How to cope with a long coach journey

Make sure you're prepared for the journey.

You’ve probably chosen to travel by coach on your next school ski trip – most group leaders do! It significantly reduces the cost, making the trip accessible to more students, and can be great fun too. But a long coach journey with a group of students isn’t without its challenges, so here are our top tips on surviving a long coach journey.

Pack plenty of drinks and snacks

There’s nothing worse than being stuck on a coach with nothing to eat when hunger strikes. So it’s essential to make sure students have packed plenty of snacks to keep them going.

Of course, ideally they’ll avoid anything too salty, which will make them thirsty, or too sugary, which could make them hyper. The best snacks to pack for a long coach trip are fruit and nuts…although, of course, it’s unlikely many will choose these options!

Really, in terms of snacks, it’s a good idea to avoid anything that doesn’t travel well. Obviously, anything that needs to be chilled is out, and chocolate can be a disaster waiting to happen (melted chocolate on clothes and seats can be a bit of a nightmare). It might also be a good idea if you take a few emergency snacks, just in case!

And don’t forget to make sure everyone knows to pack plenty of water to keep themselves hydrated!

Dress appropriately

On a long coach journey, you need to make sure you’re comfortable. Our advice is to wear layers – so you’ll be comfortable when it gets a bit warm or a bit chilly. And wear something you can easily move about in. Students will be excited about not having to wear uniform – they and their parents may need to be reminded that, for the coach journey at least, comfort is king.

Prepare to entertain

Pack some DVDs, devise a quiz, play a game, or orchestrate a singalong – whatever you do, doing something will make the time pass quicker for everyone. Plus, it’ll do wonders for group bonding!

Depending on your school’s policy, you may also want to remind students to load up their phones/other devices with music and films to keep them entertained (and quiet!). If your students do bring electronic devices, they’ll want to check they’re fully charged first!

What else should we pack?

Not everyone can, but if you are able to grab some sleep on the coach, you’ll have more energy when you arrive in resort. Packing an eye mask, ear plugs and even a travel pillow could help with this.