Heard of the Megabus? Launched in 2006, it’s an intercity express bus line which aims to be a low-cost travel choice in the Midwest and Northeast.
Tickets, available only on a credit card over the Internet, can be as little as $1.00. The earlier you book, the lower the cost. It’s a low-frills kind of operation, which is how they keep the costs so low.
Megabus.com is a subsidiary of Coach USA, a Stagecoach Group company headquartered in the United Kingdom. In the UK, The Stagecoach Group company is a big-time bus operator, linking about 100 cities.
Megabus is built on the same service model – seats guaranteed when reserved online and stops in downtowns, instead of iffy, out-of-the-way bus terminals or airports.
In the Midwest, Megabus serves the cities you would expect—and a couple you wouldn’t: Minneapolis/St. Paul, Madison, Milwaukee, Detroit, Ann Arbor, Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Chicago, Memphis, St. Louis, Kansas City, Toledo and Indianapolis.
Since its launch in April of 2006, Megabus has transported more than three million passengers. Says Dale Moser, Megabus CEO: “While the public is feeling the effects of the current U.S. economy, megabus.com has fast become the perfect solution for those looking to stretch their travel dollar.
“The rapid rise to three million customers is proof of that. In addition to low fares, megabus.com offers passengers value, including convenient express travel, free Wi-Fi and hassle-free boarding.”
Okay. But let’s be clear here: Megabus is NOT for everyone. The service is highly popular with city-savvy young people, college-age travelers who have become experts at stretching bucks until they squeak.
If you’re a college student in Detroit or Chicago, for example, and you want to meet friends in Milwaukee for a lake front summer festival, Megabus may be just the ticket.
However, if you have a family of four in Cleveland and want to see the sights in Minneapolis? Not so much. Don’t get me wrong. It’s a viable option for anyone, any kind of traveler. But I think it is best suited to the young and young at heart who travel lightly and are comfortable with mass transit and moving about inner cities without their own transportation.
Here’s a couple unvarnished reviews from college-aged travelers:
Richard: “My experience with Megabus has been mixed. I’ve only used the service once to travel from Ann Arbor to Chicago, and I was excited at the prospect of using the bus’s free wireless Internet service. That benefit, however, didn’t outweigh the fact that the bus stalled for over an hour at a gas station about 100 miles from Chicago. I would probably give the Megabus one more chance as it was clean, quiet and had the Internet service.”
Kristin: “The Internet service can be shaky, but it’s better than nothing. I personally love how cheap it is and the timing of the bus is pretty reliable (with the exception of the time it was minus 30 out, and they were three hours late). Bottom line: No car and don’t want to drive or take the AWFUL Amtrak? Meagabus is great.”
Okay, now you decide.
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