The One Travel Bus Company You Should Avoid At All Costs, According To Reddit

This bus company is probably the most ubiquitous in the U.S. It's even a symbol of Americana, with Willie Nelson singing about the company in "Mean Old Greyhound Bus" while Simon & Garfunkel describe boarding a Greyhound bus in Pittsburgh in "America." However, according to Reddit, this travel bus company is one you should avoid at all costs.

Firstly, Reddit users have a lot to say about the financial side of booking with Greyhound. It may seem cheap initially, but it could cost a lot more than you're anticipating. Or, as one user said, "Greyhound will simply rob you." They continued their Greyhound story: "Never, ever, ever use Greyhound. I purchased tickets in early February to go from Michigan to Georgia, and then back again. In late February, they contacted me to cancel the trip because one of the buses wouldn't be available. They couldn't, for some reason, just reschedule that part of the trip, so they forced me to take a voucher and repurchase the entire trip (at a higher price)." Then, the would-be traveler was told that if you're given a voucher, you will be ineligible for a refund.

So, the surprisingly affordable way to get from city to city in Europe is maybe not the best way to get from city to city in the States. Greyhound buses can cost upwards of $100 from New York City to Washington, D.C., compared to the "starting at $9" tickets they advertise — and that's just one example. Cross-country trips can cost more than a plane ticket. A ticket from New York City to Los Angeles can cost almost $600 close to your travel date. You may as well take "America's greatest train journey" through seven scenic states instead. 

Aside from shifting costs, Reddit users report Greyhound buses being rescheduled or simply not making it to their destinations. After a bad experience on a Greyhound bus, a Reddit user explained, "There is a real risk that you won't make your destination. Buses simply do not show up sometimes, or leave without you early. Drivers mumble destinations out or omit details. The buses literally break down on the side of the highway and need to be recovered."

They aren't the only ones. Greyhound buses, and unfortunately, other buses in their tier of travel, are known to break down on the side of the highway more regularly than one would hope. While these are usually not dangerous occurrences, a bus breakdown could derail your entire day, which may now be spent waiting on the side of the road for another bus to pick you up. 

To make matters worse, Greyhound buses have a reputation on the social media site of being delayed. Another Reddit user shared that their bus scheduled for 7:30 p.m. did not show up until 9:50 p.m. When this occurred again on their trip home, the user switched to a different bus service. So, while a breakdown may be rare, there is a good chance that some waiting will be involved in getting to your destination. In which case, you may be looking for the best ways to find cheap last-minute flights instead.