Why Travel By Bus
I used to travel by bus, not because I liked it, but because it was cheaper than flying and I had basically no money.
I’m still incredibly cheap, but when I reflect, there are many aspects to traveling in a bus that I enjoy, even as flights get cheaper and cheaper!
1. See More Of The Countries You’re Visiting
When I take a plane, I’m jumping from one city center to another.
If I take a bus, I will see a 200+ kilometer stretch of the country I’m visiting; the mountains, the rivers, the farms, the villages, the castles and the non-city people.
Visiting Rome or Athens by plane, you will see the temples, the Colloseum, and the Acropolis. Arriving by bus, you will also see the Italian and Greek countryside, which for me, doubles my perceived value of a trip to a foreign country.
If you’re traveling for a business meeting, efficiently getting into the city matters. If you’re traveling to travel, don’t you want to see more of the country anyway?
2. Bus Time Is Not Lost Time
I love watching the countryside pass by while I learn German vocabulary, or while I listen to E-Commerce podcasts and brainstorm new strategies.
Rolling hills are the perfect backdrop for thinking big and dreaming about what your future should look like.
Typically I’m not connected to the Internet when I’m on a bus, but I don’t get less work done. I just get different work done, which I’m planned before the trip.
3. Much Less Stressful Than Flying (Is This Just Me?)
Half of the flights I take are delayed or canceled and I seem to arrive late, forget to pre-check-in, or not have the proper vaccines for the other half.
This is my personal experience only, but I swear I have PTSD from air-travel issues caused by the airline, government regulations, the weather or myself.
Cheaper, Experiential, Productive, And Less Stressful
Unless the trip lasts 36 hours or I have diarrhea in my seat, I quite often prefer bus travel to air travel.
For the same reasons, I also like traveling with boats and trains.