The Travel Chica

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How To Survive a 28-Hour Bus Ride

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There are a couple of options for traveling by bus from Bariloche to El Calafate.  One involves taking a two-day bus trip where you stop and spend the night in a town on the way.  The other is a direct overnight bus ride.  I do not like re-packing and hauling my luggage around.  I prefer to get somewhere directly.

I opted for a 28-hour overnight bus ride.

Before this trip, the longest bus ride I had taken was 18 hours from Buenos Aires to Puerto Madryn.  I was a little nervous, but it really was not bad.  I was prepared.

Tips for Surviving an Overnight Bus Ride

#1 – Book a comfortable seat.

There are different classes of tickets on the buses in Argentina.  I went with Cama, which means the seat reclines quite far (150 degrees I think), and there is a foot rest that folds down and meets your seat.

There is a class better than this, but I chose to NOT pony up the extra cash to upgrade to Cama Suite.  This seat reclines to 180 degrees, but that really is not as comfortable in my opinion because lying flat on something that is not a real mattress hurts my back.

#2 – Watch Movies

Most long-haul buses are now equipped with televisions, at least the ones in Argentina.  On the first day of the trip, I watched 5 movies, and they were pretty good ones too.  I appreciated some Brad Pitt eye candy, but I do wonder what they were thinking showing a film that involves a tourist getting shot on a bus (Babel).

Many will be films from the US, so they are in English with Spanish subtitles.

Remember to have your earphones handy because the volume on the televisions is usually not high enough for you to understand the dialogue without plugging into the sound system.

#3 – Bring Healthy Snacks… and a Treat

Most of the long-haul buses in Argentina serve meals, depending on which class of ticket you purchase (ask if your ticket includes servicio).  On this 28-hour ride, lunch, dinner, and breakfast were included in the price.

There is A LOT of time between lunch and dinner (9 hours or more) because Argentines eat so late.  I cannot go that long without eating

I brought apples, bananas, and granola bars. And I was sure to stop at one of the artisanal chocolate shops in Bariloche for a special treat.

My snacks also came in handy when the bus staff forgot to give us our breakfast on Day 2 of the ride.  They switched out the bus due to some sort of problem and changed the driver.  Apparently, we were supposed to have gotten our breakfast before this happened, and the food did not make it on the new bus.

#4 – Keep Your Mind Busy

I am lucky to be one of those people that can read while in a moving vehicle.

But I cannot read for more than a couple of hours at a time.  I also brought some Spanish flashcards to keep me busy and help me continue to learn Spanish.

#5 Sleep Well

You probably will not have the most comfortable, uninterrupted sleep of your life, and that makes it even more important to get plenty and do what you can to prevent the interruptions.

Ear plugs are a necessity.  The buses play movies pretty late, and even though the volume is not loud, it is enough to distract you from getting to sleep.

An eye mask is helpful to prevent light from passing cars waking you up.  Also, in Patagonia the sun comes up quite early in the summer, and the curtains on the bus windows will not do much to block out the sunlight.  If you do not have an eye mask, have a shirt or scarf to put over your eyes.

#6 Enjoy the View

I booked my bus ticket about one week early, and I scored the best seat on the bus.  That would be the top, front row, single seat (meaning nobody next to me).

I got to enjoy the changing landscape as I made my way from Bariloche to El Calafate.

Even if you do not score the best seat on the bus, it is still a big win to get one of the single seats and not have someone next to you.

What is the longest consecutive time you’ve spent on a bus?  Any tips (or mishaps) to share?

 

Comments

  1. Even just by imagining, I don’t think I can survive a 28-Hour Bus Ride. That’s quite tough to do and that would certainly be tiring and boring at the same time. I’m impressed that you are able to survive with that long trip.
    Candice Michelle recently posted..Baby Eagle

  3. Such beautiful scenery! Looking at so much gorgeousness has got to help! I still don’t think I could handle that bus ride though

  4. Guatemala City to San Jose is the longest bus ride, but we stopped in San Salvador for a night. So however long it is from Guate to San Salvador! Seemed like an eternity and I am not one of the lucky people who can read on a bus. I entertain myself my people watching and landscape viewing, and making up stories about both.
    Claire recently posted..I’m Back and I’m Blogging

    • Do you have the comfy, super-reclining seat options on the long-haul buses in Central America? The longest one I ever took there was about 9 hours, and although reasonably comfortable, not something I could do for 28 hours.
      The Travel Chica recently posted..Will Hike for Beer

  5. The comment on the choice of movies makes me laugh. I remember seeing a couple of really violent movies of which I wondered why they played them. There was one movie about twin girls and one was captured by a psychopath and when he cut of a finger from the one sister, the other sister also lost a finger… :s

    Also, not always the movies are in English, they like to dub them sometimes, so if you don’t know Spanish (or hate dubbing like me), it can be very annoying.

