Which is better, traveling across the US by bus or train?
Planning to take a trip from DC to LA soon. Found out that the ticket price for 2 adults one way is almost the same. $423 vs $446 by train.
In your own experience or second-hand knowledge maybe, which mode of transportation is better and why. Thank you.
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DC to LA is a long trip. You can get up and walk around if you take Amtrak. You’ll also have a dining car to visit. You can’t do that on Greyhound.
I’d take the train. Much better comfort. There’s beds and food, and not for a whole hell of a lot more money. I’ve traveled long distances by Greyhound a few times, and it SUCKS. I’ve also traveled by train once, and that was way better. You can also walk around when you start getting stiff.
Thanks jellies. Feeling better already. : )
Train for sure. Greyhound is the pits. I have traveled by bus a few times, and many times the toilet on the bus was so filthy I had to clean it before I could use it! Train all the way!
@snowberry Bus toilets suck ass. Thankfully, buses make pit stop everywhere, so I always used restaurant toilets and whatnot, least as much as possible.
But what if we went on the train but The Jelly Vanishes-? LOL
Fack, forgot to mention, I’m Canadian, my experiences with this were in Canada. But I don’t think it really differs. Maybe the prices I guess, but not the experience itself, I’m sure.
Train is a way better time. But might take longer and food cost might be greater. But I love the train and people don’t smell as bad. I am Joe Biden!
And the train sells beer. If you are into that.
Train would be the best choice to travel long distances. When you travel by bus the meal stops may not be spaced well or consistently, and they make a million stops and of course toilet is a big issue.Train journey is truly something to be enjoyed, an opportunity to watch the most beautiful sceneries without having to focus on traffic or other road issues. You can also meet some friendly travelers and get to know about the places in completely new light.
Trains are faster—there ain’t much traffic on a track. But seriously, they’re safer, moother, and just more fun. You’re really stuck pretty much in one place on a bus.
I agree with everyone else about the train. I’ve done both (train and bus trips), and the train has definitely been the more enjoyable trip.
In general, Trains.
You will not experience the large G-Forces of a Bus going around corners, or accelerating/decelerating (which, if you get motion sick easily, is a great bonus), Trains are usually much less noisy inside, you have a toilet in every wagon, the seats should be more comfortable, you are impervious to the effects of traffic jams and congestion, and you usually have to switch Trains less often than you have to change Buses.
More luggage space, too.
I would always choose train, for the same price.
If there is a significant difference, then the bus would be acceptable.
@Pachyderm_In_The_Room Without looking it up, I suspect there are morey bus accidents than trains.
I’d definitely take the train. With a bus, you’re going to wind up stopping at every wide spot in the road and be bored to tears looking at the “scenery” along the interstates. The train ride would be more picturesque to my way of thinking – and you’d probably get there twice as fast!
Train. But you pay through the nose for a berth…
The price you listed for a train doesn’t include a berth. You’ll be sitting in a seat the whole way. But I still think it would be better than a bus.
My greyhound experiences- it’s always at least a half an hour late, and the seats are stiff, cramped, and uncomfortable. One time I sat next to a little old lady who spent the first half of the trip knitting and kept elbowing me in the side. For the second half of the trip, she took out her dentures and ate a bag of beef jerky very slowly with her gums. She was probably one of the least strange people I’ve ever sat next to. The bathroom is basically a port-a-potty.
OTOH, the train was clean, pleasant, and spacious. What a delightful way to travel!
If you’re choosing between bus and train, choose the train. The train at least has a bathroom, and will probably have refreshments of some sort. You can likely get up and stretch your legs without a problem. It might even be faster for you to take the train as there won’t be road traffic that buses would have to deal with.
Can’t thank you enough jellies. But here’s a Thousand Thanks coming your way-! Train it is-! :)
I promise that you will love the train. It is so much fun. By the end of the trip you will want to go to Europe and Japan to ride the crazy trains. Once the Chunnel hits the France side it got so fast looking out the windows was like doing LSD. IT WAS GLORIOUS…
Ha ha @johnpowell, thanks, I will surely think of that when and if I ride that train to France. Japan is a dream vacation for me at present. I did the HK subway train years ago. Not the same kind of train but my guess is it goes into a tunnel beneath the harbor-?
At Pittsburgh train station right now. Arriving at Chicago tomorrow at 9 am. Leave at 3 pm in the Southwest Chief train to LA. Traveling by train is awesome. Feels like I’m just sitting at home vegging out in front of the TV.
Nothing much to see since we left DC at 4 pm. Caught a glimpse of Harper’s Ferry and it looked nice even in the dark. Hoping to see great scenic views with Southwest Chief.
But unable to get train tickets back so were gonna take the bus home. Hmmm…:)
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