Travel Tuesdays: Megabus

Photo Courtesy: us.megabus.com

Megabus is a low-cost coach service with services in the United States, North America, and Europe. In the United States specifically, it operates throughout East, South, West, and Midwest with destinations in over 100 cities. In the past, they featured specials as low as $1. YES, I said it, $1. They also operate a point-to-point service that offers curbside service rather than traditional bus stations. Their luxury single and double deckers offer free wi-fi, at-seat plug ins, panoramic windows and a budget-friendly alternative way to travel. Tickets can be purchased online or via the phone only.  

Recently, Megabus began operating in Columbia, SC and has services to Athens, GA; Atlanta, GA; Durham, NC; and Fayetteville, NC.  From the Atlanta and Durham locations, you can go further South, Northeast, or Midwest.  We have not taken advantage of the service, but it looks like an alternative way to travel in the near future.

Have you ridden on the Megabus or similar low-cost bus service provider (Chinatown Bus, Greyhound, etc) to travel to your destination?

Public Transportation

My sister and I had a blast in NYC over the weekend during our family gathering. Other than hitting up a few eating spots and entertainment in Times Square, most of our time was spent traveling between shopping districts.  We assisted in shuffling thirty something people from place to place via NYC's ever changing public transportation system.  We did it all.  Train, bus, taxi, and ferry.  And for a directionally challenged individual like myself, the fact that I was able to get around via the various train and bus connections, and understand that the Uptown train takes you to "locations above" & the Downtown train takes you to "locations below" (if you live or ever been to Charlotte, NC...it's the complete opposite...Uptown is actually Downtown & Downtown is actually Uptown) is miraculous. Even after more than a dozen years living here, I still can't get around certain areas in Columbia, SC without my "trusty" GPS. Anyways....

chargrillkiller's photostream via Flickr

So in my wondrous thoughts about the ins and outs of getting around the various international cities we'll be visiting, my mind pondered on a few questions.  Here in America, there tends to be a "stigma" if you utilize public transportation services, but in other countries the train, "tube", bus, etc is the way to go. Are there certain cities where public transportation is acceptable, and others where it is not? Must the population be of a certain size to be "cool" to utilize public transportation? And with recent news in NYC about another subway fare hike, is public transportation becoming less accessible to the masses?  Any thoughts or inputs on the topic, greatly appreciated.

Sharee