operator.

Is it better water or beer?
It's the same here. You need to ask yourself several questions, in the spirit of “what do I want to get from the trip? What resources do I have (time, money, etc.)?”, and accordingly, based on the answers, it will be clear what is better in this case.

If you want to lie on the beach for a week in Turkey because your budget is limited, you’re too lazy to organize things, and besides, you don’t know languages and are afraid that they are needed (in fact, they are not) - then why not buy a tour.

But if you are interested in walking around Venice, then on the contrary - there is no point in contacting a company - you will overpay for the tour, and the hotel will most likely be offered who knows where.

Depends on what you want from this trip. I will write about excursion trips, since I am not a fan of beach holidays.

When buying a trip through a travel agency, you, of course, overpay, but you don’t bother with the route (you just pre-select from several presented), accommodation, excursions, guidebooks, and mode of transportation. Sometimes you don’t even bother with food. They simply pick you up at the airport, put you on a bus and take you to wherever they have planned. All you have to do is relax, listen to the guide's stories and buy souvenirs. And another bonus: groups often get into museums faster than individual visitors.

When you plan your trip yourself, you take care of it all. You need to dig through a lot of information about the city or country you are going to in order to find out where and why you should go there :) You buy air tickets, look for accommodation, find out how to get to this accommodation. If you plan to travel, you will also need to buy train/bus tickets. But there are some advantages here: you go wherever you want, you don’t have to listen to the rantings of the guides (if this depresses you) and make sure that you don’t fall behind the group; you are the king and god of your journey, everything completely depends on you; you can go to super-interesting, non-pop places; you lie down and get up whenever you feel comfortable. And it's also much cheaper!

Personally, I went on both tours and independent travel. I love both. Mostly I travel on my own, but when I have extra money and don’t have the strength to explore the country on my own (waiting to plan a trip in advance), but want to go on vacation, I go to a travel agency

For me, independent travel is preferable. Sometimes you start preparing six months in advance, and this is already a great pleasure. I buy a bunch of books, a map, watch historical films, read reviews of other travelers. Finding housing is a special pleasure. When traveling around Europe, we ignore hotels and book accommodation on airbnb.com. We always take country houses close to the area we want to explore. Having a good kitchen is so important! You can live in a real medieval house very inexpensively! But regarding the cost of independent travel, I do not agree with those who write that you can save money on this. Traveling in a rented car around Europe will still cost at least 2 times more than a package tour, although it is worth it.

There is no clear answer to this question. Depends on the direction and what you want.

Usually an organized tour, especially if it covers several countries or cities, allows you to free your head from organizational issues and put all your energy into perceiving and mastering what you see. For relative comfort and efficiency in terms of time, you pay here with standardization and a somewhat incubator approach.

Traveling on your own is more interesting because you can completely tailor it to your needs, interests, budget and pace of learning. However, this requires a lot of time, emotional and physical investment, which is rewarded with interesting discoveries and adventures.

Some companies offer a combination of these two approaches, and this is probably the most advantageous option. Last year I had the opportunity to go on a two-week trip to Vietnam with the world famous company Intrepid. We had basic things organized, such as travel between cities and overnight stays in hotels. Everything else was optional - additional excursions, entertainment, going out, dinners, and so on. And we put together the most interesting and relevant program for ourselves, as if from Legos, while we had enough time and opportunity to explore the area on our own.

I am always in favor of independent travel, since it assumes that unforeseen circumstances will arise that need to be resolved, you may run into some adventures, and so on, in general, everything will not be monotonous.

