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FlixBus welcomes BoltBus travelers

Traveling during covid-19, our safety measures, satisfied customers, the green choice.

Due to the impacts of the pandemic, Greyhound subsidiary BoltBus, has ceased service since March of 2020. FlixBus offers direct routes to destinations throughout the US, easy booking, and onboard amenities such as free Wi-Fi.

What does my bus look like?

All routes are operated by the typical green FlixBuses or non-branded buses by FlixBus partners.

Where can I book a ticket and where can I get information on the bus schedule and bus stop?

Passengers can get information and book their ticket for travel on FlixBus either via the FlixBus website or mobile app.

How do I reach customer service?

Passengers who booked a trip with FlixBus or are planning to book a trip, can reach customer service  here .

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About Bolt Bus – Arrive In Style BoltBus has quickly become a top quality brand in the ground transportation industry. Their premium express bus line provides outstanding service for an affordable price. They provide convenient and frequent travel schedules to most of the United States. They offer an easy and fast on-board experience, free standard Wi-Fi, power outlets, leather seats and extra legroom. They offer safe, non-stop, and premium transportation between New York, NY and Washington, DC, Philadelphia, PA, Cherry Hill, NJ and Boston, MA. Where They Go New York, NY | Washington, DC | Philadelphia, PA | Cherry Hill, NJ | Boston, MA The Bolt Bus Experience – What To Expect Launched in 2008, BoltBus is a premium brand of service focused on providing clients with a luxurious experience at a fraction of the cost. The entire fleet includes an on-board entertainment system that allows you to indulge in movies and television shows while on the go. Additional features include; free Wi-Fi, individual power outlets, and leather retractable seats. Your experience with Bolt Bus is sure to be a relaxing one.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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BoltBus, the affordable, trendy bus company has discontinued service; Greyhound will take over its routes

For those who loved BoltBus, with its cheap and quick trips to Portland and Vancouver, B.C., mourn this day: Greyhound Lines, its parent company, has scuttled the BoltBus brand and has no plans to get it going again.

Greyhound teamed up with Peter Pan Bus Lines to create BoltBus in 2008. By 2017, Greyhound acquired full ownership. BoltBus, with its Wi-Fi and $1 seats — chosen by lottery — was presented as a more playful and stylish alternative to traditional intercity bus companies. By 2013, it had become a strong Amtrak competitor , with quick service and lower fares from Seattle to Portland, Eugene, Bellingham and other Pacific Northwest cities.

But, a Greyhound spokesperson said this week, a drop in demand during the COVID-19 pandemic led the parent company to suspend BoltBus routes. Now Greyhound has dropped them altogether.

“Currently there is not a timeline to return BoltBus operations,” a Greyhound spokesperson said. “But we are committed to serving the community by providing transportation through Greyhound.”

Now that BoltBus is gone, how do you plan to get around the Northwest?

Update, Tuesday, July 6: Greyhound issued a clarification via a spokesperson, saying that BoltBus may return at some point, but no details about the timeline are available. “At this time the team is focused on service renovation,” the spokesperson said including but not limited to updated technology and internal processes.”

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The opinions expressed in reader comments are those of the author only and do not reflect the opinions of The Seattle Times.

BoltBus was an intercity bus common carrier and a division of Greyhound Lines that operated from March 2008 until July 2021 in the northeast and western United States and British Columbia , Canada .

Further reading

External links.

At least one ticket on every bus was randomly sold for $1, excluding "handling charges". [1] [2] The $1 fare was the basis for its slogan "Bolt for a Buck". [3]

In the northeast, BoltBus provided service between New York City and South Station Bus Terminal in Boston , Union Station in Washington, D.C. , Penn Station in Baltimore , the Greenbelt Metro station in Greenbelt, Maryland , Penn Station in Newark , 30th Street Station in Philadelphia , and the Cherry Hill Mall in Cherry Hill, New Jersey . On the west coast, BoltBus service was offered in Oregon , Washington , and British Columbia , Canada . Service was available between International District/Chinatown station in Seattle and Portland, Pacific Central Station in Vancouver , Bellingham , Albany , and Eugene .

The BoltBus branding incorporated a thunderbolt logo similar to the one used by the British Union of Fascists , but the company claimed that the resemblance was purely coincidental. [4] [5]

When ticketed, passengers were assigned to a boarding group (S, A, B & C). Passengers who purchased their tickets earlier or were members of the company's loyalty program or had special needs got an earlier boarding group assignment. [6]

In March 2008, facing competition from Chinatown bus lines in the northeast, Greyhound and Peter Pan Bus Lines partnered to launch BoltBus as a lower-cost brand. [7] [8]

The first route was between New York City and Washington, D.C. , launched on March 27, 2008, followed by a route between New York City and Philadelphia launched on April 10, 2008, and between New York City and Boston launched on April 24, 2008. [7] [9]

