Search coach tickets in the United States

For reaching parts of the USA that the train network doesn’t reach, there’s no better or more popular way to travel than by coach. Connecting the biggest cities with the smallest towns, intercity coaches are an inexpensive way to travel that avoids all the stress and hassle of modern-day flying.

Nowadays, a growing number of coach companies in the U.S. offer wonderful amenities, including onboard WiFi, power sockets, and even onboard entertainment. Running around the clock, coaches in the U.S. can take you to the next town in a quick hop, or help you save on hotel costs by travelling through the night.

Part of the reason coach travel in the United States is so inexpensive is the competition for passengers that exists between private companies. At present, there are no less than five coach companies offering national coverage (although the term usually excludes the non-contiguous states of Alaska and Hawaii). They also compete with regional and local bus companies on the busiest routes.

If any name conjures up the spirit and romance of travelling by road in the U.S. by coach, it’s Greyhound. The largest of the country’s coach companies, its fleet arrives and departs into an astonishing 2,000 individual destinations across 48 states, as well as cross-border services into Canada and Mexico.

Since entering the U.S. marketplace in 2018, German-based Flixbus (which is now the parent company of Greyhound, but operates separately) continues to expand its operations. However, unlike in the country where it originated, almost all Flixbus services in the U.S. are subcontracted to other companies, meaning passengers should expect a varying quality of service or onboard facilities.

Megabus is also a European import, having first made its name offering tickets for as little as US$1 in the United Kingdom. It competes with Greyhound’s most popular routes, predominantly along the East Coast and in the Midwest. The company has additional routes on the West Coast, serving various destinations, including Las Vegas.

OurBus focuses its attention mostly in the northeast corner of the United States, with services running to numerous destinations, including Buffalo, Boston, New York City, and Washington, DC. It also serves various locations in Florida.

Trailways is an alliance of ground travel providers made up of several independent state coach companies, including Adirondack Trailways, New York Trailways and Burlington Trailways. These carriers were once part of the oldest coach network in the country, but currently operate as separate services.

Some of the most popular and affordable coach services in the United States are offered by so-called Chinatown coaches. These coach carriers operate mainly on the east and west coasts of the U.S. where there are large populations with Chinese ancestry, although their services are available for any traveller to use. Often providing the cheapest prices, they also tend to arrive and depart from kerbside stops away from established coach terminals, providing travellers with alternative pick-up and drop-off locations that may be more convenient.

Panda NY Bus is one of the largest Chinatown coach carriers. The company focuses its business on the eastern seaboard of the United States, with destinations that include Baltimore and Tampa, as well as Knoxville and New York City.

If you’re looking for inspiration for your next trip by coach in the United States, take a look at our picks for the top five coach destinations in the country:

New York, NY

Served by the big players like Greyhound and smaller regional coach companies such as Peter Pan Bus Lines and New York Trailways, the city that never sleeps has to be one of the easiest to reach by coach in the entire United States. It makes sense given the city’s financial, historical and cultural importance. Watch a play on Broadway, take in the skyline from the Statue of Liberty or ride the lift to the top of the Empire State Building.

Book cheap coach tickets to New York City

Boston, MA

Everyone from Flixbus to Ourbus runs services into and out of Boston. Known for a certain tea party that kicked off one of the biggest events in world history, the focus remains around its harbour and waterways. Here, you’ll find an incredible array of things to do, from watching a baseball game at Fenway Park to taking in the collection at the Institute of Contemporary Art.

Book a coach trip to Boston

Miami, FL

Flixbus, Greyhound, RedCoach and Amtrak Thruway (Amtrak’s coach service) all have a significant presence on routes to and from Miami, with those to Orlando and Key West particularly popular. Miami itself is a laid-back beachside city known for its art deco buildings, lively markets and impressive street art.

Buy coach tickets to Miami

Houston, TX

Houston, we have a problem… there are just so many coach routes connecting the city! In addition to the big names, carriers like RedCoach and Turimex also have routes to and from the city. The state’s largest metropolis, Houston offers plenty to do, from visiting Nasa’s Johnson Space Center to taking to the waters of a section of the 52-mile-long Buffalo Bayou.

