Go Greyhound When Cost Is a Determining Factor

(U-WIRE) TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Greyhound has been around since 1914, and has grown to one of the nation's most popular modes of travel. It has more than 2,600 destinations with 18,000 daily departures in 48 contiguous states. Greyhound offers bus routes that cut up the United States into so many beautiful lines of red, white and blue.

Through Greyhound Vacations offers, travelers can go to parts of Mexico and Canada and across the United States. Planned getaways are offered to places such as Anaheim, Calif., San Diego, Disneyland and Tijuana, Mexico, for eight days and seven nights. For the beer bellied adventurer or the curious tourist, there are trips like the one to Toronto and Niagara Falls, or the one to New York City.

For the professional alcoholic, there is the trip, "Experience Mardi Gras Magic, New Orleans" for five days and four nights of pure amnesia. For the budding pothead or the guy who thinks he's real cool, there is the trip "New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival." These or the vacation plans should be reason enough to go out and take a Greyhound somewhere. But if not, then the price may help. Greyhound boasts of fares that start at $15 and "friendly fares" with no advance purchase that range from $49 to $109 each way, depending on the distance traveled.

"It's economical, a good way to get around, even if the trip is longer because you are on a bus," said Charles Benjamin, a Fort Lauderdale Greyhound Bus Lines supervisor.

One of the reasons Greyhound has become one of the most popular bus travel companies in the United States is because of its low fares. The trick, like any travel opportunity, is to know where to find the cheapest price and the greatest value. For Greyhound fares and value, it is a great idea to look online at Greyhound.com, where they offer special discounted prices and information on how to lower your fare.

"Try to get the Student Advantage card, which will enable you to get the most out of your trip," Benjamin said.

The Student Advantage card saves students 15 percent on the price of an unrestricted Greyhound Bus ticket and saves them more on various goods from businesses such as Amtrak, Foot Locker, Barnes & Noble and Tower Records.

Another way to save money is the two-for-one special on roundtrip tickets. It is a great way to travel Greyhound because the possibly long trip can get really boring if you do not like meeting new people.

Plus, having to sleep on a Greyhound bus is hard enough and not being able to rest or lean on the person sitting next to you will drive you mad. Students can find special rates and advantages, which will hopefully squelch bad moods during their fast-food-eating, long-hours-riding, no-sleep trip.

Some example rates calculated without any discounts for one person traveling roundtrip from Tallahassee, Fla., on a standard ticket are: to Los Angeles, $311; New York, $179; New Orleans, $146; Gainesville, Fla., $44.50; Jacksonville, Fla., $47.50; Miami, $99; Orlando, Fla., $74.75; and Tampa, Fla., $59.50.

For the cheap price, you also get more security, which is important to many travelers after the terrorist attacks. Though security has been beefed at their stations, any student, teacher or addict can still travel the air-conditioned buses. Though no illegal drugs, alcohol, weapons and violent or aggressive behavior are allowed on board, travel is still safe and can be fun. Even weak students, or small ones that look like easy targets for pickpockets, can expect to travel safely, and alone.

"Sure it is safe for students to travel alone; they just need to be careful and listen to the Greyhound employees, such as the drivers or the attendants at the bus terminals," Benjamin said. "We won't let one person ruin a trip for everybody else."

Copyright ©2003 FSView & Florida Flambeau via U-Wire

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