Experience of greyhound buses in USA

[sillyshirts]

We're planning a USA trip and would like to get greyhound buses between major cities, but I'm a bit alarmed by the horrific trip advisor reviews! Anyone used them and what was your experience?

I did Boston to Niagra return via Greyhound. Definitely an experience, I sat next to a guy who ran a weed farm in Maine, and later a failed stand up comedian going through a divorce. I did end up at Buffalo station alone, late at night which was scary.

My Grandparents told me after that when you’re released from prison in the US, you’re given a greyhound ticket to your chosen destination but I don’t know if that’s true.

A few weeks after that I did Boston to New York on Megabus which was much nicer. When I spoke to the police in NYC for unrelated reasons, he checked I wasn’t using the China town buses. Apparently they have a bad safety record and just close down and reopen as another company to hide it.

DH and I took a Greyhound from NYC to Philadelphia and back a few years ago. It was fine but as mentioned upthread, there were a few people clearly off their faces on drugs.

The year before, we did NYC to Washington DC round trip on Amtrak and it wasn't great. Getting there was okay but the train was massively delayed on the way back, then it stopped for ages in the middle of nowhere. We were supposed to get back in to Manhattan at about 11:30pm but it ended up being about 3am.

I did a lot of greyhound tours 20+ years ago.
poor student, so that was the cheapest way to get to interesting places.

bus stops were often in not very nice areas, but that also meant close to cheap accomodation.

those were looooong trips, cities are very far apart in the usa compared to europe.

Did Washington DC to LA by Greyhound when I was 19. A loooong time ago. It was mind blowing. Very long, can't remember where I got stuff to eat/drink but had books and being small could sleep anywhere. Met some Amish on the second leg and saw a young boy looking longingly at my transistor. Saw part of the Texas Panhandle and was just astonished at the huge spaces - seeing a kid by the side of the road with a school bag, nary a house in sight. Met a bunch of lads heading to Tres Cruces and we swapped stories. But it used to be a decent way of travelling which from what PPs are saying it isn't any more.

Did Boston to Ft. Lauderdale FL many years ago on Trailways, just like Greyhound.
What an experience, and not a good one! Had to make a change in NY at the Port Authority. Inside of an hour we got offered everything from Cocaine to a 10 year old boy!
All of the bus terminals are in the roughest part of town. The terminals themselves are rough, but you don't want to venture out of them. The travellers on the buses were a real mixed bunch, there was one guy jacking himself up with H, another little old lady got on and wouldn't stop preaching to me and three prostitutes over the 3 day trip.

I still have nightmares over a place called Fayetteville in North Carolina!
It was like a trip to hell and back!