Bathroom stops from Santiago to Porto via bus

[Jeepl8d]

Does anyone know if the ALSA bus to Porto makes bathroom stops? Traveling with a younger child and a 4 hour trip may be to much with no break. Thanks so much!

 

[Tincatinker]

Does anyone know if the ALSA bus to Porto makes bathroom stops? Traveling with a younger child and a 4 hour trip may be to much with no break. Thanks so much!

The timetable indicates 5 minute stops in Vigo & Braga. Most bus drivers are human, some even parents....

Checkout - Alsa

www.alsa.es

 

[TravellingMan22]

Does anyone know if the ALSA bus to Porto makes bathroom stops? Traveling with a younger child and a 4 hour trip may be to much with no break. Thanks so much!

Think Alsa buses have toilets on international trips though it’s a fair old effort even as a man standing up to go in there and not bang your head against something as not a lot of space so probably not the easiest with a young child, but you can probably leave the door slightly ajar and maintain a highish level of privacy for him/her!

The Flixbus buses have toilets.

 

[good_old_shoes]

I've never been on a long distance bus that doesn't a) have a toilet or b) doesn't stop for toilet/ coffee/ smoking breaks from time to time, or c) both.

The spanish/portuguese long distance busses I took usually had a better routine for breaks than the flixbus.

Once we were even dropped off the bus at a restaurant with vouchers for a full menu during lunchtime. So the whole busload of passengers had lunch together at one giant table, it was almost like a last pilgrims menu on the way back home!

Of course that's not the norm. But I only had good experience with Alsa and also other spanish and portuguese bus lines. Toilet normally shouldn't be an issue.

Safe travels!

 

[Molly Cassidy]

Yes, when I got the overnight bus from Barcelona to Oviedo we stopped at a truck stop somewhere in the middle of the night.

 

[MassNative]

Does anyone know if the ALSA bus to Porto makes bathroom stops? Traveling with a younger child and a 4 hour trip may be to much with no break. Thanks so much!

I took this bus last fall. As somebody else mentioned, there is a toilet on board (which I did not use, so no review on that.).

I remember the bus made three stops, Vigo, Braga, and Porto Airport, before the main Porto Bus Station..

Jim

 

[Quinranda]

I took the ALSA bus last year. It made one stop with a bathroom break. Forget exactly where. Then made 3 stops in Porto, first one being the airport. These were drop-off stops w no breaks.

 

[naplesdon]

Most of the buses I travelled on have toilets, there has been the occasional one with no toilet. For an aging gentleman with a bladder issue. Yikes!

 

[Sue127]

Just travelled Santiago to Rennes with Flixbus. Having slight claustrophobia, I try to avoid the on bus loo, but we had several stops, between 10 and 25 mins en route. Make sure you're back at the bus on time as there is no checking system. Saying that, the 21 hour journey was pretty good.

 

[t2andreo]

Does anyone know if the ALSA bus to Porto makes bathroom stops? Traveling with a younger child and a 4 hour trip may be to much with no break. Thanks so much!

In my experience, all the intercity ALSA buses have on-board bathrooms. It is located at he rear stairs.

 

[Molly Cassidy]

In my experience, all the intercity ALSA buses have on-board bathrooms. It is located at he rear stairs.

You can also choose your seat when you book, so you can be nearer to the toilet if you want.

 

[jpatharris]

I took the Alsa bus from Santiago to Porto last October. There were no stops longer than 5 minutes, but there was a toilet on the bus. It was unmarked but next to the exit door about halfway to the back of the bus on the passenger side.

 

[AK2112]

Does anyone know if the ALSA bus to Porto makes bathroom stops? Traveling with a younger child and a 4 hour trip may be to much with no break. Thanks so much!

They stopped 2 times in 2018.

 

[TravellingMan22]

Just travelled Santiago to Rennes with Flixbus. Having slight claustrophobia, I try to avoid the on bus loo, but we had several stops, between 10 and 25 mins en route. Make sure you're back at the bus on time as there is no checking system. Saying that, the 21 hour journey was pretty good.

Good to hear you had a good experience. I use Flixbus a lot in Europe and with the odd exception am very impressed! Easy to book app, good services, and you can ‘refund’ even the cheapest fare albeit to a voucher not cash. Always worth a check of you need a bus Europe. I have noticed they have a big presence in USA, and will probably book a couple of trips with them, but I think services operated by other coach companies?

 

[dougfitz]

I travelled quite a lot on ALSA buses this year, and there was always a toilet. You will need a euro coin to use it. From memory, the service my wife and I used from Santiago to Porto stopped at Vigo, Valenca, Porto airport then Campanha, but never for long. If you wanted to use the toilets at these places, I would make sure to tell the driver.

