Take a bus tour around Europe. What difficulties should you be prepared for when choosing a cheap bus tour?

When is the best time to go?

Most the right time for bus tours it 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 still remember them with tenderness. for a long time 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, your 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 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 Most travel agencies offer small but still pleasant discounts. Also, don’t hesitate to ask about auction tours; sometimes companies organize various promotions.

4. You can borrow best places 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 additional fee, so don’t forget to check this point with your 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.

It is also important to take into account the fact that most often the price of the tour only includes breakfast, and even that does not happen every day, but only during your stay in hotels. Try to always have some snacks in your backpack, as well as plenty of water.

When choosing a tour, you should also pay attention to the point of departure, because very often trips start from Lviv or Uzhgorod, which means you will have to spend extra money on round-trip tickets if you live in another city. Yes, and with booking tickets to westward There are often problems, especially on holidays.

What to take on the road?

To make your travel comfortable, you should take with you on your trip:

A special pillow for the neck (without it it will be very uncomfortable to sleep at night on the bus);

At least one warm thing - a long jacket or sweater is best, which you can cover yourself with at night;

Comfortable, durable and waterproof shoes, it is better to take proven ones, because... a new one can rub and cause discomfort while traveling, forget about heels and, especially, stilettos;

Dry food and sufficient quantity water, but importing animal products into the EU is strictly prohibited;

An umbrella, since the weather can sometimes be very changeable (also check the forecasts in advance);

A minimum first aid kit (including anti-sickness pills), as well as the medications you take (don’t forget to take prescriptions from your doctor, if some of them require it, in order to avoid problems at the border);

Wet wipes with a supply and hand sanitizers - they will be indispensable assistants on the road;

Small change to buy coffee and snacks during stops at parking lots and gas stations (check the country's currency in advance, as a last resort, you can pay by card), as well as for visiting the toilets, because they are not always free.

Overweight people will feel uncomfortable tall(from 190 cm), older people (here, of course, everything depends on the state of health, but still, if there is the slightest doubt, it is better to refuse), as well as small and restless children (as a rule, these are children under 6 years old).

And finally

When boarding a bus, immediately check your seat to ensure it is working properly and can recline. If there is something wrong with him, immediately inform the attendant so that you can immediately change your seat. When listening to music on headphones, try not to disturb the volume of your neighbors. Do not walk around the cabin while driving. Always keep money and documents with you in your breast pocket; do not leave them unattended on the bus or in hotels. Make a copy of your passport in advance and store it separately from the original. Always keep your travel plan with you, which should include the names of hotels, telephone numbers of accompanying persons and detailed description your minibus so that you know where the group is if you suddenly fall behind.

And most importantly, don’t be nervous and try to enjoy the trip under any circumstances!

During the holidays and vacations, each of us wants to organize an unforgettable trip for ourselves and our family, which will leave only pleasant impressions. One option is a tour of Europe by bus. Today we will tell you how to choose for yourself best option what to look for special attention, what period of the year is most suitable for such a tourist adventure, the most popular routes?

What time of year is best to explore Europe?

Of course, everyone decides this issue individually. But why not get the maximum pleasure and impressions out of your trip? For example, going to Italy or Spain in the summer, you can enjoy the architecture, culture and have a great time on the beach. In winter, it is good to go to those countries where festive carnivals are organized in honor of the New Year and Christmas. In the spring we would recommend taking a bus tour to the Netherlands (the tulips blooming is a wonderful sight), and in the fall you can take the opportunity to see Germany and visit the world's most famous beer festival.

However, if you do not want to become part of a large crowd of tourists and regularly stand in long queues, then please note that the summer season is not best time for an educational tour, but for beach holiday just right. Therefore, we recommend going on tours to the main attractions in late autumn or winter after the holidays (prices are lower and there are fewer tourists).

The most popular destinations in Europe

On at the moment The most popular tours include visits to several European capitals. It is rare when a tourist chooses one country to explore all its attractions. Many people buy trips to Central European countries, for example, the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, and Austria. Tours to the above-mentioned tours are selling like hot cakes, because it is not only interesting, but also inexpensive. Why sit at home for the entire vacation if you can go on a tour for little money and see the beautiful Czech Republic and other countries? Of course, the Mediterranean (Italy, Monaco, Spain) is also in demand; tours to Montenegro and Croatia are popular. The leaders, as before, remain Sweden, France, Norway, and Denmark.

How to choose the right travel agency?

If you have decided on the time and direction, it’s time to talk about the travel agency, what should you pay special attention to to avoid trouble?

