Do intercity buses have toilets? Helpful information. What are the payment terms for the tour?

Long bus journeys, and we are referring specifically to them in this article, have some nuances, neglect of which leads to very negative consequences. Unhappy travelers arrive at their destination tired, sleep-deprived, with stiff legs and crooked necks. They remember the night on the bus as their worst nightmare and vow never to use this type of transport again. And it’s completely in vain, because ensuring yourself comfort and safety on a trip is not at all difficult.

Safety

1. Evaluate the route

Try in any way to find out about the route you are going to take. If buses regularly crash into the abyss, robberies or other accidents occur along the route, then perhaps you should change the route to a safer one, or at least choose a daytime route.

2. Choose first class

In many countries, several transport companies operate on the same route, and their prices can vary significantly. How are savings achieved? Maybe due to the bald tires, lack of air conditioning and the presence of only one driver who will drive you all night without shifting? Or maybe your bus will stop in every village and pick up everyone who wants it, so that there will be some people constantly jostling around? In any case, you need to think about whether saving a few dollars is worth your peace of mind and safety.

3. Luggage

Before boarding the bus, put all your valuables in a small bag or backpack and do not part with it for a minute. Take it with you at bus stops. While moving, it is better to hold it on your lap or, if it is in the way, put it on the floor and step on the belt with your foot. In this case, even during your sleep, nothing will happen to it.

4. At the bus stop

If you want to get out and warm up, be sure to check with the driver about the duration of the stop. Remember the bus number and where it stops. It is better not to stray too far from a bus station or bus stop unless you want to get acquainted with the criminal life of this settlement, which in such places is usually especially lively.

Comfort

1. Choosing a location

Not all seats on the bus are the same. From a safety point of view, it is always better to choose seats in the middle, since according to statistics from insurance companies, most problems occur in a frontal collision or rear impact.

In terms of comfort, there are many more factors to consider.

• Near a window or aisle? Many people choose a seat near the window for the beautiful views. In addition, the surface of the window gives you the opportunity to lay your head on it and sleep. However, at night you still can’t see any beauty, and after half an hour your curved neck begins to go numb, so all the advantages of a window seat may turn out to be insignificant. But near the aisle you will have more space and will even be able to stretch your legs.
• Front or back? Remember that in the rear seats you cannot recline the backrest and there is more vibration there. If you sit in front, you will have to squint all the way from the headlights of oncoming cars and contemplate all the bends of the road surface. Also a pleasure for everyone.
• Near a man or a woman? If there are no numbered seats on the bus and you can choose where to sit, then first of all evaluate the general adequacy of the fellow traveler, and then his size. Sitting all night next to a body that has spread across one and a half seats can only be wished on the enemy. And gender is a matter of taste. :)

2. Light and sound insulation

The first time you ride a bus, you look at all these people who took earplugs and a sleep mask with them with surprise: “Here you go, sissies!” But then you quickly begin to envy them and reproach yourself for your lack of foresight. Don't repeat this mistake. It is difficult to sleep on a bus at night, and without these cheap devices it is almost impossible.

3. Blanket and pillow

Yes, of course, we are not talking about those familiar objects that we use at home. As a pillow, it is better to take a special inflatable donut that supports the head and neck in an optimal position. This is a brilliant invention of mankind, which your crumpled jacket or bag will never compare with.

As for the blanket, you should take a light blanket or a long jacket on the bus that you can throw over yourself. Sometimes the temperature difference along the route can reach several tens of degrees (especially if the bus passes through mountainous areas), so if you do not want to shake half the night from the cold, then you should take this circumstance into account.

4. Drinking and toilet

What kind of comfort can we talk about on a trip if you are thirsty? Even more painful moments come when you realize that you want to go to the toilet, but have to drive and drive to the nearest stop. Dealing with these two types of discomfort is very simple.

• First, always take a bottle of water with you on the bus. Even if it should be there, take it anyway.
• And second: at every stop, think about visiting the toilet. Don’t pay attention to your laziness and all these “I don’t think I want to” and “it’s bearable for now.” At the same time you will warm up.

