Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'm going to be going to Washington/Maryland in the immediate future. And trying to do it as cheaply as possible.
What's the situation with the cheap buses, now that some were shut down? Are some better than others? I remember one of those Chinatown buses from a few years ago, where it was clear they'd even scrimped on the upholstery. (And why isn't there some central site that aggregates it all?)
I take the Chinatown bus from NYC to Baltimore every weekend. It's $35 round trip. It's cheap and you get what you pay for. Megabus and Bolt bus are other options. They are more expensive but honestly the experience is not that much better.
All of the busses are crowded, uncomfortable, often late, and the power / wifi amenities (if advertised) do not always work. The bathrooms are nasty. Avoid using them if you can and don't sit near the bathroom door unless you want to get assaulted by a horrible smell everytime someone opens it. You can also try to search for a rideshare on craigslist.
I take the Chinatown bus from NYC to Baltimore every weekend. It's $35 round trip. It's cheap and you get what you pay for. Megabus and Bolt bus are other options. They are more expensive but honestly the experience is not that much better.
All of the busses are crowded, uncomfortable, often late, and the power / wifi amenities (if advertised) do not always work. The bathrooms are nasty. Avoid using them if you can and don't sit near the bathroom door unless you want to get assaulted by a horrible smell everytime someone opens it. You can also try to search for a rideshare on craigslist.
I recently took a Greyhound on a 4-hour trip, and it was actually quite comfortable. If the cost for an Amtrak ticket were the same as a bus ticket, I might opt for the train. But since the train costs several times what a bus ticket costs, I think Greyhound is a decent choice. The other benefit of Greyhound is that there is usually a bus at least every hour to the popular destinations.
I have also taken Megabus and Bolt to various places, and I don't see that much difference between those carriers and Greyhound, except that Greyhound is allowed to use the actual Port Authority terminal and the other buses pick up/drop off at far-away avenues like 11th Ave or 1st Ave. There may be some difference in wireless access as well, but I just read books on the bus anyway.
I won't take Chinatown buses because their overall safety records and the maintenance on the bus fleets tends to be sub-par. That may not be true of all the companies, but there has been enough in the news in the past about some companies, I would rather be safe than sorry and opt for Greyhound, Megabus or Bolt.
Lol us white folks are usually the minority on the chinatown bus. Nobody bothers me though, why so scared?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Amisi
Spring a few bucks and take Amtrak. Or, you could probably find a cheaper flight to DC.
Amtrak is nice but crazy expensive. I'm doing this commute every weekend. One trip via amtrak would cost more than weekend bus rides for the whole month!
Driving is also about $120 round trip with gas and tolls. Not to mention the mileage you'll add to your car. For the few times I've had to drive, I've tried to pickup riders from craigslist to help pay the cost of the trip.
Quote:
Why anyone would want to sit on a bus (especially a dirty, smelly one) for that many hours is beyond me.
I don't think anyone wants to sit on the nasty stinky bus. We do it because we have to, not because we want to.
Chinatown buses are generally good and cheaper than Megabus, et al., but that isn't universally true, at least not for price. If you book well enough in advance, you can very well snag Megabus tickets to D.C. for cheaper than the Chinatown bus options. One problem that I have with Chinatown buses is that I've had more issues with those bus companies overselling and denying ticket holders who are otherwise on time the right to board.
Chinatown buses are generally good and cheaper than Megabus, et al., but that isn't universally true, at least not for price. If you book well enough in advance, you can very well snag Megabus tickets to D.C. for cheaper than the Chinatown bus options.
If you get the first mega bus ticket for a particular ride you can get it for $1. I used to do this before I lived in NYC and was traveling here often for fun. For commuting I like the china town bus because its a flat fee and I can buy the ticket the same day without having to make plans too far out.
Quote:
One problem that I have with Chinatown buses is that I've had more issues with those bus companies overselling and denying ticket holders who are otherwise on time the right to board.
They give priority to people who bought tickets online. If you buy one with cash at the booth you're risking that the bus may be full and you'll be stuck catching the next one. This is more common in summer where there are a lot of people traveling.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