You need to approach this issue very carefully; it is better to contact a trusted tour operator in which you are confident (you have used it yourself or recommended good friends). If neither of these conditions exists, be sure to read reviews from real tourists. A good travel agency manager with a reliable reputation will tell you about all the nuances:

• What route, number of excursions that are included in the tour price.
• Where the tourist will live (hotel conditions).
• Is meals included (what kind of boarding house).
  Do I need to pay for honey? insurance, visa separately or is it included in the tour price.
• All these points must be specified in the contract. Also, the employee must inform his clients about cultural, national differences, give contacts of consulates for communication with the homeland.

We also advise you to pay attention to the availability or lack of free time between visits to the main attractions. Please note that many contracts also stipulate the issue of a tourist being late; as a rule, the bus waits no more than 15 minutes. After this, you will have to pay to catch up with your group at your own expense.

And also, before signing the contract, ask about everything that worries you. You are paying your money, so you should be sure that everything will go well. If you notice that the agent does not have an exact answer or is leaving him, leave this company, otherwise you risk ruining your vacation and wasting your money.

After choosing a travel agency and purchasing a tour, you not only need to pack your bags, but also take care of mobile communications.

Inexpensive communication in Europe today!

Overseas roaming has always been perceived as something very expensive, but today everything is different. After all, many international operators offer low tariffs for its services for those who are going to visit not just one, but several European countries. If you don't yet have a SIM card for traveling abroad, read:

Offers a good option. IN tariff plan includes not only mobile internet, but also calls. For 1 euro you can buy 100 MB of traffic (several volumes are offered), and also for the same fee you can get 60 minutes of calls in the country where you are (36 countries - SIM card coverage area).

- This best option, if your list of countries to visit includes Germany, but the tariff is good for other destinations (31 European countries).

Bus tours are one of the most budget-friendly types of vacation. That is why they are so popular among novice tourists: to see the cities of the Golden Ring or even more - Europe - in, let's say, a full-color version for the price of a three-day holiday on the Black Sea coast, somewhere near Anapa, is quite a tempting thing.

On the other hand, there are plenty of dangers and surprises awaiting you on bus tours. Which side of the scale will tip the scale is up to you to decide. So let’s not bore potential bus travelers with a long prelude and waste the time of those for whom such tours are categorically contraindicated. Let's start with the positive.

Advantages of bus tours

Price. Well, you definitely can’t argue with this: bus tours are truly the most budget-friendly travel option.

No, don’t rush to argue that the price for a seven-day holiday in Turkey is two times lower than a seven-day bus tour. The bus tour includes transfer, big set excursions, meals and hotel accommodation. During it you will explore several cities or even countries.

And for the amount for which you ended up on the coast of Antalya, all you can do is lie on the sand and admire the sea. And if you desire active recreation, visiting antiquities, entertainment and good alcohol, you will have to shell out another tidy sum on top of the voucher.

So the result remains unchanged: of all types of recreation, bus travel is the most budget-friendly.

Attractions. If your primary goal is to explore historical and modern sights, and not to serenely drink cocktails while lying on a sun lounger, then this is indeed a huge plus of such tours.

You will visit many interesting places, and during your transfers you will have time to admire a variety of landscapes - none of this you will be able to do when purchasing a regular hotel tour.

Among the disadvantages of bus tourism:

Lack of comfort. Really. Rest, during which most of the time you have to think about which pretzel to twist your legs into in order to somehow stretch them, can be called comfortable with a big stretch.

Among the difficulties and hardships of this type of tourism there are also: poor nutrition, periodic absence of a shower, lack of sleep due to night travel and lack of personal space.

Again, the severity of such hardships depends on the type of tour and the type of bus - the higher the class of the tour, the less inconvenience travel will cause you.

The above problems are solved and practically nullified if there are no night transfers in the tour program: this means that you will spend the night in motels and hotels. The level of service may also vary, but you will definitely have a horizontal bed and minimal amenities like a bathroom and dinner in a cafe.

Short tour dates. Bus tours really do not imply free use of your own time: in Italy they will take you at a run through the Vatican, in France they will rush you while visiting the Louvre, and in the Czech Republic they will not allow you to quietly snack on a dumpling somewhere on the Charles Bridge. Often you will move almost at a run, and in the rain, and in the snow, and in the cold, and even when you have caught a slight cold.

No, of course, sometimes you will have two or three hours to walk, but not everywhere and not always. Sometimes tourists complain that they have to leave cities without visiting one or another attraction that they have dreamed of visiting all their lives.

The schedule of tourist buses is quite tight: stay here late, don’t make it there, and the whole tour is down the drain. So if you are not one of those who values ​​punctuality and are not ready to stoically endure viewing the World Heritage from the bus window, such trips are not for you.

