How are bus seats determined on RS tours?

The bus seats are not assigned. You can pick whatever seat you want. The guide will ask at the beginning of the trip to not always take the front seat so everyone has a chance to be able to look out the front window (even though the side windows on both sides are great). In fact sometimes the front seat was left empty so anyone could go up front during the ride to ask the guide a question or just gaze out the front window for a few minutes. On our BOE 21 day tour last year we sat about in every section. With a small group you usually have the comfort of having two seats to spread out. We really enjoyed traveling on the bus, it was very comfortable, the bus driver was fantastic and also you get some great history information from your guide.

Everyone stayed in the same seat for the entire trip on our tour. Some of us wished that the couple in the front seat would occasionally offer it to others, but sadly they never did. Other than that they were nice people!

Sounds like the guide needs to take the lead on this. I like the first respondant's situation. The second, sounds like the guide was not on the ball or did not care.

We haven't taken a RS tour but we have traveled around Europe by coach for a semester of travel/learning. Unfortunately we were one of those types of people who always sat in the front seat as my husband is really affected by motion sickness and this is the only way he can tolerate long coach trips. I wish this weren't always the case but maybe that's why some people always want to occupy the front seats. We let our students know why we were always sitting up front.

We also have to book forward facing train tickets...

In my 7 RS tours, 6 of them had bus segments. In all, most people moved around. The guides always made the speech about the front seat. We did have someone with bad motion sickness on one tour and she switched back and forth from the front seat to the one behind the guide.

On one I sat toward the front most of the time, trying to move side to side and backwards and forwards while in the others I sat near the back but was in the same general area most of the time.

Seats are definitely NOT assigned and no one can really stake a claim. If there are issues, discuss with the guide.

With other tour companies, especially when they have a full bus of 52 people, seats are assigned and you move 2 rows back or forward each day. With Rick's tours there are enough seats that everyone can have a row to themselves so plenty of room to spread out.

Janet,

The guides usually "suggest" to tour members that they use different seats each day, rather than staying in the same place for the entire trip. I'm really suprised that the guide didn't do that on the trip that Terri was on. H/she must have been "asleep at the switch". One of the benefits of using different seating each day is that it's a good way to get to know different members of the group, as you'd be seated in the vicinity of different people each day.

Janet, on the tours I've taken, it's never really been an issue. It's nice that there are usually twice as many seats as people, so we could all spread out, one person to a double seat if that's what people preferred. That means anyone can have a clear view from a window seat if they wanted that. Sometimes couples sat in one double seat together, sometimes they separated for more room. I have not encountered any "system" of changing seats. I do remember a couple cases of people explaining they needed to sit toward the front, due to motion sickness, hearing issues related to hearing the guide, etc.

Seating was never issue on our tour. Most people sat in the same seats usually every other row. That was good because if you wanted to talk with another couple, the row behind or in front of them was almost always empty. We had 5 people who suffered from motion sickness and this was discussed before the first bus trip so everyone was onboard letting them sit up front. I actually looked forward to the bus ride. Our guide, Ferdi, was very good at knowing when to talk and point out things and when to be quiet so those who wanted additional rest would be not be bothered. I know from other tour companies that they create a seating chart and rotate the seats every day. This was not necessary on an RS Tour as the bus has 1/2 the people.

Reading the references to people who suffer from motion sickness and so require the front (best) seats on the bus all the time, am I the only one who wonders why on earth they go on bus tours? Or is there some fakery involved?

Norma, funny you should ask. If the roads are too curvey or hilly, I have to be where I can see out the front and get air myself. Some people are more sensitive (or more cautious) than others. It is not a problem for me most of the time, so I am considering a bus tour.

On the 10 RS tours I have been on, seats were never assigned. You pick a seat at the start of the day of bus travel and you keep that seat for the day no matter how many stops. The next day all seats were up for grabs again. No holding of seats has been allowed. You were free to change seats as you felt you needed to and take any empty seat during the day. The front row seats were supposed to be left free by those who had already sat there until everyone was settled for the start of the ride each day and then whoever wanted them could have them. (All of this was announced by the tour guide during the orientation meeting the first night of each of the tours.)

