Why choosing to travel by bus
Covid-19 and the crisis that follows have completely changed our ability to measure tourism, causing in some cases the interruption and the suspension of the analysis of tourist flows. According to an ISTAT (Italian Agency for Statistical Survey) survey published on 5th May 2020, between 2010 and 2018 the number of plane passengers carried in Italy increased by 33.3%. Following this continuing growth, on May 2020 this growth was expected to hit 17.9 million passengers for plane passengers and reach a peak of 21 million passengers in August 2020.
However, those estimates were not taking into account the pandemic which shook the entire world’s system. Suddenly all movements between countries halted. Compared to 2019, during March 2020, 2 out of 3 flights were cancelled (66.3%) and the number passengers dropped 85% (from about 14 million to almost 2 million).
When flights were not for certain anymore it was necessary to find other solutions or create recent ones to answer to a new demand market that had never been taken into account before.
Indeed, summer 2020 has showed us how difficult and uncertain it is to travel by plane (with last-minute cancelled or postponed flights). People that were not boarded were forced to change program, choose other means of transport and adapt to original solutions.
But who said that this change is only for the worse? Changing habits can surprise us for the good.
Travelling is something that excites us, that changes our daily routine, that thrills us and makes us feel alive. There are different reasons why we want to travel and, consequently, to think how to manage the cost, quality and modality (via road, water, air).
If during daily life more and more people are starting to use less polluting means of transport, especially in big cities, like bicycles, electric vehicles, trains or by foot, on the moment of choosing our holidays we continue to choose our beloved plane, the fastest train or our comfortable car.
But in this particular moment, people are more attentive, looking for the less frequented and less crowded spaces.
Here it is why the bus journey, whatever the destination, is today reconsidered as an ad hoc alternative to classic means of transport.
Bus is the perfect solution to get out of our comfort zone and live a brand-new experience.
Bus routes are an opportunity to undergo through each moment the entire sense of travelling.
Think about it. No crowded airport and no queue to check-in, no loud people squished in the carriage, no expensive ticket prices and no driver stress when you are blocked in traffic.
Bus stations are usually located in the city centre, or in the near proximity; in the case you choose to reach a fair or a manifestation there are various companies which organize the journey taking the customer directly to the event location. So, once the destination has been chosen it is necessary to do a little research to find the bus that will take us as close as possible, choose when and where to jump on the bus, buy the ticket online, and reach the destination without thinking of anything else.
Instead of using your energy to concentrate on the drive, you can sit back and relax by reading, working on your laptop, taking a nap, listening to music and anything else.
Above all you can find new and curious friendships. A bus journey begins to be something interesting and funny, by paying attention and observing people around us. Have you ever tried to imagine the life of who is sitting next to you? Have you ever thought of a bizarre story about your seat neighbor? You need to try it at least once.
Here is another advantage of bus journeys that you would have never thought about: reawaken your fantasy!
If you are not good with fantasy, you can always start to chat with other passengers. You will find out that everyone has their own feelings, a story to tell, a mentality and different points of view. It is a continuous exchange, a confront with others.
Never forget about the ecologic advantage: travelling in bus means less pollution (both for CO2 emission and the noise pollution) and less traffic congestion.
Of course, like every other means of transport, it has its own disadvantages: for example, sometimes (even if rarely) you could find buses with uncomfortable seats, especially for tall people.
Another aspect to take into consideration is the journey duration, not as little as plane or train journeys may be. Even so, the positive aspects are so many and such, to make the negative ones completely irrelevant.
There are different factors which influence directly or indirectly the choice of the means of transport to get to any destinations and bus journeys are coming back thanks to the extensiveness of the routes offered by different companies.
Every person has its own personal perception of travelling, but with the right intelligence, a little bit of flexibility and a lot of open mindedness, you can transform a simple journey from an itinerary to a life experience.
What about you? Have you ever used the bus to travel? Continue to follow us to discover more info… and to get inspired!
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