    I would recommend taking a sleeping bag/blanket, sometimes the air conditioning can be very cold (and in my experience they only give blankets in the came-suite)

    You can also try to break your ride in two night trips:
    My longest ride would have been from Tucumán to Iguazú, (about 24 hours) but instead we opted for two night busses: one from Tucumán to Chaco, Resistencia, where we spent the da (left our luggage on the terminal where they have a deposit place for a couple of pesos), and then from Resistencia to Iguazú.

    But I do not agree about the cama-suite, to me it is worth the extra money, I’m really able to sleep in a came-suite. However, as far as I know, they only ride from/to Buenos Aires.

    • Good tip on keeping warm. I always have my sleeping bag and fleece and pashmina.

      Definitely a travel preference about splitting it into two trips. I’m sure plenty of people prefer the opposite of me and would rather sleep in a bed and finish the bus ride the next day.
      The Travel Chica recently posted..Will Hike for Beer

  6. The thought of reclining seats and movies in a bus sounds like luxury to me coming from a country where often our planes don’t even have those features for the average traveler.

    But 28 hours? That sounds like torture to me. It would probably take me a couple of days to be able to get over it but like you said at least you get to your destination directly.

    The pictures you took on your trip to El Calafate look stunning. I don’t know what it is I love more about South America. The people, the culture, the Spanish language or the continents natural beauty.

    • I love it all!

      It is amazing how a series of movies can numb your brain into forgetting how many hours you’ve been sitting on a bus.

      And yes, my bus experiences in Argentina have been better than any flight experience in the US.
      The Travel Chica recently posted..Will Hike for Beer

  9. Well my longest was 26 hours from Cali, Colombia to Quito, Peru. The next day my sciatic nerve started to hurt for the first time ever and it is still healing six months later. I did take a cama class later from Trujillo to Lima and that was much better. Will never have a “normal” reclining seat for that long on a bus again. I did teach myself to do some minor yoga while sitting in a tight space though. And anytime you can get off the bus even for a couple minutes and do a little yoga and stretching pays big dividends.
    Philip recently posted..The Great American Road Trip–Part IV

    • A guy I met in Nicaragua took a chicken bus for 24 hours or something ridiculous to get to Guatemala. He said it was the worst experience ever and had no idea it was going to be a chicken bus instead of the nicer pullman buses.

      Good tip on the stretching. I try to at least stand up periodically and touch my toes :-)
      The Travel Chica recently posted..Will Hike for Beer

  10. Good pix from the bus window! I can’t help thinking that a long bus ride is better than long plane trip…at least you can move a little and there’s a view. Glad you’re enjoying your trip. Sorry we missed you in BA.
    50+ and on the Run recently posted..Sunday Haiku XIV

  11. Ah, the sweet old bus. I actually started to enjoy riding on busses after a while. It was the only time i could really relax. The longest ride was 40 hours from Salvador to Belem in Brazil. Other famous rides were the 7 days of bus from Cali/colombia to La Paz/Bolivia and the 24 hour bus in Sumatra where people smoked and puked on the bus.
    neil skywalker recently posted..Vietnam – Hanoi

  12. I wish I could read on the bus/car :( I get motion sickness.

    My longest bus ride was about 15 hours long (I think, I’m not sure), from Buenos Aires to Mendoza. It was ages ago, I must have slept quite a lot and watched films.

    However, my latest flight was 10 hours long, and it was a day flight too. I read, ate, napped, listened to my iPod, napped, read and ate some more. On overnight flights I take a sleeping pill and wake up in time for breakfast :)
    Ana O’Reilly recently posted..Lisbon, warts and all

    • I am so lucky I can read on a bus. In fact, it is one of the only times I read when I am traveling.