Agreeing with everyone who responded, I’ll add that if you are just starting to travel abroad, are not very fluent in the local language (where you are going) and are not yet very familiar with where to learn, buy, live, be, I would advise going with a group a couple of times. You take a closer look, learn basic things about travel, etc. And then you can reach an independent level. I traveled with groups for several years, and then it so happened that I went to Ireland as a “savage” - with a drawn up plan, a hotel reservation, a paid excursion to the cliffs. After this trip, I realized that I wouldn’t go with the group again))) This is such freedom! But it requires at least minimal traveler preparation :)

I see a lot of opponents of the organized tour, and I’ll add my two cents in defense of the tours. Firstly, an organized tour is often cheaper, this applies, of course, to known destinations. Let’s say the flight is direct, accommodation, transfer and insurance are cheaper than if you put everything together yourself, all thanks to charters from the operator, and by the way, a big plus is often a direct flight. Secondly, no one will keep you in the hotel, they will bring you, they will tell you what’s what and then do what you want, travel around the country yourself, this is already like an independent trip. In fact, the operator does not organize your trip, he simply takes you to your place and picks you up in comfort, and then you are free to do whatever you want.

Several days “on wheels”, in a motley company of complete strangers. At first glance, the pleasure is very dubious.

However, if you prepare in advance and know what to take with you on a bus trip around Europe, then the trip will be interesting and useful.

The disadvantages of bus travel have long been known: a long journey without basic amenities and the ability to change position, lack of proper nutrition, snoring neighbors and screaming children, galloping excursions, alternating with waiting for those lagging behind the group... However, all these inconveniences are compensated by the main advantage of bus excursion tours - the price. It is unlikely that you will find a cheaper way to “see the world”.

Do not miss:

1. Forget about jeans, dresses and stiletto heels. The most comfortable thing to wear in summer is shorts and T-shirts made of wrinkle-resistant material; in winter, a tracksuit. Yes, yes, the same tracksuit that supposedly is not worn in Europe.

2. Even if your trip is planned for the hottest months, be sure to take a light jacket or sweater with you on your trip. The weather is a fickle lady, and besides, the excursion program may include going up into the mountains or going down into the dungeons, where there is nothing to do without warm clothes.

3. Shoes should be light and comfortable; sneakers, sneakers, and sandals are suitable. It is advisable to take a pair of replacement shoes for excursions and be sure to take slippers for the bus and hotel.

4. A very convenient thing for such a trip is a car neck pillow. You can choose compact or inflatable.

5. Be sure to take a thin blanket with you on the bus tour. Having taken refuge, you will be more comfortable, you will remember the comfort of home, and it is possible that you will even be able to take a nap.

6. Sunglasses are useful both during excursions and in the salon, helping to “dim down” the light during daytime naps. Some people take a special sleep mask for this. Then why not, put some earplugs in your bag.

7. An umbrella, or even better, take a raincoat. Bad weather is not a reason to cancel excursions, and listening to a guide in the pouring rain is still a pleasure...

Food and products

You won’t be satisfied with the sights alone, so you need to take care of your “food package” in advance. Bus tours are considered a budget type of tourism, so we won’t advise you to take more money and buy everything on the spot. It is not always possible to get to a supermarket, and prices in public catering establishments in Europe are quite steep. Therefore, it’s better to stock up on “brakes” and spend the amount saved on excursions and souvenirs.

This is interesting:

1. Don’t be shy about taking instant soups and cereals on a trip, because it’s as if they were specially invented for this purpose. Bring a spoon, as well as an unbreakable plate and cup. You can also take a thermos and fill it with boiling water at every opportunity. A small boiler will help with this (if anyone remembers what it is). Just keep in mind that it is prohibited to use it in hotels, but if you really need it and no one sees it, then you can...

2. For sandwiches, buy sliced bread and a couple of vacuum-packed hard cheese and meat products for the bus tour (more is possible in winter). Canned pates are also a great solution.

3. It is advisable to take hard fruits and those that release a minimum of liquid when dismembered, since it is unlikely that you will be able to wash your hands on the bus. Apples, pears, bananas will do...

4. Tea bags and coffee sticks are irreplaceable companions for tourists on any trip. Especially if you did not ignore the first advice and took a boiler and thermos with you on the excursion bus. Yes, and don’t forget sugar, preferably in pieces.

