Good travel plan: 20 destinations easily accessible by direct night bus from Paris

After having explored our selection of border capitals with France (or a little further in Europe) accessible by direct train – without the need to make any connections – it is now up to bus longue distance to be put forward. Particularly accessible means of transport and Small budgetit recalls the long (almost) sleepless nights on school trips or at summer camp.

So, head to the Bercy bus station to board one of these night buses in Paris and wake up in another country ! The Czech Republic with Prague, theAustria with Vienna, the Slovenia with Ljubljana… Or even, theItalywith Milan, Turin, theSpain with Barcelona or Madrid, theGermany with Berlin or Munich… Discover Europe by bus!

Please note: unlike night trains which offer berths for sleeping in a lying position (like in a bed), on night buses, only reclining seats are offered. We advise you not to forget your earplugs (in case of snoring), a sleep mask and a head cushion (even better if it is inflatable, that way it does not take up space).

Our 10 favorite European destinations, accessible from Paris by night bus:

In Spain

• Barcelona
  • Between 13 and 15 hours drive to reach the capital of Catalonia.
• Madrid
  • Around 17 hours of driving for a weekend in the sun, in the Spanish capital.

In Italy

• Milan
  • Reach the fashion capital in just 12 hours (a good time to sleep, therefore) and continue your journey to Lake Como (accessible in just 1 hour by train from Milan).
• Turin
  • Less than ten hours are enough – on average – to reach Turin from Paris.
• Bologna
  • Another Italian city to discover from Paris: Bologna, accessible by 15 hours by night bus from France.

In Switzerland

• Geneva
  • An unmissable destination in Switzerland, it is here that we like to walk on the banks of the lake or even hike in the very famous Swiss mountains. The city is accessible between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. by night bus.
• Zurich
  • The most populous city in Switzerland, Zurich is also accessible directly from Paris by night bus. Less than ten hours are enough to reach the city and treat yourself to a Swiss getaway worthy of the name!
• Lausanne
  • Like Geneva, between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. this time will be essential to arrive in Lausanne from Paris: a great idea for a weekend or vacation, without taking the car or the plane.

England

• London
  • In just ten hours, from Paris, you take the bus, board the ferry and then the bus again, to reach London in the early morning.
• Cambridge
  • A little over ten hours on the road and this time, direction Cambridge, still in England!

The Netherlands

• Amsterdam
  • One short night is enough (around 5-6 hours) to reach Amsterdam from Paris: the opportunity to reach the Netherlands in a much more economical way than with the Eurostar.
• Rotterdam
  • Barely 7 hours on the road and this time, you arrive in Rotterdam: the opportunity to take a little getaway to Holland, especially in spring, when the tulip fields are in bloom!
• Utrecht
  • This time, it will take you between 7 and 8 hours to arrive in Utrech, another destination in the Netherlands, accessible by night bus.

Germany

• Berlin
  • If the German capital has recently been accessible by night train, it is also accessible by night bus: it will take around 13 hours to reach it.
• Munich
  • Further south of the country, Munich is also a lovely destination in Germany, particularly popular at Christmas each year: a 14-hour bus ride will take you there.
• Frankfurt
  • Less than 9 hours of travel from Paris and this time, you will arrive in Frankfurt-le-Main.
• Cologne
  • The city with its famous cathedral is also accessible by bus: you will need a little over 8 hours by road to get there!

Czech Republic

• Prague
  • This time, head to the Czech Republic to land in Prague, the country's capital, with a 12- or 14-hour night bus.

Portugal

• Porto
  • Heading for the sun, to the very south of Europe: this time, we're heading to Porto, on a hell of a 20-hour drive.

Slovenia

• Ljubljana
  • Further still – and this will be the last of our selection! Yes, there are direct connections to Ljubjana, but hold on tight: to get there, it will take 20 hours by bus!