usa by bus.

[shirls52]

anyone been touring the states by bus.is it very tiring or better value than catching planes while you are there.any travel agents to recommend or routes to take.thankyou.

[Machecoul]

This is a start:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A2715428

Also remember that bus stations are not always in the best areas!! Particular probelms if late at night or early morning.

Train travel is also an option you could consider. Distances in US are massive. Last year we visited Detroit, Cleveland and Pittsburg. Plan was to fly in and then train or bus between the cities. Timetable restrictions and advice from other travellers ended up with us flying between the cities.

We have used greyhound to travel between Seattle and Vancouver - quite a good journey - long - and an interesting experience crossing the border from US back to Canada.

Get a map and look at where you might like to go. Then visiting Greyhound and Amtrak websites will give you some idea of times and costs.

[VillageVicar]

I would encourage you not to use the busses in America. Not only are they now relatively dysfunctional, you�re not always certain that some of the passengers are necessarily of the vertebrae family!

Instead, I offer you three possibly interesting options: Amtrak offers discounted discover America rates only available for UK residents. You may purchase point-to-point or you can by a regional pass, which covers East, Central, or West Coast.

http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pa gename=Amtrak/HomePage
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[VillageVicar]

Part 2

The next option is called VUSA pronounced �voosa� fares. In conjunction with your transatlantic ticket, you can purchase a number of �segment� coupons, which will carry you to your choice of cities. They start at a minimum of 4 coupons, and go up from there. So for example, if you want a flight from JFK-LAX and the flight is direct (which means it may make stops enroute, but you don�t change planes) then that is only one coupon. If you take a flight from JFK-DEN-LAX, changing planes in Denver, but not staying there, that would still be two coupons. Also, there are published point-to-point single VUSA fares, but sometimes they are actually dearer than published fares. Most travel agents in the UK don�t have the professional experience to know that by conjuncting domestic tickets with the international ticket, you don�t have to pay domestic taxes, which can be sizeable. However, you still have to pay security, fuel supplement, and any other silly fees they may think up. These fares are typically not advertised online because the Americans try to use them, then end up in a pickle because they�re not entitled to use them. Speak with the carriers directly or a travel agent who has more experience than simply selling brochure packages to destinations. And by the way, that is never the most economical way to travel to America! There are also some interesting tricks to taking a domestic flight in conjunction with your international flight, where it actually turns out being free, but that�s for a different thread.

Here is a pdf document which gives the details of VUSA fares in conjunction with American Airlines�AND if you do this be certain to enrol in their frequent flier programme!!!

http://www.americanairlines.ch/content/images/ ch/GDS/PDF/vusa07.pdf
conti

[VillageVicar]

Part 3

Now the last item is a bit strange to some. It�s called Auto Drive Away. I�ve done this for years and I love it, especially in the winter when I�m taking a break and I�m writing. There are auto companies who provide delivery services of privately owned vehicles. For example: Jane Bloggs lives in Miami. She has just had an executive promotion and is moving to Seattle. She�s gone by air, but her car needs to get there. So she pays auto driveaway a fee to get it there. They rely on punters such as yourself to phone in saying you want to drive a car �somewhere.�

When I call, I consider the options. Sometimes it�s a new BMW to San Diego, or it�s a Chevrolet pickup to Denver. There is a set number of days and a set number of miles. However, the service often will negotiate with you, say if you mention that you want to spend an extra day in Denver, they will allow it. You provide the service with a cash deposit, anywhere from USD$300-500. You also provide your passport details and verifiable personal details such as your home phone number, employer, references etc. If you don�t have a home phone number that they can confirm through BT, you won�t get a car!

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[VillageVicar]

Last part...I promise! :-)

Off you go on your adventure. The insurance is covered. You are responsible for all petrol and for the safe keeping of the car. When you arrive in the destination city, you arrange to meet the car�s owner. There, they will hand back to you, the cash deposit you left with the departing auto service office. There the contract is finished.
I�ve met some of the loveliest people on these journeys. I�ve written more articles than I can remember and I�ve had some events that have touched me for the rest of my life.

I hope some of the above appeal to you. Indeed, I�ve taken the bus. Sadly, the Trailways/Greyhound system has suffered terribly over the years because, quite honestly, it�s a general thought among snobby Americans that those who take the bus are either hiding from something or are in the most desperate of situations. And indeed, what�s left of the bus stations make our King�s Cross look like Disney!

Whatever you choose, I hope you have a wonderful journey! I�ll list one of my stopover blogs for you, if it�s of interest: Best regards. Fr. Bill

http://www.bostonstopover.blogspot.com

http://www.bigworldsmallboat.blogspot.com