That year, the company was named one of America's hottest brands by Ad Age . [10]

Stops in Baltimore and Greenbelt, Maryland were added in 2009. [11]

A stop in Newark, New Jersey was added on March 24, 2011. [12] [13] [14]

BoltBus expanded to the Pacific Northwest on May 17, 2012, offering service between Seattle and Portland . [15] Unlike the service in the northeast, Greyhound operated its BoltBus service on the west coast without a partner bus carrier. Service in the Pacific Northwest was expanded to Vancouver and Bellingham on May 31, 2012 [16] and to Albany and Eugene on October 3, 2013. [17]

BoltBus expanded into California on October 31, 2013, offering service between Los Angeles and San Jose and Oakland. [18] A stop at Transbay Terminal in San Francisco was added to the route on December 12, 2013. [19]

A second route between Union Station in Los Angeles and San Diego was added on November 14, 2013. [20]

On December 12, 2013, a route was added between Los Angeles Union Station and Las Vegas , with a stop in Barstow . [19]

In 2015, it added a pickup in Hollywood, Los Angeles for routes to/from Northern California . [21]

In October 2016, the company launched a new onboard entertainment system. [22]

Effective September 27, 2017, after a lengthy legal skirmish, Greyhound and Peter Pan Bus Lines ended their partnership and Greyhound became the sole owner of BoltBus. [23]

On October 19, 2017, BoltBus service was extended to Fresno, California , with routes to Los Angeles, Hollywood, San Jose, San Francisco, and Oakland. [24]

In March 2019, BoltBus added stops in Tacoma, Washington and Everett, Washington . [25] It also added a stop in Wilmington, Delaware . [26]

On July 1, 2021, BoltBus discontinued its operations. [27] [28]

In September 2021, FlixMobility acquired Greyhound. [29]

BoltBus routes used Prevost X3-45 and MCI D4505 coaches. All motorcoaches were equipped with wireless internet access and seats that had armrests, footrests, seat belts , cup holders. Most seats had a pair of 120-volt power outlets. The motorcoaches used on BoltBus had 5 fewer seats than the industry standard, giving passengers additional legroom and eliminating the middle seat from the last row.

Related Research Articles

Greyhound Lines, Inc. ( Greyhound ) operates the largest intercity bus service in North America. Services include Greyhound Mexico, charter bus services, and Amtrak Thruway services. Greyhound operates 1,700 coaches produced mainly by Motor Coach Industries and Prevost serving 230 stations and 1,700 destinations. The company's first route began in Hibbing, Minnesota in 1914 and the company adopted the Greyhound name in 1929. The company is owned by Flix North America, Inc., an affiliate of Flixbus, and is based in Downtown Dallas.

Los Angeles Union Station is the main railroad station in Los Angeles, California, and the largest railroad passenger terminal in the Western United States. It opened in May 1939 as the Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal , replacing La Grande Station and Central Station.

The Coast Starlight is a long-distance passenger train operated by Amtrak on the West Coast of the United States between Seattle and Los Angeles via Portland and the San Francisco Bay Area. The train, which has operated continuously since Amtrak's formation in 1971, was the first to offer direct service between Seattle and Los Angeles. Its name is a combination of two prior Southern Pacific (SP) trains, the Coast Daylight and the Starlight .

Los Angeles has a complex multimodal transportation infrastructure, which serves as a regional, national and international hub for passenger and freight traffic. The system includes the United States' largest port complex; an extensive freight and passenger rail infrastructure, including light rail lines and rapid transit lines; numerous airports and bus lines; vehicle for hire companies; and an extensive freeway and road system. People in Los Angeles rely on cars as the dominant mode of transportation, but since 1990 the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority has built over one hundred miles (160 km) of light and heavy rail serving more and more parts of Los Angeles and the greater area of Los Angeles County. As a result, Los Angeles was the last major city in the United States to get a permanent rail system installed.

Amtrak Thruway is a system of through-ticketed transportation services to connect passengers with areas not served by Amtrak trains. In most cases these are dedicated motorcoach routes, but can also be non-dedicated intercity bus services, transit buses, vans, taxis, ferry boats and commuter rail trains.

The Antelope Valley Line is a commuter rail line that serves the Northern Los Angeles County area as part of the Metrolink system. The northern segment of the line is rural in character because it travels through the sparsely populated Soledad Canyon between Santa Clarita and Palmdale, serving the small community of Acton along the way. Other portions of its route parallel the former US Route 6, now San Fernando Road and Sierra Highway. This is the only Metrolink line contained entirely within Los Angeles County.

Wilmington station , also known as the Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Railroad Station , is a passenger rail station in Wilmington, Delaware. It serves nine Amtrak train routes and is part of the Northeast Corridor. It also serves SEPTA Regional Rail commuter trains on the Wilmington/Newark Line as well as DART First State local buses and Greyhound Lines intercity buses.

