Benefits of a hop-on hop-off bus while backpacking

25

What is a hop-on hop-off bus?

Hop-on hop-off buses are a great mode of transport while backpacking. It is a bus which travels along a predetermined route and you can choose where you get off and how long you stay in each destination. There are lots of different companies which offer this type of transport across the world. But how do they work and what are the benefits of using a hop-on hop-off bus while travelling?

How does a hop-on hop-off bus work?

Firstly, you need to buy a pass for the hop-on hop-off bus. Each company will operate their passes slightly differently. Some passes will cover you for a certain number of miles, others will be for a certain length of time or a certain number of stops. To determine which pass you need, you will need to think about how long your trip is going to be and what are the main stops you want to visit. (See the end of this post for hop-on hop-off bus pass examples.)

Once you have bought the pass, you will be given access to your bus companies booking system or app which is where you can book your first bus trip and subsequent trips after that. You can either organise all your bus routes in advance, or can just book as you go if you want more flexibility. Their booking system should also allow you to cancel or change any buses you have booked.

If at any time you feel like you want to travel for longer or your pass has nearly run out, then usually you can ‘top up’ your pass by paying an additional fee. This then adds more miles/stops/time onto your pass.

Some passes may also include stops at attractions or viewpoints, and some may include other transport e.g. a ferry crossing. It is worth checking the specifics of your pass to check what’s included. Some buses may also have a host or guide onboard who can offer tourist advice and assist with booking accommodation or excursions. Note that if they do this, they will probably be earning a commission on any bookings, so it may not be the cheapest price around.

Benefits of a hop-on hop-off bus

• It’s cheaper than an organised tour – If you want some organisation and support on your trip but don’t want to splash out on a full organised tour, this can be a cheaper option. You can prebook your route in advance so you know what date you will be in each place. This makes organising accommodation in advance easier.
• It’s flexible – One of the main benefits of a hop-on hop-off bus is that it is flexible, allowing you to rearrange any journey. This means that you can book your route in advance, but if things change when you are away, you can easily switch up the departure dates on your bus trips. Some passes are valid for up to a year, so even if you have stopped somewhere to work for several months, you will still have pre-prepared transport for when you eventually want to move onto your next destination. Some may even allow the route to be changed.
• It can be prebooked – One tricky thing about planning a big trip or gap year is knowing how much to budget. The benefit of prebooking your transport is that you can pay for it in advance. This means that once it is booked and paid for you don’t have to worry about how much to budget for transport when you are abroad. Prebooking also means that you can plan every detail of your trip in advance such as deciding how long to stay in each destination and booking your accommodation or activities before you even depart. This is very useful if you have a tight schedule to stick to.
• There is someone to help you – All buses will come with a driver, but many also come with a guide as well. These guides can give tourist advice or help arrange accommodation and excursions. They are also really useful if you are in a foreign country where you don’t speak the language and need assistance translating.
• Activities maybe included – Some bus companies offer activities in the price of the ticket. For example, I did Pisco tasting for free while on a hop-on hop-off bus in Peru. Others may stop off at viewpoints along the way and some may arrange evenings out.
• See the highlights – Hop-on hop-off buses will often travel along main routes between major cities and tourist destinations. This allows you to easily see the main highlights a country has to offer.
• Making friends – Although hop-on hop-off buses aren’t going to be as effective for making friends as an organised tour, they can still help you meet new people. The passes allow for travel along a set route so you often find that you may bump into the same people several times while travelling on the bus. Plus, sitting next to someone for several hours with nothing else to do is one way to get to know them. You could even arrange to meet up with them again on another leg of the journey.

Downsides of a hop-on hop-off bus

• Not everything is organised for you. You still have to book accommodation and organise where to eat each day.
• There are often long distances between major stops so expect to spend a long time on the bus.
• There is a predetermined route so you can’t just stop wherever you want.
• It mainly sticks to popular attractions and cities. Don’t expect to be going off the beaten track.
• The buses often only depart on certain days of the week, so there may not be a bus departing on the date that you want.
• The bus maybe full on the dates you want to travel.

Which are the best hop-on hop-off bus companies to use?

I personally have used 3 different hop-on hop-off companies while backpacking. I used Greyhound in Australia, Intercity in New Zealand and Peru Hop in Peru. All three were fantastic and offered different experiences and different pass options.

Greyhound offered simple A-B travel and I got a pass which allowed me to travel the length of the East Coast. Intercity was similar to Greyhound as it went between major destinations around the North and South islands. However, Intercity were very laid back and would often stop at random viewpoints for people to take photos and stretch their legs. They would do this though only if they were ahead of schedule. The Intercity pass was based on travel hours. Their website stated how long each journey would be so that I was able to plan what length of time pass we would need.

Peru Hop offered a slightly different experience. They had a guide as well as a driver. The guide helped us book accommodation and activities and made sure that the driver dropped everyone off as near to their accommodation as possible. They also included some extra lunch stops and activities such as the pisco tasting I mentioned earlier. I bought a pass which allowed me to travel through the main attractions of Southern Peru. Peru Hop also have sister companies in other countries e.g. Bolivia Hop in Bolivia. I have not used these sister companies but they work in the same way as Peru Hop.

These three are just ones which I have personally experienced, but there are dozens of other companies out there to choose from. Here are some other examples of hop-on hop-off bus companies:

• Busabout – Europe
• KiwiExperience – New Zealand
• Bamba Travel – Asia and South America
• Bazbus – South Africa

Example hop-on hop-off bus routes and prices

Still not sure what kind of trip you might be able to do using a hop-on hop-off bus?

Here are a few examples of hop-on hop-off bus routes which you could take while travelling, including the price and type of pass.*

---

---

---

Want to know more about other types of budget transport then check out our blog post HERE

*_{Disclaimer: These are examples of hop-on hop-off bus passes. I have not necessarily done these routes or used these companies so do your own research. This is merely to give an idea of the types of journeys which are available. Prices correct as of April 2025. Date of departure, promotions and type of pass can affect the price.}