What to take with you

Traveling by bus is not a space flight, but you need to prepare for it no less carefully. While you're on the move, you'll be sealed into a fairly small space in your seat, so it's worth making sure you have everything you need at hand in advance. Here's a short list to guide you.

1. A small handbag or body wallet with the most valuables. Documents, money, tickets, cards, smartphone and so on.
2. A backpack or bag with things you might need.
3. Sleeping items: earplugs, light-protective mask, blanket or jacket, inflatable pillow.
4. Entertainment: smartphone, book, player, tablet.
5. Medicines that may be useful to you for motion sickness, poisoning, or that are prescribed to you by your doctor.
6. Water and, if necessary, a small snack: nuts, energy bars, candy.
7. Toilet paper!

We traveled from Tallinn to Riga on a comfortable bus. It had so many different bells and whistles that I decided to write about them all separately.

The bus drivers are very polite. Firstly, they helped everyone pack their suitcases into luggage compartment. Secondly, as soon as we got on the bus, they told us about everything that was there and what we could use. In addition, the drivers are dressed very politely.

Upon entering the bus, you do not notice anything unusual:

But there are monitors built into the back of each chair:

It turns out that while driving we can listen to music, watch movies, and surf the Internet for free. And most importantly, there is free Wi-Fi on the bus.

You can see on the map where the bus goes:

To listen to music and movies, you need to use your own headphones or buy from drivers for 1 Euro:

Someone played games:

Having sat down, the large distance between the front seat immediately catches your eye:

Above us everything is the same as what we see on buses in Russia: air conditioning, calling the driver. Only unlike our buses, it all works.

Another important thing is the 220 Volt socket, which is located under the seat:

Let's move on to more global things. When entering the bus, on the left there is a machine with coffee, tea, water, etc. All this is also free and unlimited.

And finally, the most important thing is what is behind the door with the inscription “Toilet”, which you should never enter in Russia. Here we were told: “The toilet can be used while moving, but not while standing.” We open the door - no smell. Directly ahead is the toilet. It doesn't look completely clean, but that's because of the water.

To the right of the toilet in the wall there is a window for ventilation:

To the left of the toilet there is a sink and liquid soap:

All of the above things can be used for free. The European bus is very comfortable. For reference: the distance between Tallinn and Riga is 313 km, which the bus covers in about 4-5 hours. Ticket price 15 Euro.

We already know about trains, now it’s time to talk about intercity bus services in Portugal. As you already guessed, I will talk about the fact that this type of public transport, i.e. The intercity bus network is also well developed in Portugal. In some cases this will be significantly more comfortable view travel around the country rather than by rail.

Public transport:
intercity buses in Portugal

For those who do not plan long trips around the country, but prefer to spend almost all the time in one or two places, for example, stay in, and then go to the Algarve and never leave from there, then the bus and train will be more convenient than car rental. The bus gives you the opportunity to go where trains don’t go.

I must say that the railway station small towns in Portugal they are often located outside the city itself, i.e. you will need a taxi or local bus to get into the city. While intercity buses always reach the city center.

The main intercity bus carrier is the company Rede Nacional de Expressos or simply Rede Expressos. This company provides regular bus services only within Portugal itself. The buses are fast and comfortable, the service is normal.
On the company’s website you can select the English language and easily view all the information: schedule, ticket prices, and also buy a ticket online.

Attention! You cannot eat or litter on buses, otherwise you will have to pay a fine. During long journeys, there are stops where you can get off the bus, go to the toilet, and have something to eat. Those. if you want to leave, be sure to ask the driver how long the stop will last :)

Basically everyone arrives at airport and from there they plan all their trips around the country. In Lisbon the main bus station is called 7 Rios(Sete Rius), it is not very far from the airport.

7 Rios – Lisbon central bus station

Address: Praça Mal. Humberto Delgado, 1500 Lisboa

How to get to the central bus station 7 Rios?

From airport: In addition to taxis, you can get there by bus Aerobus, route 2.
You can find out more about this bus, schedule and ticket price. The bus comes directly to the bus station itself, there is no need to go anywhere. The same is true in the opposite direction.

