So if you’ve been around this blog at all lately, you know the short answer to “how does Greyhound work?” is “not well.” If you can afford to fly, I heartily recommend that you do so.
But sometimes, like when you need to get three people across the country and back when you’ve barely got $600, flying is not an option. So when you have to go Greyhound, here’s the long answer on how it works.
If you print your tickets at home, leave them in the order you get them. If you have more than one set of tickets, a paperclip to separate them by person would be good. If you get the little folder of tickets at the Greyhound station, DON’T pull them apart. This is how the employees actually track who’s supposed to be on the bus, and if it’s not attached to the rest of your itinerary you might miss your bus while they check things out.
One of the back pages in your ticket folder will have your itinerary printed on it, with stop times and places. This isn’t gospel. If you’re running behind, you might get ten minutes where you thought you’d have half an hour. Sometimes you won’t be able to get off the bus at all. The roomie and I worked out a strategy where one of us would be unusually pushy (‘unusually’ for us still leaves plenty of room to be polite!) in order to get in line at whatever food place we were, and the other would head for the bathroom. When the bathroom person got out, we’d switch lines. It is NOT taking cuts, since the person in line was ordering for the same three as the other person was.
If you’re traveling alone, you may have to decide what’s more important to you. Or not travel alone. It’s a team sport, in my opinion. You could always find a trustworthy-seeming fellow traveler and form an alliance a la Survivor.
Oh, also–I tried to avoid it, but I did have to use the onboard restroom more than once. It was not as bad as I expected, especially early in the trip. The bathrooms in the bus station in Atlanta were far worse, that’s for sure.
Listen to the driver–she knows where her bus is going, and she knows where it’s not. Generally they’ll make an announcement coming into a hub–everyone must change buses, or people going on from here to Atlanta get back on this bus, people going to Houston are changing buses, et cetera. If you’re not going to Houston but it’s on your itinerary to pass through it, you need to know that. If they don’t announce, ask the driver AS YOU’RE GETTING OFF THE BUS. Please don’t bother her while she’s driving. Please.
That leads me to how to get good seats when getting on the bus. I have some opinions about that.
If you’re near the front of the bus, I think, you’re more likely to get a seat-mate as the bus fills up. And the seats are narrow. Yeah, you probably guessed that. So try for a seat alone. From what I saw, as people got on and looked for seats, if they didn’t SEE an empty seat in the back, they would take one near the front. Few people went all the way to the back looking for empty seats, knowing they’d be brushing past people the whole way back and then returning to the front if there was nothing back there.
However, too close to the back and you’ll be smelling the lavatory before the end of the trip. No thanks!
We worked out various strategies as we went. The ones that seemed to succeed? Hope set her big backpack in the other seat and covered it with a blanket. It somewhat looked like a person was sleeping there. The roomie set her bag in the other seat and concentrated Very. Hard. on reading and not looking at people getting on the bus. (This one didn’t work so well.) Eventually she moved to pretending to be asleep, which was my method. I had my sunglasses (always) and I’d just tilt my head back and be asleep. With a bag at my feet and a bag in the seat next to me, it looked like there was another person sitting there and no one wanted to wake me up to ask. Sitting in the aisle seat and doing this might be even more effective, but I never risked it as I’d hate to give up the window seat. That’s not just the best view–it’s where the AC is, and I’d much rather be cold than hot, especially crammed onto a bus with a lot of strangers.
Getting on the bus in the first place–in the station they may tell you to put your carryon by the door you’ll be using to hold your spot in line. DO THIS. You can sit and watch it from a distance. If you are the first person on a new bus, yay. If you are joining a route already in progress, there are many seats already taken, and you want your choice of the ones left.
Be polite, but firm. When we got on the bus in Tucson, we had our luggage by the door. We should have been first on the bus–but several people just walked by our luggage to get ahead of us though we’d been waiting four hours. I waited in vain for a Greyhound employee to say something. Normally I’m pretty laid-back when it comes to traveling. There’s no point in getting all stressed out–that just leads to a miserable journey, right? No. Because I didn’t say anything, those people got the better seats, and my traveling party was broken up far from each other and next to rude people, all three of whom had no idea of personal space. It was a miserable part of our journey.
Our first bus-change was in Dallas, and by then I’d learned. Due to the delays, an entire busload of people needed to be rerouted, so we all stood there in one of those lines demarcated by ribbons on poles, and people kept walking around the line to go talk to the ticket agent we were all waiting for. I politely pointed out the end of the line to each and every one. I think it’s possible I prevented a riot. We were not happy campers at that point.
