Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The airline's website.
While most of the airfare search engines listed will find the best deals,
it doesn't hurt to go directly to the airline's website. The three main budget carriers are
Ry-
anair.com
,
easyJet.com
, and
airberlin.com
. For example, Ryanair often has limited-time sales
that search engines can't find.
Coach Travel
When one thinks of the ways to travel Europe, the bus (which is often called a “coach”) is
rarely on the top of the list. Yet, it is a popular choice for many budget travelers. The bus can
be one of the most affordable methods of traveling through Europe, but it does lack the com-
fort, speed, and convenience of the train. Additionally, the schedules can often be fairly con-
fusing and they get more complicated if you need to make transfers. However, in some coun-
tries—notably Ireland, Greece, Spain, Portugal, and a few Eastern European countries—the
rail network isn't extensive so the bus may be the best option.
Buses generally arrive/depart from bus stations but don't be surprised if it's just a parking
lot. European bus stations can run the gamut from nice to kind of seedy—so that might be
something to consider if you're arriving late at night since bus stations seem to attract “inter-
esting” characters once the sun goes down. Bus stations are generally located toward the edge
of towns.
Most major carriers operate modern bus fleets but the quality/cleanliness will differ by
company. Many have reclining seats and restrooms, and Wi-Fi is becoming standard on the
major companies. Buses drive on the same road as everyone else, so you're at the mercy of
traffic. While not a huge problem on the motorways, traffic is often very bad in large cities. Be
prepared for lots of stop-and-go driving and bring medicine if you easily get motion sickness.
Personally, I think the bus is only a good choice if flying or the train isn't a viable option.
Bus journeys eat up a huge amount of time so you'll have to determine if the cost savings
offset the extra time wasted on the road.
LONG-DISTANCE COACH COMPANIES
Eurolines
is the largest and most popular bus company in Europe. They offer multiple routes
to forty-plus cities throughout Europe and they're usually a pretty cheap way to travel. You
