Get more from your Christmas shopping budget when you ditch the train or plane and catch the coach instead.
As the festive season draws close it may be fun to combine shopping for gifts with a short break in Europe. And to make the most of your cash you could get there on a budget by coach.
The French state railway has a coach service subsidiary – iDBUS. Their coaches are Setra vehicles attached to the Daimler group. They only carry 48 passengers in sedan style seats so this may help dispel the idea that coach travel is cramped and uncomfortable. Their drivers, known as “captains” are all English speaking.
And to pass the time, there is free WiFi, a socket to keep your devices charged, reading lights and reclining seats so you can snooze.
At the moment, iDBUS are offering 30,000 seats at £20 (at £15 if you are heading for Lille) one way for travel between November 17 and December 17 to their four destinations.
Coaches depart from London Victoria to Paris, Lille, Amsterdam and Brussels.
Christmas in Paris, France