The Southern California Rapid Transit District was a public transportation agency established in 1964 to serve the Greater Los Angeles area. It was the successor to the original Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA). California State Senator Thomas M. Rees sponsored the bill that created the RTD, which was meant to correct some deficiencies of the LAMTA, and took over all of the bus service operated by MTA on November 5, 1964. RTD was merged into the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority in 1993.

San Jose Diridon station is the central passenger rail depot for San Jose, California. It also serves as a major intermodal transit center for Santa Clara County and Silicon Valley. The station is named after former Santa Clara County Supervisor Rod Diridon Sr.

Everett Station is an Amtrak train station serving the city of Everett, Washington, United States. The station has provided service to the Cascades and Empire Builder routes since its opening in 2002, replacing an earlier station near the Port of Everett. The four-story building also houses social service programs and is the center of a 10-acre (4 ha) complex that includes parking lots and a large bus station used primarily by Community Transit, Everett Transit, and Sound Transit Express. The station has served as the northern terminus of the Sounder N Line since 2003 and the Swift Blue Line since 2009. It consists of two side platforms, one serving Amtrak and the other serving Sounder commuter trains. Everett Station also functions as a park and ride, with 1,067 short-term parking spaces located in lots around the station after it was expanded by Sound Transit in 2009.

Sacramento Valley Station is an Amtrak railway station in the city of Sacramento, California, at 401 I Street on the corner of Fifth Street. It is the seventh busiest Amtrak station in the country, and the second busiest in the Western United States. It is served by four different Amtrak train routes and connecting Amtrak Thruway motorcoaches. It is also the western terminus for the Gold Line of the Sacramento RT Light Rail system and the Route 30 bus serving Sacramento State University.

Glendale Transportation Center is an Amtrak and Metrolink rail station in the city of Glendale, California. It is served by the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner intercity rail route and the Metrolink Ventura County Line and Metrolink Antelope Valley Line commuter rail routes. Amtrak's Coast Starlight also uses these tracks, but does not stop here.

Bakersfield station is an intermodal facility in Bakersfield, California. It is the southern terminus of Amtrak California's San Joaquins route, with Amtrak Thruway buses continuing to Amtrak stations and bus stops throughout Southern California and Nevada. The station opened with a celebration on July 4, 2000. It contains an 8,300-square-foot (770 m 2 ) train station with two platforms and three tracks, as well as a 17-bay bus station.

The Philadelphia Greyhound Terminal was the primary intercity bus station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The station's function relocated to 618 Market Street between Sixth and Seventh Streets in Center City Philadelphia. Prior to relocating to its current Market Street location on June 27, 2023, the terminal was located at 1001 Filbert Street in Center City Philadelphia.

There are bilateral treaties that govern aviation rights between the United States and China, which cover both passenger services and cargo services. The United States has liberal aviation agreements with many countries but not China, South Africa, and some South American countries. However, there is no "open skies" agreement between China and the US, which generally refers to an agreement that allows unrestricted flights between countries. The current US-China treaty specifies the number of flights permitted. Due to the highly regulated nature of awards for route authority between the two countries and the strict limits on number of flights, the application process is competitive. US airlines have sought to gain support from local politicians and the general public to influence the US government into awarding routes.

Megabus is an intercity bus service of Coach USA/Coach Canada operating in the eastern, southern, midwestern, western, and Pacific United States and in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. It is the North American service equivalent to the European Megabus.

California Shuttle Bus was a private bus company that provides daily bus services between Los Angeles and San Francisco, making one stop in San Jose. Founded in 2003, the company used 47-seat charter buses from MCI.

Via Transportation, Inc. provides software as a service (SaaS) and mobility as a service to operators of public transportation, multimodal transport, paratransit operations in compliance with laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, non-emergency medical transportation, logistics and deliveries, school bus fleets, commercial ridesharing and corporate shuttles, and autonomous vehicles. Its customers include cities, transportation authorities, government entities, school districts, universities, and private organizations worldwide. It was founded in 2012 and is headquartered in New York City.

