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Back in 2001 or 2002 I was travelling by coach in Sweden because it was cheaper than the train.

There was a break for lunch and I believe it was 15 minutes. I didn't have a watch and didn't spot a clock in the rest stop which was so enormous that the other passengers dispersed and I couldn't track them. Anyway when I finished my sandwich I looked around the building and my bus was gone with my luggage on it!

Is this normal for Sweden? Or did I just have a particularly hardline bus company or a particularly grumpy driver?

I've taken long distance buses in a dozen or more countries, rich and poor, and never came across drivers leaving after a break without some kind of minimal check that the passengers were on board.

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    Sorry, you would have to make the driver aware of you so that he will look for you. The buses otherwise run on schedule.
    – user3697
    Commented Dec 6, 2012 at 13:46
  • I never have enough time at these rest stops, so I always get my food and go straight back to the bus and eat it on the bus.
    – Michael Hampton
    Commented Jul 30, 2013 at 10:21
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    I think it's more related to the company: many different operators have different ways to do this. Also depends on what kind of tour you did. If it was just public transportation: your responsibility, if it was a (scenic) tour: most of the time they check.
    – RvdK
    Commented Aug 12, 2014 at 13:55

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It is still quite common, yes. In Sweden, long-distance buses are only staffed by the driver, and they only check for tickets on stops where people get on or off. On stops for bathroom break or when a longer stop is necessary for some reason, the bus driver will announce on the intercom how long the bus will be at the station, and when it will leave. As announcements are usually made in Swedish, you should either ask somebody native sitting nearby, or better yet, the driver him/herself. The majority of the drivers will understand some English, especially if you are on an "airport transfer" bus.

Be aware that Swedes are very time-oriented and strict, so if the leave time is announced for 15:30, then the bus will leave at 15:30 sharp, regardless of whether you are on it or not. The driver would not bother counting the passengers most of the time, but might possibly wait a minute or two if you talked with him and are obviously a tourist. But I wouldn't count on it.

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    Crazy! Most countries I've travelled in modern buses had only a driver and he'll quickly walk the aisle and count heads to himself. Japan might've had a second person with a clipboard but I can't remember.
    – hippietrail
    Commented Oct 2, 2011 at 20:29
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    It's not crazy. It's a matter of fairness. A schedule is a schedule. Why should those on time be punished for the behavior of a latecomer. Trains don't wait either ...
    – Maître Peseur
    Commented Dec 9, 2012 at 17:04
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    Counting passengers doesn't make the bus experience more modern. A driver drives. The driver is not responsible for checking whether everyone is back on board.
    – David Brossard
    Commented May 22, 2016 at 14:13
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    Yeah, I've not seen it in the UK although I don't get many long distance coaches. The driver may notice who has got off and not got back on, but you're not on a school trip, you should be able to tell the time or speak to the driver if you have a particular problem.
    – Stuart F
    Commented Mar 12 at 16:08
  • Apparently most countries, including but not limited to Australia, Japan, and Mexico, long distance buses are unfair and passengers are on a school trip. They're Crazy!
    – hippietrail
    Commented Mar 13 at 16:01
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Yes, it is very common. The drivers don't care to count the number of passengers, and the practice is not just limited to Sweden, it is true for the drivers in Norway and Denmark, as I can tell from my personal experience. The drivers typically assume the passengers to be particularly responsible and knowledgeable about such norms. But yeah, if someone points out the driver of any missing passenger, then drivers could wait if that is not delaying much.

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