      I have so much trouble sleeping on planes. I am one of those people that refuses to take medication unless I’m dying, and the seats are just too uncomfortable.
      The Travel Chica recently posted..Have You Seen the Whales Show?

  13. 28 hours?! Yikes! I’ve never been on a bus for more than a few hours before. But whenever I’m riding anywhere, especially when I was in Guatemala, I always find myself glued to the window. I can’t sleep or read even if I want to because I’m afraid that I’ll miss something outside the window!
    Sky recently posted..Change of Plans

  14. Probably the longest bus ride I have ever done was from Don Det (south Laos) to Vang Vieng (North Laos).
    It took me 27 hours, 3 changes, 6 hours waiting in random bus stations.
    But is wasn’t only the longest one but also the worst one.
    Freezing buses the night (no sleep), with no air during the day (30 degrees and 6 hours bus on a bad road), people throwing up, strange smoke coming into the bus whilst we were on the top of the mountain.
    I usually fall asleep after a few minutes I get into to the bus, this time I really couldn’t. Such an adventure!
    Giulia recently posted..4000 Islands in Laos – Cosa fare, dove dormire e come arrivare

  15. 28 hours?!? Yikes… that’s a serious bus journey! I would go crazy, I think, because I can never fall asleep sitting up (planes, trains, buses… nada).

    My longest bus ride was actually not far off this, however. In high school, I went with my marching band to Disney World. The trip from Ohio to Florida took just over 20 hours, I believe. It was mostly an overnight ride, though, so much of it was spent trying to get comfortable. Many kids ended up sprawled out on the bus floor…
    Amanda recently posted..My Night in Prison

    • That’s the beauty of the Cama! It’s almost like a bed, but in some ways it is better because it is not completely flat and sort of cradles you. I cannot sleep on airplanes or regular buses either. Nobody likes to wake up after a short snooze to discover their head was at some weird angle, and their neck will hurt for 2 days.
      The Travel Chica recently posted..Have You Seen the Whales Show?

  17. You really must be strong. I sure cant take 28hrs of bus ride, no matter the class im riding in. A some point the bus starts to reek of human sweat and it reminds me of those long haul bus rides in college for as long as a week long road trips.

    I must say however, for the country side view and pictures you took, its worth all the back pain you may get.

  19. “Remember to have your earphones handy because the volume on the televisions is usually not high enough for you to understand the dialogue without plugging into the sound system.”

    If you’re lucky this statement is true. More often than not I had the opposite experience – super high volume, almost always for some crappy movie(s) I didn’t want to see (four back-to-back Jean Claude Van Damme movies dubbed in Spanish come to mind). Even listening to music somewhat loudly wasn’t always enough to drown out the pain!

    To be fair to Argentina, I found that problem less on Argentine buses than those of other South American countries.
    Jeff recently posted..Travel Video: La Bomba de Tiempo in Buenos Aires

  20. I think it was Ecuador. It was a bootleg DVD that immediately cut off the credits and started right into the next movie. Oh, the horror! And, it might have been 5 of his movies, but who can really tell one from the next…

    I have also seen JCVD movies (well, they were shown at least) in multiple Latin American countries. I remember once somewhere in Central America someone explaining how popular he was in that region.

    When the movie is THAT bad or the volume so high, I skip the earplugs and go for the music as I can turn up the volume. So, add to your list: make sure your carry on electronics are fully charged 😉
    Jeff recently posted..Travel Video: La Bomba de Tiempo in Buenos Aires

  21. You are so lucky to be able to read on a bus. I always think about how much glorious reading I could get done on buses, if only it didn’t make my head feel like it might split and my food want to come back up.

    I do love the movies, though I also have seen Taken on a bus 3 times, which is about girls traveling abroad and getting kidnapped then sold as sex slaves. Awesome. But again, there was Liam Neeson kicking some serious ass, so it was a win in the end.
    Rease recently posted..Argentina: I Love You But I’m Not In Love With You

  23. Travelling by bus is definitely some kind of experience! Especially when you travel on the local buses for hours. Haven’t been to South America but my experience on a local bus in India was quite memorable!
    Anji recently posted..Paris from and to insiders

  26. 18 hours from BA to Puerto Madryn is the longest I’ve spent on a bus and I wish I would have read your article BEFORE hand. Instead of healthy snacks, I packed alfajores and soda. Bad idea. I felt so sick before they even served dinner because I was eating out of sheer boredom. Lesson learned!
    John recently posted..A Harrowing Border Crossing In….Canada?

