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56 Day Bus Trip across Europe only $24,300

Fancy spending two months traveling overland from Istanbul to London without ever having to get behind the wheel?

Indian expedition company Adventures Overland is about to launch what’s being billed as “the world’s longest bus journey.”

Due to depart in August, the 56-day trip, which is available for up to 30 passengers, will span 22 countries, taking travelers from Turkey’s largest city, through the Balkans, eastern Europe, Scandinavia and western Europe, to the UK capital.

A ferry crossing on the Gulf of Finland, a visit to the North Cape (or Nordkapp) – the northernmost point in continental Europe and a cruise along the Norwegian Fjords – are listed among the highlights of the 12,000-kilometer journey.

The entire package, which will set travelers back $24,300, includes a daily breakfast, along with 30 lunches and dinners, as well as all hotel stays (on a twin sharing basis).

While traveling on a bus for two months might not sound hugely appealing to some, the vehicle is described as “a special luxury bus designed for comfortable long-distance travel.”

Those on board will be able to relax on recliner adjustable seats “with ample legroom” and avail themselves of AUX and USB ports, a foldable tray and bottle and cup holders. Each passenger is permitted to bring two “full-size suitcases” with them.

Bus to London has been devised as an alternative to Adventures Overland’s annual Road to London route, partly inspired by the Hippie Trail buses that traversed the world during the 1950s and 1960s, which was set to begin in 2021.

However, the route, which covered destinations such as Myanmar, China and Russia, currently closed to international visitors, was unable to launch as expected.

Adventures Overland was founded by entrepreneurs Tushar Agarwal and Sanjay Madan back in 2012, who went on to organize various India-to-London expeditions, in which travelers bring their own cars and travel in a convoy, as well as journeys across Iceland and Russia, before introducing their first cross continental bus journey.

“Every single route in each country has been vetted to ensure that the journey is seamless so participants on Bus to London can get on board with the knowledge and confidence that they are in safe hands,” Agarwal says in a statement.

“Providing a niche and classy experience in a secure environment is our top priority. We take charge of documentation, paperwork, visas and permits to ensure that the entire focus of participants is on experiencing the journey.”

According to Guinness World Record, the current world’s longest bus route runs for 6,200 kilometers, connecting Peru’s Lima to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.

Last year, Swiss railway company Rhaetian Railway set the record for the world’s longest train with the launch of a 1.9-kilometer-long (1.2-mile-long) train with 100 coaches that travels along the Albula/Bernina track from Preda to Berguen.

Bus to London is scheduled to leave Istanbul on August 7 and arrive in London on October 1.

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by Anonymousreply 62September 18, 2023 11:59 PM

You could plan your own trip at much lesscsot covering the same ground.

by Anonymousreply 1March 27, 2023 1:58 PM

Sweet merciful Christ, not in a million years.

Bus travel is for the poors. I would lose my shit on day 6, most likely. I loathe being on someone else’s itinerary.

by Anonymousreply 2March 27, 2023 1:59 PM

Can’t you almost get a cruise for that? Or am I brain dead?

by Anonymousreply 3March 27, 2023 1:59 PM

I'm not paying $24,000 to be stuck on a bus for 60 days with a bunch of smelly ass people, 50% of whom probably don't bathe or use deodorant.

by Anonymousreply 4March 27, 2023 2:03 PM

The people who fart and snore would make this a miserable trip for everyone. Add a baby and everyone is doomed.

by Anonymousreply 5March 27, 2023 2:03 PM

Lord help the folks who are sitting next to the toilet. They should get a discount.

by Anonymousreply 6March 27, 2023 2:06 PM

No one who has that much money to spend is going to spend it on a fucking bus trip.

by Anonymousreply 7March 27, 2023 2:08 PM

For $24,000, it better be a trip on a bus like this:

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by Anonymousreply 8March 27, 2023 2:09 PM

Who is the demographic for this nightmare?? Anyone who has $24K would never do this. They are out of their fucking minds.

by Anonymousreply 9March 27, 2023 2:11 PM

I could go on a very nice cruise for cheaper than that

by Anonymousreply 10March 27, 2023 2:12 PM

[quote] Flights to and from the start and end points are not included. Nor is travel insurance, which you’ll need as passengers may be liable for unforeseen costs due to weather, delays or breakdowns.

This doesn't sound encouraging.

by Anonymousreply 11March 27, 2023 2:14 PM

So $25K to sleep in my seat for 2 months? No thanks.

by Anonymousreply 12March 27, 2023 2:19 PM

I've done some of this trek via hopping trains around Europe. It's my kind of trip. Off the beaten path, with people who are travellers instead of tourists. The annoyances, mishaps and fuck-ups provide color and are an essential part of the journey. I'd do it in a heartbeat . . . but NOT for twenty four thousand freakin' dollars. That's about 434 bux a day. I can travel first class on the train, stay in a decent hotel and eat at a decent restaurant for that.

by Anonymousreply 13March 27, 2023 2:22 PM

Well, it is an Indian outfit, so this it what the trip would be like.