5. For snacks, you can stock up on cookies (preferably crackers), nuts, chocolate bars, chips, and crackers.

6. The most important thing is water, especially in summer. You can take a whole package of it. Nothing that takes up half a suitcase: you can’t carry it in your hands, and the freed up space will be useful for souvenirs from Europe on the way back.

We have already collected the main thing. The main thing is to leave some free space, as there are several other important things that may come in handy on a bus tour.

What else to take on a tour of Europe by bus

properly equipped;
a good supply of wet wipes, as well as antibacterial hand spray;
compact hair dryer and small travel iron;
a book, scanwords, maps, MP3 player, tablet and other gadgets that will not let you get bored on a long journey;
chargers and/or spare batteries for the above-mentioned gadgets, as well as photo and video cameras, mobile phones...;

Usually in Europe there are no problems with this, but in the UK, for example, the standard of sockets is completely different, so find out about this in advance and take the appropriate adapter on your trip.

It seems like we haven't forgotten anything important. Finally, a few more simple tips.

Pack all your things in a large suitcase, which will be in the trunk, and take a small bag or backpack with you on board the bus, which will contain only the most necessary things for the trip. You can replenish supplies at overnight stays, in hotels, where you will take all your luggage.

Calculate in advance the required amount of money for what is not included in the price of the trip. Basically, these are visits to museums in Europe (from 3 to 30 euros) and, sorry, toilets (50-70 cents), transportation costs for independent travel and moving around cities, buying souvenirs, food. Be prepared for the fact that all this will cost you at least 100-200 euros per person. Therefore, ask the tour operator in advance about the features of the chosen bus tour and the upcoming costs.

Try not to get lost and not be late to the meeting points, otherwise you will catch the hateful glances of your fellow travelers for the rest of the trip. To do this, take a city map with you or download a smartphone application.

TOURIST REMINDER

on the tour “By bus to the sea”

Be sure to read this notice COMPLETELY and CAREFULLY. This is not a set of formalities, but actual tips that will help you avoid many troubles on the road and on vacation. This memo is made on the basis of many years of experience in organizing tours, as well as misunderstandings and mistakes of tourists, and each point has real practical importance for YOUR GOOD REST.

WHAT TO TAKE ON THE ROAD.

1. A special travel pillow (C-shaped) or a regular small pillow.

2. Eye mask for comfortable sleep.

3. Light shoes (for example, slippers) in the bus,

4. A sweatshirt or other outerwear, or a blanket to cover yourself with at night.

5. Meals on the road are provided in roadside cafes, but there are long stretches where there are no suitable establishments, so we recommend taking a snack with you for such occasions.

6. Individual medications (if necessary)

7. Good moodJ. Get ready to meet and have friendly conversations with other group members. Be mutually polite! Use the words “hello”, “sorry”, “thank you”, “please”, etc.

Important! Do not place bottles, etc., heavy objects on the shelves - they tend to fall on your heads.

LANDING

1. On the eve of departure day, from 15 to 19 hours, representatives of the tour operator call tourists to clarify information on departure. Keep mobile phones switched on and within network coverage.

2. Landing before departure starts 20 minutes before departure. The seating of passengers in the cabin is carried out by the group's accompanying person. You are assigned to you on the bus specific place. The tour operator has the right, if necessary, to change it to an equivalent one.

3. In case of being late for the appointed time, the wait for tourists is no more than 10 minutes. Tourists who are late for the bus departure catch up with the group on their own and at their own expense.

STOP.

ü Sanitary stops are made every 2.5-3 hours.

ü For food and rest, stops are made for 30-60 minutes. At night, stops are usually only on request.

To avoid burns, use protective creams “before” and “after” tanning.

When swimming in the sea, as well as in other bodies of water and pools, do not allow water to get into your mouth;

PROCEDURE FOR RESOLVING QUESTIONS.

