RS tour bus question

I have taken 3 RS tours and there were no potties on the buses. The bus stops every two hours for a break at a rest area to use the facilities, get a snack or coffee.

We have had a bathroom on all 6 of our RS bus tours. You were encouraged to use it if you had an emergency. It does not get "cleaned out" for the duration of the tour, which is why they prefer you don't just use it routinely. We did stop about every two hours for a bathroom break.

Since they are a small group tour bus, while very comfortable, no room for full scale toilet. We did have a small “head” pointed out, for emergencies, but not one person used it. Plenty of stops for leg stretch or other.

We have joined 14 RS tours and while there was a potty on some of the buses we were discouraged from using it because it is not "dumped" during the trip. only an emergency! There are plenty of stops and I am not aware of anyone ever in a panic since the stops occurred every two hours. We always follow the rule of using a bathroom whenever available even if the need is not urgent.

On the RS (and most other) tours, there is an "emergency" bathroom on the bus but we were encouraged not to use it. However, the RS guide always stopped (and frequently) at clean, non-paying, public rest rooms along the way so there were never any accidents.

Thank you everyone for the quick feedback! Excellent info. Very much appreciated.

Nobody will judge you or complain if you use it.

There are EU rules about bus/coach drivers stopping every 2 hours or so. I agree that there has always been a bathroom on the bus on all of the 10 tours I've done. The bus driver is the one that is responsible for cleaning it and they can't dump the holding tank until they return to their home depot at the end of the tour so what goes in rides with you for the whole time.

I'd encourage water consumption but hold off on pounding back the coffee at breakfast until she gets the rhythm of the tour. If she need a lot of water in the AM, I'd suggest she set an alarm for 5A, drink water then, go back to bed and then have plenty of time to process it before you are ready to have breakfast and leave for the day.

Start hoarding Euro coins as many of the stops have a charge for toilets. On the motorway/autobahn the stops are often at an Autogrille (actually really good food) which charges .50E (so like 50 cents) but they give you a coupon for the same amount to use in the store. Make sure she always has coins in her pocket so she doesn't need to fumble or wait for you to pay for her. I keep my coins is a small ziplock baggie in my pocket so they are handy. In general I've found tour members are great about sharing change, lol!

You'll be given a time to be back on the bus. Head to the bathrooms first (follow the herd as that is what everyone will do!) and get that done first as there may be a line. If it's at a sightseeing stop, manage your time and give yourselves time at the end for another potty break before you have to meet back on the bus.

Have fun!

Pam, thanks for the potty tips. I share the OP’s concerns.

The bus usually has a little refrigerator onboard that the driver keeps stocked with water, soft drinks and sometimes beer. A copy of the tour roster is kept nearby where you mark down the drinks you’ve purchased. Water was €1.20 on my tour this year. Money is collected on the last day that you ride the bus.

Having taken 16 RS tours, I have seen a bathroom on almost all of those busses. As others have explained, it was announced that it should not be used unless in case of an emergency. Only once, on a tour that that announcement was made, did a person go down and use the bathroom that was full of the drivers personal belongings including his clothes. That one person continued to be a detriment to the group and was counselled several times by our guide. He has since been told that he should find another tour group company if he wants to travel again. As others have said, use a WC when it is available not when you absolutely have to go.

Legend has it that, years ago, the UK's late Queen Mother was asked the secret of her success as a longtime royal, making lots of public appearances even into old age. She is supposed to have replied, "Never miss a chance to go."

My wife and I call that the "Queen Mother Principle," or just QMP. We often invoke it on trips, giving each other a look and whispering the initials as we head in our respective directions. A good rule to live by on the road, and not just in Europe.

Charlie, I'm just a little confused by yr story, I don't doubt that the passenger in yr story made all sorts of mis steps...... but wouldn't the whole point of having a toilet to be used only for "emergencies" mean that it really is available for passenger who suddenly becomes nauseous or something and NOT that it be used like the drivers personal gym locker?