You can speak up. You don’t have to be rude. Think of it as contributing to the greater good. Think of it as protecting the less fortunate, unable to recognize a line when they see one. Think of it as protecting the future from your cranky self if people keep stepping on your metaphorical toes.
On leaving your luggage–we did it several times, both for lining-up purposes, and when we got off at rest stops. You want to leave something on the bus to hold your seat, and sometimes I left the backpack with my netbook in it, and sometimes I was too paranoid. Hope pretty much always left the backpack with the big (and heavy!) laptop in it. Neither was ever touched. That doesn’t mean it wouldn’t happen to you. It’s just an observation. I wouldn’t leave, say, my cash and my ticket on the bus.
Don’t leave your ticket on the bus anyway. You may need it to get back on.
Those new buses with WiFi and electrical outlets you’ll see on Greyhound’s website? Aren’t available for every route. Enjoy one if you get one, but don’t count on it.
Reboarding passes–when you’ll be staying with the same bus for at least a few stops, the driver should give you a reboarding pass. Normally they do this as you get on the bus for the first time. Make sure you get one, remember the number on it, and keep it handy.
Bus numbers–make a note of what bus you’re on. It’s not the same as the number on the reboarding pass! The announcements will call out your reboarding pass number, but the announcements aren’t always audible so you want to be able to tell at a glance if they’re loading YOUR bus when all the people are lining up. That’s when you wave your reboarding pass–reboarders get on before the new passengers, and you get to hold your seat. With luck and a strategy, you may not even get a seatmate.
Recharging stations–each actual Greyhound station had a recharging counter, but the sockets were awful and wouldn’t hold the plugs properly. Three-pronged plugs worked better, so maybe bring along a small power-strip? Especially if you have more than one thing to charge.
Station food–it’s not great, but we didn’t see any that was scary in any way but the price. If you can live for three days on granola bars and/or beef jerky, go for it. Otherwise plan on spending $6 for a $2 cheeseburger. Also the restaurants close late at night though the buses don’t stop coming, so if you’re stopped at Whataburger at midnight and thinking you’ll wait till that three a.m. hour-long layover in the next town to get some hot food–you should probably get your food at Whataburger. It’s cheaper, better, and the Whataburger in Midland, Texas has the most adorable cashier at two in the morning.
ETA: If you have questions, please ask! I’ll answer to the best of my ability.
One question I’ve been seeing searched is, how to put the seat back on a bus? If the seats have that capability, there’s a little lever under the arm, way down by the seat.
Also, it took us a while to figure out that the seat-arms can be moved. The one in the middle just goes up between the seats. The one on the outside twists–pull it towards the front of the bus while twisting it towards the aisle. And the little frame-thingys on the back of the seats in front of you? Those are footrests. Push it all the way down and click it up–it has a couple levels.
…so glad I do not have Greyhound in Australia as far as I know.
Thanks! This is the best article I’ve seen to help those new to bus traveling!
You’re very welcome. I’m glad it’s helpful.
Thank you a lot. I’m traveling on Greyhound for the first time forever soon and I was really nervous. You helped answer a lot of my questions. Thanks again!
You’re welcome. Have a great trip!
Im not sure, but how much bags can you carry for free on greyhound
Hi, Alicia. Here’s the Greyhound baggage info on their website. https://www.greyhound.com/en/help-and-info/travel-info/baggage
Short answer–one carryon bag, and one suitcase you’ll have to check.
Just came across your article and am so glad I did!! You answered so many questions for me. I will be traveling alone from Atlanta to Nashville. Do you know what the policy is regarding getting off the bus one stop early? We are supposed to be stopping in a city that would be much more convenient for my family to pick me up instead of them driving into Nashville during rush hour. Will the driver give me my checked bag of I get off one stop early? Thanks again for the very informative article!!
I’m glad I could help! I do not know the policy on getting off early, however. Is it possible to have it noted on your ticket? It’s (slightly) possible you might get rerouted, and you’ll want to let them know that’s not an option for you. If the ticket agent can’t help, you’ll almost certainly still be just fine. Ask the driver what to do. I found the drivers to be the most polite and helpful of all the Greyhound employees (except for one SERIOUSLY AWESOME ticket agent in Dallas.)
ETA: When I said ask the driver, I should have also said “the sooner, the better.” If you let him/her know well before you plan to get off, they can make sure your checked bag is reachable, and put helping you into their rest-stop plan. All this is, of course, if they allow getting off early. Which I’d imagine they would.
I got a question, I want to travel from el paso to Phoenix, I searched station locator on greyhound.com, I only found one greyhound station but on google I found 2 different station, one is too much closer of the hotel where I’m going to stay, so how do I know where the bus is going to stop?
