People who want to travel around America are spoilt for choice when it comes to methods to do this. In a country where traveling by road is cheaper than journeying by train, often car rental is an attractive option. If you are going further then flying is probably your best method and the internal services the States can provide are second to none. Still there are other times when the best option is taking the bus but how do you determine when this is your best option? Well read on.
Traveling by bus in the US.
Whether or not it is warranted, bus travel has a somewhat beleaguered reputation in the U. In reality, there are a number of services to suit all budgets from basic to luxury but this will depend on the carrier. The bus industry is predominantly run by Greyhound, the only company which offers nation-wide bus transport. You may also have heard of Trailways and Coach USA who are made up of smaller companies that have joined forces to offer a certain brand and service level. In addition there are several strong regional players in the bus industry, although they may share service with Greyhound on certain routes.
There are also what are referred to ‘Chinatown buses’ which offer a low cost travel option on selected routes - much less than traditional carriers. This name was coined owing to the group of people they catered for originally - the Chinese migrants, but these days they are operating successfully to a much larger group of people who want to travel cheaply. Another trend in the bus industry is luxury service that competes more directly with the airlines. If you are someone who is no further than about 6 hours from your destination, this option may appeal as this type of bus service offer and excellent 1st class service so you will not feel as if you are traveling ‘budget class’.
There are a number of questions you may have so you can decide if this is the service for you - they are mentioned below: What is the budget that you have planned for your journey? If it is low, take the bus. Buses happened to be the cheapest form of travel from one place to another in America especially in the Northeast, which has very heavy traffic and a market with many competitive players.
Would you be in need of a car, when you reach the destination? Certain US cities are really car-unfriendly (New York for one) and usually it is easier to travel around without burdening yourself with one.
Usually if you journey time is less than six hours it is probably faster and more convenient to use a bus and save yourself the waiting time at the airport. Buses also have a number of steps and generally speaking there is more likelihood of stopping at a convenient location in the city than there is if you fly.
Where are you going? It is worth noting that for many more remote destinations in the US, the bus is really the only public transportation option so if you do not drive, taking the bus may be your only choice. What is the level of your hurry? If you have adequate time in your hands, traveling by bus could enable you to enjoy the landscape at leisure. This also means that if you are in a hurry, the bus not be the quickest way for you to reach your destination especially if it is over 6 hours away. Thus in totality, taking a bus to travel within US, whether it is from one major city to another or even to remote areas, is the right choice for visitors. With fuel prices rising and reduction of train services it could be one of the most common ways move around.
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