Tour Bus facilities differences--why??

Colinka · ‎10-15-2011

I have taken several bus tours, both in the US and in Europe. I love this type of travel, except for the difference between how you can "access the facilities", so to speak. In the US, I have found that the restroom is at the back of the bus, and easily accessible to all. My European experience is that the restroom is tucked away under the bus, and you have to climb down stairs to get to it. As I get older, I worry about this. Tell me, please, have you also found this to be the case on your trips?

On one of my European trips, with a group of students, not only did you have to climb down to use the restroom, but you had to ask two people to get up and move so that you could go down the stairs. The driver also had the key, which you had to first ask him to let you use. (I was told that the European bus drivers will do almost anything to keep you from using the bus restroom, as it meant they had to empty/clean it out at night.) On my trip through Ireland with a relative with limited mobility, it was impossible for her to access the restroom.

Anyone know of a European charter company that uses the upstairs restroom? It really would make a difference in my travel plans.

Do you have any restroom "nightmares" to share?

itsmagic · ‎08-08-2011

I have never done a bus tour outside the US but I wouldn't like having to climb basically under the bus to use the restroom plus having to ask for the key and having people move! I don't have any knowledge of European charter bus companies but I do have a restroom "nightmare" to share (at least a nightmare to me!). When I was visiting Japan and took the fast train from Tokyo I used the restroom on the train. I thought I locked the sliding door but I guess I didn't because when we rounded a corner it slid right open as I sat there. And of course there was a man standing right outside the door when it opened!

lulu2 · ‎03-09-2010

I've been on many European bus tours; never one in the US. The tour directors always emphasized the toilet is there for emergencies only.

Apparently, there is difficulty emptying the toilets. If you need to stop, inform the TD and the bus driver will stop ASAP. I do not ever remember traveling for more than 2 hours without a stop.

I have never been on a bus that seated passengers had to move in order for someone to access the toilet.

When the toilet is placed in the back of the bus, it takes up valuable space, eliminating seats that could be filled with paying clients.

aggravated · ‎03-12-2010

I can tell you, this would prevent me from taking a tour on the outside-the-US manufactured busses totally.

lulu2 · ‎03-09-2010

@aggravated wrote:
I can tell you, this would prevent me from taking a tour on the outside-the-US manufactured busses totally.

Most European buses are Mercedes and never more than a few (at the most) years old. Europe has strict pollution laws, so bus engines need constant updating. The toilet is 2 steps down. (the same steps you use to enter or exit through the side door) The chances of you using the toilet on a tour are slim. We've been on about 20 bus tours and neither of us have ever used on board facilities. You need only to ask the tour director for a stop .

chprsp · ‎03-09-2010

We've taken tours overseas With Cosmos, CIE, and Globus. Each time we were told using the facilities on the bus was not allowed. In this country with Go-Ahead it was discouraged. We did not find it a problem as there were stops every hour or two. The only time I found it a problem was in Iceland when looking for the Northern Lights. The little road stop had a waiting line of over 50.

ValuSkr · ‎03-15-2014

I can't imagine a restroom that's "downstairs" on a bus. Are the buses two stories high? Or does the restroom have a very low ceiling?

Colinka · ‎10-15-2011

@chprsp wrote:
We've taken tours overseas With Cosmos, CIE, and Globus. Each time we were told using the facilities on the bus was not allowed. In this country with Go-Ahead it was discouraged. We did not find it a problem as there were stops every hour or two. The only time I found it a problem was in Iceland when looking for the Northern Lights. The little road stop had a waiting line of over 50.

I had to laugh when I saw the name of this tour group "Go Ahead" Maybe it should be "Go Before" or "Wait a While."

Seriously, I thought of this question as I was spending this morning somewhat indisposed, so to speak. The older I get (and I'm 66) the more unreliable my plumbing is. I was reading a brochure from "Roads Scholar" while thus occupied, and was wondering how I would survive a bus journey with only a stop every two hours. (And it has been my experience that the two hour stop varies. On one previous tour, I remember being stopped in a traffic jam outside London for three hours. Do you think the bus driver would pull over for an emergency rest stop in that situation?)

Thanks to all for responding to my query. Looking forward to hearing more stories!

I guess I'll just have to do what Rick Steves recommends: Take the train!

Colinka · ‎10-15-2011

@ValuSkr wrote:
I can't imagine a restroom that's "downstairs" on a bus. Are the buses two stories high? Or does the restroom have a very low ceiling?

Here's a picture:

On one bus, they actually had two pull-down jump seats (like the flight attendants use on an airplane) directly opposite the door. We had to ask students to get up and move in order to open the door to the restroom. (After begging the driver to give up the key!)

lulu2 · ‎03-09-2010

@Colinka wrote:
I guess I'll just have to do what Rick Steves recommends: Take the train!

On one of our bus tours they put us on the bullet train between Venice and Rome, for an appointment at the Vatican Museums. The toilets on the train were beyond DISGUSTING.

As for the scenario you described being stuck in traffic, in that case the TD would suggest you use the onboard facilities.