Find deals on coach tickets to Houston

Chicago, IL

Chicago is one of the biggest hubs of the U.S. coach network, and you’ll have no trouble finding transport there with the likes of Greyhound and Barons Bus Lines. The shores of Lake Michigan make an excellent place to start any exploration of the city, and is dotted with sights, from the city’s Centennial Wheel to its museum cluster. For shopping, head to the Magnificent Mile before trying Chicago's famous deep dish pizzas!

Book cheap coach travel to Chicago

You won’t be able to rely on the U.S. coach network to get you to most National Parks. However, an often-forgotten reason for travelling by coach across the United States is the sheer beauty you can encounter on such road trips.

From endless fields of corn to dramatic mountain landscapes and foaming rivers, the U.S. isn’t short of natural attractions. Indeed, some routes are so scenic they are worth travelling along for the stunning scenes you’ll witness along the way – such as these three:

New York to San Francisco

It may be more traditional to follow the transcontinental routes by rail, but doing so by coach gives you a lot more options along the way. Of the multitude of iterations possible thanks to the size of the American coach network, we think those that include a pit stop in Denver to be some of the best since that will see you rise up into the Rocky Mountains and take in the desert landscapes of Nevada. To experience this three-day (actually 75 hour) extravaganza for yourself, Greyhound is the service to choose.

Book coach tickets from New York to San Francisco

Miami to Portland, OR

Another epic way to take to the roads in the U.S., you’ll need at least three and a half days to fully experience the journey from Miami, Florida to Portland, Oregon – one of the longest coach rides in the United States. Along the way, however, you’ll be able to take in parts of the Deep South, as well as the Midwest, the Rocky Mountains, and the forested Pacific coast. With coach tickets starting from US$212, Greyhound is keen for you to take this magical trip too!

Book your coach trip from Miami to Portland, OR

Boston to Charleston

Taking in the regions associated with the American War of Independence (Revolutionary War) and Civil War, this route from Boston down to Charleston, SC isn’t short on sights either. Best completed in the late spring or autumn to avoid extremes of temperature and catch the scenery at its best, the route includes stops in New York, Philadelphia and the nation’s capital, Washington, DC. The fastest route is again offered by Greyhound, but trips like these aren’t just about getting to your destination as speedily as possible, are they?

Find cheap coach tickets from Boston to Charleston

Generally speaking, you’ll get the best – in other words, cheapest – fares on coaches in the U.S. the earlier you book. There’s often a small number of very cheap fares used for advertising which go on sale on a particular date. Fares tend to be more expensive at the weekends (Friday-Sunday) as this is when most people like to travel. They rise further at big holiday times of year such as Thanksgiving (the fourth Thursday of November in the U.S.) and Christmas. Although tickets do occasionally sell out, even at short notice, you would usually be able to find a seat.

Tickets for many long-standing companies such as Greyhound and Peter Pan Bus Lines can be bought at stations and terminals run by the company, as well as online. However, newer arrivals onto the market require you to book exclusively online – limiting their use if it’s a last-minute seat you’re after. The upside is that booking online is almost always the cheapest way to book. Tickets for many companies can also be bought at certain 7-Eleven and Walmart stores, or via smartphone apps.

When buying a ticket online, it’s always best to use a platform like Wanderu that gathers all available options in one place. That’s a surefire way to not just find the best available deal but also to find an option that best fits your schedule.

Also, it’s always well worth printing off a copy of your ticket even if you bought it online and it was delivered to you digitally. That’s because some companies still demand a paper version. And while many coach companies use mobile boarding and will happily accept and scan an e-ticket, things can go wrong with electronics which could end up leaving you stranded. The good news is that when you book on Wanderu, we will let you know whether you need to print your tickets or not.

Can you modify or cancel a coach ticket?

Basic tickets (i.e. those that are the least expensive) are generally for a specific service on a certain day and time. They are not usually transferable or refundable. Some coach companies will allow you to change your reservation for a fee, but like many airlines, it’s often cheaper to purchase a whole new ticket than pay the fee requested.