Dick a similiar story is told about Billie Ray, the wife of our beloved 4 term governor Robert Ray...... she credited her ability to make personal appearances for dozens of worthy causes because she never passed up the chance to sit down or use a rest room

I've been on 3 RS tours, in Turkey, Greece and through the Alps from Austria to France. All 3 buses were full-size tour buses with toilets. No one ever needed to use one because of the frequent stops. Most European countries have laws that mandate bus drivers have a minimum 15 minute break every 2-2.5 hours and 30 minute lunch breaks.

"Go when you can, not when you have to"

I have been on 4 RS tours and all buses had bathrooms. The only people that used them were true emergency situations (one gal was pregnant and another was ill/severely jet lagged). We never made any extra stops for someone to use bathroom - the regular stop schedule (every 2 hours) was sufficient. I'd second the advice that your wife cut back on her liquid intake until she has a better idea of the rhythm of the tour. Personally I had to do just that recently on a tour in S. America - no potty on bus, bumpy roads, and it was sometimes more than 3 hours between stops (for some of my tourmates...it was touch and go!) I'd also second the suggestion to keep small change for fees as well as carry small packets of tissues in case there is no TP.

14 tours and 14 bus toilets. The guide will usually make an announcement, the first day on bus, about bus etiquette. This will include information regarding toilets for emergency use only. As others have mentioned, the driver must take frequent stops to rest. I have never utilized the bus toilet, but my husband has on one occasion. No one gave him the stink eye or made any comment.

Depending on the country there may only be paid options for toilets. On one tour, Sicily, the guide arranged for our breaks to be at cafes/bars(don't think American style bar). These were "free", but he always encouraged tour members to make a small purchase if utilizing the toilet. Another tour, Best of Germany, the stops were at convenience stores (again don't think American style). Here the cost was .50 and the person received a coupon that could be used for making purchases in the store. Be prepared for all types of toilets, from those with no seat, yes no seat, to those that are actual squat toilets with no toilet, but just a hole to hover over, and best of all, in my opinion, the self cleaning toilet.

As mentioned previously, take tissues as there always seems to be, at least, one paperless toilet stop.

Edited to add: Never pass on a toilet opportunity.

Why are people shocked when they encounter a public toilet without a seat? I have seen this comment so often, but didn’t their mothers ever teach them never to sit on a public toilet?

I have taken 10 RS tours. Every tour had a full size bus with a toilet (in a very small claustrophobic pace under the seats accessible from the rear exit of the bus). No small buses without toilets. As others have mentioned, it was for emergency use only. With the frequent stops, I don't remember it being used.

Most of these buses also had a sleeping compartment for the driver right next to the toilet. It may be the person who found clothes and other personal items of the driver went into that space instead of the toilet.

Norma, me neither. I don't see it as a problem. My mother drummed it into our heads, "Never sit on a public toilet". At just about every stop on Southern Italy tour the no seat thing caused the most comments.

We have been on several bus tours (other companies) and the situation was similar. Only emergency usage. But you get to define emergency.

Only once, on a tour that that announcement was made, did a person go
down and use the bathroom that was full of the drivers personal
belongings including his clothes. That one person continued to be a
detriment to the group and was counselled several times by our guide.
He has since been told that he should find another tour group company
if he wants to travel again.

Exactly why was this traveler continuing to be a "detriment" simply because he needed to use the tiny bathroom on the bus that the bus driver used as his own personal storage room?

Worse, why did this man need counseling "several times by the guide" and then was advised to take another tour company??

On our second RS tour, we were encouraged to use the on-bus restroom ONLY if it was absolutely necessary. A lady had to use it, apologized profusely, and many of the fellow tour-goers teased her about it.

I really do think that RS guides should skip saying to use it only in an emergency. It is my belief that most people will only use the bus restroom if they absolutely have to go.........so why make the big deal out of it......such that on our tour, the deal lady was teased.

I've never seen such an emphasis on this with other tour providers, just Rick Steves' tours. The other tour providers evidently realize it is there for the comfort of the guests and do not try to even begin to make their paying guests feel bad about it or feel they have to justify an emergency.

