China Bus Advice

China Bus Syndrome
Some people may be aware of a cheap travel option between US cites using the so called ‘China Bus’ network.
It is not without its pitfalls and is not suitable for all travellers or all times of day but with good planning can be a cost effective means of travel.

Overall Advice
You pay for what you get.
This service is great if it all goes well, can be a nightmare if it doesn’t (like Ryan Air :eek:)
If you are single or a couple (we’re over 50) and are flexible it can be a great deal.
I wouldn’t advise this for families or the faint of heart!

Some details
The Good
All US routes served by buses
Possibly best resource to use for bus travel in US
New York Specific
Hover over bus info gives links to maps of pickups\departures.
China Town Bus routes Between NYC and BOS
Specific info re NYC and Bos travel

Competitors
Greyhound Service
$20 single.
It is now possible to book on-line using a non US credit\debit card.
You then pick up the tickets at the office.

Reply from CS at Greyhound

If you have a non-U.S. credit card or a VISA/MASTERCARD debit card, you can purchase Greyhound Will Call tickets online (select the "Will Call" delivery option on our Ticket Center's (4) Fare page) and then pick up your tickets at the bus terminal before departure

Amtrack
Better than British Rail, airport style check-in (and security)
Discount codes can be found over the net

MegaBus
Can have sale fares of 1$



The Bad
Safety
Reliability
Reviews
Over 3 years old review
Pros
Can be very cheap, as low as $10 single, $18 return NYC to BOS
Can be quicker than flying or taking the train comparing Total start and finish times of journey.
Can be convenient for pickups drop offs
Can be more frequent than the train or plane.

Cons
Language
Expect Mandarin Chinese as a main and only language, may need to use handsigns to get understood.
Advice
Get all information you need before you travel.
Getting a seat
If the bus is full you may have to fight to get on as there will be no additional buses laid on and there are no seat reservations.
Advice
Avoid high capacity routes\days i.e. Fridays\Sundays or US holiday weekends.
Sharpen those elbows…
Greyhound allegedly add extra buses
[FONT=&quot]When Greyhound fills a bus with passengers, on the regularly scheduled departure, we "call-up" an additional bus referred to as an "extra section." In this way, we can accommodate passengers beyond the seating capacity of a single bus for any given schedule. [/FONT]

Locations of pickups\drop offs
Lots of street side pickups that are not that well marked.
Even though there are maps on their site, some locations are well hidden!
Or the bus may have to\feel like stopping a little further down\up the street.
Advice
Try to get a pickup location that is well lit\populated\obvious.
May NOT be suitable for
1) Late nights\early mornings when no-one is around but you and all your
belongings on the sidewalk.:eek:
2) Mid Winter when it’s snowing\freezing.
Boston South Station is ideal as it is inside and has a ‘Platform’ number
Drop off location is not as critical, just make sure you’re near a subway or be prepared to hail a Taxi. Again think of security.

Greyhound bus locations can be in a dubious part of town

Loading\Unloading luggage
You have to DIY so pack light!
Only ‘One luggage per person’ (means one case goes in the storage bin under the bus)
You can take hand luggage on board.
Advice
Pack light
Comfort
Not exactly state of the art!



My experience:
I travelled on the Fung Wah line from Boston to NYC July 2005
I picked this line over others because:
1) The pickup point was obvious, well populated\lit and near a T stop (Boston Metro)
2) I could travel at an off peak time, so no full bus!
3) I could book the ticket on-line from the UK and use my UK card (not possible with Greyhound)
4) The drop off point was OK for me, I planned to get a Taxi
Fung Wah
South Station Bus\TrainDepot
On the RED LINE T Stop

Fung Wah depot in NYC Near Manhattan Bridge
139 Canal St China Town

We arrived more than the 30 minutes before departure at the easily identifiable platform. Handed our email confirmation over and were put on the earlier bus that was about to leave. Language was not a problem, but we did not have a problem.
Coach left on time ½ empty, not a death trap nor unduly uncomfy. Definitely no seat back video!
Stopped for a ‘rest’ after two hours, driver counted passengers before he left.
We travelled as a couple so even though my wife was last on I was holding the fort JIC.

Arrived on time and in the right place.
Got a taxi within 2 minutes.

We looked at the Washington to NYC on an earlier visit.
The pickup time was very early on a lonely street, I tried to ask for fares and times from a woman who spoke no English, the drop off was on another street.
We caught the train.