Go Backpacking

  • About
  • Travel Tips
    • Accommodations
    • Budgeting & Money
    • Adventure Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Gear & Gadgets
    • Packing Tips
    • Travel Blogging
    • Travel Insurance
    • Trip Planning
    • UNESCO Sites
  • Destinations
    • Africa
      • Botswana
      • Egypt
      • Ethiopia
      • Morocco
      • Rwanda
      • South Africa
      • Tanzania
    • Asia
      • Cambodia
      • China
      • Hong Kong
      • India
      • Indonesia
      • Japan
      • Laos
      • Malaysia
      • Nepal
      • Philippines
      • Thailand
      • United Arab Emirates
      • Vietnam
    • Europe
      • England
      • France
      • Germany
      • Greece
      • Iceland
      • Ireland
      • Italy
      • Portugal
      • Spain
      • Switzerland
      • Turkey
    • North America
      • Canada
      • Costa Rica
      • Cuba
      • Guatemala
      • Mexico
      • Nicaragua
      • Panama
      • United States
    • Oceania
      • Australia
      • French Polynesia
      • New Zealand
    • South America
      • Argentina
      • Bolivia
      • Brazil
      • Chile
      • Colombia
      • Ecuador
      • Peru
  • Advertise
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Travel Tips
    • Accommodations
    • Budgeting & Money
    • Adventure Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Gear & Gadgets
    • Packing Tips
    • Travel Blogging
    • Travel Insurance
    • Trip Planning
    • UNESCO Sites
  • Destinations
    • Africa
      • Botswana
      • Egypt
      • Ethiopia
      • Morocco
      • Rwanda
      • South Africa
      • Tanzania
    • Asia
      • Cambodia
      • China
      • Hong Kong
      • India
      • Indonesia
      • Japan
      • Laos
      • Malaysia
      • Nepal
      • Philippines
      • Thailand
      • United Arab Emirates
      • Vietnam
    • Europe
      • England
      • France
      • Germany
      • Greece
      • Iceland
      • Ireland
      • Italy
      • Portugal
      • Spain
      • Switzerland
      • Turkey
    • North America
      • Canada
      • Costa Rica
      • Cuba
      • Guatemala
      • Mexico
      • Nicaragua
      • Panama
      • United States
    • Oceania
      • Australia
      • French Polynesia
      • New Zealand
    • South America
      • Argentina
      • Bolivia
      • Brazil
      • Chile
      • Colombia
      • Ecuador
      • Peru
  • Advertise
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
  • Travel Tips
    • Accommodations
    • Budgeting & Money
    • Adventure Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Gear & Gadgets
    • Packing Tips
    • Travel Blogging
    • Travel Insurance
    • Trip Planning
    • UNESCO Sites
  • Destinations
    • Africa
      • Botswana
      • Egypt
      • Ethiopia
      • Morocco
      • Rwanda
      • South Africa
      • Tanzania
    • Asia
      • Cambodia
      • China
      • Hong Kong
      • India
      • Indonesia
      • Japan
      • Laos
      • Malaysia
      • Nepal
      • Philippines
      • Thailand
      • United Arab Emirates
      • Vietnam
    • Europe
      • England
      • France
      • Germany
      • Greece
      • Iceland
      • Ireland
      • Italy
      • Portugal
      • Spain
      • Switzerland
      • Turkey
    • North America
      • Canada
      • Costa Rica
      • Cuba
      • Guatemala
      • Mexico
      • Nicaragua
      • Panama
      • United States
    • Oceania
      • Australia
      • French Polynesia
      • New Zealand
    • South America
      • Argentina
      • Bolivia
      • Brazil
      • Chile
      • Colombia
      • Ecuador
      • Peru
  • Advertise
×
Home » Planning

How to Choose the Best Seat on a Bus

Modified: Sep 14, 2024 · Published: Aug 30, 2010 by Hansen Hunt |

Traveling across a country via bus can be a lot of fun and can also be very painful. Choosing the best seat can make or break a 12-hour bus ride. Everyone has their preferences, but I will break down several factors to consider when boarding your next long-distance bus ride.

