World's Longest Bus Journey Takes 56 Days, Spans 22 Countries

There was once a widely shared sentiment across the travel industry that the pandemic would yield a new generation of slower, more mindful travelers, and in more ways than one, it did.

For many, the past few years have served as a reminder that travel is a privilege, not a right, and it’s resulted in a more thoughtful approach to every phase of the journey, from eco-conscious booking to etiquette at their destination, in addition to an uptick in demand for existing methods of “slow” travel, like trains and buses.

Train travel, especially, has been having a resurgence among Millennials and Gen Z, two generations who seem to value sustainable travel and the ability to book last minute above all else (in fact, according to Pinterest, “Searches for Europe interrailing, train quotes and train travel aesthetic are all trending way up”), which all bodes especially well for Adventures Overland’s latest venture.

Per a new report from Forbes, the Indian expedition company is launching a new bus route, Bus to London, which will take passengers on a 7,600-mile journey across 22 European countries over the course of 56 days. That’s almost double the current longest bus journey by Peruvian company Ormeño.

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The journey, which is inspired by the Hippie Trail — “a famed overland journey through Europe and beyond that was legendary from the 1950s to the 1970s” — is set to start in Istanbul. From there, it will pass through the Balkans and Eastern Europe, heading north to Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Finland, then back south through Norway and Scandinavia, before heading to Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and France, and eventually ending in London.

An unforgettable trip though it may be, if you guessed that it also costs a pretty penny, you’d be right. Tickets cost two million INR (or $24,340) per person, plus taxes. That said, according to Forbes, that covers transport, any necessary visas, accommodations, all breakfasts and 30 lunches and dinners. It’s a pretty good deal, if you’ve got the time and disposable income — which, contrary to my earlier point, rules out most Millennials and Gen Z.

That said, the journey — slated to leave August 7 and arrive in London on October 1, 2023 — has a 30-person cap, so regardless of what demographic cohort you fall into, it’d behoove you to book soon.