Greyhound has both stops and stations. The one closest to you may just be a bench in the lobby of a gift shop or something–but you can get on the bus there. You should be able to specify that location when you buy your ticket. If you have trouble getting the website to do it, I’d call them.
What if I buy my tickets online and print the tickets? yeah, I think I should call them, thanks a lot!
I have a question I’m going from tennseee to Ohio I got one bus transfer how dose the transfer work cuz I’m scared of missing the bus can I seek help from the driver
Yes, absolutely, ask the driver once the bus is stopped or before you get on. I found drivers to be both helpful and knowledgeable, without exception.
Hello, I bought a round trip ticket with 0 transfers but it printed out 4 tickets, does that mean that I will have to get off the bus and do it all again or can I just stay on the bus?
I would guess that if you have four tickets, you will have to change buses. Perhaps once on the way there, and once on the way back? Ask you driver when you get on. I found service agents in the stations to be not-always helpful, and not-always knowledgeable–but the drivers always seemed to know what was going on.
Hey ! Im traveling with my two kids tomorrow. Do I have to get off every stop that has a layover? And with your carry- on bag you said you left it on your seat? And your reboarding pass makes sure you get on before new passengers? Sorry for all the questions. We are traveling from New York to Mississippi, Ive done so when i was younger but its been a long time lol. Thank you
Not every stop with a layover, no. If the layover is less than half an hour, you probably won’t HAVE to get off. They only make you get off when they need to service the bus, or when you have to change buses.
Yes, keep the reboarding passes handy! They let you get back on before the new passengers do. We did leave our carry-ons on the bus both to get off for a few minutes and when they were servicing the bus, and had no problems.
Good luck, and I hope your trip is great!
My husband is leaving for Washington State from Janesville. He has a 15 hour layover in Colubus. Instead of him having to be stuck at the bus stop that long could I just take him to the Columbus bus stop before his departure time
Hi, Nancy–I would think so. Just call Greyhound to make sure, so they don’t cancel his ticket thinking he’s not coming. I hope he has a great trip!
Okay so i cannot afford to fly watsoever.im trying to ride the grey from sacramento ca all the way to el paso texas.ive rode the grey once.i seen my bus has atleast two layovers.will someone help me like tell me where i should stay an wait so i dont miss my bus? I really wana do this but im scared ill be stranded somewhere.like if i show the driver think shel help me?? anyway i see uve helped plenty of ppl hopefully me as well.
Hi, Kreassa. In pretty much every station where you have to get off the bus, you can stay right there in the waiting area where you can see your bus. Also they will announce each bus before it leaves–at a station. When we stopped at places like Whataburger, we just made sure to sit near the driver–when she/he was done eating, we packed up. We went from Arizona to Florida and back, and the only time we came close to missing our bus we went outside the “security” area because that’s where the food was, and didn’t realize the announcements didn’t go that far.
In the stations, stay near the bus. In restaurants, stay near the driver. You’ll be fine. They don’t want to leave you any more than you want to be left!
What if I missed my bus and have a round trip ticket but only used it one way. .could I catch another scheduled bus. Please help me out.
if you missed your bus, call Greyhound. They should be able to reroute you. Good luck!
Next week is my very first time travelling alone, and my first time riding a Greyhound bus! This answered a lot of my questions so thank you 🙂
you’re welcome! good luck on your trip.
I am taking a Greyhound trip from Atlanta in a few days (12 hr trip… they say). First time and I am kind of not stoked. haha I already plan on arriving 2-1.5 hours early to check my baggage, know my immediate surroundings, get a good seat, and still get a little into my book. I really do not want to sit next to the bathroom. Nowhere near it. I really don’t. I also plan on not drinking a thing. I may eat a little, but I really never get hungry. 12 hours is a walk in the park. Have I wrote that I really don’t want to be near the bathroom?
Thank you for this though. I really helped prepare me and calm my nerves.
I’m glad it helped! Have a good trip!
Hey thanks for the info, was just wondering if you’re able to get on and off the bus as you please? say if I was to book a ticket from NY to LA would I be able to get off half way there and resume my travel with the same ticket?
Hmm…I’m not sure you could do it just because you wanted to on a regular ticket. They could probably reschedule you at need. You might want to look into an “Ameripass” I think it’s called–you can ride any bus you want, in any direction, for two weeks, a month…however long you buy the pass for.
Do you have to switch your checked baggage for different busses?
Yes, that is how they do it. The driver pulls it out of the luggage area, but you take it to your next bus yourself. I personally like it this way, because then I know my luggage is with me. I can see where someone with their hands full already would dislike it, though.
