Different Types of Buses

Buses

National or international, these are the buses you might call "classic."

International buses

Many countries around the world have international bus networks, connecting the country to its close neighbors and sometimes even farther away. Of all these, Eurolines, which covers all of Europe, is perhaps the best known.

Public

These buses attract both foreign travelers and, in "poorer countries," locals who often don’t have the means to choose air or car travel instead.

Service

Generally, international buses are of good, even excellent quality, especially compared to national fleets. So, you’ll most often find recent, safe, well-equipped buses (toilets, air conditioning, video screens, etc.) with reclining seats or plenty of legroom. In all cases, each passenger has a predefined seat, and you’ll never be crammed in.

Since these buses often cover long distances, the number of stops is limited, and detours or secondary routes aren’t on the agenda. Their routes, schedules, and fares (with online booking available for some) are often available on the web.

They usually depart from (or stop at) main bus stations, though some may have their own terminals in a city.

Lastly, when crossing borders, international buses can save time (sometimes offering "priority" access) and avoid the transfers often required when traveling between countries with local buses.

Fares

This varies depending on whether you’re traveling in Western countries or elsewhere. Broadly speaking, if the bus competes with cars, trains, or low-cost flights, the potential clientele is limited, and prices can be very attractive. This is the case in Europe, where Eurolines offers excellent fares on many of its routes.

However, if competition between transport options is weaker, demand is high, or the service is high-end compared to a similar journey on local buses, prices will reflect that (though they’re almost always affordable for travelers).

"Advantages"

For travelers, international buses offer several benefits: they’re fast for ground transport, comfortable (including for overnight trips, which can even replace a night in a hotel), and relatively affordable for a Western budget. The only downside is that you’ll mostly meet other travelers and the local "middle class."

National buses

Express buses

Basically the same as international buses. So, they’re generally fast and offer good service (with reserved seats) at prices higher than standard buses (roughly double). Note that express buses usually only connect major cities.

Other buses (or minibuses)

The most common and the cheapest, but in many countries, also the slowest, with rarely direct routes, numerous stops along the way, and not always precise schedules—or even fixed stops (sometimes you just flag them down). They’re also the most crowded, not always the safest, and occasionally the most "colorful."

That said, they offer the chance to meet locals. Very interesting in that regard and budget-friendly, but not recommended for those in a hurry or seeking comfort. While they generally cover the country well, they don’t always go everywhere or at all times (in which case shared taxis or even trucks take over).

Agency minibuses

A recent service mostly offered by travel agencies for tourists only.

Principle

This is a relatively new service that hasn’t reached all countries yet and is mainly found in Latin America, South Africa, Vietnam, etc.

For a few years now, private companies have been offering high-end shared minibus systems exclusively for travelers. These are regular or "shuttle" services connecting tourist spots at fixed, posted prices (though don’t hesitate to negotiate and compare). They have schedules, and their stops are usually at hotels or areas where travelers stay (almost never at bus stations).

You can book through any agency (sometimes your hotel), often online, or occasionally at departure. The trip is shared with all tourists going to the same place, so there are no stops along the way.

As for prices, they’re 3 to 4 times higher than standard buses (and roughly double express buses).

Advantages and disadvantages

The appeal of these minibuses lies in their speed and comfort. Otherwise, they’re relatively expensive compared to other buses and keep travelers in a kind of bubble completely cut off from the world. Their clientele is mostly young and English-speaking.

Minibuses, shared taxis, or similar

"Shared taxis," "collectivos," "louages," "bâchés," "bush taxis," "guaguas," "combis," etc.—the terminology varies worldwide for this mode of transport, which is quite different from traditional buses.

Characteristics

All share the common features of being shared transport, operating only outside Western countries, and leaving only when full (so no specific schedules).