From the city: You can get there by train, metro and regular bus, of course. Railroad station called 7 Rios(Sete Riusch). The metro station is called JardimZoológico(Jardin Zoologiku). Buses: 31, 54, 70, 701, 716, 726, 746, 755 , 758, 768.

In general, both metro and railway stations are located in the same building... I would say a building. There is only one exit from there and it is located opposite the bus station. You need to cross a small path and go up the stairs or on an escalator to the bus station building.

Interesting! The bus station is located next to the Lisbon Zoo. Maybe someone will want to have some fun while waiting for the bus. Highly recommend!

How much will it cost to travel intercity bus? Next, I would like to carry out an analysis similar to what I did for trains, i.e. most popular destinations Lisbon–Faro, Lisbon-Porto and Porto Faro.

How to get from Lisbon to Porto by bus?

Travel time: 3:30 – 4:00 depending on departure time and route.
Ticket price: regular ticket - 20 euros, round trip - 36 euros.

How to get from Lisbon to Faro by bus?

Travel time: 3:15 – 4:00 depending on departure time and route.
Ticket price: regular ticket - 19.5 - 20.0 euros, round trip - 35.2 - 36.0 euros.

Some trips are made by another carrier company - Mundial Turismo(Mundial Tourism).

How to get from Porto to Faro by bus?

Travel time: 8:30 – 13:00 depending on departure time and route.
Ticket price: regular ticket - 31 euros, round trip - 55.8 euros.

Attention! There are very few direct routes towards Porto Faro. Please pay attention to possible transfers.

It is possible to buy a ticket online on the carrier company’s website (link above in the text). During the hottest period, literally and figuratively, i.e. in July-August this would be very useful. And just to avoid standing in line...

A few important points:

• How to find where the bus stops in the desired city?

Typically, ticket sales points are stopping points (). If there are two or more ticket sales points in a city, then, as a rule, they stop at the first one on the list.

• It is possible to book a ticket in advance, 14 days before departure.
• If you were unable to print the ticket you purchased online, you need to save the reference number and show it at the box office or use an automatic terminal to print the ticket.
• If you missed your bus, then purchased online tickets They are not exchanged and money is not returned.
• Baggage: You can carry up to 20 kg of luggage free of charge. If the driver thinks that you have exceeded the limit, then you will have to pay for the excess.
• You can always buy tickets in person in advance, of course.
• Any information about opening hours, schedules, as well as booking a ticket from Lisbon can be done through the call center 707 22 33 44 (daily from 8:00 to 20:00). Speak English.

Important! If you have just booked a ticket, you must appear at the ticket office no later than 1 hour before the trip and redeem your ticket.

