Comments on: Reasons I’m rubbish at travel, part 29: The Night Bus

By: Eurotrip Tips

Eurotrip Tips — Sun, 21 Nov 2010 19:53:47 +0000

One thing that I like about night travel is the excitement that instantly builds up when I wake up the next morning, almost arrived at destination. All of a sudden, even though I just slept an uncomfortable 4 or 5 hours in a smelly bus, my mind is completely ecstatic. My legs do however abandon in mid-afternoon but at least I was able to enjoy a long part of the day.

I do agree on the joys of travelling by daytime, for the simple privilege of having the time to observe every little thing. Getting there is half the trip, right?

By: Barbara Weibel

Barbara Weibel — Sun, 21 Nov 2010 12:16:10 +0000

Hi Andy: I guess I’m one of those people who is blessed to be able to sleep anywhere, anytime, in any position! However, I also usually like to take the day transport to see the landscape. The only time I’d wished I’d done the night thing was in Thailand, taking the day train from Bangkok to Surat Thani. Absolutely nothing to see and the night train would have been a much better option. As always, an interesting article that made me laugh.

By: Kirsty

Kirsty — Sun, 21 Nov 2010 04:42:32 +0000

Although I can’t sleep on night buses either I prefer them to long travel legs during the day. We’ve found that a 10 hour bus journey at night goes a lot quicker than one during the day so whilst in Vietnam we tried to take as many as possible

Most of the trains I have taken have delivered us to our destination before 7 in the morning so have the same effect so we just write off the following morning as lazy catch up on sleep day

By: Andy Jarosz

Andy Jarosz — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 17:11:34 +0000

Agree with Pam that night trains are a different matter. I love an overnight rail journey, and the gentle rattling of the train usually sends me into a deep sleep. It’s a shame that so much of the world is as yet untouched by a rail network.
John, in many European trains you have that 10 hour journey on the night train where you get to your destination too early to allow a good sleep – like you I prefer the mid-morning arrivals where you can have a lie in and watch the world go by from the comfort of a blanket.
And as you say David, the next day after a long flight usually ends up like the day after a rough (sleepless) night – you get through it in a zombie like state. The joys of travel…
Audrey, I heard the same advice on Guatemalan buses, and for the safety reason if no other I will insist on daytime travel only.

Thanks to all for the insightful comments.

By: Audrey

Audrey — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 16:20:36 +0000

Although I can fall asleep most of the time on night buses (Dan a little less so) to grab a few hours of sleep, I still prefer day buses so much more. Land travel for me is about being able to see the subtle differences in landscape, houses, farms, shapes of people’s hats, etc. If you travel through the night and arrive in a different region the next day, you miss all that’s happened in between. And, I usually feel like crap even if I have been able to sleep a bit.

When we got to Central America last year, we were warned against night buses, especially in Guatemala, by locals and expats alike for safety/bandits reasons. Think you have the right plan to travel by day and stay in small towns along the way. You’ll enjoy wherever your final destination is that much more.

By: pam

pam — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 16:07:43 +0000

I’m right there with you.

I think it might be an age thing, sadly. When I was in my 20s, I could sleep on a flight, a bus, the car, whatever. Now I just can’t and it pains me, physically and mentally, because I WANT to be that person who blissfully sacks out as dusk falls and sleeps through the miles.

But no. And I am miserable, really miserable, after a long haul flight with no sleep. I’m taking one in February and I’m going to get drugs. Prescription drugs. The kind that make you disappear for 8 hours and then wake up on another continent.

You know what’s great? Night TRAINS. That’s what’s great. You get a bunk and sleep away the distance, and then wake up to see the landscape rolling past your window. Man, I love that.

By: John

John — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 09:59:27 +0000

You’ve struck another chord here. My experience of the overnight buses to Chamonix were similar. I did find that if the journey was overnight and into the next day that I arrived at my destination with enough rest to get up and go. As you don’t get a good night’s sleep between 11 pm and 8 am, I found that the 9 pm to 12 noon trip worked best. It allowed me to carry on in a world half way between sleep and wakefulness for another 4 hours.
I documented one of the trips here: http://www.travelcrunch.co.uk/2009/12/02/brussels-to-chamonix-via-eurolines/

By: David Whitley

David Whitley — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 09:42:23 +0000

I’m pretty much the same – I hate that disorientated zombie-like feeling that comes from travelling overnight (be it bus, train or plane). As a general rule, if it’s going to be more than five hours on a bus, I’ll take a train or fly. At least you can move around on a train and if it’s going to take that long, it’s rarely about the scenery – it’s about getting from A to B.

I can’t sleep sat down either, but I’ve done so many overnight flights now that I have learned the art of just shutting down the mind and entering a doze-like state for a few hours. It’s not proper sleep, but it’s usually enough to get me through the next day as a vaguely functioning adult on pure adrenalin. It’s much the same thing as dealing with a day’s work after a bad night’s sleep.