Buying a Ticket for a Greyhound Bus Adventure

Buy your ticket online if possible. The complete itinerary is available for each route after you choose the stations you'd like to leave from and arrive at. It is also fairly easy to compare the costs and schedules of routes for different days and surrounding stations or stops. No comparison tool is available, just take notes if you plan on comparing prices over a period of time for a variety of options. The more flexible you are with your days and routes, the more chances you will have to save money.

Purchasing your ticket online also allows you to choose from available discounts. There are several available, including the standard online discount, and those for students, military personnel and veterans. Your ticket will almost always be less expensive online even without a special discount. Choose from available discounts wisely. For example, there is currently a set rate for those that can provide valid military identification. It may be cheaper in some cases to go with the regular online rate, rather than the offered military rate. If you plan on being a frequent customer of Greyhound you can save money with their Road Rewards program. Be sure to log in to your Rewards account before purchasing tickets.

If you are willing to lock yourself in 7 or more days ahead of time, you can save some serious money. Generally it is roughly a third of the price if you buy more than 21 days in advance. Be aware prices for the same trip are subject to change over a period of time. Prices can jump overnight to almost twice as much for a 21-day advanced ticket purchase, for the same exact trip, including time and day of the week. It is also entirely possible that several days before departure a ticket can cost less than the price quoted weeks ago for the same schedule.

If you are making regular day trips on a well traveled route, paying for a preferred seating upgrade will provide you a choice of seats. It still does not give you any particular seat assignment and you still have to be in the preferred customer line before the other passengers begin to board. In other words you can't use preferred seating to show up ten minutes before departure. This option is only available at select stations and can only be purchased when you check in.

When comparing the itineraries you may find minor stops that are actually closer to your final destination or your present location. Be aware that if you are not in a major metropolitan area these may be flag stops. Flag stops are usually unmarked locations such as a cross-roads or the parking lot of a post office. You may be allowed to board without an actual physical ticket, as long as you have a confirmation number.

It is important to consider if the benefits of a flag stop are worth the inconveniences such as safety issues and paying extra if the flag stop adds a partial route to your ticket. Call ahead before purchasing to ask about the requirements. Also call ahead to the local station 36 to 24 hours in advance to confirm pick-up. You do not want to be left sitting on the sidewalk in the middle of nowhere wondering what happened to your bus.

Flag stops are usually indicated as such on the website, but non-flag stops sometimes do not have much more than their counterparts. Make sure you have someone to pick you up, or make inquiries from several sources to be sure there will be transportation available when the bus pulls away. Also be aware that some stations, even those in major cities, have odd hours, closing for long periods of time. This happens not just at night, but in the middle of the day.

Allow for routes that have at least two hours between transfers. If you have a series of transfers you may want to allow even more time for transfers towards the end of your trip. This ensures that if you get behind on one leg of your journey you do not keep falling more and more behind, spending large parts of the day at each station where you have a transfer.

Worst case scenario is a Greyhound representative will attempt to change your entire ticket, moving you along on another route that will eventually lead to your destination. What they choose for you is not always the best option and there may be alternatives. Check the total trip time and length of layovers before agreeing to this form of compensation for missing a transfer.

Check for the length of stops shortly before and after transfers. On trips lasting more than a day, this will ensure you have an opportunity to eat on a regular basis in the likely event you did not bring a large amount of supplies with you. If you fall behind schedule and the last long stop on the route is severely shortened, chances are if you are able to catch your transfer, you will at least still be on time for the first long stop and can take care of your various needs.

Not all schedules are the same every day of the week or time of year and schedules are subject to change with little notice. If you are buying one way tickets for flexibility with little lead time, don't assume because you took a bus in from city A on Tuesday in the Summer to city B you will be able to have the same route available to you on Sunday in the Fall from city B to city A.

Print out a copy of the itinerary listing every stop and the scheduled time and length of stop. You'll want to make frequent inquiries based on your schedule. It is disconcerting to find yourself in a town not on your list and wonder if you are on the right bus heading in the right direction. This may sound unnecessary, but after a day or more on the bus there's a good chance you will wake up forgetting where you are.

Valid identification is required when picking up tickets paid for ahead of time. If the person picking up the tickets is not the passenger, there is an additional fee charged. You may also be asked for the original credit card used at the time of purchase. If you have bought a ticket with a discount, valid and relevant identification for the passenger is also required.

Research your options carefully. Seek critical information from several sources. Even Greyhound employees will not always have the best answers. I've found the farther you are from the bus, the less useful information becomes. The information I've gathered from the toll-free Greyhound customer service representatives has been thus far the least reliable and useful.

Situations will not always work out the way you would like. Keeping a positive attitude certainly helps. By researching your options, planning carefully and knowing what to expect, you will increase your chances of an enjoyable adventure on Greyhound.

Author: Greyhound
Page Title: Greyhound Home
Site Title: Greyhound