Here it is worth remembering that it is impossible to embrace the immensity. Are you ready to come to terms with this fact? Then you can think about taking a bus trip.

In addition (we don’t know whether to write this down as pros or cons, but the fact remains): throughout long period you will have to be in a group of unfamiliar people, among whom there may well be entities that are distant from you in character and therefore extremely annoying. No one is safe from noisy children, drunken men and aunts who are always dissatisfied with everything and everyone. So think three times whether your philanthropy will withstand this test.

The conclusion from all of the above suggests the following: if you are easy-going, easy-going and non-confrontational, and want to see a lot at once - bus tours are definitely for you. Go without hesitation!

Bus tours in Europe: where to go, how to choose a route, what hotels offer. All the most interesting things about bus trips in Europe and Russia.

• Tours for the New Year all over the world
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Bus tours are one of the most exciting, affordable and, as a result, popular types of recreation. During one trip, you can see the sights of several cities at once, and it will cost almost several times less than a classic sightseeing tour with overnight stays in hotels. The difference in price will be especially noticeable if the program includes a lot of overnight transfers. Finally, do not forget about the emotional component: bus tours are the best way to feel the romance of distant travels: tourists can personally observe the change of landscapes, cities and cultures, feeling like real travelers.

In almost every country in the world that is more or less suitable for tourism, you can conduct a bus tour: “mark out” the attractions, create a route and provide logistics. However, there are, as they say, well-established programs - dozens of buses from different tour operators scurry through them every day - and there are also more rare ones, for amateurs, where only a few groups are recruited per season. We will tell you in this article which directions of bus tours are the most popular, as well as what you need to know when choosing a tour and how to be guaranteed to enjoy such a vacation.

Bus tour: travel comfort

All bus tours, with rare exceptions, are combined. Most “bus” tour operators offer several combinations of transport: bus plus ferry, bus plus railway, etc.

One of the advantages recent years the fact that many tour operators structure their programs in such a way that tourists can join the group at almost any point along the route. For example, a traveler can fly to Prague or Berlin and join the program there.

The main part of the journey takes place in a bus. These are no longer shabby Ikaruses with the smell of diesel fuel. Modern vehicles both on foreign and domestic routes - this is tourist buses European standard: as a rule, for 50-55 seats, necessarily equipped with an air conditioning system that works for both heat and cold, a dry closet, a washbasin and a lot of convenient shelves and glove compartments. The reclining angle of the seats is also very important nuance, because tourists often have to sleep “on the go,” and their cheerful mood the next day depends on their night comfort. In modern buses, the seat back can be reclined even more than on an airplane. Tourists are also provided with a considerable amount of information materials - guidebooks, maps, phrase books, museum maps and more.

Geography of routes

Thanks to numerous low-cost airlines in the air transportation market, the geography of bus tour routes has expanded significantly. If previously, in order to start a bus tour in Europe, tourists had to travel by railway to Brest or Berlin (and this is more than 20 hours, forcedly taken away from rest), then now, practically for the cost of a train ticket in a compartment, you can buy an air ticket on a similar route.

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The geography of tours is expanding not only in breadth, but also in depth. Bus excursion programs in Europe, in addition to the pillars of the destination - France, Germany, Czech Republic, Italy, began to include such rare countries for this segment of the industry as Denmark, Portugal, Slovenia, Montenegro and others. In turn, even in countries that are popular in terms of bus tours, more and more emphasis is placed on, so to speak, the depth of development. If earlier, when going on a tour of Italy, tourists visited Venice, Rome and the Vatican, Florence and Verona (plus periodically Naples and Pompeii, Pisa, Siena), now the emphasis is on small towns in Italy, many of which are, without exaggeration, charming and amazing - for example, the “city of trolls” Alberobello or ancient Bari with its Basilica of St. Nicholas, which even tourists who are far from religion tend to visit.

By the way, this expansion of services is observed not only in terms of geography. All larger number clients prefer combined bus tours - precisely in terms of types of recreation. Indeed, when traveling around Italy in June, it would be a sin not to spend a couple of days on one of its many, but always picturesque coasts. Similarly, travel, for example, in the Czech Republic is combined with treatment at thermal resorts, and bus trips in Spain are combined with shopping in outlets in Madrid and Barcelona.

Excursion programs: how to choose

The excursion program is one of the main criteria for choosing a bus tour.

The most popular are medium-intensity programs with conditional formula"one day - one city" if we're talking about about bus tours in Europe with its relatively short distances between “attractions” cities. With such a load, an ideal balance is achieved between the desire to fit as much as possible into one program. more interesting places and, as they say, not collapse from fatigue - both literally and from an excess of impressions per unit of time. In some cases, programs are offered with visits to two settlements with excursions and trips to museums within one day.

