$1 to Chicago.No driving, no stress, no worries.
$1 each way from Cincinnati to Chicago.
Leave the driving to them.
If you're thinking about a trip around the Midwest, then I'm gonna suggest checking out MegaBus's website because there simply isn't a cheaper way to get around. Plus there's the whole benefit of sharing the ride to drop your environmental footprint in the process.
My only concern is the presence of some bad reviews on some of the sites that I found online. I do appreciate this review, however:
You will find a wide variety of reviews on here because Megabus is indeed an unabashedly mediocre service. The buses tend to be craptastic and one certainly must NOT depend on any sort of timely or friendly service.And this picture kind of makes me wonder...
The point is: you get what you pay for.
The reason I'm giving Megabus a full Three Stars is, for all of its drawbacks, the damned thing is simple and CHEAP!
To assist those who may be new to this, allow me to offer...
~~Chuck's Top Five Things to Know When Considering Megabus~~
1. Book Early, Book Online
One of the recent reviews on here mentions how Megabus is actually comparable in price to Greyhound. This should not be the case.
Once again, the point is that this is a very inexpensive service. The earlier you book, the less expensive the tickets are. Literally. Book as far in advance as you can and you can even score a $1 rate!
**Special Note**
You can ONLY book reservations online and in advance so don't even think about trying to show up and pay a bus driver. It simply does not work that way.
2. Temper Your Expectations
Again, cheap rate = crappy service. If this isn't cool with you, don't use it. Come in with this in mind and you'll be fine.
3. Be Informed
One of the ways that Megabus keeps its rates down is by picking up and dropping off near (but not at) many major transportation centers. This makes for very odd and nontraditional connection points (which are nearly always poorly marked with ambiguous signage - if any).
Be certain you check your reservation on the Megabus website as close to your trip as possible because sometimes these pickup and drop off points change and that's the only way you'll know!
4. Put Away Your Watch
It's cheap for a reason. Expect pickups as early as 30 minutes before scheduled and -- more likely -- up to 2 hours late.
5. Do NOT Forget The Paperwork!
Perhaps most important of all: don't ever, evereverEVER roll up into the Megabus driver's grill without 'cho papers, yo. In all seriousness. Don't even try it!
Think of it this way: it's a reservation service (albeit an extremely low-end one). Since tickets are purchased online, the printed receipt displaying your long, complicated reservation code is the ONLY indication the driver has that you're seat claim is legit.
Keep these tips in mind and you'll not only be fine, but you might even enjoy yourself! ....ya cheapskate!
3 comments:
On a completely unrelated topic, how are you feeling about the new Green Day album? I'm a big fan.
I'm quite familiar with Megabus. I'll be taking it for the fifth time in a couple weeks, and it's not that bad. The longest I've waited is about 45 minutes, but the latest I've ever gotten to a destination is only 15 minutes.
The worst part of Megabus to me is the disorganization of loading/unloading. Sleeping is kind of difficult, and I seem to attract men over 40 as seat partners consistently, which is tons of fun. But the terminal is about 10 minutes from my dorm, and it is just so cheap, I can't say no.
I'm down with the new Green Day. Full review coming early next week after I listen to it a couple hundred more times.
Katydid - thanks for the info. We're thinking about taking the Bus and were wondering.
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