In case of significant misunderstandings and conflict situations regarding placement, numbers, etc. You don’t have to keep it to yourself so that when you get home you can throw it all at the travel agency managers. Try to resolve any issues that arise on the spot. When solving any issues, leave your emotions, they rarely contribute to solving problems. Be constructive!

Your actions:

1. First of all, try to resolve the issue with the hotel administration.

2. If your reasonable requests remain unattended, contact the tour operator by phone: (83, 49-30-17, 45-22-66, 45-45-51 (during business hours).

On weekends you can call 8-922-933-0001

3. If the problem cannot be resolved within a reasonable time, it is necessary to record the reasons for the disagreement in writing or in photographs objectively and without unnecessary emotions. Preferably with the signature of the responsible persons. For example: “There was no refrigerator in the room,” but not “there was no refrigerator in the room.” promised fridge". Such facts must be confirmed by the signature of the hotel owners or administration (“I confirm, number, signature, transcript of signature”). In case of refusal to confirm a particular fact with a signature, it is also necessary to inform the tour operator about this by phone numbers indicated above.

4. Upon returning home, a claim is filed within 10 days addressed to the tour operator (not the travel agency).

GOING HOME.

1. Your departure time from the resort may change. That's why on the eve of departure Ask the owners or hotel administrator about this. They receive information the night before. Tourists who have purchased travel without accommodation call directly with the group leader.

Important! If you took a local SIM card on vacation, be sure to provide your new number to the group leader.

2. If for some reason they do not have information, call the group leader. All the necessary telephone numbers will be in your program. It is better to do this the day before departure In the evening.

3. Depending on the bus route, after leaving, you may have a long stop at your final destination. Plan this for yourself: bring hats and other things that may be useful to you during this 3-4 hour stop, because the bus will be closed during this time.

4. If you purchase only travel (without accommodation), transfer from the bus to the hotel (and back) is carried out independently.

A bus tour is a great opportunity to visit European cities at a very reasonable price. Those traveling by bus will have a wonderful opportunity to see many other cities along the way, unlike those tourists who choose air tours.

Grade

In general, there are a lot of advantages, but unfortunately, there can also be a lot of inconveniences, but only if you are not properly prepared.

When is the best time to go?

The most suitable time for bus tours is autumn and spring, when it is not yet / no longer hot, but not cold either. In autumn you will have the opportunity to see European cities in an unusual, fabulous state. At this time, even the smells change, and we remember them with tenderness long after the end of the trip itself. In the spring, we have a series of May holidays, which can also be used not only for the first barbecue picnics, but also for traveling to see how Europe wakes up!

Tour booking

If you are traveling for the first time, although this also applies to experienced tourists, the trip should be booked in advance. And there are several reasons for this:

1. You will be able to communicate with different travel agencies and tour operators, compare offers and prices, and really choose what you want, and not what is left on a residual basis. Those. Start getting interested in tours about two months before the trip itself. It would also be a good idea to read reviews about travel agencies. Also, don’t go for too cheap tours.

2. You will have time to collect and prepare the necessary documents to obtain a visa without haste. In this case, the international passport, of course, should already be available. Don't leave everything to the last minute.

3. Early booking with most travel agencies offers small but still pleasant discounts. Also, don’t hesitate to ask about auction tours; sometimes companies organize various promotions.

4. You will be able to take the best seats on the bus, since most often the allocation of seats occurs as requests from tourists are received. Here, in the literal sense, the rule “who gets up first gets the slippers” applies. But in some cases, the first rows on the bus are offered for an additional fee, so do not forget to check this point with a consultant. The same tourists who were the last to apply, as a rule, are placed in the last places, where it is not very convenient, and also makes you feel sick and you can’t always hear the guide.

What should you pay attention to when choosing a tour?

The most tiring part of bus tours is the night travel. Therefore, try to choose those that contain one, maximum two night transfers. As a rule, there are almost no tours without traveling at night, so if you find one, pay attention to it.