Hi my fiance and 3 year old are going to texas from louisiana. Is it mandatory that I bring a carseat?
I do not remember seeing anyone with carseats. I would not imagine they’re required, but I (being the paranoid type) would call and be sure.
Can you ride a bus earlier than expected if you’ve already purchased a round trip??
You mean like have a ticket for Friday, but leave Thursday just because you want to? I would think not, but it doesn’t hurt to call and see if you can move your ticket up. I know they can reschedule a return trip fairly easily if they’re at fault for delaying your outbound trip. (We would have lost two days at DisneyWorld had they not done it!)
If I buy a ticket 4 months in advance online, will I have to pay for it again, or will it be already paid for, for that day?
You don’t have to pay for it twice. You can buy it online, print it yourself, and just show up when you’re supposed to. Do take an ID, though.
Okay thank you so much! I was worried because I didn’t know if the ticket would expire or what.
i was given a rebording pass and now i cant find it will they let me back on? its just me and my one year old im leaving my luggage on the bus for servce
They WILL let you back on! You still have your ticket, right? And your luggage is on the bus. When the driver asks for reboarding passes, just tell him you lost yours. A little investigation will show you’re telling the truth–and if the driver has ever had a small child, he will understand!
Hey, I found this article to be really helpful. I will be going to new York from Atlanta this week. My first time riding greyhound and traveling alone. I have a small suite case could I bring it on the bus or do I have to put it under the bus. Will they give a name tag to put on my luggage?. Do you have more tips for people that’s traveling alone? Thank you…
Hi, Jada. they’ll put a tag on your luggage, but it’s paper. If you’re worried, tie a piece of brightly colored cloth on the handle to make your luggage stand out in a crowd. You might think your luggage is unique, but it’s probably not! It’s nice to be able to spot your stuff in the pile. If the suitcase will fit in the overhead and you don’t have another large carryon (purse doesn’t count) they will probably let you take it on the bus.
Do they search you or your carryon bag?
We were not searched by Greyhound. However Border Patrol did search the baggage compartment with dogs as well as boarding the bus, and some bus stations have metal detectors.
If someone is supposed to be on a bus can you track them and make sure they’re on the bus? I can’t reach the person on the bus by cell phone, so how would I be able to find out if she and her kids are still on the bus, as scheduled? I’m asking because it’s a domestic issue, she’s traveling with her 2 girls and I’m worried that the father of one of the girls might have tried to run interference and prevent them from leaving. Thank you, in advance for any information you are able to provide 🙂
This one is outside my knowledge, sorry! If you can prove you have a right to know, Greyhound may be able to tell you, but it is not something I have any experience with. I hope everyone is okay.
You are absolutely of great help. Thanks. I am from Bolivia and I am going from miami airport to los angeles for the first time
Would it be best to carry a lighter luggage that I could take with me on the bus or have it as normal luggage?
Are there many stops in this route?
Could I plan to stop in Tallahasee to meet a friend and actually be able to be with him?
Do the buses have delays?(I have a plane conection on my way back)
I appreciate if you could give some advice.
.
Bolivia! Bienvenido a mi blog. Quiero probar mi mal español en usted.
Mejor no.
Miami to LA? Wow, that’s quite a trip! I hope it’s amazing.
In my opinion, there isn’t much reason to avoid checking luggage if it’s stuff you won’t need on the trip, unless you have issues that would keep you from moving your own luggage a couple times. Greyhound’s method of YOU move YOUR luggage when you change buses means you’re unlikely to lose anything as so often happens with airplanes. In that instance my choice would be to have less stuff i had to deal with all the time on the bus.
Yes, there are likely to be a TON of stops. Your itinerary will tell you about longer stops, and your driver will give you advance warning of shorter ones. As I said in my post, DON’T TRUST THE ITINERARY. If the bus is behind, those stops get shortened. And sometimes they get ridiculously lengthened. Which leads me to “do the buses have delays?”
YES, they get delayed. We were seventeen hours late on a three-day trip, and had to put all our reservations back two days. It’s not uncommon–lots of other passengers were complaining about how they got behind. One lady was stuck in an Oklahoma bus station for 23 hours, delaying her enough she was still en route when the mother she was going to visit died. If you can, make sure your flight can be rescheduled. If you can’t, I’d plan on being in the right town for the flight at least a day early.
As for Tallahasee–that would depend very much on your route. Greyhound might be able to tell you if that’s a possibility. If they can’t tell you in advance, it will be on your itinerary. We told friends we’d be in Dallas-Fort Worth for half an hour in the middle of the night, and they reasonably decided not to come see us. Instead we arrived the next morning and were there for six hours, so we got to see them!