• ↑ SCHLOSSER, KURT (July 1, 2021). "Cheap, tech friendly BoltBus is rolled into Greyhound during 'service renovations' " . GeekWire .
• ↑ Hamilton, Anita (June 6, 2008). "Beating $4 Gas with a $1 Bus" . Time . Archived from the original on June 7, 2008.
• ↑ Cedotal, Andrew (January 25, 2010). "Is Bolt Bus Using the Logo of a British Fascist Party?" . The Mary Sue .
• ↑ Hopper, Tristin (January 28, 2016). "Fascist, schmaschist: Why a West Coast bus company picked the same logo as some dead British fascists" . National Post .
• ↑ Gambardella, Tom (September 13, 2019). "How to Read Your BoltBus Ticket" . Wanderu .
• 1 2 Killian, Erin (March 4, 2008). "Boltbus starts from D.C. to New York City service" . American City Business Journals . Archived from the original on March 29, 2008.
• ↑ Kinney, Jim (March 11, 2008). "Peter Pan, Greyhound offer new bus service" . The Republican .
• ↑ O'Neill, Xana (March 27, 2008). "Bus fare to D.C. a dollar, not a dream!" . New York Daily News .
• ↑ Parekh, Rupal (November 16, 2009). "BOLT BUS: AN AMERICA'S HOTTEST BRANDS CASE STUDY" . Ad Age .
• ↑ Deal-Zimmerman, Michelle (April 30, 2009). "BoltBus launching service: Baltimore to NYC for $1" . The Baltimore Sun .
• ↑ Clabaugh, Jeff (March 8, 2011). "BoltBus adds Baltimore-Newark, N.J., route" . American City Business Journals .
• ↑ "BoltBus Expands its Newark, N.J. Hub With Service to Boston and Philadelphia Beginning June 23" (Press release). PR Newswire . June 14, 2011.
• ↑ "BoltBus launches new route between Boston and Philadelphia" . The Patriot Ledger . June 14, 2011.
• ↑ Sokolowsky, Jennifer (April 30, 2012). "BoltBus to offer $1 fares between Seattle, Portland" . American City Business Journals .
• ↑ Lindblom, Mike (May 14, 2012). "BoltBus adds a Vancouver, B.C. line from Seattle" . The Seattle Times .
• ↑ "BoltBus To Expand Oregon Service To Eugene And Albany On Oct. 3" (Press release). PR Newswire . September 10, 2013.
• ↑ "BoltBus To Launch Service In California On Oct. 31" (Press release). PR Newswire . October 15, 2013.
• 1 2 "BoltBus Expands From Los Angeles; Adds Las Vegas, San Francisco Service" (Press release). PR Newswire . December 10, 2013.
• ↑ "BoltBus Continues California Expansion, Adds San Diego Service" (Press release). PR Newswire . November 6, 2013.
• ↑ FORGIONE, MARY (January 14, 2015). "BoltBus adds Hollywood pickup for Northern California routes" . Los Angeles Times .
• ↑ "BoltBus Launches All New On-Board Entertainment System" (Press release). PR Newswire . October 25, 2016.
• ↑ Vaccaro, Adam (August 29, 2017). "Greyhound, Peter Pan will split up and be rivals again" . The Boston Globe . Archived from the original on September 14, 2017.
• ↑ "BoltBus Expanding Service in California, adding Fresno, CA" (Press release). PR Newswire . October 12, 2017.
• ↑ Podsada, Janice (March 8, 2019). "BoltBus links Everett to Seattle and other big I-5 cities" . The Everett Herald .
• ↑ Quinn, Holly (April 3, 2019). "BoltBus just made it easier to get from Wilmington to Baltimore and DC" . Technically Media .
• ↑ Kiley, Brendan (July 1, 2021). "RIP, BoltBus — the affordable, trendy bus company has discontinued service; Greyhound will take over its routes" . The Seattle Times .
• ↑ Wilkinson, Joseph (July 1, 2021). "Discount bus brand BoltBus indefinitely suspended, Greyhound taking over routes" . New York Daily News .
• ↑ "FlixMobility acquires Greyhound to Expand U.S. Intercity Bus Services" (Press release). Flixbus . October 21, 2021.
• ↑ "Welcome to Truck Stop" . Texas Department of Motor Vehicles .
• Bowen, Alison, "Boltbus, Megabus and Fung-Wah: Curbside buses more dangerous: Buses that pick up passengers off the street are more dangerous than those that use a terminal, a new report found" , Metro newspaper, New York City, October 31, 2011
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Taking the BoltBus from Seattle to Portland and Vancouver

Wi-Fi, Legroom, and $1 Fares

Paranoidnotandroid /Flickr/CC BY 2.0

The BoltBus route from Seattle to Portland was the first bus service of its kind offered on the West Coast, and is operated in partnership with Greyhound. What started as a small route between two Northwest cities has expanded massively. Currently, service is offered between several Northwest cities—including Portland and Eugene, Oregon; Seattle and Bellingham; and Vancouver, BC, and connecting to stops all throughout California and Nevada. The list continues to grow as the demand for this speedy express bus service expands, and as more and more people seek to travel up and down the West Coast.

BoltBus began in the Northeast, and provides an incredibly cheap way to travel, with perks above and beyond your average bus trip. Don't expect cramped seating and other mainstays of average bus travel! These buses are fairly comfortable and provide perks like Wi-Fi for the duration of your journey.

Of course, BoltBus is just one way to get between the biggest cities of the Northwest. You can also take short commuter flights out of Sea-Tac International Airport , catch an Amtrak train (stations in most cities) or ride Greyhound.

