A 10hr bus ride is what seats between us and Amsterdam. If you check out my travel bucketlist you will find Amsterdam nesting nicely on the list. I have always wanted to go and though I have seen it during my transit to Seoul I have not actually seem the city itself. A few weeks back whilst in Prague with my friend we embarked on making planes for end of February to travel to Amsterdam on a tight budget of £55 each and not only that we wanted to squeeze in another country – Belgium and still on that same tight budget.
After my personal success in traveling to Three countries in Three days I am confident we can manage the desire to see two countries (cities) in 2 days. I had thought about this for like a minute and it was decided that we would indeed make plans to visit Amsterdam and I am sure you’re all wondering how we could make it possible with just £55 when the UK, Amsterdam & Brussels are some of the most expensive countries in Europe. Well lucky for you I am a good researcher (when it comes to travel) and planner (mostly my own plans), I told my friends they had to made sacrifices and compromises and if they agreed I had a solution for us. Luckily they agreed and I presented them with my plan.
The plan to see Amsterdam and Brussels in two days without taking a vacation day from work
Friday night – Take the last bus (21.00) operated by Megabus from London Victoria station heading to Amsterdam, it takes 10+ hours and costs £15 each. The bus has toilets, WiFi and you get to stretch your legs when crossing the English channel, the UK border control, the French border control and the stop in Brussels before your final stop in Amsterdam.
Saturday day/night – Arrive in Amsterdam around 9am, spend all day exploring the city then grab the 19.00 bus operated by MEiNFERNBUS FLiXBUS from Sloterdijk Station heading to Brussels North train station arriving around 10pm. Spend the night in Brussels recovering from the 10+ hour bus ride and the day spent exploring. The bus costs 11euros which is about £7/8 each.
NOTE: The hotel price and spending money is not included in the £55 each plan.
Sunday day/night – Spend all day exploring and dinning in Brussels before taking an 8pm flight operated by Brussels Airlines to London Heathrow Airport to arrive after 9pm. The flight cost £30 each with no checked in luggage on carry-on luggage.
As I have shown above it is possible ‘plan’ a trip to Amsterdam for under £60 and the earlier you plan the better as you know what costs have been taken care of already and which you need to save up a bit more for. I am looking forward to this 10hr bus ride as I am a huge lover of bus rides (might explain why I am still lazing about doing my driving lessons). I spent most of my 2014 and some good parts on 2015 taking buses almost every weekend I wasn’t away traveling on the bus to see my parents who live a mere 3-hours from me by train but could take as long as 5-hours on the bus. I find myself liberated when I am taking long bus rides as I seem to do a lot of things which include a good night’s sleep or day sleep doesn’t matter much to me.
Would you ever take a 10+ bus ride anyway? What do you think of my planning and budget for this trip?
Indigo lorae says
Bargain!!! I didn’t know you could go there by megabus. I’m not sure i could spend that long on a bus though
http://www.indigolorae.co.uk/home/trend-stripe-it-up
Miranda says
Yep you can and it was lovely
Jessica Simms says
I’m not sure if I could survive a bus trip that long, but on the upside, you would have a lot of time to yourself. I can definitely see why you would like to experience that though.
Miranda says
Thanks
Mar says
I have a travel bucketlist too! It’s amazing how cheap trains are in other countries. I often wonder why we don’t use them more in the US. I guess we’re just not a country that’s set up for it.
Miranda says
I noticed that when I came to the US last year, in Europe we love our trains and buses
Susan Quackenbush says
I don’t imagine I will be leaving the United States any time soon but this sounds like it would be an incredible journey! Thank you for sharing! 🙂
Miranda says
You welcome and thanks
Ickle Pickle says
It sounds fantastic – personally I couldn’t do a bus trip that long – I did as a teen on a school trip from UK to Germany and it left its mark on me! Kaz x
Miranda says
Awww bless I hope this will be an awesome one for me as I have planned a few more later in the year
Idaintyit says
That is a bargain! You really snapped up a good deal this time! Have a great time!
Miranda says
Thanks SIL will do
Kara says
I love travel but a ten hour bus or coach ride isn’t for me – especially if I had the kids with me!
Miranda says
That’s the beauty for me right now, I am not dragging anyone who doesn’t want it’s just me myself and I
Dina says
I love to travel. I’d go to Amsterdam or Brussels in a heartbeat. Fun!
Miranda says
Hahahaha I love traveling too
Steph says
I get a bit queasy travelling on buses for longer than 15 minutes… Although this does look like a very efficient way to travel x
Miranda says
Awww bless
Nikka Shae says
I’m excited for you and you can take cool pictures on your bus ride. Plus your doing all of this over the weekend? I think I would need to take off Monday just to relax!! Haaaaa
Nikka Shae says
I would to visit Amsterdam, but by bus!! I’m sure it will
Be fun and you can take pictures on your way there too. I’m excited for you!!
Miranda says
I am very excited about it
Michele D says
I would love to visit Amsterdam. It looks fun! Not sure if I could make it on a 10 hr bus ride but I’m sure it’s much more relaxing than driving yourself.