 

[TravellingMan22]

I travelled quite a lot on ALSA buses this year, and there was always a toilet. You will need a euro coin to use it. From memory, the service my wife and I used from Santiago to Porto stopped at Vigo, Valenca, Porto airport then Campanha, but never for long. If you wanted to use the toilets at these places, I would make sure to tell the driver.

You had to pay €1 to use bathroom on bus?

 

[dougfitz]

You had to pay €1 to use bathroom on bus?

There was no bathroom, just a toilet!

 

[TravellingMan22]

There was no bathroom, just a toilet!

Sorry. Different terminology. €1 to use toilet?

 

[Molly Cassidy]

Sorry. Different terminology. €1 to use toilet?

I've never paid to use the toilet on an Alsa bus.

 

[TravellingMan22]

I've never paid to use the toilet on an Alsa bus

Me neither !

 

[dougfitz]

I've never paid to use the toilet on an Alsa bus.

Me neither !

When did you last travel on one? I travelled twice from Santiago to Coimbra earlier this year, and many times between Coimbra and both Porto and Lisbon. All the buses I was on required a coin. If there are some buses that don't, being prepared won't hurt. On the other hand, if the OP is not prepared, and doesn't have a euro coin when one is needed, that could be very embarrassing!

Paying to get into a toilet at bus stations varies, but one should expect to do that too. I would recommend having some small change available for that as well.

 

[henrythedog]

Santiago to Porto earlier this year on ALSA there were no ‘bathroom’ stops; but there was a lavatory on the bus. I didn’t use it; but did note that the door was - at least by design if not in practice - coin operated.

 

[dougfitz]

Santiago to Porto earlier this year on ALSA there were no ‘bathroom’ stops;

Yes. While the buses that I took on this route stopped at Vigo, Velenca and Porto airport, it was only ever enough time for passengers to get off and on. There was a longer break, perhaps 30 mins or so, at Campanha for those going further south. On a different service, one passenger did use the toilets at a bus station we had stopped at, but obviously took the precaution of telling the driver. I only ever recall the drivers doing a headcount after a long stop like Campanha, so if they haven't been told you have left the bus and need to get back on, I wouldn't expect them to wait.

 

[TravellingMan22]

When did you last travel on one? I travelled twice from Santiago to Coimbra earlier this year, and many times between Coimbra and both Porto and Lisbon. All the buses I was on required a coin. If there are some buses that don't, being prepared won't hurt. On the other hand, if the OP is not prepared, and doesn't have a euro coin when one is needed, that could be very embarrassing!

Paying to get into a toilet at bus stations varies, but one should expect to do that too. I would recommend having some small change available for that as well.

Thank you for clarifying @dougfitz …. Not used ALSA since probably April/May and will use them in a few weeks Madrid to Alicante. Guessing there may be a difference domestic and international….or maybe all have changed.

 

[Molly Cassidy]

When did you last travel on one? I travelled twice from Santiago to Coimbra earlier this year, and many times between Coimbra and both Porto and Lisbon. All the buses I was on required a coin. If there are some buses that don't, being prepared won't hurt. On the other hand, if the OP is not prepared, and doesn't have a euro coin when one is needed, that could be very embarrassing!

Paying to get into a toilet at bus stations varies, but one should expect to do that too. I would recommend having some small change available for that as well.

January 2023 overnight from Barcelona to Oviedo.

 

[dougfitz]

January 2023 overnight from Barcelona to Oviedo.

That make me wonder if they have only fitted part of their bus fleet with this 'feature'.

 

[TravellingMan22]

It seems to be a domestic v international thing judging by their official site and the experiences on here. Probably done about 30 Alsa journies in last couple of years and never paid but all domestic within Spain. So the OP is travelling internationally, so euros at the ready as you suggest. Seems hit and miss at stations. Defo didn’t pay when I used at Valencia a lot last summer when I was living there for a few months, but sure I have at others. Doing Madrid to Alicante in a month or so, so will see. Tend to avoid onboard toilets as claustrophobic, balance ain’t what big used to be and seems a fair chance of banging your head or getting a black eye!!!

Possibly different fleets do international vs domestic and there may even be different legal requirements-I don’t know! Think domestically there is a ‘length or journey’ aspect as to whether toilets are offered.

That make me wonder if they have only fitted part of their bus fleet with this 'feature'.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I was on a bus tour of Italy a number of years ago and the tour guide told us not to use the toilet at the stairwell unless a dire emergency. We stopped at cafeteria style gas stations en route and we were requested to use those facilities. I never saw anyone use the bus toilet.
In the US, it seems most of the coach style buses have a bathroom in the back with a full size, stand up style door which definitely looks more "inviting".