These insider tips on how to choose the best seat on a bus are geared towards bus rides over three hours in length in Mexico but can easily be applied to other countries.

There's strategy in learning how to choose the best seat on a bus in Mexico.
Buses in Mexico (photo: Dave Lee)

Trying to figure out where to go next? Check out the available deals at Travelocity.com.

Things to consider before selecting a seat

  • Do the windows open and close?
  • Are there blinds?
  • Do the seats recline?
  • Is there a bathroom onboard?
  • Are there movie screens, and where are they located?
  • Are there assigned seats?
  • Is there air conditioning?

See also: Safety Tips for Riding Buses in Ecuador

Know in advance what you want to get the best seat on a bus.
A bus station in Mexico (photo: Dave Lee)

How to choose your seat on the bus

Aisle or Window Seat

Some people love the view, gazing out the window on a scenic mountain drive. Unfortunately, if someone sits down in the aisle seat next to you, you will need to have them move every time you need to get up. The window seat also has limited legroom. In the aisle seat, you have the space but not the view.

Access to the bathroom is easy, but you also get bumped by every person walking by. If you can stay seated for extended periods and don't mind limited space, the window seat is for you. For me, it's the aisle.

View of Movie Screen

If you know there are TVs onboard, pick a seat with a direct view. Killing time has never been easier than watching three movies straight in a different language.

Distance to Restroom

You never want to be directly next to the restroom because of the foul smell, but being somewhat close can be helpful.

If you know you'll need to use it a few times during the ride, a front-row seat isn't great because you bump into people every time you need to run to the toilet. About five to six rows from the back will work fine, reducing the smell but keeping you within a moment's reach.

Electronic Seat Selection

If you can choose your seat ahead of time, the best bet is to select an aisle seat in an empty row. No one wants to have to squeeze past a stranger to get to the window seat, leaving you with a good chance of having two places to yourself. If the bus is packed, your aisle seat may be helpful if the person beside you is larger than average.

Time of Day

After making this mistake a few times, I finally learned an important tip: Know where the sun will be during your journey! Sitting in the sun will only worsen things if you’re already feeling hot.

For a more comfortable trip, sit on the left side of the bus if you’re heading north in the morning, and on the right side if you’re heading south. Just remember, the sun rises in the east and sets in the west.

Last-Minute Adjustments

Once the boarding begins, does it look like the bus will fill up? If not, jump over to an empty row before someone else takes advantage of it. The worst that can happen is that the person whose seat you stole jumps on board at the last minute, and you head back to your place.

If I were boarding an 8-10 hour bus in the morning heading south that had TVs, AC, seat selection, and a bathroom, I would sit five to six rows from the back in a right-hand aisle seat, praying no one sat next to me.

When the mom with the crying baby or sumo wrestler plop down next to you, at least you have the movies to stare at, right?

Related Stories

  • Platinum Jets.
    Think You Can’t Afford to Charter a Private Jet? Here’s How to Book a Private Plane for Less Than You Think
  • Woman working on a laptop (photo by DoDo Phanthamaly).
    E-SIMs, VPNs, and Travel Tech: The Digital Nomad Toolkit for Newbies
  • Elephants in Chiang Mai (photo by paweldotio).
    5 Meaningful Volunteer Experiences for Backpackers This Summer
  • Travel fund (photo by Tima Miroshnichenko).
    From Packing Lists to Payment Plans: How Travelers Can Stay in Control
493 shares
  • Share
  • Email
Dave at Ahu Ko Te Riku on Rapa Nui (Easter Island), Chile.

Hi, I'm Dave

Editor in Chief

I've been writing about adventure travel on Go Backpacking since 2007. I've visited 68 countries.

Read more about Dave.

Footer

back to top

About

  • About
  • Archive
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy

Follow Us

Contact

  • Contact
  • Work With Us
  • Submissions

Copyright © 2025 Go Backpacking

493 shares
  • 460