We were in Porto at the end of February, beginning of March 2017.
Based on numerous reviews on the Internet, at first there was an opinion that the city should be seen while passing through, but we took a chance and went there for a week. And we never regretted it. We plan to return here in the future, since during this trip we did not have time to see everything we planned.
So, in order and with prices:
You can get a city map at the Information desk at the airport for free. From the airport to the center by metro. The metro is located at the exit from the airport, follow the signs, you won’t get lost.
Driving around the city that we used:
1. Metro. The price of the trip depends on the zone you are going to, but we had no more than 2 euros per trip. When you make your first purchase, you buy a card and top it up at the machines at the entrance to the metro. You can pay in small change or by card. I asked people for help, but I couldn’t figure it out with this machine. In Lisbon they were in 2 languages, but here they were only found in Portuguese.
2. Trams. In Porto they are a tourist attraction, but the locals use them too. We paid the fare to the tram driver: 3 euros. There are 3 lines in the city: You can get on in the center. Number 22 travels only in the center. Number 18 from the center and a little along the embankment. Number 1 from the center to the ocean. Save your ticket; when visiting the tram museum, it gives you a 30% discount on admission.
3. Lift near the Don Luis Bridge. Price 2.5 euros one way. We used it up. Down we walked along the picturesque Arnaldo Gama Street because we passed the entrance to the ski lift. It looks like the entrance to an underground passage.
4. Cable car. Being on the opposite side, we crossed the Don Luis Bridge. The panoramas are amazing over the city. The ticket office is located on the -1st floor, boarding on the -2nd. The price for a return ticket is 8 euros and they give you a ticket for a free port wine tasting, but we didn’t use it. We drove back there. I advise you to take a ride from top to bottom, it will take your breath away.
5. Tourist double-decker buses. There are already 3 companies in Porto. We used yellow, there is Russian language. Russian is stated at number 7, but in reality it is either 8 or 9, look for it and you will find it, the translation is very decent. We took a ticket for 2 days in order to have time to travel along 2 routes. Price 15 euros. Moreover, these tickets could also be used for public transport, we drove along them late in the evening on the 2nd day from the ocean to the center on bus number 500.
On tourist buses There are other ticket options that add excursions along the Douro River and wine tastings.
5. On foot. On foot, on foot and on foot again. Slowly, looking at houses and people. But do not forget that the city is located on hills and it is better to move around the city in comfortable shoes, without heels. The houses in the center are a different story, somehow narrow, low and high, amazing, with ancient mosaics on the walls, in varying degrees of shabbyness. Charming. We walked through many attractions using the map. We went to all the temples we came across along the way, the beauty was extraordinary. In the Clerigos church we climbed the bell tower. Please note: there is no elevator there. Price 4 euros including museum entry. It was raining, but because of this the views from the tower were no less beautiful.
We walked along the ocean more than once, a very convenient embankment, watched the sunset, watched the storm, beauty, strength, power. We walked around and ate roasted chestnuts, which are sold in these portable mini-kitchens. The price per bag is 2 euros or something...Shops: In Pingo Doce supermarkets we bought water, beer, fruit, bread and other goodies. Then we discovered the Mercado do Bolh?o market located on Rua de S? da Bandeira. There are fruits, souvenirs, fish, port wine, in general a lot of things. The price tag for magnets, mugs and other souvenirs is cheaper than in the shops in the center. For example, a mug on the market costs 3.5-5 euros, in the center from 7 euros. Magnets from 1.5 euros, "wholesale" is even cheaper, in the center from 2.5 euros... Well, and Portuguese cockerels, respectively, too, of different sizes and colors.
There are also Chinese shops, but not many, open from morning until late, without a break for siesta, there we saw Chinese wallets made of cork for 1.25 euros, we saw similar ones on sale in the center, but more expensive and a piece of paper "Made in China") )) torn off.
Pedestrian shopping street Santa Catarina. At the end of February there were still sales, so naturally we couldn’t refuse and bought ourselves a pair of Portuguese shoes. Prices were reduced during this period by 30 - 50 and even 70%. A paradise for shopaholics. Food: We stayed in a hotel, breakfast was included, but lunch or dinner in the city. Restaurants in the center are more expensive than in the outskirts, but if you look you can find them in the center. We had dinner with a check for 1 person from 8 to 12 euros (fish or meat, salad, side dish, wine or beer). The portions are really very large. The fish is very tasty. Cooked on the grill, no sauces, everything in its own juice. At the port (there is a stop at the yellow “Restaurants” buses, the 500 bus also runs there) we went to a fish restaurant, we wanted to repeat it, but we arrived at 18.00, we were told that they were already closing. There the price tag was higher, but not by much, the fish was amazing, an explosion of taste buds). What we didn’t have time to do, but wanted to: We wanted to take a helicopter over the city. Price 150 euros. There are 3 places. If there are three of us, then 50 euros per person. If it’s two people, it’s 75 euros. Flight time is 10 minutes. They say the views are amazing.
There are also trips by tuk-tuk both in the center and along the embankment, but it was quite cool and the downside is that the tour is conducted by the driver himself in Portuguese and English. In general, this is not an option for us.
Zoo and aquarium. They say about the aquarium that it is more aimed at family time, with a lot of interactive things for kids. While the aquarium in Lisbon has not been eclipsed by anything, it is huge and luxurious. We have little information about the zoo, but all information can be obtained in multiple tourist offices in Porto.
We didn’t even have time to walk along the other side of the Douro River and visit the wine cellars. But we still tasted port wine at the Douro and Porto Wine Institute on Ferreira Bordes Street (marked on the city map). To the right as you enter is the tasting room. Tasting costs from 1.2 to 9.90 euros per glass. And since we don’t understand anything about port wine at all, we asked the employee of this hall to pour it for us to our taste. To say that it’s delicious is to say nothing; in general, we bought a bottle of Tawny porto 10 years for 23.50 euros. Porto is beautiful colorful city, the Portuguese are wonderful people. During the entire trip there was not a single moment that marred our journey. I wish you to visit this amazing city.