I hope you’re doing this for the adventure, because if so, you’re going to have a great one. 😀
Sorry, I hope you don’t mind me asking but I’m planning on visiting america in September, and taking the greyhound from Pittsburgh to San Francisco i wondered is it possible to get off and on and take photo’s so like hop, skip and jump effectively?
If you have specific places in mind that you would like to stop and spend time, you are probably best off purchasing what’s called (I believe) an Ameripass. I want to say that I have not used this, but my understanding is it’s pretty much a standing ticket–you can get on the bus where and when you want, get off for a few days, catch the next bus when you’re ready–for however long your pass is good.
On a normal ticket, your itinerary is created by them. If you want to go through Chicago on the way and they route you through Texas, you’d have to pay extra probably to add a stop and change the route. On a regular ticket if you have a four-hour layover in, say, Dallas, you can certainly go explore a bit. But if your bus is late you might not get that layover. And if you do get the layover and don’t get back to the station fast enough so you miss your bus, you may have trouble getting back on your route.
ETA: Sounds like an awesome adventure! I hope you have a GREAT time. 😀
Hey thank you, i have looked for an ameripass but it looks like they’ve discontinued it, still can’t hurt to see what happens 🙂 thank you for the advice!
Hey it’s my first time on a greyhound and I was given a reboarding pass but I’m still not very clear on what I’m supposed to do with it?
Keep it with your ticket. When you have to get off the bus, they will let those with reboarding passes back on before they let new passengers on. You get to keep your seat, and if they’ve over-booked the bus (it happens) you won’t be left to wait for another bus.
Hi KD! Thank you for taking the time to detail all your knowledge of taking Greyhound for everyone!
I’ve not taken Greyhound before and have a few questions about transfers and knowing which bus to get on.
So say I had 3 transfers and the first one was in Los Angeles. I’m assuming I would get on the bus that says Los Angeles(on the front of the bus it says this, right?) even though my final destination is Pensacola? Then I would get off at Los Angeles terminal and take the bus to my next transfer destination of Houston, and so on?
I heard that there are always screens near the gates that list the bus number and route, so if my transfer pattern was san francisco/los angeles/houston/dallas/pensacola would it show up on the screen like that, also with a bus number? I see online the tickets have a route number, I guess that would show up on the screen too.
Lol I’m probably making this way harder than it needs to be and sorry if my questions sound silly. I’m a worry wart and it always helps me when doing something for the first time to get feedback. Thank you so much!
If there are screens at every station, it’s an improvement they made since I traveled with them. I always made sure to ask an employee. There are ticket agents in every station, and unlike the restaurants, they are always available. I also found the drivers to be extremely knowledgeable–as you’d hope, they KNOW where they are going and where they’re not.
I would not expect that the whole route would be written as you said–San Francisco/Los Angeles et cetera. I think the next place where you transfer buses would be what you’re watching for–so sounds like Los Angeles is the first one, then the bus for Houston, et cetera.
I don’t think you’re worrying, I think you’re preparing, and that’s a good thing. I hope your trip is fantastic!
Hi KD!
Thanks for getting back to me so fast, you’re awesome! 🙂 Ok, everything you said helps a lot. And looking at my schedule(if I decide to take Greyhound), whoops, I must make a correction that Dallas comes before Houston, lol. So in order my transfer points would be San Francisco/Los Angeles/Dallas/Houston/Pensacola.
My only concern is getting on the right bus because I’m not sure how the buses are labeled and it doesn’t seem to say on the tickets. I assume that they are labeled on the front by the main transfer cities, so like when I get to Los Angeles I would get on the bus that says it’s going to Dallas. Anyway, I will just check with the ticket agents to make sure I’m on the right track and as always things turn out to be much easier than I make them out to be, lol. Thank you for being so sweet and putting up with my questions!
General consensus in Casa KD is that we don’t remember if the buses have the destinations on the front. However, the bus stations have loading “gates” kind of like airports do. When you get in you ask the ticket agent where to wait for your bus. Then as a fail-safe, be sure to confirm with the driver–because that bus is going where the driver thinks it’s supposed to. I would not skip this confirmation–we were once told wrong by an employee (not a ticket agent) who hadn’t been updated about a change. Drivers are your last best defense against being told wrong.
The buses do have highly visible numbers, to help you keep track of “your” bus at a rest stop.
You are very welcome!
Hello! I’m riding the Greyhound for the first time in a couple of days (and by myself at that) and I’m really nervous about it. I just have a couple of questions: when I transfer buses, do I just take my luggage to the next bus or do I need to re-check it? If there are delays that cause me to miss my second bus, how would I go about finding another bus to take? Lastly, is it an option to just stay on the bus pretty much the entire time? It’s just a one-day trip, supposedly 8 hours from departure to destination, and I get really paranoid about leaving my things unattended.
