OMG! Who here has ever traveled by Greyhound Bus?
 

So I found out I can get to NY {city of life baby!} from portland. I think I might actually do this but I've never ever ever in my whole life took such a big chance and I thought maybe someone here might be able to walk me through it. So I just call the place right? I'd be leaving on the 16th or possiby the 17th. I have to go. I just have to but I need help. So if anyone had ever rode the bus, knows what to do let me know or email me at:

dreamgrl469@yahoo.com

I would have to find a ride though or ask the bus or something. I don't know, I'm scared and very very excited about this actually being able to happen. I just have to make it happen.

Taking the bus is 'taking such a big chance'? Not really. Just go to the local Greyhound station [or the Greyhound website], take a look at when the buses leave for NY, and buy a ticket. It's that simple.

Greyhound is fucking awful. Uncomfortable does not begin to describe the conditions you'll be forced into during that ride, and chances are you'll be a deal later arriving than they say.

If you have the money I would just take the train, and if you have the cajones I would just hitch.

I don't understand what is going on here, is this a parody thread?

While I'm halfway interested in why you "just have to" go to New York, I'm more curious about why, if going is so important, you don't just ask a friend to drive you there if you can't drive yourself.

Do you just not know anybody with a car, or does the prospect of putting up with you in a car for the 11 hours that a round trip would take make people decide to schedule that root canal they've been putting off?

Greyhound really isn't so terrible as all that. To say the least you won't find it crowded and the company is... interesting.

Just be sure to bring something to keep you awake.

Dude, if you stayed awake during a cross-continental Greyhound trip, you'd be fried out of your mind.
You'd probably start talking crazier than most of the folks riding in the bus for their "flim-flamming sumbitch" husband and/or wife.

Just fly. Or drive yourself. Or take the train. In other words, do something else.

Matt's post brings up an important question.
You never really established which Portland you are in. If you want to go to NY from Portland, Oregon, then by all means use any mode of transportation but bus. If you are going from Portland, NY, which is a cross-state trip, then Greyhound should be more tolerable. The real catch when it comes to traveling via bus is the time you may have to wait between buses, as its certain to have several route hops.

That said, a train ride would probably more tolerable for you, and would probably cost as much.

Don't forget Portland, Maine, which might be tolerable if you're willing to sit on a bus for about 6-7 hours. Wouldn't surprise me if there were train routes that would get you there either.

I use greyhound all the time. Generally reliable. Usually cheaper than driving. Can be a bit crowded on weekends. I've never had any significant problems with it.

Basically how it works is that you buy a ticket from one stop to another. The tickets are not usually specific to specific times or dates, but it's generally a good idea to buy them on the day you leave. You can buy them ahead of time or at the station. Usually if you want to buy them ahead of time you'll need to goto the station in person.

It's pretty much a free-for-all when it comes to getting seats. Everyone immediately goes for any empty rows, then start reluctantly pairing up. It's generally a good idea to try to get something near the front of the bus. Less bouncy, and you're out faster. If a bus fills up before they can fit everyone in, they'll call up a new bus. If a bus is running late, connecting buses will wait for it before leaving, at least in my experience.

Just make sure to pack some entertainment, and maybe one of those little travel pillows.

I've just used it for school trips traveling from state to state. Gone to Williamsburg, VA, Boston, MA, Atlanta, GA, and Cleveland, OH. With friends, I suppose it's alright, but traveling on one to get to some far ass distance is a bitch since there's NO room.

Generally, I find it's a good idea to buy your ticket a week ahead of time, because they usually offer a discount for doing so. Also, if you bring a friend, you can buy a ticket ahead of time, and get 'Companion Fare'. Instead of buying two full price tickets, it costs something like 1 ticket + 25% of 2nd ticket, saving you both a bunch of cash. And that way, you have someone to sit with that you actually know.

I've done long distance by Greyhound as a teenager.