BoltBus Stations in the Northwest

The list of stations in the Northwest and on the West Coast overall continues to grow. Formerly, BoltBus riders only went between Portland, Seattle and Vancouver. Some useful and popular stations for Northwest travelers are:

Eugene: 296 E. 5th Avenue

Portland: 648 SW Salmon Street

Seattle: 5 th Avenue South and King Street

Bellingham: 4194 Cordata Parkway

Vancouver, B.C.:1150 Station Street-Gate 4

Other West Coast stops include San Jose, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Barstow and Las Vegas, as well as others. These will include a transfer.

What you Need to Know about Riding BoltBus

While bus travel has a reputation as a way to travel on the cheap and often sacrifices comfort, BoltBus is a bus line like no other. Where other buses might be just a cheap way to get from point A to point B, BoltBus provides finer touches and service to its riders several steps above what you’d expect.

Rider perks include Wi-Fi, power outlets, leather seats and legroom. In fact, you'll likely have far more legroom on these buses than you will on most modern airliners!

BoltBus also uses boarding groups so that you don’t have to fight your way to a good seat, or at the very least you know where you stand during the boarding process. All tickets guarantee a seat. Riders are allowed two small carry-ons, and one large piece of luggage in the cargo hold (bikes included).

There are several buses that go between each of the cities each day so you can choose morning, mid-day and evening departure or arrival times.

Much like most modern airlines, you can even get a BoltBus app that allows you to book trips, get updates on bus locations and your upcoming trips, and even earn rewards for booking. The app is available for Apple and Android platforms.

Even better, BoltBus is (potentially) cheaper than just about any other way to travel, including many other bus routes. Fares can be as low as a $1 (plus a booking fee). If you want those $1 fares, make sure to book well in advance and they're not available for all routes. It's easier to find the $1 fares if you travel mid-week instead of on a weekend or peak time, but there's no cheaper way to get between Seattle and Portland or Vancouver if you're available on a Wednesday night!

If you don’t manage to snag the $1 fares, none of the BoltBus fares are expensive and usually hover in the $25 per leg range.

How to Buy Tickets

For fare and schedule information, or to purchase tickets, visit BoltBus.com .

You can also buy tickets the day of travel from a bus driver, but for full fare only. Frequent travelers are able to sign up for the Bolt Rewards program, which is similar to a frequent flier program where you'll get reward based on traveling more often.

You can also buy tickets through the BoltBus app, available in the iTunes and Google Play stores.

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View different BoltBus bus schedules and BoltBus ticket prices to find a bus based on your traveling needs.

You'll be able to see which amenities are available for each individual departure when you purchase your BoltBus bus tickets online. These amenities may include WiFi, onboard toilets, A/C and power outlets, among many others.

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Get the best available deal by using a promo code to obtain BoltBus discounts on tickets.

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Partnering up with BoltBus allows Busbud to ensure high-quality BoltBus bus services to travellers from all corners of the world.

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Busbud is a bus and train search tool – we include BoltBus routes, schedules and prices in our searches along with many other train and bus companies. You can compare prices, amenities and times by searching for a route. If you find a suitable trip, you can go ahead and get your BoltBus ticket from us. Note that train tickets sell out, BoltBus and other operators generally charge a lot more for last-minute tickets or for tickets bought in person.

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Our team has prepared everything to make your experience on the website as simple, secure, and easy as possible. But if you still need to contact Bolt Bus, just use the most convenient channel for you!

Phone : 1-877-265-8287

Email : [email protected], location : 350 n st. paul st dallas, texas, u.s., website : www.boltbus.com, most searched routes and schedules.

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Los Angeles to Las Vegas

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Based on the main doubts and frequently asked questions from Bolt Bus passengers, we have compiled a complete list of answers to help you on your next trip. If you still have questions, please contact our support team.

Can passengers travel with pets on Bolt Bus?

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BoltBus is owned by Greyhound.

It's a premium service based on Northeast and along the west coast.

Recently this bus company has expanded bus services to the southwest area.

Also makes a partnership with other acquired Greyhound bus company, Peter Pan.

Both serving all bus travelers in Northeast region.

You will find free Wi-Fi, power plugs to charge your devices and extra legroom.

BoltBus coaches can carry up to 50 passengers at a time.

Also be aware that Boltbus offer fares starting at $1!

Boltbus Tracker

This bus Tracker tool is the best way to stay updated about where's your transportation.

You get real-time updates anywhere about your current bus trip.

Stay aware of estimate time from Boltbus arrivals and departures at any moment.

Go to Boltbus tracker to check your bus schedule update.

Boltbus Main Trips Information

What're the portland boltbus stations, prices, and schedules.

