HOW TO SURVIVE LONG-DISTANCE OVERNIGHT BUSES
When you're travelling long distances overland, taking an overnight bus is a budget-friendly way to get from A to B. I used night buses a lot throughout South America and whilst they were daunting at first, they can save you accommodation for a night and give you more time to explore a destination during the day.
If I'm going to be honest, taking an overnight bus is the last resort for me on most trips. As a solo female traveller, the first thing that comes to mind is safety. How do I keep my belongings safe? Which bus company is the safest and has a good reputation? I'm worried about getting on the bus at night for 12 hours by myself, is anyone else going?
And most importantly how do I get a good nights sleep?
You might be tempted to take a flight but sometimes there's no option to do that. Or if you're on a short trip, losing a day at a destination can quickly add up.
Here are my top tips for surviving a night bus whether you're in South America or anywhere else in the world so that you can board with confidence and arrive well-rested and ready to explore your new destination!
Top tips to survive an overnight bus trip
1. Book your seat asap
When you buy your ticket, book your seat preference straight away. Get a solo seat on the window side.
I tend to get motion sickness at the back of the bus and where possible I book near the front of the bus.
My longest bus trip was from El Chalten to Bariloche for 24 hours. 😳 On those journeys, any extra space is always welcome!
2. Bring a pillow
Travel pillows are great for helping you get a good night snooze on a bus. Not to mention your neck will thank you.
You can pick them up almost anywhere and they come in different styles so you can find one that works best for you!
3. Take a blanket or extra layers
On my overnight bus from La Quiaca to Villazon, I hadn't prepared for how cold it would be as we went up in altitude and it was freezing!
As the locals jumped on the bus, snuggling in with a cosy blanket, I sooo wished I had one too.
Not to mention, there are bus journeys where they could always turn down the air con a tad.
Stay warm and bring a blanket!🙂
4. Do your research
Part of the doubt is know which company is the safest to go with. The easiest way I found to do this was to ask around Facebook groups what others had done and what their experiences were.
In Peru, travelling with Cruz del Sur felt very safe. And they took a picture of every passenger on board the bus before departure.
If there's only one bus company that covers your route, you might not have much of a choice. But when there are a few, spending a few extra dollars to travel in a better bus can give you the extra comfort you need and peace of mind.
5. Keep your valuables with you
Always keep your valuables with you on a bus. Not in a separate bag in the luggage compartment. Avoid putting your laptop overhead or under your seat.
If it's worth something, keep it on you or hold the bag it's in close to you.
I literally hugged by daypack on my overnight bus rides. Wrap you arm or leg around it. If you have to get off the bus for immigration, take it with you. Don't leave it anywhere you can't see it.
6. Download map of route and destination
Download an offline map before you go. I love to use maps.me
The chances are you won't always have internet or reception. It's helpful sometimes to keep a tab of where you are and how long there is in distance to your destination.
7. Stay hydrated and bring snacks
Bring a water bottle and plenty of snacks.
Overnight buses generally don't have many stops to stock up so you'll want to bring enough water to stay hydrated and an ample supply of granola bars and nuts to keep you going.
8. Charge a spare battery pack
I tend to switch my phone off to conserve battery power.
But if you're using it for entertainment, you'll want to bring a spare battery pack in case you're unable to charge it on the bus with a phone charger.
9. Get to know other travellers
Most of the time there will be other travellers on the bus which can be helpful at immigration points.
Crossing over to Bolivia from Argentina, my night bus arrived one-hour early at its destination before the border opened. I was unsure of where to go to cross the border as there were no signs and it was really dark. Luckily I found another traveller and we figured it out together.
10. Bring toilet paper, hand sanitiser and wipes
As much as I try to avoid using the loo on buses, I've had to do it at least once. Don't count on there being toilet paper so bring your own!
11. Wear comfortable clothes
I love to wear leggings or yoga pant on my long distance bus journeys. If it's on altitude, I'll be in thermals.
12. Bring extra change
For Argentina, it was customary to tip the baggage handler 5-10 pesos. Bring some extra change so that you can tip along the way or buy some snacks from the locals if the bus stops along the way.
13. Bring an eye mask and ear plugs
There's always a snorer. You'll want to block that out.
I find eye masks useful to block out street lights or for when the sun rises early in the morning.
I hope that post was helpful! If you have any other tips let me know in the comments below.
There are many platforms to book your bus tickets but my favourite so far for South America is Busbud.
Stay safe and happy travels!
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Booking.com: For the best hotel deals! 🏝
World Nomads: Travel insurance on the go 🌎
Airbnb: For the best apartment deals!🏡
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