It is no fun. It takes minimally 3 times longer to get where you want to go by bus. It's usually crowded, smelly, and cramped. You'll get over the whole "I'M ON THE WAY TO NYC" faster than you can imagine.

It works as a last resort, I guess.

Hitch-hike! You'll meet all sorts of interesting people! Why, one time I picked up a fellow who had masks of people! A little bit of red gunk on them, but he said that was plaster. I wonder how he got them to look so life-like...! =0

I used to catch Greyhound buses all the time to see my mates in Queensland, they'd always do a midnight stop at a petrol station with a gigantic prawn on top. Everyone would stumble off and eat shithouse bacon and eggs or something. QLD is full of gigantic novelty things, you see! Big prawns, big pineapples... big... um. Oh. That's it. :( I hope you have enjoyed this educational lesson, I sell spoken word cassettes if you're interested.

Pretty much! Also you're fucked if you get a window seat and need to go piss, because like 98.6% of the time the person sitting next to you will be essentially dead, and pushing aside corpses can be tricky. Don't wanna wake them into zombie form!

Piss out the window, Infernal. If you've got a hose dick, unfurl it and throw it over the lip and just let 'er rip.

And hell, if it's number two, just do it on the seat. Lord knows you wouldn't be the first one to do so.

I'd be leaving from Portland,ME but when I looked it up it was just alot cheaper to go by bus than train. I won't have a whole ton of money anyway. All I care about is seeing the city, been a dream for awhile. There's no way I'd hitchhike, are you kidding? No offense but my whole life I've never done anything on my own plus it's just dangerous.{if you're female anyway} If I were doing that with someone that'd be ok but not alone.

I think I could hack a bus for a few hours and I might have someone meeting me there.

Just hope to god nobody pukes on the bus. It's not that uncommon, and the smell of puke+bus is beyond rancid.

O, from Portland, ME it wouldn't be so bad. Maybe an 8 hour trip ahahhaa

Plan to stay overnight in NYC if you do take the bus. Maybe give yourself a weekend down there, since the bus alone will very likely take a whole day to get there. (In a car from Portland to NYC, it's about 5-6 hours)

Like Sass, I used to take greyhound all the time as a kid and teenager between Birmingham and Atlanta. Honestly, I hated it. A 2 hour trip would suddenly morph into 4 or 6. The longer the trip is, the more likely you'll be glad to be done with it once everything is said and done. It's not terrible mind you, but - like Sass also said - it can be smelly, cramped, and annoying if you're unlucky enough get a very good ride. Otherwise, depending on your mood, it's not all that bad. Bring something to do and you will be fine.

Eh, if you really wanna go across the country without flying my advice is to either drive or take the train.
I used to take the train all the time when I lived in California and wanted to go visit family in downtown San Diego. Even including the added time to walk where I was going from the station I still got to my destination much faster than I did when I drove.

Your bus ride isn't that rough as compared to my Saginaw, MI to Seattle, WA trip. 3 days on a fucking a bus...I met some cool people once I got into Washington but most of us had lost our mind before this point. Your bus trip shouldn't be tough at all. Normally, you have to worry about sitting next to somebody weird or smelly but your trip isn't that long. You don't have to worry about extreme layovers. (I had an 8 hour layover in Minneapolis once. 4 packs of cigarettes - 8 hours, baby!)

I went from California to Ohio on a Greyhound bus a few years ago. Whole trip took a good 4 days, with 3 transfers to other buses.

...Didn't get a chance to sleep one wink.

Taking the bus has never been particularly miserable for me. Sitting around in bus stations for connections generally is. Still, it's often the cheapest way (hence, often, the only way) to get to where one needs to go.

I am curious about why going to NY is such a big deal for you though, Becca. Do you know what you'll be doing once you get there?

portland Oregon or portland main..?


I find the best and worst place to ride in the very back seat. Nicer cause its biggest and plenty of room to nap, worse cause its located next to the poo can.


Its fun but if you don't take your own food along, them buss terminals can be expensive