Boltbus from Portland-OR to Albany-OR

Depart at Boltbus Station: NW Everett @ NW 8th Ave - View on Map  

Arrival at Boltbus Station:112 SW 10th Ave - View on Map

Bolt schedule from Portland-OR to Albany-OR

Boltbus from Portland-OR to Bellingham, WA

Depart at Boltbus Station: NW Everett @ NW 8th Ave - View on Map

Arrival at Boltbus Station: 4194 Cordata Pkwy - View on Map

Bolt schedule from Portland-OR to Bellingham-WA

Boltbus from Portland-OR to Eugene-OR

Depart at Boltbus Station: NW Everett @ NW 8th Ave - View on Map   

Arrival at Boltbus Stop: 5th Street Market - View on Map

Bolt schedule from Portland-OR to Eugene - OR

Boltbus from Portland-OR to Seattle-WA

Arrival at Boltbus Stop: 5th Avenue South @ S. King St - View on Map

Bolt schedule from Portland-OR to Seattle-WA

Boltbus from Portland-OR to Vancouver-BC

Arrival at Boltbus Station: Pacific Central Station 1150 Station Street-Gate 4 - View on Map

Bolt schedule from Portland-OR to Vancouver-BC

What're the Seattle Boltbus stations, prices, and main info?

Boltbus from Seattle-WA to Portland-OR

Depart at Boltbus Stop: 5th Avenue South @ S. King St - View on Map

Arrival at Boltbus Station: NW Everett @ NW 8th Ave - View on Map  

Bolt schedule from Seattle-WA to Portland-OR

Boltbus from Seattle-WA to Vancouver-BC

Arrival at Boltbus: Pacific Central Station 1150 Station Street-Gate 4 - View on Map

Bolt schedule from Seattle-WA to Vancouver-BC

Boltbus from Seattle-WA to Albany-OR

Arrival at Boltbus Station: 112 SW 10th Ave - View on Map

Bolt schedule from Seattle-WA to Albany-OR

Boltbus from Seattle-WA to Bellingham, WA

Depart at Boltbus Stop: 5th Avenue South @ S. King St - View on Map

Arrival at Boltbus Station 4194 Cordata Pkwy - View on Map

Bolt schedule from Seattle-WA to Bellingham-WA

Boltbus from Seattle-WA to Eugene-OR

Depart at Boltbus Station: 5th Avenue South @ S. King St - View on Map

Bolt schedule from Seattle-WA to Eugene-OR

Where's Boltbus drop off in NYC?

Find out Boltbus locations in New York.

BoltBus Stop New York - 611 W 33rd St & 11-12th Ave.

Bolt transportation connections to and from this stop:

Boltbus Baltimore -1578 Maryland Ave. (near Marc-Penn Sta)

Boltbus Boston South Station - Gate 9 NYC-Gate 10 NWK/PHL

Boltbus Cherry Hill, NJ (Cherry Hill Mall)

Boltbus Greenbelt, MD Metrorail Intermodal Station

Boltbus Philadelphia - JFK & N. 30th St Philadelphia, PA

Boltbus Union Station - 50 Massachusetts Ave NE Washington, DC

BoltBus Stop New York - 1st Ave Between 38th & 39th.

BoltBus Stop New York - 6th Ave Between Grand & Watts.

Other Boltbus Principal Stations and Stops

Marc Penn Station - 1578 Maryland Ave Baltimore, MD

W Oakland BART Station - 1451 7th St

5951 Hollywood Blvd, Curbside

Newark Penn Station - 1 Raymond Plaza West, Market Street Newark, NJ 07102

Greyhound Station - 200 Folsom St San Francisco, CA 94105

4194 Cordata Pkwy

500 S 1st St Las Vegas, NV 89101

Diridon Caltrain Station - 65 Cahill St - 65 Cahill St San Jose, CA 95110

Carl's Jr. - 2856 Lenwood Rd Barstow, CA 9231

SW Everett St - NW Broadway and NW 8th - 748 NW Everett St Portland, OR 97204

Boltbus Frequent Asked Questions

How to connect to boltbus wifi.

If you have any trouble with Wifi connection, please ask the driver or staff at boarding.

All Boltbus comes equipped with Wifi. It's advised downloading large files or video streaming is limited to make sure every passenger don't experience slow internet speeds.

So you will have to use other content besides Netflix or Youtube.

Try to upload all many contents before your trip.

How do you get Boltbus for $1?

In every schedule, every day, there are Bolt Bus 1 dollar fares.

It's available for all locations and trips.

This type of promotional ticket to the first handful of seats sold.

The earlier you book your Boltbus ticket, easier will be to pay less.

What's Boltbus luggage rules?

BoltBus allows just one piece of baggage on the bus luggage carrier.

You can bring with yourself two small bags inside the bus.

Ask the staff for any assistance if needed.

Is there Boltbus coupons?

No, there isn't official Boltbus coupons available.

The $1 fare ticket is faced as a promotional effort.

Whats' Boltbus customer service number?

For general inquiries, you can email Boltbus at [email protected].

