Busabout in Europe

Busabout Explorer (258 Vauxhall Bridge Rd., Victoria, London SW1V 1BS, U.K., phone +44 020 7950 1661, fax 7950 1662, www.busabout.com) offers independent trips through its bus network in Europe on three loops. It costs $639 to ride one loop, $1,069 to ride two loops and $1,319 on three with a Busabout pass, valid May through October.

The Northern Europe loop connects Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Paris and Amsterdam; the Western loop, Madrid, Barcelona, Bordeaux, Paris, Bern and Nice, and the Southern Loop, Munich, Lucerne, Venice, Rome and Florence. Custom routes are also available.

Buses depart every other day, and travelers can stay as long as they would like at one city before continuing on. Dropoffs and pickups are at hostels selected by the company.