Where and when can I find out the departure time and bus number?

On the eve of departure in the evening (after approximately 16:00), tour operator employees will call tourists at the numbers that were specified when booking the tour. The following information is provided: the number and color of the bus, the time the bus arrives at the departure point.

be careful ! If we have not reached you by phone, and you do not have the opportunity to check the information on our website, then contact us yourself, but not earlier than 16:00 (Moscow time) on the eve of the vehicle departure.

What are the features of Euroclass and tourist class buses?

If the website indicates that your bus is a “foreign car”, then, as a rule, it is a Korean or Chinese bus: HIGER, Yutong, HYUNDAI.

Tour class– buses that are most often intended for sightseeing tours, but are also sometimes used on trips to the sea to make tour prices more affordable. The tourist class includes: HIGER, Yutong, HYUNDAI, etc. The bus interior is equipped with: air conditioning, TV-DVD, reclining seats.

Euroclass– buses with increased comfort. Thanks to the comfort vehicles This class is used when traveling long distances. These buses reduce the risk of frequent breakdowns on the road (running gear, air conditioning systems). For convenience, the cabin has reclining orthopedic chairs, air conditioning, TV-DVD. Representatives of the Euroclass are buses: MERCEDES, SETRA, KING LONG.

Which monetary currency in Abkhazia?

The currency in Abkhazia is the Russian ruble.

Can you pay for the tour with a plastic card?

You can pay with a plastic card at the sales office or through the website.

Are tourists insured on the way and during vacation?

All tourists on bus tours are insured. During vacation, insurance outside of transport is not required, since unified compulsory medical insurance policies have been introduced. During your holiday in Abkhazia, insurance also covers the duration of your holiday.

Tour buses and other transport issues

Despite the fact that we are a major tour operator in bus tours, we don’t have our own buses. The policy of our company is that we separate excursion and transport business.

We are professionals in organizing tourism products.

Where do the buses depart from?

• Select your departure city in the upper left corner on the main page of the site.
• Next follow the link with right side"Tourist departure points."

Does the tour operator have the right to change seats on the bus?

The tour operator reserves the right to change the tourist’s seat on the bus in the following situations:

• If tourists board incorrectly on the bus (everyone sits by the window). In this situation, the tour operator has the right to change the seat, having previously notified travel company about it;
• when combining flights in rare cases, change is possible seats. The tour operator will inform you about this a day before departure.

What documents are needed to travel to Kaliningrad?

You need a foreign passport, a Russian passport.

Do you organize tours for school groups?

No. Children are transported by bus during daylight hours. It is prohibited to transport children's groups at night without special permission.

I booked a tour with sharing, when will I know if I have found a partner?

Information will be available 3-5 days before departure. If accommodation is not found, the tourist will be asked to pay extra for Single Room or get off the flight with full refund paid amount.

What acts as an additional places in the room?

Depending on the hotel, you will be provided with: a folding bed, a sofa, an armchair.

What are the payment terms for the tour?

It is necessary to pay 30% of the tour amount within 3 calendar days from the date of confirmation of the application.

The full cost must be paid no later than 14 (fourteen) calendar days before the start date of the trip.

When booking excursion tour The following payment terms apply to Kaliningrad:

• 50% prepayment – ​​within 3 calendar days after confirmation of the application;
• 100% payment – ​​30 days before the start of the tour.

Can the bus pick me up at a point along the route?

No. Boarding is carried out only at strictly designated departure points.