Greyhound: Better then it looks

[loveanewyorkwoman]

Yeah. Just don't get on another bus. I know it sounds like a smart reply, but you're the one who decides what to get on. I've been on earlier buses because I didn't feel like waiting in that particular town that time of night.

[kaylamcquaig]

I was expecting a smart reply. I just didn't know if it was permitted to get on the other bus or not.

[loveanewyorkwoman]

Ah, I meant smart as in sarcastic, which isn't what I was trying to be at all.

And I think I misunderstood your original question. Is the transfer stop part of your ticket plan? I don't know if you can hop on any bus in that fashion. I was able to take earlier buses because it was basically going to be the same trip, just an earlier departure. I don't know if you can hop on a bus if it is not part of the transfers you have to go through.

[kaylamcquaig]

Okay, so my ticket plan has 3 transfer stops. The last transfer stop is closer to my SO than the actual destination of the trip. Instead of getting on the last bus, can I just not?

[loveanewyorkwoman]

Okay. Right, you do NOT have to get on the last bus. They'll probably find someone to take the seat easy.

[kaylamcquaig]

Okay. Thank you.

[Yaaamiii]

I had one HELL of an awful experience when we rode the Greyhound...our bus was in a drive-by and we reached our destination 7 hours later than we were supposed to. In fact, the window my SO was leaning on was one of the ones that was shot. The bullet was like an inch from his head. Scary moment, I tell ya. But it might have just been our area, because I know this doesn't usually happen. Probably the closest I've been to death though xDD lmao. But hey, at least it makes for a good story to tell our future children lol. Other than that moment though, we both still agree that if there's no other way, greyhound really isn't that horrible...though the story I just gave would make some think otherwise...but just sharing my experience lol. I'd probably ride the greyhound again though.

[triangle]

Greyhound is tough. As a long time bus rider, I've had both good and bad experiences with them and it really depends on your time of travel and where you are travelling to/from. Greyhound has a nasty habit of long "layovers" that extend 6 hour trips into 12 hours as well as over-crowding their busses.

If you have the option of taking a Megabus, I would highly recommend them instead. I've never had a problem with over-crowding or stop-overs AND their prices are usually so much cheaper than Greyhound. They also include free wi-fi and outlets on their busses.

Bus travel is definitely a great and affordable way to visit an SO! Just be aware of your own comfort and time restraints when booking

[Katelyn]

I take the greyhound bus home all the time. Nothing to sketchy has happened yet. Just be aware of your surroundings. I always enjoyed getting to know the people around me, it made the 7 hour trip much faster. I know some buses have wifi now, bring small bags, and always keep an eye on your stuff. But, that's probably obvious.

Also, I dunno if any college students also take the greyhound bus home, or travel a lot using it but there is a card I got from www.studentadvantage.com for students. It's like 20$ a year or so, but you get like 20% of greyhound bus tickets and there are discounts for amtrak and i believe megabus too. The card also gets you discounts at a load of other places. So, i would recommend looking into it =)

[DemonxOisin]

If anyone here has done a trip that´s taken a couple of days, can you share your experience? I´m thinking about going to Alberta from Toronto this way (saves me 200$!) but I´m a little worried about staying on a bus for 3 days o.o

[CandiCandi]

If anyone here has done a trip that´s taken a couple of days, can you share your experience? I´m thinking about going to Alberta from Toronto this way (saves me 200$!) but I´m a little worried about staying on a bus for 3 days o.o

I just did this twice. I went from Carrollton, Texas to La Crosse, Wisconsin and it took a day and a half. I did it again from La Crosse, Wisconsin to Carrollton, Texas. Here's some tips from my experience:

-Try not to fall asleep. I know it sounds rough, but there ARE going to be people you don't know on the bus. For the most part, every time I have been on the bus, people generally weren't all that shady, except one bus ride that I have mentioned on here where even the bus driver said something about it ("Y'all too weird for me, go sit in the back."). I barely got a wink of sleep on the bus, but I did close my eyes for a bit. I was still perfectly aware of my surroundings, though because I was uncomfortable with letting loose and just dead falling asleep. I guess not just because I did not know the people, but because I was afraid if I got into too deep of a sleep, I'd miss the next announcement where I was supposed to get off the bus.

