The high price for short plane rides and poor railway roads make the bus a most efficient way to travel. The good thing about the bus rides is that buses are everywhere. Major bus companies have made their tracks in one of the most visited places in Europe. The traditional experience gets authentic by bus tickets bought on booths that only accept local currency. A bus ride to the former Yugoslavia can be affordable and fun on both ends. The bus might be uncomfortable but their ban to smoking will give you fresh air to breathe as bus drivers open windows for air and light. The best mode of transportation can be a sideline courier as well. Instead of paying high price for couriers, the locals have found a way to send goods to neighboring towns through giving a small tip to the bus driver to deliver their package.
One of the tourist attractions is Lake Bled which is lovely when enjoyed in a quick boat trip. It leads to a little island that has a castle by the hill. Bus ride will consume most of your time so the roads are better travelled by night so that you can spend the rest of the hours to sleep. If you visit certain places like Dubrovnik, be careful on the places you stay. Always ask questions from police as to if you stay in cheap places, you will have chances of being fined with a big amount. The former Yugoslavia is populated with beautiful structures such as churches and old houses. They also exhibit interesting scenes in mountains and forests. If safety makes you hesitate, the war has ended in more than 15 years. The place has changed a lot and promotes tourism.
Your budget does not need to be a year’s worth of salary. Good finds on food and drinks can be as low as US $1. Some buses might look German or Austrian because the local manufacturers prefer second-hand vehicles. It saves them investment and provides cheap rides to tourists without compromising the safety of the people on board. The speed of buses is usually maximized to 105 km/h. On longer roads, the bus driver will make at least 15-20 minutes stop-over in restaurants, cafes or gasoline stations. On long trips, they take two stops. There is no worry about making hungry ends meet because you will be brought to places that will give you refreshers and toilet breaks.
The former Yugoslavia is known for domestic travels. Some places do not require passports when purchasing tickets. Although at some cities, police will board the bus to inspect passports or you will have to present it yourself on the line towards boarding the bus. The bus rides in Croatia and Bosnia are mostly free seats. You can ride the bus and purchase tickets to the drivers or just pay in cash. Some buses have platform tickets that are purchased and inspected before boarding.