On the road
Where am I, Dr Cook? Why, I'm riding the Chinatown Bus back and forth between New York and Maryland! Inspired by my recent travels, as well as an article in Sunday's WaPo on Chinatown Bus companies' safety records, I thought I'd take the time to offer a few words of wisdom to any of our readers who are bold and frugal enough to choose this method of transportation.
1) Arrive at the bus stop early. Plan on thirty minutes, although forty-five would be better. Especially in the last few months, these buses have gotten incredibly popular, and as a result, buses are often over-sold. Unlike trains, where you can simply stand in the aisle for the journey if they're aren't enough seats, if you can't get a seat on the bus, you are out of luck. Arriving early is much better than having to wait for the next bus.
2) If possible, buy your ticket in advance on the internet. I typically use this site, but if you google "Chinatown Bus", you will find half a dozen sites where bus companies post schedules and allow you to purchase tickets. Again, the soaring popularity of Chinatown buses is the issue here. As I said before, these buses often sell out, and people that have advance tickets are the first ones allowed to board. You aren't guaranteed a seat, but if you arrive early you should be fine. There is a downside, however, in that purchasing a ticket ties you to a single bus company. The term "Chinatown Bus" is a loose description of any privately owned bus company that runs between Chinatown New York and Chinatown DC (and less frequently to Baltimore, Philadelphia, Boston and Richmond). If by some chance you can't get on a particular bus, you can typically find another. However, tickets aren't transferable between companies, so if you don't use your internet ticket, you'd need to buy another, and that lovely $20 ride very quickly becomes $40. For 40 bucks you might as well take the faster and safer Greyhound.
3) Know what your bus' starting point is. Buses that say that they go from Baltimore to New York in fact start from Washington. Thus, it's anybody's guess as to whether there will be enough seats for the Baltimorons that want to embark. Also, the stop in Charm City is essentially an East Baltimore truck stop - not a great place to hang around waiting for the next bus to roll through.
4) A portable listening device is crucial. You will be bored, you will be hot, you will be uncomfortable. There is no way around this reality. You need something to alleviate the pain. If you are like me and find it difficult to read in a moving car, music is the best option. Morphine for the ears.
5) You will be subjected to more Jackie Chan/Chris Tucker movies than you ever thought possible. Plan your level of intoxication accordingly.
6) Drivers show little regard for conventional traffic laws, and often do as they please while on the road. Moreover, their spoken English abilities are not necessarily a guarantee. If you are concerned with physical safety, this may not be the best option for you.
But don't let me scare you. In addition to being the cheapest way to travel up and down the east coast, rising the Chinatown Bus is a fantastic experience (keyword being experience). You will also be surpised at the variety of your fellow passengers. From Chinese emigres to college kids to actors and musicians to Wall Street suits, everyone's riding the bus. If you're looking for adventure, fork over the 20 bucks, and hit the road.
1) Arrive at the bus stop early. Plan on thirty minutes, although forty-five would be better. Especially in the last few months, these buses have gotten incredibly popular, and as a result, buses are often over-sold. Unlike trains, where you can simply stand in the aisle for the journey if they're aren't enough seats, if you can't get a seat on the bus, you are out of luck. Arriving early is much better than having to wait for the next bus.
2) If possible, buy your ticket in advance on the internet. I typically use this site, but if you google "Chinatown Bus", you will find half a dozen sites where bus companies post schedules and allow you to purchase tickets. Again, the soaring popularity of Chinatown buses is the issue here. As I said before, these buses often sell out, and people that have advance tickets are the first ones allowed to board. You aren't guaranteed a seat, but if you arrive early you should be fine. There is a downside, however, in that purchasing a ticket ties you to a single bus company. The term "Chinatown Bus" is a loose description of any privately owned bus company that runs between Chinatown New York and Chinatown DC (and less frequently to Baltimore, Philadelphia, Boston and Richmond). If by some chance you can't get on a particular bus, you can typically find another. However, tickets aren't transferable between companies, so if you don't use your internet ticket, you'd need to buy another, and that lovely $20 ride very quickly becomes $40. For 40 bucks you might as well take the faster and safer Greyhound.
3) Know what your bus' starting point is. Buses that say that they go from Baltimore to New York in fact start from Washington. Thus, it's anybody's guess as to whether there will be enough seats for the Baltimorons that want to embark. Also, the stop in Charm City is essentially an East Baltimore truck stop - not a great place to hang around waiting for the next bus to roll through.
4) A portable listening device is crucial. You will be bored, you will be hot, you will be uncomfortable. There is no way around this reality. You need something to alleviate the pain. If you are like me and find it difficult to read in a moving car, music is the best option. Morphine for the ears.
5) You will be subjected to more Jackie Chan/Chris Tucker movies than you ever thought possible. Plan your level of intoxication accordingly.
6) Drivers show little regard for conventional traffic laws, and often do as they please while on the road. Moreover, their spoken English abilities are not necessarily a guarantee. If you are concerned with physical safety, this may not be the best option for you.
But don't let me scare you. In addition to being the cheapest way to travel up and down the east coast, rising the Chinatown Bus is a fantastic experience (keyword being experience). You will also be surpised at the variety of your fellow passengers. From Chinese emigres to college kids to actors and musicians to Wall Street suits, everyone's riding the bus. If you're looking for adventure, fork over the 20 bucks, and hit the road.
posted by Mr Beerman at 8:59 PM
1 Comments:
i love the chinatown bus!! it was all i ever took between boston & nyc back in the day. the fung wah & lucky star lines were cheap, efficient, and run by the chinese mafia.
what more could a girl ask for?
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