This post has actually eased a lot of my nerves, but travelling alone with an unfamiliar service is upping my anxieties. Thanks for the help thus far!
Hello, Katie. When changing buses, you will generally wait outside your old bus for the driver to get your luggage, then walk it directly to the next bus. If you are waiting a while, you’ll keep your luggage with you in the station (or line it up by the door where your bus will be–this preserves your place in line to board the next bus.) Then you’ll set it by the cargo area of the new bus and it will be loaded under. It won’t need to be weighed or tagged or inspected again.
If you miss your bus, talk to a Greyhound ticket agent (preferably) or other employee as soon as possible. They will help you with re-routing.
It is definitely an option to stay on the bus nearly always. They only make you get off to change buses, or if the bus is scheduled for servicing. And if they make you get off, everyone will be getting off.
I hope you have a great trip!
Hey, this is very helpful. I am traveling from Jax Fl, to Miami fl and am wondering if I can take 1 little rolling suitcase with a backpack that holds my computer and such, the bookbag wont weigh more than 10 pounds. The little suitcase would weigh probably 40 pounds would I have any problems? I dont wanna pay extra!
Hi, Josh! I would not think you would have any problems–that’s exactly how we traveled. One carry-on each (we actually had an extra, don’t tell) and a rolling suitcase each. The Greyhound baggage restrictions say if your suitcase is over 50lbs you’ll have to pay extra, but unless you are a brick salesman, you will probably be fine. Your backpack will have to fit in the overhead or under your seat, but that’s unlikely to be a problem either.
Thanks for the advice and your advice about luggage really helped I’m leaving in three hours thank you
You’re so welcome! Have a great trip!
Hi! I am taking the greyhound in a week, and I am only found from one state to the other, a short 8 hour trip. Will my bags (both carry on and luggage ) be searched by Greyhound ? Or border patrol if I’m only going state to state?
Lol I meant going, not found
silly typos. 😉
It’s been a while now since I traveled, but our bags were not searched by Greyhound at all. If we had not been traveling very near the Texas/Mexico border, we probably would not have been searched by Border Patrol.
So if you are not traveling near the border, I would not expect you to be searched by Border Patrol. If they decide your bus needs stopping, though, they will search the entire baggage compartment without regard to how far a bag may be traveling.
do you have to be a certain age to travel the greyhound from state to state?
According to the Greyhound website, fifteen to travel alone without restrictions. But it’s better with a friend.
Im cumin from Georgia to Houston this will be my first time ever on greyhound alone how many stops will there be in between to switch buses? An when we arrive to our destination how do I go about getting my bags?
Hello! Do you have your ticket yet? on the last page is generally an itinerary, it will tell you how many stops you’ll make. I would not think you’ll have to change buses from Georgia to Houston, but that may be on the itinerary as well.
When you change buses, when you get off you’ll see the Greyhound employees are already getting the luggage off the bus. Just watch for yours and grab it. Same in Houston.
Have a good trip!
Hi I have a quick question I’m traveling on the greyhound in two days for the first time and I’m gonna have two duffle bags with me and a small little carry-on bag, will it be free for all of them or would I have to pay for the second duffle bag and if I do would I have to pay each time I get on another bus I’m traveling from va to fl and it looks like I may have to change buses twice
I had a quick question how much would I have to pay if I have two duffle bags and a small carry-on bag and would I have to pay each time I change buses
Hi, John. I had a look at Greyhound’s site since I only checked one piece of luggage for each of us on my trips, and it looks like your carry-on and first duffle would be free, and the second duffle would cost $15 to check. I would think you would pay that when you checked it, and not again on your trip.
Have a good trip!
Thank you for writing all this! I’m traveling by bus from Nashville to Oklahoma on Friday by my self and I’m kinda nervous… You answered a lot of questions I had!
You’re so welcome. Have a great trip!
What do I do if I’m at a transfer point and I miss the departing bus?
Find yourself a Greyhound employee ASAP, and ask for help. If you are in a stopover instead of a station, there is (or was, probably still is) an 800 number on your ticket folder. Call for help. The sooner they know they need to help you, the better your chances at minimizing the disruption to your trip.
Hi, thanks for the info you posted. Just wondering, I’m flying over in a week from Europe and I’m meant to travel from NY to Binghamton, what’s the situation with luggage? As in do I check it in somewhere? Also I have absolutely no idea what station is the right one, let alone how to get there from JFK, will it most likely be Port Authority Terminal? Sorry for the questions, I’m just really stuck!!
