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[crazybatlady]

Airline prices are so high right now that I'm thinking about taking Amtrak or Greyhound to a conference this summer. Has anyone any experience doing so? Any advice?

Thanks!

cbl

[lenniel]

How far are you going?  The bus is great for day trips, like from Boston to DC or NYC, but if you want to go from NYC to Cleveland, be prepared to spend about 2 days traveling, minumum.  Also, if passing through a major city, you will hit some fairly scratchy parts of town and need to be ready to wait for your connection at 2am.

I know that sounds bad, but I actually love the bus.  Just fend off the nuts and bring plenty to read.

[iomhaigh]

Amtrak is usually not cheaper than flying in certain parts of the country.

In the Northeast, the various bus companies (including Greyhound) are largely packed with commuters/ etc.  Blackberry and laptop hell.   

In the Midwest, Greyhound is like stepping into the twilight zone. 

[yellowtractor]

I have ridden many, many miles on the bus, which in this country has its own culture.  You will meet so many interesting people.

CBL, if it's under eight hours, I would do it.  But anything longer than that, and/or overnight, is excruciating.

You never know who your seatmate is going to be, or what drugs or viruses s/he might be carrying.

I am in love with Amtrak--permanent love, no matter what Congress or the fuel crisis do to it.  But the cost of an Amtrak ticket in many of the major corridors is approaching that if airfare these days, and of course Amtrak takes longer and doesn't serve many regions of the country.  Still, when I can take Amtrak, I do, over driving or flying.

If you have specific questions, PM me.  I know both sets of routes better than your average tractor.

[ursula]

I love trains.  Trains are always the best way to travel.  I live in Canada, of course, where the train system is pleasant. When I was in the U.S., I took Amtrak sometimes, but did find it rather expensive.

The spousal unit used to be Mr. Bus Guy.  He did frequent cross-country bus runs, and when we were far apart in graduate school we used to do our visits by overnight bus. He always managed to enjoy it, as he got on with some books and a bag of fruit and bread to last the journey.   I found the Greyhound, especially the overnighters, to be an absolute nightmare.  Very strange smelly people, eating smelly food and talking loudly.  The best was the guy who took his shoes off and sacked out in the aisle beside me.

But then, they probably thought I was just as strange, sitting in the front seat with my little Greek book.

[yellowtractor]

But then, they probably thought I was just as strange, sitting in the front seat with my little Greek book.

In the end, though, we all sit in the front seat with our little Greek books, crossing the continent on the Greyhound bus of life.

[goldenapple]

Megabus is developing some new routes in the Midwest -- and they occasionally offer deals like $1 (one dollar!) fares to attract new customers. It's worth considering, if you're thinking about the bus.

[sugaree]

Amtrak isn't much cheaper than flying these days, although I find it a much more pleasant way to travel (depending upon the length of the route, of course).

Greyhound is hit or miss, I think. If the bus isn't super crowded, it's fine. The last time I was forced to take Greyhound, the trip started out fine, but at a stop halfway through, a platoon of failed marines (freshly kicked out of boot camp) boarded. They were polite enough, but the bus got crowded and smelly in a hurry.

[onion]

I always seem to end up on the Greyhound with a pack of men who were just released from prison.  Their conversations tend to volley between two topics: planning how to get/find/have women and planning for bloodthirsty, no-holds-barred revenge. 

[dr_dre]

It can be okay if you don't have a seatmate. To maximize your chances, purchase food on your way to the station. It should be stinky and potentially messy. I had good luck with spaghetti in red sauce on Boston/NYC trips. Line up early and board swiftly. Sit on the aisle and put your bulky bags on the window seat. Immediately open up the food and start eating while others are boarding. Dip breadsticks or garlic knots in the red sauce, if possible. I swear everyone else had a seatmate.

[crazybatlady]

I always seem to end up on the Greyhound with a pack of men who were just released from prison.  Their conversations tend to volley between two topics: planning how to get/find/have women and planning for bloodthirsty, no-holds-barred revenge. 

Greyhound it is, then!

(Seriously, thanks everyone. I'll be looking closely at the routes for nearby prisons, military posts, and Italian restaurants.)

cbl

[neutralname]

Apparently Amtrak gives good senior discounts.  It's fine for northeast corridor travel. 

I took Greyhound once for an interview.  It was OK.  I wouldn't hurry to do it again for long distances.  There are other bus companies too, especially on the NE corridor Boston-NY-Philly-DC, that might be better then Greyhound.

It might also be possible to find bus companies that go between other big cities.  With travel expenses increasing, I hope that is the case.

[daurousseau]

Take a small recorder along on the bus trip. That way you can catch the diction, the idioms, the sound of the voices you will use in your New Yorker story about the trip.

[lenniel]

Smelly or noisy food is an excellent tactic, as is general unfriendliness.  I like the bus and use it when I can, but am also a freak magnet.  Every lonely bedlamite wants to sit by me and tell me their life story, which is usually not interesting enough to even ignore. 

Radiating hostility tends to help, as does the food tactic and impenetrable literature tactic.  This is also helpful on the airplane. I once got a lady to leave me alone because I was reading Boccacio's Decameron.  Try explaining the plotline of that to a housewife from South Dakota.  I also try to have several books in another language, so they assume I have no English and also leave me alone.

You will always have colourful stories if you ride the bus!

[neutralname]

Take a small recorder along on the bus trip. That way you can catch the diction, the idioms, the sound of the voices you will use in your New Yorker story about the trip.

Or you could take a large recorder and entertain the whole bus.