Amtrak vs Greyhound

[railiner]

Badger ran between Madison and Milwaukee, and they also at one time operated between Madison and Freeport, Illinois...

 

[Philly Amtrak Fan]

Long Distance by bus between major cities may be a couple hours shorter, but the bus you start with will change en route either by transfer or regular change for service (layover though on same route number). These changes require you to get off with all your things even on a route like Los Angeles to Chicago. Thus a major advantage to Amtrak between many major cities.

Yes, that happened to me when I came back to Florida after a bowl game. I have taken the Silver Meteor to/from Florida a few times but that time I waited until the last minute and the fares were too high so I took Greyhound. I think these trains get "cut" (the expression they used although it's been a long time ago and I don't remember everything) when they are fairly empty and they combine two buses into one (and this was after Jan. 1 so it's a fairly less busy time of the year. I remember one of the stops was Fayetteville, NC? and it was in the middle of the night. At least when they cut the bus you're on you know the next one's coming within an hour or two (any longer and you really have a right to complain to them, especially if it's middle of night and middle of nowhere), they would never leave without you (as opposed to missing a transfer) and they honor your ticket as opposed to you having to change it. The other bus I was on for a long time was to Nashville (you can guess why I took that opposed to taking a train).

Ironically Greyhound also doesn't serve Philly to Chicago on a direct bus but they do serve Los Angeles (schedule 1683 from New York to LA): It leaves Philly at 7:40pm and arrives in Los Angeles at 9am three days later (two overnights). The bus goes through New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Columbus, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Kansas City, Denver, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles. Assuming no cuts (and I'm guessing there would be) you'd have a once seat ride from NY/PHL to LA. I'd probably never take the bus to LA (or even Vegas) but I can see taking this schedule to Columbus or Indianapolis. Anything beyond there would be too much of a bus ride for me to handle. The route, although it misses Chicago, would be an awesome train trip to me though if Amtrak could do it (and technically they did the National from NYP to KCY and the Desert Wind from DEN to LAX but there'd be a gap between KCY and DEN).

 

[Lonestar648]

The problem I ran into was, even though it was to be a direct route, like described to LA, they changed out the bus for regular servicing, or like at one stop, everything was unloaded so while eating, the was serviced and cleaned at another location. I would never have done the bus, but a family member arranged and paid for me to come. Never again.

 

[RailRide]

Of the four convention trips I take every year from NYC, three of the four are via Amtrak:

-First one is to Atlanta. never did this one by bus, for obvious reasons. The Crescent is easy to catch going and coming.

-Third is to Pittsburgh. I've missed my train twice going out due to unexpected construction-induced traffic snarls and had to resort to Greyhound:

---First time was direct, with a trek through nightmarish Philly rush-hour traffic as a "bonus:

---Second time I had to Peter-Pan it to Baltimore and wait out a layover for a Greyhound to Pittsburgh. Had I waited another hour in NY, I could have made it a one-seat trip (albeit still via Baltimore), but I was impatient.

-Fourth used to be "Dad's Taxi" going out, and NJ Transit bus/train coming back, but the convention moved to Herndon, VA and became Amtrak/DC Metro and Fairfax bus. In a couple of years (hopefully), I can omit the local bus at the end.

-Second one is to Montreal, and I've only done this via Greyhound.

---It's three hours shorter

---I can leave at midnight (arriving in Montreal at 8am) instead of dealing with early morning Manhattan traffic

As for the ride, I can actually sleep on the bus. Having a seatmate is hit-or miss. Going out there are usually so many people that I wind up on the second or third bus, which won't have every seat occupied, and often skips some stops. I find the seat at the wheelchair lift has the most legroom (natch), but you do sacrifice having overhead storage directly above your seat. Power usually works, Wifi is hit-or-miss, meaning often you get the access point, but the cellular modem is on the fritz. Adirondack Trailways on the return trip has more consistent WiFi, seat pitch is about the same as regular Greyhound though.

---Only bad point is the lack of departures between 9am and 6pm coming back from Montreal. Makes getting back to the terminal from Pointe-Claire a bit of a nail-biter with a combination of an hour-long local-ish bus ride through the AM rush, and a stint on the Metro, but I've been lucky so far.