How cool! I don’t know NYC at all, so I can’t help much. This page, though, searches Greyhound stations and stops. I tried searching from JFK’s zip code and linked the results. Hope it helps!
As for luggage, you’d just get it at JFK and check it as needed with Greyhound, I’d think. You might call the Greyhound station that looks closest to JFK and get yourself some local help.
Was wondering if you would happen to know about the free checked bag? site says it offers one free bag to be checked, along with one bag as a carry on. I only ask because I have canned food and pasta to bring with me (have to help out my mom) and would hate if they make me throw it out before I get on the bus.
Hi, Angiee! I can’t imagine any reason they would throw it out. Just be careful it’s not too heavy–I think there’s a weight limit.
Im going my first time and I still have no idea which station im supposed to go to
I’m sure that’s an uncomfortable feeling! My apologies for the late reply. In that case, I would call Greyhound. It’s pretty important to get the correct information, right?
I hope your trip is awesome.
We think you are cool for taking your time to help bus hep seekers. We are 2 boomers going to St Louis from Chatt Tn. We are like most, terrified of the unknown. Friends think we’ve lost our minds to go by bus. This is not a pleasure trip, my husband has to be tested for a liver transplant. We leave Tuesday 5:30 AM so I hope the bathroom won’t be too stinky.
I hope everything goes amazingly well!
Perhaps the best blog I’ve read in a long time, I love that you take the time to answer every question and even research answers/post links for people in your replies. Well done you!
thank you!
Hi KD,
Do you know if greyhound has a policy that states fluffier riders need to purchase two tickets like most airlines? Researched but saw no such policy. I’m sure the seating would not be that comfortable but no complaints. Great job on the blog!!!
Hi, Denise! I’m unaware of any such policy. I’m on the wide side, and had no issues. I remember the bus seats being a little more comfy than those on most planes i’ve been on, actually.
Hey, thanks for sharing, im 17 and will be traveling by myself in a month or so from texas to tennessee and im very nervous i will have one transfer, when we transfer is that at a station? How can i make sure i dont miss my bus? What if i miss my bus? im moving i understand i get one free bag and one carryon, does my purse count as my carry on? and how many extra bags can i pay to bring? sorry for all the questons just REALLY nervous
How exciting! Yes, I’m pretty sure your transfer will be at a station. When you get inside, look for the ticket counter. They can tell you where to line up for the next bus.
The business end of a Greyhound station isn’t all that big. Generally it’s one wall of mostly glass with numbered doors. So if by some chance you were misdirected (unlikely) and the gate didn’t have the correct information in front of you (also unlikely) you would be able to see if what you thought was your bus had “Tampa” on the front and one on down the line had “Nashville.”
I “carried on” a purse, large backpack, and a yarn bag with pillows and blankets, and had no trouble. I wouldn’t push it, though–remember you’re moving everything from one bus to the next yourself, and also if they say you have too much, they’re going to charge you.
Here’s the website info. https://www.greyhound.com/en/ticketsandtravel/baggageinformation.aspx
IF THERE IS LAYOVER DUE TO BAD WEATHER AND CUSTOMERS ARE IN THE TERMINAL WAITING FOR MORE THAN 24 HOURS ARE THEY RESPONSIABLE TO PROVIDE THEM WITH SOME KIND OF MEAL ACCOMINDATION?
I very much doubt it. Even airlines rarely do that anymore, sadly.
DO THEY COMP. CUSTOMERS MOTEL EXPENSE FOR LAYOVERS DUE TO BAD WEATHER, SUCH AS INTERSTATES BEING CLOSED
? IF SO, HOW LONG OF A LAYOVER IS REQUIRED, OR DO THEY HAVE TO HANG OUT IN THE TERMINAL UNTIL SAID TIME TO DEPART?
Hi, Melonie. I have no knowledge either way, but I would guess not. We did not have layovers that long, but we had a couple hours-long issues, and while they SAID they would give us a partial refund, they never did. Eventually they just stopped responding to my contact efforts. The best we got was an awesome ticket agent in Dallas who pushed back our return tickets by two days (which he was NOT supposed to do for free, I think) when their issues had delayed us enough that our vacation would be cut short otherwise.
Hi i want to take a trip to New Orleans Luisiana from Albany ny now it says 2 tranfers do i transfer right away or would i have to stay in what ever stop they at for that transfer i really don’t want to have to stay please help me out
Hi, Tina. I’m not quite sure what you’re asking. When you have to transfer buses, your ticket should let you know how long the layover is. It’s probably not very long. I think the longest we had (planned) was two hours. In practice, we were stuck in Dallas for much longer. It wasn’t awful, though. They had a restaurant, and security keeping an eye on things.