As for the division into programs with and without night transfers, there is approximately the same proportion. Tours during which tourists are offered to spend the night on a bus are chosen by budget clients - such programs are significantly cheaper, since several overnight stays in hotels are excluded from them. For the same reason, they are easier to organize, and such tours can start at least every day. However, a considerable number of travelers today rely on comfort in order to be able to relax in a hotel room after a whole day of excursions.

A little about the duration

The duration of the bus tour primarily depends on the declared program. On average, European “rides” last from a week to two and a half. Week-long tours include visits to 5-6 nearby cities in Europe (usually Eastern) and do not differ in “depth of study”. Such programs are rather intended to introduce tourists to the region as a whole, to give an idea of ​​the culture and architecture of European capitals on a global scale. In addition, a one-week duration is typical for so-called overview or express programs within one country - for example, Italy or France. Such tours already cover the sights of cities quite fully, concentrating as much as possible on immersing tourists in the history and culture of the country.

Tourists who are inclined to the formula “excursions plus relaxation” should count on a minimum of a 10-day bus tour, and a maximum of a full three weeks of cultural and beach amusements. By the way, in this case, the programs are successfully combined on a geographical basis - after sightseeing, say, 306 km).

Prices

The most inexpensive options are bus excursions to the nearest suburbs of Moscow and St. Petersburg (for Muscovites and St. Petersburg residents, respectively). Prices for an excursion weekend in the vicinity of both capitals start around 150 EUR; more extensive three-day programs cost about 200-230 EUR with overnight hotel accommodation. The cost of weekly routes along the Golden Ring ranges from 300-350 EUR, and longer routes covering the northern regions will cost 100-150 EUR more.

Week-long bus tours around Europe will cost from 400 EUR, excluding air or train tickets to the starting point of the program. The most budget options will cost from 300 EUR - but tourists need to be prepared for a shortened program and night travel. As for long trips of 15-20 days, combining excursions and recreation, you should include in your vacation budget an amount of 700 EUR per person - excluding transportation costs and other additional expenses.

Important points

For those who are going on a bus tour for the first time, it is better to opt for short trips with minimum quantity night travel. An affordable “express tour” covering a significant number of countries can often be the ideal option.

However, you should not be afraid of night travel. Firstly, it is safe, because Europe has very strict legislation regulating the work of tour bus drivers. Secondly, during the night the bus covers significant distances between cities, which allows you to devote more time to excursions.

For new unpromoted routes, there is such a thing as a lack of groups. Usually, in case of shortage of a group, tour operators offer tourists possible alternative options, but since the programs of many bus tours are proprietary, and tourists often choose specific trips quite consciously, replacements do not always suit them. Therefore, if you are going to book a trip that is not the most “mainstream”, it is better to study possible “escape routes” in advance.

By selecting sightseeing tours , You will receive an interesting, rich and comfortable holidays abroad . At night, on our tours you will find the most comfortable European hotels with excellent service and delicious dishes. Of all the tours presented by our company, they are especially popular. Therefore, when developing excursion tours in this direction, we pay attention to all the details. You can choose trips that provide the opportunity to get acquainted with the main attractions of this city of romantics. However, this is not only the Eiffel Tower, Champs Elysees, amazing cuisine and Moulin Rouge. These also include excursion tours to the sunny Cote d'Azur, fragrant vineyards, mountains with white caps of snow. Very often, French Provence is visited by groups who have booked. The charm of this province and the taste of Marseille bouillabaisse will forever remain the most delicious memories of tours to Europe.

Holidays abroad the one you dreamed of

Walk through the narrow streets of the Latin Quarter in Paris, ride a bicycle through Montmartre, and tomorrow - watch the morning sun reflected in the Belvedere fountains, sighing the aromatic smell of Viennese coffee... Try chocolate truffles in Belgium and see the vibrant carnivals of Spain, visit the greatest museums in London, see works of famous artists and listen to real classical music at the Grand Opera, or maybe just relax in a noisy Berlin club or grab a glass of good beer in the company of an old and wise Bavarian - such a vacation can become not a dream, but a reality if you choose tours from the company "Turtrans-Voyage". Tours to Europe are not just an opportunity to enjoy the culture of countries that have flourished for many centuries, but also a chance to relax, plunge into a real fairy tale, and gain inspiration, which is always so lacking. After all, tours around Europe seem to be created in order to lift the curtain on the world, become part of it, enjoy the most positive emotions and gain memories dear to the heart. By the way, many travelers prefer