You don't have to know the language to use the bus within your European destination, since you can read the signs (except in countries with the Greek or Slavic alphabets). But do your research carefully, as there is nothing worse than finding out you have taken the wrong bus, or missed a connection, sometimes finding yourself stranded where you didn't want to be, and without much chance of getting back to where you started until the next day, for instance. That said, traveling by bus is a wonderful way to meet the locals, who will be your seatmates. And often, your view of the scenery can be a more intimate one than that obtained from a train. In some European countries, such as Switzerland and Austria, the post bus (which carries the mail) can be fun, if you have plenty of time on your hands. And you will get to know the driver, if no one else!