Miranda says
Hahaha definitely better than driving for 10+ hours
Franc Ramon says
That is a really good adventure with the bus ride. i was able to visit Amsterdam before since it was the connecting flight from Paris on my way back to the Philippines. We adjusted my flight to an earlier flight so we could take a tour around the city for a few hours.
Miranda says
How cool is that, my flights are all direct except for Seoul or Lusaka. Very excited about this adventure
Mimi "MimiCuteLips" Green says
I would love to visit Amsterdam, a 10 hour bus ride is a tough one though. Shoot, I wish I was only 10 hours away though, I would totally go for a visit.
Miranda says
Hahaha I am only 2 hours away by flight and about 5 or less by train but this time it’s too expensive so bus it is
Fitness and Health Tips says
This sounds like a fun trip. I have not ridden a bus for any of my travelling. We usually drive where we want to go. A bus ride does sound fairly relaxing.
Miranda says
It’s so relaxing for me and I can’t get enough
Georgina prince says
Those flights sound really reasonable! I am so jealous you sound like you are having an awesome time travelling round, I hate bus journeys though lol They always make me feel sock after not too long x
Miranda says
Awww bless I love buses and can’t get enough. The flights are cheap indeed
Miles L. says
That’s a good idea. I think it is doable. Sometimes, we can still have vacation without missing work.
Miranda says
Exactly and I have been proving that to myself
Ana De- Jesus says
What is it like to spend 10 hours on a coach? I hope they do pittstops but it is at a very reasonable price too!
Miranda says
They do pitstops but it’s usually for driver change overs except for the Brussels stop which you can walk around for a minute
Jelli says
Wowee, this sounds like the makings of one fantastic weekend! Since so many cool locations are so close together in Europe, I so wish I lived there. I’d definitely ship my kids off to a sitter so my husband and I could jet to fun cities just like this!
Miranda says
Awww bless, it’s fun having cities so close together but it can be expensive too
Zena's Suitcase says
10 hours is a long time, but the price is amazing. You can’t knock that at all! I think you can do things on a budget if you plan in advance
Miranda says
Exactly my thinking, planning in advance
Jacqui says
10 hours on a bus doesn’t sound TOO horrible. I’ll be interested to see what you say afterwards! …my first thought was the bathroom, though. I hope you get a seat upfront! Have a great time!!!
Miranda says
Hahahaha since I have already survived a 7hr bus ride from Brussels to London I think I will be fine but will see
Rachel says
I am impressed you did it, but I am not sure I could stand being cooped up that long, on a bus, interesting though it sounded x
Miranda says
I am about to do it Hun
Baby Isabella says
It’s a really cheap way to travel, but I’m not so sure we could do 10 hours on a coach. Great planning though, a bus ride like that gives you lots of time to organise your sightseeing! x
Miranda says
Exactly
Jennifer says
Some day, I will get to visit overseas. The farthest out of the country I have ever been was Jamaica. Not sure I could handle a 10 hour car ride, though, but with that view, who knows!
Miranda says
Awww bless
Tee says
Looks like you have all the planning needed for a quick trip between the UK, Amsterdam, and Brussels. I’ve been to Amsterdam and Brussels but never the UK.
Miranda says
Ah cool I have been to Brussels just not Amsterdam and I am looking ward to it
Alyssa @ The Plucky Introvert says
I WISH I could take a 10 hour bus trip, because I totally would. I just have awful car sickness when I don’t drive. The drive itself I actually like. My husband and I moved across the United States 2 years ago and it took us 4 days, but I loved all of the driving. You totally are the same as us too with not wanting to take vacation days when you don’t have to. We try to plan around long weekends and such!
Miranda says
I don’t drive yet so bus it is for me lol
Grant R says
This is the sort of thing I wish I had done more of. How cool, simple and cheap an idea! 😀
Miranda says
Thanks Grant
Carmen Perez (listen2mama) says
Well for travel I will do a lot of things, but not sure I can sit on a bus for 10 hours though? Of course I could probably have done it when I was a lot younger…LOL! I hope you have a great time!
Miranda says
Hahahaha thanks
Emma White says
oh wow 10 hours on a bus is an awful long time bless ya but its so worth it I am sure I love your planning skills
Miranda says
Thanks Emma
Tots2travel says
You are a master planner. I salute you. Though I’d never try this trip with rugrats 🙂
Miranda says
Hahahaha thanks
VaiChin @RamblingThroughParenthood says
That is a bargain! Megabus is great when making travel plans on a budget.
Miranda says
Yep I love them and intended make use of them throughout the year
Dean of Little Steps says
I’ve been wanting to do an Amsterdam quick break too. Not sure though my 5-year-old will be thrilled with a ten hour bus ride, but you’ll never know. I’ve travelled to two countries in a day, albeit small ones 😉 Those were the days before getting married becoming a mum. Backpacked from Ghana through Togo to get to Benin with a friend. Ah I miss those days! x
Miranda says
Oh wow Ghana to Togo that’s awesome, I want to do all these fun things whilst I am still young and single lol
Alli says
I don’t think I could ride on a bus for that long. Looks like you have the entire trip planned out and I hope you have lots of fun.
Miranda says
Thanks Alli, I love bus rides and can’t get enough of them