Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Buses
Buses are a much better option for international travel here because they are cheaper and many of the trains
don't go direct between cities due to old and different-sized train tracks. For example, from Romania to
Ukraine, you need to switch trains because the countries have different tracks, but the bus just goes direct.
To go from Bratislava to Krakow, you need to go via Czech Republic on the train, but again the bus is direct.
Typical bus fares for this region are $10 USD to $20 USD for a short journey of a couple of hours.
In Eastern Europe, the major international bus company is also Ecolines (ecolines.net), which primarily
serves central Europe, the Baltics, and other Eastern European countries, except the Balkans. (In the
Balkans, national bus lines serve neighboring countries.) All countries have their own national bus service,
which tends to serve their region. For example, buses in Bulgaria will go to Romania, Greece, Macedonia,
and Turkey, but you can't get one of the local bus operators to go from Bulgaria to Estonia, which is where
Ecolines comes in. (Eurolines also services a number of places in this region.)
Ecolines gives a discount on fares to students, those under twenty-six, and holders of an ISIC teachers
or youth card. This discount usually amounts to 10 percent off the ticket price.
In the Baltic region, there is a backpacker bus called Scanbalt (scanbaltexperience.com) that runs from
Tallinn down to Riga. It costs $25 USD and is double the price of the public bus, which costs $14 USD.
I personally wouldn't take this bus unless you really want to take a bus with just travelers or just want
something super-convenient, like a bus from hostel to hostel.
Flying
Airfare in this region is similarly priced to that of Western Europe. Ryanair, easyJet, and Transavia all serve
this region of the world. In addition to these carriers, you will also find that Wizz Air, Carpatair, and Air
Baltic all have a big network of routes. Relative to the cost of buses and trains, flying is less of a good deal
than in Western Europe, since flights tend to be more expensive than local transportation. Flights are gen-
erally $100-150 USD if you don't find a deal (you can refer to Part One for how to find deals). No bus or
train in the region is that expensive.
Hitchhiking
Hitchhiking is also a popular method of travel in this region. When I was in Bulgaria, we hitchhiked one
day to a neighboring town. It took us a while to find someone to pick us up (we were a group of three), but
eventually someone came. Central Europe, the Baltics, Romania, and Bulgaria tend to be safer countries to
hitchhike in, but use your common sense when hitchhiking with strangers. You can always say no if you feel
the situation is unsafe, especially if you are traveling alone.
ACTIVITIES AND ATTRACTIONS
In Eastern Europe, you'll find that activities cost much less than in other parts of the world. Prices are a little
less uniform than in Western Europe in part because in the east, all countries are on different currencies.
However, the variation is about $1-2 USD, and generally museums, churches, and attractions in this region
cost $5-8 USD.
There are a lot of good day trips to old monasteries, castles, lakes, and parks in Eastern Europe. Most
day trips cost $25-35 USD. For example, a day trip to the famous Rila Monastery in Bulgaria is around
$25 USD. A visit to Auschwitz in Poland is often just $30 USD. The exception to this rule is a visit to the
