Greyhound Bus service.
Oh, how you receive such mixed reviews.
And yet that didn't stop me.
It was only a few weeks until I was supposed to visit my boyfriend in Wisconsin,
a weekend destined to be packed with good memories and the sweet sounds of one of my favorite bands, Bastille, when I realized that I had no way of getting there.
Usually when I visit, I fly, but tickets were already climbing up the $400 range.
I decided it was just too much.
Long story short, I bought a round trip ticket from Greyhound for less than $100.
Then I looked at reviews, and immediately became horrified.
Horror stories of buses arriving HOURS later than scheduled, missing luggage, and one incident in which a knife-wielding man took over the driver's seat.
I started to wonder if I had made a mistake, but there was no turning back.
And I'm glad I didn't know.
My Greyhound trip was fine; dare I even say enjoyable. Only one of my buses was delayed, thankfully my last bus of the trip, and even still it was only 15 or 20 minutes late.
Besides my very first bus ride, which was TECHNICALLY not a Greyhound bus, the seats were spacious and comfortable.
Though I would call the trip a success, that's not to say that I didn't run into some issues.
Here are the FIVE mistakes I made when I took a Greyhound:
#1
{Overpacking}
This is my problem no matter how I travel. I always overpack because I want to be prepared for any circumstances. Normally, its not a problem, but for Greyhound, less is best. The buses are small and the personal space is even smaller.
#2
{Luggage}
For flights, I always take a duffle bag; they're ideal for shoving into an overhead compartment, and they never get pulled to go plane-side. For the bus, I wanted something that would not necessarily go out of my sight, seeing as the majority of the reviews I read on Greyhound talked about luggage being lost. And I thought the duffle would be fine again, however, it was just too large, heavy, and difficult to maneuver in the small space. Next time I will be carrying a backpack.
#2
{Luggage}
For flights, I always take a duffle bag; they're ideal for shoving into an overhead compartment, and they never get pulled to go plane-side. For the bus, I wanted something that would not necessarily go out of my sight, seeing as the majority of the reviews I read on Greyhound talked about luggage being lost. And I thought the duffle would be fine again, however, it was just too large, heavy, and difficult to maneuver in the small space. Next time I will be carrying a backpack.
#3
{The Bus Stop}
I had two issues with the bus stop: figuring out where it was, and how to get there.
My bus stop was literally a street corner. Thankfully, I took some time to drive by the day before so as to confirm the address was correct, though that didn't stop me from questioning myself.
{The Bus Stop}
I had two issues with the bus stop: figuring out where it was, and how to get there.
My bus stop was literally a street corner. Thankfully, I took some time to drive by the day before so as to confirm the address was correct, though that didn't stop me from questioning myself.
Also, since the stop was downtown, parking was nearly impossible. In the last minute I had to have my roommates come pick up my car and take it back to my apartment. Next time, I will arrange parking another way (apparently there was a permit I could have printed out to park in a specific lot) or I will take a bus downtown and walk to the stop.
#4
{Headphones}
This is so important.
I forgot my headphones and I cannot even express my regret. Between the multitude of conversations and the couple who were nonstop giggling over streaming "American Dad" (with no headphones themselves). It was a long 2 hours to my transfer.
#5
I forgot my headphones and I cannot even express my regret. Between the multitude of conversations and the couple who were nonstop giggling over streaming "American Dad" (with no headphones themselves). It was a long 2 hours to my transfer.
#5
{Charger}
Greyhound is great in that they provide outlets on the bus so that you can charge your phone/laptop/tablet/etc. However, if you're like me and you forget your wall adapter, then I suppose you're S.O.L. And, naturally, my phone was approaching less than 20% as I was boarding my first bus. Thankfully I packed my laptop and was able to charge it off there, but it would have been a THOUSAND times easier to charge directly.
Bonus: You can get a USB wall charger at virtually any gas station for less than $5. Stock up.
Bonus: You can get a USB wall charger at virtually any gas station for less than $5. Stock up.
On the other hand, for every mistake I made, I like to think I did something right as well.
5 things I did RIGHT when I took a Greyhound:
#1
{Layers}
Waiting for the bus was cold. Riding on the bus was cold. Where I arrived was cold.
Layers will keep you warm, and can alleviate some bulk of your luggage.
#2
{Snacks}
I am a person who is always hungry, so snacks are always necessary for me.
But roughly five hours (total) on a bus can do something to a person; it's stressful. And while stress-eating isn't good for you, some healthy snacks, like almonds or granola bars, can keep hunger, and stress, at bay.
5 things I did RIGHT when I took a Greyhound:
#1
{Layers}
Waiting for the bus was cold. Riding on the bus was cold. Where I arrived was cold.
Layers will keep you warm, and can alleviate some bulk of your luggage.
#2
{Snacks}
I am a person who is always hungry, so snacks are always necessary for me.
But roughly five hours (total) on a bus can do something to a person; it's stressful. And while stress-eating isn't good for you, some healthy snacks, like almonds or granola bars, can keep hunger, and stress, at bay.
#3
{Bag Check}
As I mentioned before, I prefer not to check baggage at the risk of something happening, and it becoming lost/damaged. I always keep my luggage with me, and I've never lost a thing.
#4
{Print Tickets}
I'm a paranoid person, so I printed two copies of my tickets. Maybe that's not technically "allowed", but it gave me some peace of mind knowing that if I lost a copy, I had another as back up. Also, when you print your tickets from online, you must show a photo I.D. as you are boarding the bus. The idea is that that way no one can steal your tickets, maybe it still doesn't stop some people (after all, not all drivers check I.D. and if they do maybe not so carefully), but I like to think that it provides some insurance.
#5
{H2O}
Hours on a bus and drinking a full bottle of water do not mix well.
Sure, there's a bathroom on the bus, but that means leaving your things unattended... and using a bus bathroom. Just go easy on the fluids, utilize bus station bathrooms when available, and you should be golden.
{Bag Check}
As I mentioned before, I prefer not to check baggage at the risk of something happening, and it becoming lost/damaged. I always keep my luggage with me, and I've never lost a thing.
#4
{Print Tickets}
I'm a paranoid person, so I printed two copies of my tickets. Maybe that's not technically "allowed", but it gave me some peace of mind knowing that if I lost a copy, I had another as back up. Also, when you print your tickets from online, you must show a photo I.D. as you are boarding the bus. The idea is that that way no one can steal your tickets, maybe it still doesn't stop some people (after all, not all drivers check I.D. and if they do maybe not so carefully), but I like to think that it provides some insurance.
{H2O}
Hours on a bus and drinking a full bottle of water do not mix well.
Sure, there's a bathroom on the bus, but that means leaving your things unattended... and using a bus bathroom. Just go easy on the fluids, utilize bus station bathrooms when available, and you should be golden.
Overall, I would be tempted to take a bus again.
Whether it be Greyhound, Megabus, or maybe even a train.
The worst part, for me, was the time. I have a hard time sitting still for long periods of time.
However, when it comes to either spending $100 or $400, the decision seems pretty simple.
♥K
Whether it be Greyhound, Megabus, or maybe even a train.
The worst part, for me, was the time. I have a hard time sitting still for long periods of time.
However, when it comes to either spending $100 or $400, the decision seems pretty simple.
♥K