Hey great source info!
So I have what I feel like might be an advanced question:
I bought a ticket from Plattsburg to Vancouver (super long ride – 3.5 days!). I checked the itinerary: the bus crosses into Montreal and then heads on to Vancouver, BC through Canada. The first stop is in Montreal (1hr ride). There is a bus change there too. Turns out I’ll be already in Montreal that day.
Do you think that with a print at home ticket I can just get on the bus in Montreal ?! Probably not supposed to, but from my greyhound riding experiences I can’t think of a reason why ot would not work…
I’d think they wouldn’t mind, but I would recommend calling them and letting them know, so they don’t decide you’re not coming and void your ticket.
Have a great trip!
My self-printed ticket says nothing about transfering buses during the trip. It is an overnight trip so I’m hoping that I can just get on the bus and stay there (and sleep) until I reach my destination in the morning. The ticket says “trip ticket: 1 of 1” so I assume that means I won’t have to switch buses??? How do I know if I’m going to need to switch buses during the trip and when?? This info you post has been very helpful to me by the way, so thank you very much!
If you are traveling a well-traveled route, you might not have to switch buses. I think we went from Dallas to Florida without changing buses. (Though we did change in Dallas, and then again in northern Florida.) When in doubt, ask the driver. She knows where her bus is going! She’ll be able to tell you when/if you and her bus must part.
I hope your trip is great, and you are so welcome for any help I can provide.
Putting a bag on your seat to dissuade others from sitting next to you is not only rude to those trying to find a seat, but selfish because they have to sit next to SOMEONE and you can imagine the world we’d live in if everyone followed your advice on this topic. Everything else is helpful, but I couldn’t shake the disappointment I felt when I read that part of the article.
thanks for your input, Rob. I don’t believe it is rude to make your preferences known in a gentle, it’s not you, it’s me way.
Some people like company more than others do. Some riders might be feeling ill, or really feel the need to sleep and not want to ignore a seatmate to do it. Some have anxiety or other difficulties with strangers. The bag on the seat is simply an impersonal “I’d like to be alone, please.”
I would hope that anyone old enough to be researching riding Greyhound would be mature enough to say “Of course, sorry!” and move the bag with a smile if asked.
This was SOOOOO amazingly helpful- especially reading all the comments and questions. I am about to go on my very FIRST greyhound trip, from Denver to Flagstaff. One transfer stop in New Mexico. I noticed I got two tickets printed- so that already answered a question I had there. One ticket from Denver to New Mexico, the second from New Mexico to Flagstaff. I’m a little nervous to miss a bus or transfer, but it’s okay- I think everything should work out. Fear of being stranded is logical and normal.
I am nervous to take Greyhound, as I’ve seen the GOBS and GOBS of horrible reviews and whiney people online, who had terrible experiences. Makes me a little fearful to go- but I will push through it anyways. Alll my questions bout what the *experience* would be like are answered. Thanks. I searched for HOURS online to find some info that would fill in the blanks- and this was perfect.
Aria, I’m glad it helped! I hope you have a great trip, and enjoy Flagstaff. I’ve only driven through, but it looked like a cool place–and close to the Grand Canyon!
I’m 17 and traveling from Arizona to Florida, this will take 44 hours, I also have never been out of Arizona. I have anxiety and I’m so scared and nervous. I don’t know what to expect and this article helped a lot with answering some questions I have but I can’t shake off the fear I have
Arizona to Florida is what we did! You’ll be fine. It’s normal to feel anxious, but you’ve clearly prepared yourself. Deep breaths, and be strong. You’ve got this!
Hey! I have a question, if I have a 7 hour hour delay, and I want to skip it can I do that? And go on to the next bus if I have that ticket? Because I’m supposed to be taking two buses to Port st. Lucie but in between them there’s that delay.
I’m not sure what you mean. Generally there’s a delay because you arrive at one station before the next bus you need is ready to leave. It’s like a layover at an airport–if the plane isn’t in, you can’t get on it! If I’m misunderstanding what you are saying, please explain and I’ll try to help.
Hi! I’ve never used the greyhound before and found this super helpful to read! I’m getting off at a kerbside stop In an area I haven’t been to before. I was wondering does the bus stop everywhere or just where people are getting off? And are the stops announced so I know when to get off?
Thanks!
I’m so sorry! I forgot I didn’t answer this. Yes, they will tell you where they are stopping. I do not know if they stop everywhere, but they will stop where your ticket says you are going, and where it says you are getting on.