It’s unanimous: the cheapest way to travel in the United States is by bus. But this is certainly not the most popular way, at least not among tourists and the middle class. This does not mean that the service is bad or inefficient, just that it is less comfortable than other options, such as planes and car rentals.
The first report I heard about bus travel in the USA was from a friend, who did an exchange there in 2007. She went from a city in Florida to New Orleans, in Louisiana. The people who worked with her were a little horrified at the idea of my friend taking this bus journey alone. They recommended she buy pepper spray to protect herself. For her, everything seemed like an exaggeration and, in the end, the bus wasn’t that bad.
I took several bus trips during my backpacking trip across the United States. To begin with, as I lived in a tiny city, within a tiny state, this was the only way of getting around for me, as I didn’t have a driver’s license. There were few bus schedules – in general, one per day for each destination.
Afterwards, I took the famous Greyhound, the main road transport company in the country, which operates between large cities. I traveled between Boston and New York, New York and Washington DC and then from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. About the bus itself, nothing to complain about, they were very similar to standard Brazilian travel buses.
American roads are usually very good and travel is peaceful. The bus stations on the east coast were all very close to the city center, large and organized, and I had no problem getting there or leaving.
Bus companies in the USA. Credit: Wikimedia Commons – CC BY-SA 3.0
On the west coast things changed: bus stations very far from the center (but very far away) and much less tidy. It was also on the LA-Vegas section that I had the unfortunate experience of having my suitcase broken into. I don’t know when this happened during the trip, I imagine it was at the stop, but my suitcase’s zipper was cut.
Fortunately I only had clothes, most of them dirty, so nothing was stolen. But it was endless stress, not to mention that getting from the bus station to the hostel afterwards was a huge struggle. The people at the Próxima Trip blog had a good experience on two bus routes in the USA.
My verdict on this story is that it is worth traveling by bus in the United States on short journeys, lasting up to five hours, when plane tickets are expensive or you can’t afford to rent a car. It can also be interesting on an overnight trip, as long as it doesn’t last more than 10 hours (buses don’t actually serve as our beds).
Tips for traveling by bus in the United States
1. Search across all companies
The Wanderu website, recommended by The New York Times, allows you to search practically all bus companies in the United States, using filters that range from price to amenities such as wifi or extra leg space. In a random search for a trip from New York to Boston, I managed to find a bargain ticket for 3 dollars. Repeating: THREE dollars, this for a Megabus bus.
The trip with Greyhound is also very cheap: $8.50. In other words, researching the options of the various companies well is worth it. In addition to these two, there are also Boltbus (sells tickets for 1 dollar), Trailways, GotoBus, and several others.
Greyhound Lines bus station in Nashville, Tennessee – Credit: Public Domain
2. Buy online
I’m still amazed at the 3 dollars. If you are too, be aware that this rate is only available online. The same works for the $8.50 Greyhound ride. In other words, most companies have better prices for those who buy online. You will need an international credit card. You can print your ticket or arrange to pick it up at the company counter one hour before your trip – you will need to present a document or the credit card used for the purchase.
If you cannot present your credit card, you can show a document and the reference number that they provide at the time of purchase – Greyhound charges a small fee in this case. Additionally, there is a $1.5 fee when purchasing online, but the size of the discount is worth it.
3. Buy in advance if possible
The best rates usually open 45 days in advance of your trip. If your itinerary is already set, it’s worth shopping in advance and taking advantage of the bargains. If you don’t know your route in advance or decide at the last minute, bus companies allow you to book from one day to half an hour before the bus leaves. In my random search, the trip between NY and Boston purchased from today to tomorrow would cost between 20 and 30 dollars.
4. Choosing a seat
Some companies operate on a sit-wherever-you-want basis – whoever arrives first chooses the best seats. It was like this on all my trips with Greyhound. Other companies allow you to buy better chairs at the time of purchase, paying varying fees.
Credits: Wikimedia Commons – CC BY-SA 3.0 and CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
4. The luggage
Remember to put an identification tag on your suitcase, normally available at the company counter. You are only allowed to check in baggage weighing a maximum of 23 kg (what they call 50 pounds). If your bag weighs more, or you have more than one large bag to check, you will have to pay a fee. Companies will allow you to carry a bike, ski equipment, or other similar things as long as they are packaged correctly.
One carry-on bag weighing a maximum of 11kg (25 pounds) and fitting in the overhead compartment is also permitted. My suggestion is that if you are going to sleep on the bus and have valuable things, keep these objects in your hand luggage and preferably place them under your seat, where it is safer. Use the same safety measures as you would on a bus trip in Brazil.
5. Departure, ticket exchange and return times
Buses usually leave at the scheduled time. Arrive half an hour to 15 minutes early to check your luggage and take your time to choose your seat. If you decide not to travel on that date, you can change the time, as long as you notify the company one day before boarding – there are usually fees in this case, unless you already buy the flexible ticket, called refundable.
Attention: It is not a good idea to travel to the United States without international health insurance, as hospital costs there are very high. Read here how to find cost-effective insurance.
*Featured Image: Bus Station Greyhound in Portland, Oregon. Credit: MO Stevens – CC BY-SA 3.0
