When travelling cheaply, either because of lack of funds
(poor college student here!) or because you just don’t like to waste money,
oftentimes travelling by bus is the way to go. Busses (or Coaches as they are
known in the UK and a lot of Europe) are often (nearly always) the cheapest way
to travel especially short distances. Today I will be discussing both busses in
general and, more specifically, Megabus.
The Benefits of Travelling by Bus
Busses are cheap. There is no way to dismiss this point;
trains are expensive and planes even more so. A bus ride from two to five hours
(or even longer) can be had from five to ten dollars. Busses also often have
more stops than trains and planes and also can come closer to the inner parts
of cities that their larger counter parts. Busses also often stop for food and
give a chance for you to spread your legs.
The Cons of Travelling by Bus
While busses are cheap they are also slow and often do not
offer the amenities of other forms of transportation. While busses often stop
for food they do not have places to buy food onboard or serve a meal. There is
also not a lot of room on busses; even less than trains or most plains. There
is also often no one you can ask questions to or voice concerns like flight
attendants or the attendants on trains. Most times you are forbidden to talk to
the bus driver unless it is an absolute emergency. You also do not have a table
or the ability to pick your seat.
Busses are also notoriously late (see Megabus).
So when do I use busses?
I use busses pretty darn often mostly because I have very
little money. I also hate flying because I get sick so I try to use a bus or
train whenever possible. The shortest trip I took was about an hour (the second
bus to by destination; part of a two bus trip) and the longest was about nine
hours (over night from London to Edinburg.) I will continue to use busses quite
often until I have the money to switch to using trains. I, of course, cannot
use busses over most bodies of water and I do not know if I will take a bus
much longer than nine hours and then only overnight.
Megabus:
Megabus is a popular bus service found in both the United
States and in Europe. It is known for being cheap (as low as $1) but also not
the grandest experience ever. It is par for the course to complain about it,
yet continue to use it along with a lot of people.
The good thing about Megabus is that it is air conditioned,
has a bathroom on board, and has plug for everyone to plug in their
electronics. Each person can also have one standard suitcase and one carry on
item. I’ve only every brought on both a backpack and a purse and no one said
anything, but do not carry on much because there are often no overhead bins and
you will need to have your items on your lap or under your seat.
The worst thing about Megabus is that it is almost always
late. The latest a bus was to depart was 45 minutes for myself but I have heard
of my friends waiting over an hour. A bus was only early once (by like 10
minutes) but ended up departing late anyways. Always come 10 to 15 minutes
early but be prepared to wait in cold of heat because most Megabuses (at least
in the US) to not have stations; they park on the side of a street or in a
parking lot.
A few more tips for megabus is to bring a jacket or
something because they are often cold and, for the love of the Earth, bring
snacks and some water. The busses only stop on longer trips (like 6 hours) so,
if you are on a 2 – 3 hour trip do not plan on a stop!
I have ridden megabus throughout Pennsylvania and into Delaware.
It was also Megabus that I took from London to Edinburg and what I plan to take
throughout the UK. Frankly, a one pound trip from London to Oxford cannot be
beat! And, overnight busses also allow you to save money on hostels or hotels
if you can sleep.