My experience with Rick Steves tour buses has been the same as everyone else's, with the exception of Terri. I was actually surprised to read that! In any case, the guides I have had haven't really addressed the bus seating for any of my tours except to say to be thoughtful, considerate and let anyone with carsickness issues be given the opportunity to sit in one of the first couple of rows. It has always seemed to work itself out successfully and I can't recall anyone being worried or upset over where s/he was seated. As others have said, it's really a most comfortable bus. I particularly enjoyed the rest stops. Who knew Lay made so many different flavors of potato chips???

Norma, let me assure you that no fakery is involved! I have been on 5 RS tours and, while I would love to join the party atmosphere in the back of the bus, I become too nauseous. (Believe me, I tried!) I don't need or even want the very front seats, but do need to be within 4 or 5 rows of the front of the bus. I am not aware that this has ever been a problem and happily share the seat if someone wants to sit there also. If I remember correctly, another tour member who was in the back made a sudden dash for the front and landed next to me ... I understood completely.
And I take the tours because they are fun, informative, and a good value. (And we aren't on the bus 24/7, after all!

I've gone on four RS tours to date (5th in June). On each one, the group dynamic was different but we didn't have any "campers." And one of the really nice things about RS tours is that the bus is large enough that there is room for moving around.

As an aside, I learned on my first RS tour that I'm not a front seat passenger. I don't like that panoramic view when the bus is making hairpin turns at high speeds. :0

I have been on 13 RS tours and on all of them, I believe, the guide has given a "bus seating talk" the first time we were on the bus. On only one tour did two folks with "motion sickness" rotate between the front and one seat back for the entire trip. If anything on a RS tour is a bother to any member of the tour, I would encourage them to speak to the guide sooner rather than later so they can do something about it if possible. My wife and I usually take one day in the front seat if it is available and other than that usually sit in the middle of the bus, sometimes together, sometimes not. At 6'3" it is nice to have two seats to spread out in. I would encourage anyone who has a bad case of motion sickness and is thinking about taking a RS tour to visit that tours web page and view its ITINERARY to see how much time is spent on its bus. If that tour has lots of bus time, perhaps that person could get some motion sickness medicine from home before leaving for Europe.

Never had an assigned seat on RS Tour. Lots of room to spread out. On almost all my tours, the guide has given the please be kind and rotate the front seat speech. I gave it a try, and must say, blah, not for me. I don't mind the view, I enjoy the top deck, front window seat of a London double decker!

I recall one tour where no one sat in the front seats. The guide asked each day, but none of us ever took advantage. We must have all been the back of the bus rowdy crowd.

I didn't realize my vehicle motion sickness had returned until we were winding down through the hills of Italy on our first RS tour. I already knew that ocean cruising was out, but didn't think about the bus. I wouldn't want to put anyone off the Greece RS tour, but that is one with some winding roads, too. I've learned to carry children's Dramamine - smaller dose. Because I had the dramamine, I was able to leave to front seats to others with the same affliction. I think everyone on the bus was sympathetic, so they didn't mind letting them have the front seats.

I also am of the get car sick easy group. I have been on 4 RS tours. Three were city tours so no issues with the bus. One had a little bit of bus driving and I did get Car sick in Rome. I was at the back of the bus. Looking at the 14 day tour now and hoping if I bring lots of car sickness pills with I and my kids who also can get it will be fine.

I don't need to be in the first seat but would prefer to now be closer to the front. I hope that would not be a problem.
I was honestly not too worried about it till I started reading this post.

If you do not get car sick it is hard to imagine how it feels. You can feel fine one minute and ready to lose it the next.
My husband has never gotten it so he tries to understand. People go on cruises that have gotten sea sick so just having gotten car sick in the past is not usually a reason to no longer go on a trip.

I carry more than one kind of motion sickness pills with me, and when the agenda includes travel in any kind of vehicle I make a point of taking the maximum recommended dosage or a little more than that, and I still tend to get nauseous, so I very much appreciate it when I get to sit in front and look out the windshield. Better that (for everyone involved) than listening to me retch by the roadside at every rest!
Note that trying to read or look at a map while in motion makes it even worse.

The first responder was on point.

Being a solo traveler I typically sit near the back for the entire trip. I have never opted for the front seat due to couples typically like to sit together when at the front. There are never enough "bus days" for everyone to have a turn. My thoughts are that it is better for two people to have the view…..than just one. Just my personal outlook on the situation. No grump here.

With that in mind I have twice had a guide personally ask if I would like to sit up front towards the end of a tour……when no one had "claimed" the seats that morning. He/She knew I enjoyed photography. And yes, I moved….lol. RS guides are the best!!!