  29. Great advice! Especially the ear plugs. I have been using them for years, but you especially do need them on buses. From Cucuta to Medellin in Colombia, I was near the front and the driver was playing his music too loud all night. Though the ear plugs didn’t help too much, it softened it enough that I could get some sleep.

    And wow, 28 hours. Respect!
    Adam Pervez recently posted..Together, Let’s Help Kids With Cancer!

  30. Well done on your trip, reporting and pics.
    I reckon, long distance buses are great in Argentina.
    Longest trip : Isla del sol on Titicaca lake, Bolivia, until Quilmes, south of Buenos Aires in approx 72 hours (had to come back for a birthday) via Copacabana, La Paz, Sucre, Villazon, Salta. I’ll never do it again hopefully.
    And yes, movies are great, sometimes with wrong/improvised subtitles which make it even funnier.
    Best, V.

  31. Good tips. I took a 27 hr train ride this past fall…it was waaay too long!
    Argentina has good overnight buses. I’ve done long journeys on the clase cama and I slept really well!
    Audrey recently posted..Snapping Photographs

  32. I did an El Chalten -> Bariloche trip in the beginning of 2011, was 28 +4 hours if I remember correctly – we had to pass through El Calafate, then Rio Gallegos.

    But hey, these are nothing. Argentinian buses are awesome – I can do much more than 28 hours, I think. No problem.

    The Pullmans in Peru are also good, if they turn on the air conditioning. 29 hours from Lima to Cuzco, mid 2011, with hot sun and no air conditioning. My sister threw up, first time in years. :)

    But the shittiest one I took was a 22 hour chicken bus from La Paz, Bolivia to Rurrenabaque, Bolivia. Most people just fly this route, which goes through the “Death Road”. People threw up on the bus, had animals, changed diapers, basically sat on me. Now THAT was a challenge. It can take up to 60 hours in bad weather, dependent on the mud and snow. :)

    Try it. I see you’re going up and doing the same route I did last year: Argentina/Chile -> Bolivia -> Peru -> Ecuador -> Colombia.

    Speaking of which – I am sure you’ll love Colombia. I loved Argentina the most until I got here. There’s magic in this country.. get here!

    • I am a little nervous about Bolivia and Peru bus travel. I will definitely be spending the money to get the best bus company and the highest class seat. Or maybe I’ll just fly :-)

      I have heard so many wonderful things about Colombia. But I don’t know if I’m going to have time to make it there. I would want at least 6 weeks to see the country.
      Stephanie – The Travel Chica recently posted..Photo Essay: Defeated by the Winds of Patagonia at Pliegue Tumbado

      • For Peru, that’s Cruz del Sur. You’ll see. But most other companies are fine, and it’s more “authentic” taking the cheaper ones, like CIAL or Flores or whatever. (Don’t remember all the names..)

        For Bolivia – it’s hard. There aren’t many good companies, and in some routes, there simply aren’t. But hey, you’ll survive. :)

        Hope you get to Colombia, but if not – someday :)

  33. Oh, by the way. Once you PREFER longer buses over shorter buses so you can sleep and save a night’s cost in a hostel – that’s when I felt I’ve become a real “hardcore Mochilero” 😉

    Happened to me once, from San Agustin del Valle Fertil to La Rioja. I prefer a 13 hours bus over a 4 hour bus, so I could arrive at 8 in the morning and sleep the night in the bus.

  35. I’ve never been on a bus that long, but use a lot of these suggestions for the long flights (especially those ten hours and longer). I was laughing about the movie where somebody gets shot on a bus…. I thought the same one time when they were showing “Snakes on a Plane” while on a plane :)

  36. Hey Travel chica!I was wondering if you could tell me the name of the bus company the goes direct from Bariloche to El Calafate,will be making that trip in early January :)
    Cheers!
    Im loving the Blog!

