Travelling abroad: how to choose an international bus or transfer
Shared trip or private transfer
There are two main formats. A seat on a bus or van that runs to a schedule is usually cheaper, but you fit around its departure time and pick-up points. A private transfer costs more, but takes you from your door to exactly where you need to be: an airport, a hotel, an address in another country.
The choice depends on how many of you are travelling, how much luggage you have and how flexible your date is. For a family with children or a group of four or five, a private car often makes more sense than buying separate seats.
How searching on BlaBlaPrice works
Instead of scrolling through operators' websites, you write one request on BlaBlaPrice, and operators reply in the chat: the price per seat or per trip, departure time, and the exact pick-up point. They can see where their offer ranks among the others and improve their terms. It is free for passengers, and you open the contacts only of the one you choose.
What to put in your request
- Route — from where to where, with the countries, for example Central → Kowloon.
- Date — the day and the departure time you prefer.
- Number of seats — how many passengers.
- Type of trip — a seat on a shared service or a private transfer, one way or return.
- Luggage — the number and size of bags, for example two suitcases of 23 kg each.
- Pick-up and drop-off — from your door, a stop, an airport or a border crossing.
- Who is travelling — children (a child seat), pets, elderly people.
- Price — what you are ready to pay per seat or for the whole trip.
Example: “I need a transfer on Wednesday morning from Central to Kowloon, one way, 2 adults and a 4-year-old child (child seat needed), 2 suitcases of 23 kg each. Pick-up from home. Budget up to HK$390 per seat.”
What to ask the operator
An international trip has a few pitfalls. Find out whether the operator holds a permit to carry passengers and whether the passengers are insured. Ask how long the stop at the border usually lasts and what happens if the trip is delayed. Check whether you can get a refund if your plans change.
You have to prepare the documents for crossing the border yourself: a passport, a visa where one is needed, and for a child travelling without both parents there may be extra papers. Check the current requirements on the official immigration websites.
What to look at in the offers
- whether the price is per seat or for the whole vehicle;
- whether it includes extra charges for luggage over the allowance;
- whether there is air conditioning, comfortable stops and a safe luggage compartment;
- whether you can pay part on the spot and part in advance.
Reviews next to an offer help you weed out casual operators, especially on long routes. For trips within the country there are passenger transport services, and for shared journeys there is ride sharing. All the options are collected in the “Transport & delivery” section.