Rethink this, RS.

I really do think that RS guides should skip saying to use it only in an emergency. It is my belief that most people will only use the bus restroom if they absolutely have to go.........so why make the big deal out of it......such that on our tour, the deal lady was teased.

Having worked as a tour director I can tell you we try to discourage use of the onboard restroom because it can't always be cleaned out every day. In many cases, the restroom holding tank won't get cleaned out until the coach is returned to its depot. Odors can develop.

What we tried to do was explain we did have an onboard restroom but would request people wait until our planned stops--and we emphasized they were usually no more than two hours apart--to use the facilities. It wasn't to be used as a place to freshen up BEFORE we made a stop. But, of course, if someone had to use it, then they should.

Once, I didn't say anything about it and the use skyrocketed. Luckily, I and the driver knew there was a dumping facility the next day but we still had to use the old oil trick to dispell odors.

Teasing a woman for using it just means your fellow tour members were a bunch of immature jerks.

Dick from Olympia, WA,
Your remark is hilarious! The Queen Mother Principle or QMP! I will remember this. I'm an avid fan of the British Royal family.

Hey everyone, I'm starting to get worried about buses. I'm planning on the South of Italy tour next year which has a couple 3 to 5 hour bus trips. 2 hours between potty stops can sometimes feel like a life time. Do I need to be bring Depends? What about when my IB acts up? Sometimes there is no waiting. Should I ask the driver to stop at the nearest tree? I'm not sure how kindly I will take ridicule for having to pee or poop between potty stops.

"Why are people shocked when they encounter a public toilet without a seat? I have seen this comment so often, but didn’t their mothers ever teach them never to sit on a public toilet?"

Norma, some of us older women, and maybe men too, have problems squatting. Hovering stopped when arthritis invaded the joints. Just put TP on the rim and go.

Horsewoofie, I would probably speak privately to the guide after the first meet up and if you are comfortable explain you have IB. I've been on lots of tours (10 RS/10 Road Scholar) and NO ONE has been teased about using the on-board bathroom. It is so small I would get claustrophobic but that's another issue. If there are going to be drives on the longer end of 2 hours he/she can tell you. They generally stop at the same places every time so both the guide and drivers know the time frames. They can also tell you if you are visiting sites that do not have adequate toilet facilities.

The only time I've had this differ was on the GAS tour when the usual tour stop was blocked by road construction (that had happened since the previous tour went thru a few days before)! The driver and guide talked it out and the driver suggested that there had to be a town nearby where people drank coffee, hahaha. Yes, he found us a great bakery with bathroom.

As to other tour companies, yes, the Road Scholar tours I've been on in Europe also announced the same thing. I think it's important because most US travelers don't realize the holding tank won't usually be emptied until the driver returns to his base at the end so what goes in accompanies you the whole trip. It's part of the educational process as far as I am concerned.

horsewoofie, don't worry about it. Its not really an issue. We all know what an toilet emergency is. We've had people use them on all three of our tours, and no one batted an eye. The RS tour leader should end any immature commenting if they did occur. If they didnt, I would complain.

We had a bathroom on our bus. The bus driver had it locked. He can unlock it from the dash in the bus. I asked our tour guide if I could see the restroom as I have an RV and I wonder how big it was. The guide told the driver to keep it unlocked. When I looked in, it had all the guide’s luggage in it. Needless to say, the luggage was removed. We also were told to use it in an emergency and it was used a couple of times.

On the three RS tours we had a toilet on each but I can remember it only being used once.

On my Odysses Unlimited tour we usually went no more than an 1 1/2 hours between stops.

I'm putting this out for those of us who either cannot or choose not to hover above a toilet seat, but actually sit on the damn thing. Those of you who hover- PLEASE clean up after yourselves!! Either wipe the seat down afterwards, or put the seat up and hover above the porcelain.

(After 50+ years of sitting on public toilet seats, I report no disease contracted from them.)