Check out our guide on how to cancel or change a coach ticket for a more in-depth look. We’ve also compiled a ranking of coach & train carriers’ cancellation policies from most to least flexible so you know exactly what you’re dealing with.

Some types of tickets are refundable and transferable, but those will cost you more, so consider carefully the likelihood you’ll need to change or cancel before you purchase them. You may have to fill out an online form or phone a specific number to change or cancel your ticket. A better option may be trip protection, which is why we put together this article on why trip protection on coach and train travel is totally worth it.

These tickets are normally referred to as flexible tickets, and will generally allow you one piece of hand luggage and another in the luggage compartments. These rules are more strictly adhered to at times when coaches are close to capacity, such as over the December holiday season.

Coach companies in the U.S. are quite good at advertising discounts and deals on their websites, although they won’t automatically pop-up when buying a ticket – keep an eye out for ‘apply discount’ buttons or tabs.

The most common discounts are for students (anyone who can prove they are in full-time education), senior citizens (those over 65) and serving military personnel and veterans. Signing up for email newsletters from the companies is the best way of learning about up and coming offers. Also, on many carriers, infants up to 2 years old travel for free, as long as they remain in your lap and don’t take up a seat.

If you’re travelling a lot, you might also want to sign up for frequent traveller programmes, such as Greyhound’s Road Reward scheme. A flexible fare round trip will give you six points, which allows you to claim a 15% discount on your next purchase.

Daily/monthly cards & passes

Most coach companies in the U.S. operate on the basis of giving the lowest possible price to all customers on a first-come first-served basis. However, Greyhound bucks the trend by having QuickLink commuter passes on a couple of its routes.

If you travel between New Orleans and Baton Rouge in Louisiana or Mt Laurel in New Jersey and New York City you can purchase one-, ten- or 30-day passes that will save you money compared to a standard ticket purchase.

Few of the coach companies in the U.S. we’ve mentioned have first-class seating or anything other than standard economy or ‘coach’ seating on their coaches. However, if you’re willing to pay a little more to be extra comfortable during your trip, there are some companies offering luxury coach services that will meet this need.

Carriers such as The Jet and BestBus Prime provide their passengers with a high-end level of service, although routes are more limited in scope than the big national carriers. Expect extra legroom, more spacious seats, on-board attendants, power sockets and USB sockets, as well as green certification.

Other companies, like RedCoach, provide both business and first-class seating on their coaches in Florida and Texas, offering wider seats of 18-21 inches which recline down to 140° (that’s just 40° off lying flat). A similar level of high-end experience can be enjoyed on Vamoose’s dedicated Gold Buses, serving New York, Maryland and Virginia, and the Washington Deluxe between New York and Washington, DC.

There are several coach carriers that have pick-up and drop-off spots directly at an airport, such as the Newark Airport Express to Manhattan from Newark, the Coach USA Airport Express from Chicago’s O’Hare Airport to destinations including Milwaukee’s Mitchell Airport, RedCoach that has daily routes to Miami International Airport, Concord Coach Lines that offers trips directly to Boston Logan Airport from various locations in New Hampshire and Maine, and a Megabus service to different locations near to Toronto Pearson International Airport across the border in Canada.

For more information on coach carriers that can take you to an airport near you, check out our tips and tricks for taking the coach to the airport.

It’s always worth double checking the location of the departing station or street location of your coach, since many cities have more than one. Usually big coach stations are located in a central part of town and they are easily accessible via public transit. However, sometimes they can be located in hard-to-reach parts of town, and since they are free to enter and provide shelter, can also attract those without anywhere else to go. Travel in groups when possible, and don’t leave your baggage unattended.

You should aim to reach the coach station at least 15 minutes before the scheduled departure time of your service. As traffic and other difficulties can delay you, you may find it best to be cautious and arrive earlier.

