Bus Trip Question Please
 

Has anyone ridden a bus cross country just for fun? You know like Greyhound from Seattle to Key West or something? Just wondering if it would be cheap fun if one had excess time.

Hi Freddy depends depends depends.<BR>You would think it would be fun but the people you have to sit next to or endure on these trips is a pain, gross even.<BR><BR>I took a bus to DC from NYC in July thinking it was a mini adventure. On the way down a young woman sat next to me who had a nervous habit of picking her ear and flicking it (in my direction) this went on for about 1.5 hours. I could not bring myself to say anything because her movements were so quick it was clearly a nervous disorder. On the way back a man sat next to me that dumped what seemed like a bottle of after shave on. I litterly thought I was killing brain cells just breathing here. I actually became nauseaus and got a head ache.<BR><BR>Criminal acts have taken place on a couple of buses from NYC to Mount Laurel that I have been on. They involved men exposing themselves to woman, public drinking and fighting (drivers told me about fighting I did not see). I also was sitting next to an excon who was just released from an 18 year period in California, again NYC to Mount Laurel. He was nice but I was not amused. He kept making references to prison he would not let me sleep.<BR><BR>All I am saying is that you meet a lot of on the edge and poor individuals. I get depressed whenever I have to take any bus in the US. Quebec Canada is an entirely different ball of wax.<BR><BR>IF YOU ARE YOUNG AND THIS IS YOUR ONLY OPTION THAN CAUTION TO THE WIND AND GET OUT THERE. YOU should also consider green tourtist. They are based in San Francisco I believe and then you can travel with other youths.<BR><BR>

I, like "eee", have taken buses in the US, in Canada and in Europe...within the last 5 years. <BR><BR>The US experiences were definitely the worst. In Italy and France, buses are a way that a regular cross-section of the polpulation get from place to place. Not everyone seems to feel the need to own a car and subsequently train and bus service is very good.<BR><BR> Similarly in Canada, the riders are "just folks", though ridership tends to skew toward youth and the elderly and seems like more women than men ride buses.<BR><BR>But from Boston to Augusta, Maine and from LA to San Francisco and from Buffalo to Albany were all strange "adventures" peopled by some odd, old, or sad or creepy people. Not, I admit all of them, but a statistically significant number of fellow passengers were certainly not normal. <BR><BR>Once,near Boston, a fellow passenger, a young girl was picked on so mercilessly by a young tough (a stranger who just happened to sit near her) that the bus was stopped, the cops called and he was taken off.<BR><BR>Fun...m-m-m, not so much...

wow thats really scary! i am planning to greyhound from savannah to washington taking in Asheville, Chattanooga, Roanoke etc. I am Brit woman in my 50s and was thinking it would be safe tho a little slow - time for major rethink?

The Washington Post had a story earlier this year in their travel section. One of their reporters and a friend rode across country from DC to California (I think). You might want to check their web archives www.washingtonpost.com<BR><BR>It was full of trials and tribulations, quite a good read

I would say Amtrak coach has more convenient seats, you can get food on the train if you wish, you can go to observation (lounge?) and for fun I'd prefer a train over a bus. If a sleeper is expensive a coach (reserved!) seat shouldn't be more expensive.

Amtrak coach shouldn't be much more expensive then Greyhound I mean.<BR><BR>Sorry it's Friday my mind is off already :)

Nola look into tour options. See if you can find a hop on hop off option. The route I was referring to NYC to Mt. Laurel is about 2/3 of the way Philadelphia. The stop at Mt.Laurel is a middle class town. I suspect that a southern route would yield even greater numbers of poverty stricken. Look for other options and not just with greyhound. <BR><BR>I would spend the money Nola it is too depressing.

thanks for timely advice - guess i thought it would be like Trip to Bountiful - have now changed plans to combi Amtrak and plane. thanks everyone