---PCJ

 

[Chessie]

-Second one is to Montreal, and I've only done this via Greyhound.

---It's three hours shorter

---I can leave at midnight (arriving in Montreal at 8am) instead of dealing with early morning Manhattan traffic

As for the ride, I can actually sleep on the bus. Having a seatmate is hit-or miss. Going out there are usually so many people that I wind up on the second or third bus, which won't have every seat occupied, and often skips some stops. I find the seat at the wheelchair lift has the most legroom (natch), but you do sacrifice having overhead storage directly above your seat. Power usually works, Wifi is hit-or-miss, meaning often you get the access point, but the cellular modem is on the fritz. Adirondack Trailways on the return trip has more consistent WiFi, seat pitch is about the same as regular Greyhound though.

---Only bad point is the lack of departures between 9am and 6pm coming back from Montreal. Makes getting back to the terminal from Pointe-Claire a bit of a nail-biter with a combination of an hour-long local-ish bus ride through the AM rush, and a stint on the Metro, but I've been lucky so far.

---PCJ

There used to be a Montrealer, using the current Vermonter route, leaving DC in the afternoon, stopping at Baltimore, Philadelphia and NYC and arriving at Montreal next morning, and the return trip following similar overnight hours. It would have been perfect.

 

[railiner]

Of the four convention trips I take every year from NYC, three of the four are via Amtrak:

-First one is to Atlanta. never did this one by bus, for obvious reasons. The Crescent is easy to catch going and coming.

-Third is to Pittsburgh. I've missed my train twice going out due to unexpected construction-induced traffic snarls and had to resort to Greyhound:

---First time was direct, with a trek through nightmarish Philly rush-hour traffic as a "bonus:

---Second time I had to Peter-Pan it to Baltimore and wait out a layover for a Greyhound to Pittsburgh. Had I waited another hour in NY, I could have made it a one-seat trip (albeit still via Baltimore), but I was impatient.

-Fourth used to be "Dad's Taxi" going out, and NJ Transit bus/train coming back, but the convention moved to Herndon, VA and became Amtrak/DC Metro and Fairfax bus. In a couple of years (hopefully), I can omit the local bus at the end.

-Second one is to Montreal, and I've only done this via Greyhound.

---It's three hours shorter

---I can leave at midnight (arriving in Montreal at 8am) instead of dealing with early morning Manhattan traffic

As for the ride, I can actually sleep on the bus. Having a seatmate is hit-or miss. Going out there are usually so many people that I wind up on the second or third bus, which won't have every seat occupied, and often skips some stops. I find the seat at the wheelchair lift has the most legroom (natch), but you do sacrifice having overhead storage directly above your seat. Power usually works, Wifi is hit-or-miss, meaning often you get the access point, but the cellular modem is on the fritz. Adirondack Trailways on the return trip has more consistent WiFi, seat pitch is about the same as regular Greyhound though.

---Only bad point is the lack of departures between 9am and 6pm coming back from Montreal. Makes getting back to the terminal from Pointe-Claire a bit of a nail-biter with a combination of an hour-long local-ish bus ride through the AM rush, and a stint on the Metro, but I've been lucky so far.

---PCJ

There is an 1115 departure from Montreal on Friday's and Sunday's....if that helps...

 

[RSG]

Am betting these passengers are wishing they took Amtrak instead of Greyhound on Sunday, between Grand Junction & Denver:

http://www.9news.com/news/local/greyhound-passengers-stranded-for-hours-after-strange-trip-to-denver/441662164

 

[RailRide]

There is an 1115 departure from Montreal on Friday's and Sunday's....if that helps...

Wow, late reply is late...

The convention I attend there runs from midday Friday to Sunday evening. So as not to miss out on anything, I typically arrive Friday morning and hang out with the con staffers during setup (or if I have the play money available for an additional night, arrive Thursday). Return trip is always on a Monday morning. The 11:15 departure would be ideal if it were available then. As it is, the return trip is via Adirondack Trailways.