On the dark side……one night I left a bag in my "typical" seat near the back. We were moving again the next morning. I never sat in the front the entire trip……one lady (couple) did twice. When I boarded the next morning she moved my belongings and took the seat. If she would have asked…..no problem. Just kinda rude I thought. There were ample other seats with window views. Grrrrrrrrrr!

I've never seen a person stricken with motion sickness on a train. Don't see how people can sit on a bus day after day, hour after hour. Trains are faster and smoother and user friendly. If you can't stomach bus travel then try the train. It's so refreshing!

@ Tim read my comment above regarding train motion. Once in Italy we got on a train in a train station where the trains can start out in either direction. We sat in seats facing one another. As the train started out we realized we'd be going in the opposite direction than we'd assumed. At the same time my husband and I got up to switch, the couple sitting next to us did the same thing. It was an ice breaker for us so we started a little conversation with them on the train.

Mark's detailed description is correct. On one tour, (21 day BOE) there was one person who always took the front seat, even though the guide continued to remind folks to "take turns." His wife moved around day to day, as did the rest of us. Finally, near the end of the tour, the guide took the offender in hand and pointedly directed him to another seat. Motion sickness was never mentioned.

I do get queasy if I'm in the back of the bus on a winding road, but on RS tours there are plenty of empty spaces.

And who thought there could be so much discussion on "who gets to sit in the front seat"???

On our tour, everyone stayed in pretty much the same seats every day. Some couples sat together, some took two separate seats. Not changing up meant those who sat together at the beginning stayed together. I heard a couple people grumbling about it toward the middle/end of the trip, but no one ever complained to the guide that we were aware of. I'm sure if they had said something, the guide would have told us to shake it up.

I would imagine that if a tour participant, early on, expressed that they really looked forward to sharing a seat with different people during the tour, to get to know them on an individual basis, or that they really hoped to sit at the front of the bus once or twice during the trip, or whatever, that everyone would be likely be cooperative.

Never taken an RS tour, so i don't have a dog in the fight. The only tour i have ever been on was a month long tour in Asia with my parents and brother almost 30 years ago. I remember one older couple who appeared to be savvy experienced tourers who acted as if they owned the front seats on the tour bus. I could tell there was some resentment amongst some of the other members in the tour group. I could hear some complaints and discussions, loud enough so that the couple might get the point. I think they were deaf on purpose. About a week in, another couple made a point of getting on the bus first and grabbing the front seats. Oh, the dirty looks! There was some tension for the rest of the trip. My brother and I were the youngest in the group so we just deferred to the elders and stayed in the back. LOL.

I would think tour guides must see this issue all of the time. It would be nice if the guide would make it a policy to propose a lottery system from the beginning of the trip so that everyday a different pair would get to sit in the primo seats. Susceptible to motion sickness? You can sit in row 2. Besides, everybody on the bus could claim motion sickness.

If this is a big deal to you, you should ask the guide before the start of the tour. If guide is unwilling to do this, you could take the initiative to propose this to the group. If you initiate this at the beginning, everybody would still be in the same boat (or bus?) and can hardly complain about any unfairness. But once somebody claims those seat, if you try to do it a few day into the tour there could be bad feelings because it will be like somebody is taking away their right.

In my experience, the RS buses have enough seats for just about everyone to have a double to themselves. Some couples seem to gravitate towards consistent togetherness. Other folks seem to prefer a certain region on the bus and choose seats there consistently. Myself, I am a back of the bus person and prefer an unshared space but with lots of folks to chat to around me.

I bring a large jar of Treacle with me on every tour. Once I find the best seat on the bus I liberally spread the Treacle over it. From then on it's mine for the entire trip.

Lol, Barnstormer!

I agree with others about seat rotation on RS tours. I am one of those people who get motion sick. I do ok on most roads if they aren't too curvy. I look at the agenda to see which day has the mountain terrain and try to sit at the front on that day/s. If you aren't sure, ask your guide which day would be the biggest problem for people like me, and they can advise you on when to sit "forward ". As a side note, one tour guide told me that the most stable seats are actually on row number 5 of the bus. Apparently they are over the wheels and have the least motion. I did try row 5 and it seemed pretty smooth. Sometimes the very first row of the coach has no leg/foot room. (Btw, your tour guide will quickly correct you... They are called a "coach" not a bus!😊)