United Kingdom to Australia by Bus.

The bus can accommodate 36 passengers. The route takes it from the Embankment in London to Dover into Europe and then Asia via Iran, Pakistan, India, Nepal, China, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and East Timor - 20 countries in all.

The Herald UK


Would you take a bus to/from Australia/Europe?


I really like the idea - but if you have the time could it be done for about the same price independently? with all the added freedom!

It would be really good if they could do a hop on hop off version!

The company website is Oz-bus.com Reply to this

If you ask me, it sounds like hell. Packed into a bus/train with the same 36 people for 12 weeks...
I agree a hop on and off version would be better - at least then you'd have the opportunity to explore some of the countries you were passing through.
Four grand to travel from the UK to Australia seems fairly reasonable - for a package tour - but it would definitely be cheaper to do it independently. The costly bits of doing it independently are getting to Asia through Europe and then the boat trip from Singapore to Australia (as far as I understand it there are no longer shipping options from Indonesia or Timor to Australia) - taking a flight from Timor having got all that way overland would be so disappointing - I hope for the sake of all overland travellers they are able to arrange a new ferry crossing.
If it's anything like bus services in the UK, you'll spend an eternity waiting at the local Tibetan Plateau's of Northern China stop without seeing a single bus only for two of the damn things to arrive at once. Also, will over 65's still be allowed to use their bus pass? - I can already see Grandad with his shopping trolley, picking up the bus 220 outside Waitrose only to be dropped off two weeks later at a small market town outside Tehran. Reply to this

I've read about this.. I found the problem was that the people organising it were making it about the journey, not the locations.. Thats fine if you want bragging rights but I would want to see stuff along the way.. Besides imagine spending all that time on a bus with people you don't like??? That's why I like to travel independently to avoid idiots if I choose to.. Reply to this

Most of it sounds decent... except for the part about Iran. Has everyone already forgotten that whole hulabaloo, what with the British sailors being taken as POWs and the general war(s) in that vicinity? Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is still in charge over there, and in my opinon he's a certified nutcase. I'd say Iran is generally not safe for most westerners right now, especially British.

Now I know many of you who have been there will be quick to defend the reputation of the region, but remember this:
1. If you've been to Iran recently, I'm guessing you're probably a hardened road warrior with a long track record of backpacking.
AND
2. As TravellingMum and The Nomad have already pointed out, most people who go on this trip will NOT be of the type described above, and may not know how to deal with a potentially bad situation. (I include myself in the second group.)

Just think about it is all I'm saying. Reply to this

Hmm I thought I was in two minds about this the first time I read the post, but now I think this is something I definitely could NOT cope with. The claustrophobia, the excessiveness of the entire trip - TRIP is exactly the word, I don't think it would be an adventure. The idea of rules and regulations you would get taking part in something like this, for such a long period of time, over so many countries, with the same people...not for me! Nice idea in theory, perhaps not in practice. Great for those who can't/won't fly however.. Reply to this

20 countries in 12 weeks is far too short if you ask me. That is about 4!!! days per country! I guess a lot of the days you will be simply sitting on the bus and looking out of the window. Not sure if you will actually get the flavour of a country this way. Sounds more like a strenuous exercise to collect the most passport stamps to me. But I can see the "green way" to Australia aspect. Reply to this

Wow!!!!!
That is one cool bus journey. 😊 Reply to this

Turkishdelight is currently on this trip. I think she is in India now. Great blogs!

She was in Iran during the riots of last month too. Luckily she does not seem to have come too close to the current problems in Pakistan. There were a lot of armed guards provided for them though. I am really looking forward to reading what she says about India.
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