Or for urgent matters questions call at 1-877-BOLTBUS (1-877-265-8287, Option 2).

How to proceed on Boltbus cancellation?

There's isn't a cancellation ticket on Boltbus.

You can rebook your ticket only by phone at 1-877-BOLTBUS (select Option #1).

The company allows up to the day before the original departure date.

The customer service is available from 7:00 am to 11:00 pm ET.

Understand there are a $3 fee and a $2.00 transaction fee plus any fare differential between the old fare and the new fare.       

How to contact Boltbus lost and found?

If you lost or forgot anything at the bus, get in touch with Boltbus customer service at 1-877-BOLTBUS (1-877-265-8287)

How to make Bolt bus reservations?

Search your Bolt schedule here.

You will be redirected to the company's website to finish your bus booking.

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20+ Things to Know Before You Travel By Bus in the USA

February 21, 2018 by Karen Turner 10 Comments

I have many talents, but driving is not one of them. I’ve never been given a driver’s license, so I’ve been forced to travel by bus in the USA. Although it’s maybe not “cool” to travel by buses around the United States, taking Greyhound buses and Megabus is often a good cheap way to travel around the USA.

Keep reading for my recommendations for the bus companies in the United States, reviews of different bus companies in the US, what to know about bus travel in the United States, and what to bring on long bus trips in the United States.

• 1 Should you travel by bus in the US?
• 2.1 Greyhound
• 2.2 Megabus
• 2.3 BoltBus
• 2.4.1 Other Bus companies in the United States
• 3.0.1 The bus stations…
• 3.0.2 Finding the bus departure place may be harder than you realize!
• 3.0.3 You might get dropped off in the middle of nowhere
• 3.0.4 Avoid buses that depart or arrive late at night
• 3.0.5 Book in advance to get the best times and prices
• 3.0.6 Not every bus still has wifi… or working plugs
• 3.0.7 You need identification and often your bus ticket printed
• 3.0.8 Your bus ticket is typically non-refundable and for a specific time
• 3.0.9.1 Don’t drink too many liquids
• 3.0.10.1 Set an alarm
• 3.0.10.2 One suitcase and one backpack.  Keep your valuables with you.
• 3.0.11 Be early for the bus!
• 4.0.1 Be sure to bring antibacterial gel
• 4.0.2 Travel Pillow.
• 4.0.3 Backpack that will fit your valuables, including your laptop.
• 4.0.4 Your iPad and a season of shows lined up with some headphones.
• 4.0.5 Snacks.
• 4.0.6 Wear layers and bring a sweatshirt.
• 4.0.7 A good book and a reading light.
• 4.0.8 External Phone Battery Charger

Should you travel by bus in the US?

Yes, and no. If your trip around the United States is focused on city hopping, especially within one region (e.g. East Coast), traveling by bus in the United States is a good choice.. It’s often cheaper and easier not to have a car in big cities in the United States as parking can add up.  However, it depends a lot on the city as some cities have great public transportation system while others have terrible public transportation systems.

If you’re planning on focusing on the beautiful National Parks, you’re going to have difficulty getting around more rural areas of the US without a lot of money spent on taxis.  Some National Parks have better infrastructure in terms of getting there without a car (e.g. Yosemite), but many parks are quite rural and require extra time/money to get there without a car.  It might make sense to take a bus for some legs of your journey and do tours once you’re within a city.  This will be cheaper than all-inclusive options.

Bus travel in the United States is far more sustainable than traveling by car around the United States.  People love to write about road trips, but bus travel is way more eco-friendly!  Similarly, not everyone can afford a car or it doesn’t make sense to drive into another big city.

As a result, I think that travel by bus around the US can be a great option for those on a budget, anyone who’s into sustainable travel, and for those who don’t want to have to bother with driving in big American cities.

Bus travel in the United States is often not as advertised online in terms of wifi and on-board entertainment. Although many bus companies are interested in creating more premium experiences and improving the average bus experience, my experiences traveling by bus in the United States has been gritty and unglamorous. This has been the case for my husband too. ( What did you think you were getting when you paid $25 for a 8 hour bus across the country?)

Photo from Chicago, which was a 14+ hour bus ride

National bus companies in the United States

You’ll encounter a lot of bus companies in the United States although many are regional bus lines that I haven’t personally encountered. Most of the time, unless it’s a major American holiday, bus travel doesn’t require significant planning beyond a day or two in advance.  American buses tend to be cheaper if you book way in advance with a major company (e.g. Greyhound or Megabus) while regional bus rates tend to rise less closer to the dates.

Greyhound is the most ubiquitous bus company in the United States.  Among the bus companies, the opinions about Greyhound buses online  tends to be more favorable although most people I know who regularly take Greyhounds aren’t their biggest cheerleaders.  The coverage of Greyhound buses is good across the country and you can get across the United States on a Greyhound on the drop of a hat.