When this particular convention was just up the hill from the old terminal, GLI's early-morning departure was the trip of choice. Now that the con is waaaay out at Pointe Claire, not so much. Last year, I had to reserve a seat on the hotel shuttle to Trudeau Airport and catch the airport express to downtown since I had been unaware that the local (ish) STM bus that runs to Lionel-Groulx Metro from P-C did not run on Victoria Day. Good thing I verified its schedule online while at the hotel, or I'd be cooling my heels (and 95 pounds of luggage) till the 6pm GLI.

---PCJ

 

[fairviewroad]

Am betting these passengers are wishing they took Amtrak instead of Greyhound on Sunday, between Grand Junction & Denver:

http://www.9news.com/news/local/greyhound-passengers-stranded-for-hours-after-strange-trip-to-denver/441662164

Yikes. Of course, Amtrak trains have also encountered four-hour delays between Grand Junction and Denver, but hopefully not for that reason.

 

[dlagrua]

Buses can be a good mode of travel on short trips but you sometimes encounter a vastly different class of traveler on a bus and they're not distinguished academics! The bus mode of transportation is confining, cramped, and it provides a small single bathroom for everyone. Except for very short tips we avoid it and much prefer the spaciousness of the train. We just wish that the train took you into more major cities as Cheyenne, Boise, Nashville, Louisville and had more direct routes from the East to Kansas City and St Louis.

 

[dogbert617]

Long Distance by bus between major cities may be a couple hours shorter, but the bus you start with will change en route either by transfer or regular change for service (layover though on same route number). These changes require you to get off with all your things even on a route like Los Angeles to Chicago. Thus a major advantage to Amtrak between many major cities.

Yes, that happened to me when I came back to Florida after a bowl game. I have taken the Silver Meteor to/from Florida a few times but that time I waited until the last minute and the fares were too high so I took Greyhound. I think these trains get "cut" (the expression they used although it's been a long time ago and I don't remember everything) when they are fairly empty and they combine two buses into one (and this was after Jan. 1 so it's a fairly less busy time of the year. I remember one of the stops was Fayetteville, NC? and it was in the middle of the night. At least when they cut the bus you're on you know the next one's coming within an hour or two (any longer and you really have a right to complain to them, especially if it's middle of night and middle of nowhere), they would never leave without you (as opposed to missing a transfer) and they honor your ticket as opposed to you having to change it. The other bus I was on for a long time was to Nashville (you can guess why I took that opposed to taking a train).

Ironically Greyhound also doesn't serve Philly to Chicago on a direct bus but they do serve Los Angeles (schedule 1683 from New York to LA): It leaves Philly at 7:40pm and arrives in Los Angeles at 9am three days later (two overnights). The bus goes through New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Columbus, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Kansas City, Denver, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles. Assuming no cuts (and I'm guessing there would be) you'd have a once seat ride from NY/PHL to LA. I'd probably never take the bus to LA (or even Vegas) but I can see taking this schedule to Columbus or Indianapolis. Anything beyond there would be too much of a bus ride for me to handle. The route, although it misses Chicago, would be an awesome train trip to me though if Amtrak could do it (and technically they did the National from NYP to KCY and the Desert Wind from DEN to LAX but there'd be a gap between KCY and DEN).

Wowza, I'm surprised Greyhound even has a long distance bus route like Philly to LA! It's too bad that the era when a greater number of American cities and towns had some sort of long distance train service, has passed decades ago. It'd be amazing, if you could get to cities like Nashville, Louisville, Bowling Green, KY(as examples), by Amtrak. Too bad you can't. Greyhound sure did do noticeable cuts to its service during the 2000s, since I'm aware he told me the news back when he used to attend Earlham College in Richmond, IN, when Richmond lost its Greyhound service. I know a bus company called Hoosier Ride(IIRC the name of it), did start to serve Richmond after Greyhound stopped serving Richmond.

Never mind that I'm aware Amtrak killed off the Kentucky Cardinal during the 2000s, that provided service between Indy and Louisville.

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

As I understand it, if cars hadn't become longer lived and more reliable, the market for bus travel would be bigger, but because cars are more affordable and reliable, the former clientele of Greyhound drives rather than taking the bus to a greater or lesser extent.

 

[railiner]

Air deregulation, and low cost air carrier's such as People Express, had a large impact on their long distance traffic...

And each generation had less people "afraid to fly"...