In practice, these can be minibuses, pickups, or any vehicle with enough space to carry as many people as possible. The vehicles are often quite old and sometimes far from meeting safety standards. Their networks often compete with buses over short or medium distances but also complement them in many countries, both geographically and sometimes in terms of schedules.

How does it work?

You don’t take a "shared taxi" the way you take a "normal" bus.

Where to take them?

Often, they’re not found in bus stations that serve regular buses (due to competition). Even if their departure point is sometimes very close to these stations (to attract bus passengers), in many cities, shared taxis have their own spots. If these aren’t mentioned in your guidebook, ask your hotel staff or anyone (most people know) while specifying that you’re looking for a shared taxi to a particular destination (to avoid confusion if each destination has its own departure point).

That said, you can also flag one down anywhere along its route (same for getting off). The only downsides: it’s not always easy to know their routes, frequencies, or even how to recognize a shared taxi among other vehicles. Not to mention that if it’s really full (packed to the brim), it won’t stop! In short, unless you’re with a local or in a remote area, it’s best to take them at their departure point.

Practical aspects

Similarly, don’t expect ticket counters, information desks, or set schedules for shared taxis. Drivers and their touts handle that—most of the time without you even asking. In short, as soon as you enter the shared taxi area, expect to be heavily solicited by one and all. It makes sense when you know the faster the driver gets passengers, the sooner they leave (which sometimes leads to heated arguments over a customer).

So, even if there’s a huge crowd (which is often the case), you’ll always find your vehicle easily.

As for fares, shared taxis are very cheap, with prices equal to or lower than local buses. Sometimes, a supplement is charged for bulky luggage. Generally, prices aren’t always negotiable, and travelers pay the same as locals—at least if you’ve checked beforehand, as always.

Finding a seat

Next comes finding your seat. Another feature of shared taxis is their staggering occupancy rate! Seven or eight in a "normal" car, a dozen in a station wagon, and a good twenty in a minibus or pickup are the norm—without counting the luggage and all sorts of items people carry (especially if they’re coming from the market). This is one reason why few travelers use them and their clientele is mostly locals who aren’t very well-off.

So, forget comfort and find your spot, knowing you’ll have to make a choice: fresh air (window, footboard, roof, platform), being seated (squished inside), shelter from the sun or bad weather (the opposite of "air"), or being able to move a little (near the door in minibuses, though you’ll have to move every time someone gets on or off). In any case, don’t expect to have it all... unless you’re in the seat next to the driver, which can seem like the best spot in the most crowded shared taxis. But know that it’s often already reserved for someone (often a woman) or sometimes offered discreetly for a small extra charge.

Waiting

After that, there’s the filling-up time before departure. On this point, it’s worth noting that if your shared taxi leaves without being full, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s hitting the road—it might just circle the city or neighborhood to find its last customers. So, if the wait for the actual departure can be very short when you’re lucky enough to be the last customer, it can often last a long time, even a very long time. That’s why it’s best, especially for less frequented routes, to take shared taxis either early in the morning or late in the day when they’re in highest demand.

As a last resort, some travelers tired of waiting pay extra for one or two missing passengers to leave sooner.

On the road

The more passengers in the vehicle, the faster the trip, and the more profitable it is for the driver. As a result, many packed shared taxis drive at full speed to make as many round trips as possible in a day. It’s good to know...

Advantages for travelers

In many countries, taking shared taxis is a unique experience in itself, often quite "colorful," and a great way to meet all sorts of people (it’s at least very sociable).

That said, while the prices are very attractive and the system allows access to many places (especially as a complement to buses), it’s clear it may not be for every traveler or all the time. If you’re in a hurry, value comfort, peace, "safety," or are already tired, it’s better to choose another mode of transport.

Finally, if you’re traveling in a small group, you can also reserve an entire shared taxi and ask for it to "adapt" to the group. It’s just a matter of money and negotiation...

Urban buses

• See the article in the "Urban Transport" guide

Buses/minibuses for getting around cities or their outskirts.