iDBUS

[Smith2]

The irritatingly named newcomer to the overland route. Nobody's mentioned it here, and I couldn't find much about it on the web before I went, so this may be of use.

It's run by the French railways, and sells itself as offering more legroom than Eurolines or Megabus. But it's also more expensive, as a rule; by some pricing anomaly it was the cheapest option, so I tried it. A bit of a shock to find not only the driver but most of the passengers to be francophone, and going to Brussels; a separate crew get on there to go to A'dam. English is sporadic and idiosyncratic.

One advantage is that it goes to Sloterdijk, from which you can get either to the centre by underground or the west/de Pijp area by the 12 tram. With Megabus you have to go to the centre from the P&R, and God knows where Eurolines has relocated to.

Conclusion: a decent option, but not worth the premium. Also, you go through the Tunnel, which has its pros and cons. I used to look forward to the break on the ferry: a fag on deck, a pint or two, pretending to shop while sampling perfumes, but I was getting tired of beginning and ending every journey smelling, and feeling, like a cheap brothel. The Tunnel means you don't have to get up, and is OK if you can sleep through it, or at least not think about it.