  37. I’m really considering the Bariloche to El Calafate bus marathon, but part of the reason is to get a good dose of Patagonian mountain scenery along the way. Can you give me a sense of how much of the time — obviously, not including night — would there be good scenery? 50% or more and I think it would be worth it.

    Thanks very much!!!

  38. Hey Travel Chica! I was wondering if you happen to remember the name of the company that offered this route? I’m planning the same trek. Another question too…how many hours of daylight would you say you had of the 28? I know its overnight but I’m big on window watching and have heard the scenery is gorgrous so I want to be sure I’m not missing out on too much

  39. Was it worth it? We are planing on doing this trip in March next year, but the other way round, El Chalton – Bariloche. I’m not loving the idea of a bus journey that lasts longer than 24 hours!!

      • Second that. The buses are amazingly comfortable, the food is acceptable, service is good. Take every chance you have to get off the bus at stops, walk a bit. I walked up and down the bus aisle at times and enjoyed plenty of sleep time. I always tell people, it’s as nice as flying first class. I don’t mind the 24 hour bus ride from Buenos Aires to Bariloche at all.

  40. I love your tips here for surviving a long bus ride. I think your tip about keeping your mind busy, whether it’s reading, watching a movie, doing puzzles, or something else, that would be a great way to stay happy. Unfortunately, I am not one of those people who can read in a moving vehicle. I get sick really fast.

  41. I’m going on a youth group trip from Michigan to Colorado in June – July for 8 days and I am 95% sure we are taking a tour coach bus, I used the directions on my phone and it said that its gonna take a few minutes short of 18 hours, and I talked to my youth pastor and they said that it usually takes them 22 hours to get there. I am really looking forward to the trip and being in colorado but I’m really dreading the bus ride even though there are only 13 kids and at least 4 leaders signed up right now and sign ups end in like less then a month because thats when we start fundraising. but anyway Im really not looking forward to the long long bus ride. I plan to pack in my backpack, my really slow and old iPad with games, my phone with music and books cd on it or play-away boxes for books. my charging stick that can fully charge my phone again once, the game CatchPhrase, cards, notebook and pencils, headphones, blanket, gum, water, food(i don’t exactly know what yet), a sleep mask and my wallet. ANYTHING ELES?!? In my main bag, clothes for each day ( appropriate shirts and shorts), toiletries, tennis shoes, swimsuits, towels, ANYTHING ELES?!?

  42. Hello,I read your blogs named “6 Tips For Surviving A Long Bus Ride In Argentina | The Travel Chica” on a regular basis.Your story-telling style is witty, keep doing what you’re doing! And you can look our website about love spell.

  43. Hello! I am about to travel to argentina and still have no clue how to see as much ass possible. My flight in and out are in buenos aires.
    Where is your backpack when you’re travelling by bus? I fear that, if My backpack is in the trunk and i’m sleeping, at some point it could be stolen while the bus stops somewhere… is it dumb to think that? 😅

    • Hi, Melodie. It has been several years since I have traveled in Argentina, so I am not the best source. They store larger bags in a compartment at the bottom of the bus, and I believe they lock it. I didn’t have any issues and didn’t hear of others having issues. I would think the same risk of luggage being stolen exists when traveling anywhere. I do understand your concern. I always make sure my valuables are with me in my smaller bag.

    • Melodie, we have traveled by bus around Argentina twice, 2011 and 2017. Long bus rides: 24 and 30 hours, and shorter ones. We never had any trouble with our large bags stowed underneath in the bus baggage area, and we didn’t hear about anyone else losing their bags. Argentina is generally safe, except in some neighborhoods in the large cities. Stephanie gives good advice– carry your most valuable things with you inside the bus. And enjoy the ride! The buses are very comfortable and you will probably meet friendly people, Argentines and folks from many other countries.

  44. This is some really good information about bus transportation. It is good to know that it would be smart to get earplugs for the bus ride. That does seem like a good thing to do if you want to sleep on the bus. I can’t sleep unless it is dark and quiet so I would need ear plugs and an eye mask.

  45. Hello,
    First of all, thank you for this article full of wiseness.

    I want to go from Ushuaia to El Calafate by night bus… but cannot find any online (only daytime buses).Do you know if it is possible to find a bus company directly in the city (that could do the trip by night)?

    Thank you very much.

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