Comparing travel costs in Europe: rail vs bus

Comparing travel costs in Europe: rail vs bus - People Walking on Sidewalk Near Building

Busabout Long Way Round tour

I wanted to compare costs for travelling around in Europe by bus and rail. While I don't have a firm itinerary yet, for the purposes of this comparison let's assume that it will be close to the route shown in the map above.

I took this route map from Busabout's 'Long Way Round' itinerary page. Busabout's bus tours definitely seems expensive to me. What if I did this same / similar route on Eurolines' network instead, using a Eurolines pass? Will that be any cheaper than using an Interrail Global Pass instead?



Best Answer

If you decide against a pass:

I did Dresden to Prague last August: By train: 32 Euros, by bus: 16 Euros. Prague to Vienna was cheaper by bus too. Further east trains are getting cheaper but in Central and Western Europe buses tend to be cheaper than standard fares for trains. At least in Germany you can get good deals if you are using slow trains.




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Are buses or trains cheaper in Europe?

Buses are often the cheapest way to travel around Europe. Bus routes often follow the same routes as trains, but for much less.

Is train cheaper than bus?

Train tickets are usually significantly more expensive than bus tickets.

What is the cheapest form of transportation in Europe?

By far one of the cheapest ways to travel long-distance in Europe is by budget airline. These airlines are hugely prolific on the continent and competition has led to incredibly cheap fares....3. Traveling Europe by Budget Airline
  • Ryanair.
  • Wizz Air.
  • Norwegian Air.
  • Easyjet.
  • Eurowings.


Is train travel expensive in Europe?

Disadvantages of Train Travel in EuropeTrain travel can be expensive \u2014 especially on high-speed trains. Furthermore, there are a lot of super-cheap flights throughout Europe so flying can often be cheaper. That said, you can get some really good deals if you're able to book high-speed trains in advance.



Benefits vs costs of Trams | FT Business




More answers regarding comparing travel costs in Europe: rail vs bus

Answer 2

As a general rule, bus is cheaper than train in Europe.

Watch only two things:

  • At least in France, some bus lines are operated by SNCF, the french railway company. In that case the fee is exactly the same as train (actually you buy a train ticket).

  • Eurolines, which is the most obvious choice for international travel, may or may not be able to run domestic routes. Go to their website for detailed information.

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