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by Anonymousreply 14March 27, 2023 2:25 PM

R13 A train trip is much more comfortable than a bus trip, that's for sure.

by Anonymousreply 15March 27, 2023 2:28 PM

But why?

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by Anonymousreply 16March 27, 2023 2:28 PM

^ I mean why do a luxury bus when a train is better?

by Anonymousreply 17March 27, 2023 2:29 PM

R14 You mean this

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by Anonymousreply 18March 27, 2023 2:30 PM

Trains are so much better in Europe.

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by Anonymousreply 19March 27, 2023 2:31 PM

R19 And you can get just about anywhere on them.

by Anonymousreply 20March 27, 2023 2:36 PM

[quote] Most legs of the trip come with a day off from travelling in between. Every other day, distances travelled range from 95 to 675 km, averaging at around 440 km for each travel day. Over 28 days on the road, the trip will rack up a distance of 12,265 km. This includes all transport, visas and hotel stays, based on two people sharing a twin room. It also covers all breakfasts, 30 lunches and 30 dinners. Local English-speaking guides are promised at each destination, along with sightseeing and walking tours along the way.

It doesn't say how many hotel nights are included. Do people bathe only once a week? Ewwwww!!!

by Anonymousreply 21March 27, 2023 2:37 PM

For $24, 000 dollars you could plan your own luxury vacation for 56 days, in fact I can spend 2 months in Europe having a good time for only $5000 dollars including the flights to get over there and a nice big AirBnB.

by Anonymousreply 22March 27, 2023 2:44 PM

I have an uneasy feeling that only one person will disembark that motorcoach alive…

by Anonymousreply 23March 27, 2023 2:47 PM

I'd pay that much for a 56-day BUSSY trip across Europe.

by Anonymousreply 24March 27, 2023 2:48 PM

30 dinners and it's a 56 day trip?

by Anonymousreply 25March 27, 2023 3:20 PM

I haven’t laughed out loud so many times in a while. And that was before I got to the comments. C S Lewis famously described Hell as an interminable bus journey.

by Anonymousreply 26March 27, 2023 3:29 PM

Unless it has a max of 8 people in it with luxury sleeper bunks and multiple bathroom and showers I can't see how it's better than a European train.

by Anonymousreply 27March 27, 2023 3:47 PM

Yeah I'm confused why they've done this by bus when most of Europe from London to about the Slovakia area is massively interconnected and has relatively cheap rail travel. For that price they could just do the old Orient express route to about Budapest then create their own itinerary and visit a lot more places at the same time.

by Anonymousreply 28March 27, 2023 3:54 PM

You do stay in hotels at night according to the article. 2 people room. But still. It's so fucking dreadful sounding, I wouldn't do it if they paid ME $24,300.

by Anonymousreply 29March 27, 2023 4:10 PM

You had me " Indian Expeditions'

by Anonymousreply 30March 27, 2023 5:09 PM

Sounds like the European vacation equivalent of the Fyre Festival.

by Anonymousreply 31March 27, 2023 5:13 PM

Imagine the state of the onboard toilet with people trying to squat when the bus is moving. Plane toilets are gross enough, this would be third world.

by Anonymousreply 32March 27, 2023 5:36 PM

You could become a character in Kenneth Branagh's new epic, "Murder on the Greyhound Express."

by Anonymousreply 33March 27, 2023 5:40 PM

I can only imagine people under 30 would want to do this. Perhaps, people just out of college and want to see Europe and don't care about comfort. Must be a rich Indian kid to afford this kind of adventure.

by Anonymousreply 34March 27, 2023 7:19 PM

I would need to know more about accommodations and food before I would even consider it. Their breakfast, lunch and dinner could be brown bag for all I know. And a four-star hotel in a third world country is no better than a dreary hostel in a first world country. And, it is an all adults trip? No children under 18 allowed! Too many details are left out for consideration.

by Anonymousreply 35March 27, 2023 8:03 PM

R8, One of the greatest comedies ever!

"Who knows what Fate has in store for us today?"

by Anonymousreply 36March 27, 2023 8:08 PM

That sounds as appealing as “world’s longest root canal”.

by Anonymousreply 37March 27, 2023 8:18 PM

$24,300 is a lot, but each ticket includes your own cup holder. So there’s that.

by Anonymousreply 38March 27, 2023 8:20 PM

I'll pass, thank you.

by Anonymousreply 39March 27, 2023 8:21 PM

In spite of its location- I don’t consider Turkey 🦃 to be a part of Europe.

by Anonymousreply 40March 27, 2023 8:25 PM

So I need the kind of life where I don't need to go to work for two months straight, and I have $25,000 to spend on a 2 month vacation, but I'm okay doing it by bus.