-Some buses have outlets for phone chargers, A/C and seatbelts. The last bus on the way to Carrollton had this, but several others did not. Some bus stations will not have outlets. My phone died once on the way to Wisconsin and for about three hours on the way home (my boyfriend was worried/freaked out) and I couldn't get to a charger until I got to Des Moines, Iowa and we didn't really have adequate time to charge it. I wasn't really able to do much after the fact until I hit Kansas City, Missouri. Charge the night before. I foolishly did not the night before I went home. Keep updating your SO and family members about the status of your battery so that if it dies, they know what happened. I told my boyfriend my phone was dying, but I guess he didn't get it, because he ended up worried anyway. There will ALSO (depending on your phone) be points where the bus goes on SOME trips that are dead in the middle of nowhere that I would be surprised if you didn't lose a signal. Do ANYTHING you can to save battery life.

-Also, speaking of "the back of the bus", the girl I sat next to on one of them told me that your best bet on any bus is to sit in the front or in the middle of the bus.

-You get ONE carry-on and ONE thing that's free to pack under the bus. After that, the charges start. Someone packed a couch on the one from Oklahoma City to Carrollton. Weird.

-You will have stops and layovers. Just because your ticket doesn't say that you are making a stop there, does not mean that you are not actually making a stop there. When you buy a Greyhound ticket, there should have been a long accurate, in-detail schedule. Your ticket won't be as in detail as the actual trip will be. Don't freak out if for example you're supposed to definitely go through Iowa, your first stop on the ticket says Des Moines, but the bus driver makes a quick stop in Ames, Iowa. (Just an example from my trip). You're still where you're supposed to be headed. Now, if for example you checked the route and it says you're supposed to go through some province and you're in Japan, double check. In fact, double checking does not hurt at all. Again, bus drivers are typically pretty helpful (there will be a select few who seem standoffish, though).

-Food, food, food, food and stuff to keep hydrated! Eat a HUGE meal before going on the bus. Your first stops may or may not be soon enough to keep you up and I would suggest bringing a lot of extra eating change. Don't just take one bottle of water, take as much as you can fit.

-Since your ride is three days, you may be lucky enough to get on one of the buses that will take you to a McDonald's. When I got into La Crosse, the bus driver announced that this was our stop and that he would be taking the rest of everybody else to McDonald's considering they had such a long route.

-You may want to take something to read or an mp3 player. My mp3 player also died on the way TO and FROM La Crosse. I would also suggest bringing something to light up your book if you're gonna read. Although, most of the time they're properly lit, it can get really dark on the bus.

-Ask your bus driver any questions you have (if you're not sure if it's where you get off, if you're confused about where you are, etc). They're generally pretty helpful. If they're not, ask people around you and ask people at the help desks during your layovers. There are some where the bus drivers are changing and some where the bus driver is just taking a break with you. Make sure you know which is which.

-My mom told me not to get off the bus because they will leave you behind if you don't hurry up and I actually did see that happen years ago, but this time I went back and forth, they were actually doing head counts. Still, it does help to keep a close eye on your time so you don't get left behind.

-You cannot smoke or drink on the bus. I know this sounds obvious, but some people don't get it. If they even smell alcohol on you, you're off the bus. They will, however, have smoke breaks for everybody if you're a smoker. This is also the gas station/bathroom/go get food break.

-Take a camera! Take advantage of everything you're going to see...

I will be doing this again in July, too. It's cheaper than a flight out there and more scenic. If I think of anything else, I will let you know. I will also ask my boyfriend when he gets off work what his tips are, because he took the Greyhound to come see me. =) Have fun! I really DO like the Greyhound bus compared to my plane experiences.