Another One Rides the Bus

In today’s modern world, where speed is everything, travel by bus has somewhat gone by the wayside.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ However, bus services such as Greyhound remain a viable option for those seeking to travel long (or short distances) at far more affordable prices than using airlines.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ Bus travellers also have more options of starting and ending destinations, as every major city and most smaller cities all have Greyhound terminals, as well as other smaller local stops.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ Greyhound is the oldest and largest long distance bus service, having been in business since 1914.

1.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ Buy Early.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ Greyhound offers discounts for buying your tickets a week in advance.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ This is an excellent way for you to save money on your trip, as discounts generally run at about 10% of the price of the ticket.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ This counts for all methods of purchase: online, over the phone or at the terminal.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ If you don’t buy early, don’t worry too much though: you can purchase tickets up to 15 minutes before scheduled departure.

2.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ Arrive to the terminal about an hour ahead of time.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ There’s no security clearance involved such as at the airport, but you’ll want to give yourself enough time to get your ticket, get your baggage checked and be ready to board the bus.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ Bus seats are distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis so being at the head of the line means you get the best seat.

3.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ If your bus is overbooked, don’t worry.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ Greyhound guarantees all travellers service, and will call a second bus if required to meet the demand.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ If you find yourself in this situation, wait for the second bus to pick up the overflow.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ While it might require waiting in the terminal a little bit longer, you will reach your destination the same time as the rest of the passengers, and your ride will be far more comfortable.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ It is always better to sit on a half-full bus than a bus that is filled to capacity.

4.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ Search for the best seat.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ On a number of Greyhound buses, there are one or two seats which have extra leg room.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ If you can grab one of these seats, take it, your legs will be grateful.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ Try to avoid the seats at the back of the bus, because you won’t be able to lean back in your seat.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ It’s also better to be away from the bathroom, as it can sometimes smell.

5.�¯�¿�½ Bring something warm.�¯�¿�½ Even if it is summertime, it can get cool on the bus, especially if you are travelling at night.�¯�¿�½ Bring a little blanket, or a jacket, or something else that you can use to keep warm.�¯�¿�½ If its not too cold, you can also wrap it up and use it as a pillow.

6.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ Bring a light.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ If you are planning to read on the bus and you are going to be travelling at night, bring a booklight.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ Unfortunately, Greyhound buses often have problems with their reading lights, and if you aren’t intending to sleep for the entire night or you can’t sleep, you don’t want to be left in the dark.

7.�¯�¿�½ Watch your luggage.�¯�¿�½ Unlike the airport, Greyhound travellers have to move their own luggage at transfers.�¯�¿�½ The last thing you want is for your luggage to be in Chicago because you forgot to move it onto the next bus on your way to New York.

8.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ Don’t wander too far away from the bus at stops.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ Most Greyhound stops or only about 10 or 15 minutes, and you don’t want to get too far away from the bus during these times.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ Generally head counts are taken to ensure that all passengers are on the bus, but with the amount of movement going on during transfers and what-not it is very possible to get lost with the crowd.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ You don’t want this to happen to you.

9.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ If you are travelling to Canada or Mexico, don’t forget your passport.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ Passports aren’t required to start your trip, however you will have to have one before crossing the border.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ At the time of this writing, it is possible to use a driver’s license and a birth certificate to cross the border, however this is not going to be true for much longer and passports are much easier to use.Ã?¯Ã?¿Ã?½ Either way, make sure you have your identification, because you don’t want to travel from Houston to Detroit and then realize you can’t cross the border because your passport is sitting at home.

10.�¯�¿�½ Use your trip as a time to relax.�¯�¿�½ Travelling across the country can be a great way to see a places and scenery that you might otherwise not get a chance to experience.�¯�¿�½ While travelling by air can also provide many exciting views, it lacks the intimate feel of seeing the country laid out before you on the ground.