WHO is this for?

by Anonymousreply 41March 27, 2023 8:27 PM

You aren't paying just for the sightseeing. You're also paying for the elimination of the hassles inherent to a lengthy, and foreign, trip:

Obtaining transportation of some type or types---then driving if a car or getting to a station if not; luggage transport; sleeping accommodations; many dinners; priority parking and probably site entries; and a bathroom at all times (one might consider the idea of the bus one to be gross, but if you've ever had to squat down onto ceramic footpads over a hole in the floor in a European toilet....).

Still, this particular itinerary seems on the pricey side.

by Anonymousreply 42March 27, 2023 8:55 PM

If it’s Tuesday, this must be Belgium. If it’s Wednesday this must be Rome. If it’s Thursday this must be Montrose. Can’t wait to tell the folks back home ….

by Anonymousreply 43March 27, 2023 9:04 PM

Ian McShane at his sexiest!

by Anonymousreply 44March 27, 2023 9:13 PM

That's a very poor use of 50k. You could take a series of trains (first class) and stay in five stat hotels for much less than that.

by Anonymousreply 45March 27, 2023 9:44 PM

[quote] If it’s Thursday this must be Montrose.

MONTREUX.

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by Anonymousreply 46March 27, 2023 10:27 PM

I suspect that the target demographic for this trip is newly middle class Indians, in which case I’ll take a hard pass.

by Anonymousreply 47March 27, 2023 10:37 PM

An Indian will be the driver…?

Pass.

by Anonymousreply 48March 27, 2023 10:53 PM

$24K per person based on 2 sharing, so a single person is probably going to be charged upwards of $40K, for this bus trip. No thank you.

by Anonymousreply 49March 27, 2023 11:12 PM

Absolutely no way in Hell. Firstly: I'm too cheap. I would never spend that on a vacation. Of course, I'm poor. But no way. I also prefer to stay to myself for the most part.

Years ago, I looked into Loire River Valley biking vacations. A group stays in B&Bs every night (I know they can be a headache of their own, but I'd risk it), and bikes to/visits the chateaux during the day. I'd fucking LOVE that. Bikes are one thing, and that level of interaction would be just enough for me. But traveling in a bus w/a bunch of others? I'd pay to NOT have to do that.

I still want to do that biking trip, though.

by Anonymousreply 50March 27, 2023 11:24 PM

[quote]Providing a niche and classy experience in a secure environment is our top priority.

Well, as long as it's "classy"...

[quote]I can only imagine people under 30 would want to do this. Perhaps, people just out of college and want to see Europe and don't care about comfort.

Huh? Young people only take buses because they are a cheap or a cheap adventure -- the London-to-Mumbai Magic Bus or 'Hippie Route' sort of thing. This is intended for old people who don't know any better.

[quote]And a four-star hotel in a third world country is no better than a dreary hostel in a first world country.

What "Third World" countries are found between Turkey, Slovenia, the Baltic nations, Central Europe, and the UK?

by Anonymousreply 51March 28, 2023 12:08 AM

Bag breakfasts, lunch and dinners are all Indian food, probably curry. Oh dear..

by Anonymousreply 52March 28, 2023 12:21 AM

Montrose is the gay neighborhood of Houston. Lovely area, aside from the humidity.

by Anonymousreply 53March 28, 2023 12:54 AM

R50 I did a bicycle trip in the south of France about 10 years ago. It really was great. I highly recommend it.

by Anonymousreply 54March 28, 2023 1:24 PM

r49, or singles share with a room with other singles. They used to do that on The Love Boat. Hijinks ensued.

by Anonymousreply 55March 28, 2023 4:10 PM

R40 Well tough cookies, half of Istanbul is in the European continent. Many women wear their hair uncovered and their culture is very similar to Hellas.

by Anonymousreply 56March 28, 2023 7:55 PM

This thread, on re-reading, still makes me laugh.

by Anonymousreply 57August 7, 2023 12:04 AM

[quote]as well as all hotel stays (on a twin sharing basis).

If I get to pick the twins, I'm in!

by Anonymousreply 58August 7, 2023 1:15 AM

Bump

by Anonymousreply 59September 18, 2023 11:46 PM

So did this happen?

by Anonymousreply 60September 18, 2023 11:56 PM

Is there a murder promised?

by Anonymousreply 61September 18, 2023 11:58 PM

Istanbul not Constantinople?

by Anonymousreply 62September 18, 2023 11:59 PM
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