Most coach carriers operate out of proper stations that have somewhere to buy snacks, sit down or use the toilet. Coaches tend to leave from their terminus within a couple of minutes of their scheduled time, although unusually heavy traffic can delay them from reaching other stops as scheduled. Standard traffic flows are normally accounted for in the timetable.

On the other hand, some companies – most notably Megabus and most Chinatown coaches – keep costs low by avoiding the use of coach stations as much as possible. Instead, their coaches can stop on the side of the road like a local transit bus or in the car park of a large store. It won’t necessarily be in the centre of town, and won’t necessarily have any onward connecting transport.

Uber/Lyft services can help with this particular issue, but because of the business model these companies use, there are no guarantees a vehicle will be free. You may, therefore, also want to note down the numbers of local taxi companies. Taxis will often await passengers at busier stops during the day, but that will not necessarily be the case for late-night drop-offs.

Megabus also overbooks tickets with the knowledge a certain percentage of passengers will fail to turn up. On occasion, everyone does turn up, which then results in some passengers having to wait extra time for an additional coach to arrive and pick them up. Getting to the bus stop earlier will help ensure you are not put on the reserve list and have to wait for another service.

In the U.S. you should always travel with identification to board any form of transport, whether that’s a coach, train or plane. International travellers will already have their passports with them. Other recognisable forms of identification are those with a photograph, including officially-issued student IDs and military IDs. You must present the original and not a copy or scan.

You can find more information in our guide: What Kind of ID You Need to Travel by Bus or Train

On international services heading into Canada or Mexico, you must bring your passport. If you’re unsure whether you need a visa or not to cross the border, you should double check with the embassy of the country issuing your passport before travelling.

When it comes to seating, most coach companies in the U.S. usually operate on a first-come first-served basis. There are some carriers that will allow you to pick a seat but that option is usually reserved for premium ticket holders.

Breaks & pit stops

Coach companies are able to offer such reasonable prices because they are not direct services from point A to point B, but stop off at various locations along the way to pick up and drop off more passengers.

On longer coach journeys of more than a couple of hours, there are usually scheduled breaks of around 10-15 minutes to allow passengers to use toilets at service stations, buy food, and stretch their legs. These breaks don’t happen at every stop, so it is always best to double check with the driver before disembarking.

Although seats on coaches are fundamentally all the same, you may wish to sit close to the driver for a better understanding of where you are. We generally advise you to stay away from any onboard toilets, since you don’t want to be disturbed by those visiting them, especially if you are travelling in the middle of the night.

Amenities

Most companies now advertise onboard WiFi for customers. It should be noted that this doesn’t always work, and can also be very slow when lots of passengers are attempting to utilise it. It shouldn’t be relied on to complete important work to a deadline. It’s rare to be able to watch films via streaming services—make sure you know how to watch your favourite shows on the coach offline. While onboard entertainment is seen as a little passé, some coach carriers do still offer it. For more information, check out our guide to coach carriers that have onboard entertainment.

Baggage policy

The amount of baggage you can bring along with you on the coach differs from carrier to carrier. Every carrier allows one item of hand luggage. When it comes to hold luggage, some coach companies allow you to bring only one suitcase free of charge that gets stored under the coach, while others allow as many as two or three bags free of charge.

In addition, every company has set its own dimensions and weight requirements for hold and hand luggage.

For more information, please check out our complete guide to how much luggage you can bring on the coach.

Toilets

Most coaches come equipped with onboard toilet facilities. Usually, they offer basic chemical toilets. Their cleanliness depends on the previous people who have used them. It can therefore be a good idea to use them at the beginning rather than the end of a journey, if possible.

Food & beverages

Food and drink cannot usually be purchased onboard, but it can be consumed – just be considerate of other passengers when it comes to what you eat and how you dispose of any waste afterwards. It’s best to purchase food at a standard city supermarket than at the station, where prices will be higher.

Pets

The only animals that are allowed onboard coaches in the United States are certified service animals. You are not allowed to bring your pet even if they are in a pet carrier. If you absolutely must bring your pet with you, we recommend that you travel by train, as Amtrak has a pretty generous pet policy.