It’s around this time of the academic year that students have settled into their new or latest accommodation and are starting to make the most of the freedoms and independence that comes with university or college life. Friendship groups have formed and are starting to cement and small groups might be thinking about setting off on adventures during any of the lengthy holiday periods.
As money is usually in short supply for those in full-time education, backpacking is (as it has always been) a popular means of seeing some of the world on a budget. Part of the challenge of backpacking is making the most of the time, visiting the widest range and largest number of destinations without spending too much and without getting stuck anywhere.
Few backpackers can afford the tickets or the luggage allowance for plane travel and long-distance trains cost too much. But coach journeys are ideal for backpackers because of the generous luggage allowance and cheap fares, and the length of the journey is unimportant because although money may be limited for students, time is definitely on their side!
Public transport is pretty good – safe, reliable and cheap – on the Continent, although to a foreigner new to any city it can take considerable time to make out the timetables and routes. A better idea, particularly if you are a novice backpacker, is to travel from major city to major city using a coach company you know and trust. iDBUS coach trips can originate in London Victoria Coach Station and take you to a large number of European coach stations. All the stations are central to their respective cities and the driver and on board staff are bi-lingual so can help you if you have any questions about your destination. What’s more, you can book all your tickets in advance online and not pay any more than their cheapest fares, because prices are fixed, even at last minute.
So you could plan your itinerary using the easy route finder on the iDBUS site and book tickets for each stage of your journey. To give you an idea of prices, the iDBUS Mini Price from London to Paris could cost just £33. From Paris you could book tickets to Amsterdam, Brussels, Lille, Lyon, Milan or Turin. Look at a map and decide where you want to visit and work out your route. For example, if you want to try out a mini backpacking tour, book an iDBUS London to Lille, then Lille to Amsterdam. Both of those cities have loads of sights and attractions to visit. Then take the iDBUS Amsterdam to Paris Bercy (central Paris) to explore that city before heading back to London.
If you book overnight journeys with iDBUS you can save money on overnight accommodation too! iDBUS coach journeys will make your parents happy too – they are safe, reliable and run to and from major coach stations. You will like them too – they have free on-board Wi-Fi and plug sockets – but don’t forget the euro plug adapter and lots of space and your backpack will stay safety in the hold throughout your journey.