However, you will probably have numerous stop-offs in various cities, which can add some time.  However, it’s possible to get to Yosemite with a Greyhound, which is why if you’re traveling in the United States without a car.  It’s often best to buy Greyhound tickets at least two weeks in advance and they have special deals if you buy online.

It’s basically very hard to get a $1 fare on Megabus at this point, but you can get some good deals on Megabus if you book ahead.  I started taking Megabus when it got started.  At this point, Megabus tends to be standard and their concept is getting you there.  The demographic for Megabus is considerably younger than Greyhound and you’ll find a lot of students taking Megabus.

Megabus tend to be stricter about bag sizes although they more uniformly have working outlets on their buses.  Coverage for Megabus is best on the East Coast, Midwest, and between college towns in the United States. They also have some coverage on the West Coast.

My husband has sworn off Megabus after the wheels almost caught on fire and the driver told the passengers it wasn’t safe to continue.  He was forced to wait in the middle of nowhere waiting for a new bus to come pick them up.  A couple of other friends have similar stories although I generally take Megabus given the choice as I find people are a bit more considerate.

BoltBus is a “premium” bus company that runs on the East and West coast.  Their buses tend to be much newer and nicer than others that I’ve taken, however the routes are more limited to major cities on the coasts.  Their plugs tend to work much more reliably and recently, they started including movies in the price of the bus.

I’ve generally liked BoltBus and I wish that they would expand to more cities.  It’s my go-to choice for traveling from New York City to Washington DC.

Trailways Transportation System

Trailways is a network of 70+ regional bus companies in the United States that compromises the oldest bus network in the United States.  Their network crosses the United States and I’ve taken Trailways quite a few times.  I find their buses not as uniform as you’re likely to be switching companies as you switch state lines.  Most of my experience taking Trailways meant that I had long layovers in rural Pennsylvania at one particular transfer point.

For smaller cities with less coverage on the big names, I find that Trailways is more reliable in helping you find a route although it might add time to your journey.  It depends on the bus journey, however I find that Trailway buses tend to stop off a lot more although it makes the journey through the United States far more scenic as you’re often taking non-highway routes.

Other Bus companies in the United States

Photo by Denis Rozhnovsky/Bigstockphoto

There’s a ton more bus companies in the United States, including Vonlane (Texas), Fullington Trailways (New York/Pennsylvania), Utah Trailways (Utah), Burlington Trailways (Vermont), Jefferson Lines, Bieber Tours (Pennsylvania/New York), Barons Bus Lines (East Coast),  Adirondack Trailways (Canada/New York), RedCoach (Florida; premium bus), Capital Trailways (South/Alabama), Hoosier Transportation (Midwest/Iowa/Michigan/Kentucky), Indian Trails (Michigan), Peter Pan (East Coast), Orange Belt (California), etc. There’s a ton more.  If you’re not seeing a route to where you’re going, I recommend stopping by the bus station to see if there’s a bus heading that way on a regional line.

On the east coast and the west coast, you’ll also find Chinese bus companies that run between the Chinatowns or downtowns of major cities on the East Coast/West Coast.  The Chinese bus companies are often the cheapest option if you’re traveling to/from New York City or LA to a nearby major city.

Due to price, I often took the Chinese bus companies.  These bus rides went by without incident for me, but my cousin was stranded in the middle of nowhere after a bus broke down and the bus company wasn’t helpful at all.

Things to know about bus travel in the United States

The bus stations….

With the creation of the interstate highway system, buses in the United States stopped being as popular as they were before.  The bus infrastructure has suffered as a result.  Most bus stations tend to be on the dingier side and do not require a ticket to enter the bus station, so it’s best to be aware of your belongings.  Most bus stations in the United States tend to be located in the city center, which aren’t always in the best neighborhoods.

In the case of many of the “newer” bus lines (e.g. Megabus), their business model is about cutting out the bus station to pass on savings to consumers.  This means that their bus station may be a Walmart parking lot or simply a curb on a sidewalk.  As a result, you might be forced to wait outside for the bus and/or there may be no bus station for you to wait inside at.  Bring an umbrella if you think this might be the case.

Finding the bus departure place may be harder than you realize!

Often, bus terminals for Greyhound and other regional bus stations are well-established terminals in the city center.  However, for some of the newer bus companies, they have their buses designated in a large area.  You’re going to need an extra twenty minutes at minimum if you’re taking Megabus to find your bus if it’s departing from most major cities.

In New York, I’ve found that I need the extra time to walk past all the buses waiting to find the correct departure point. Similarly, when I took BoltBus out of DC, I had to spend a while searching for the one departing for NYC as there were more than five buses departing around the same time.

You might get dropped off in the middle of nowhere

Modern-day America has been built for cars.  For most major cities, you’ll be dropped of at the bus terminal, which can be far from the non-downtown parts of a city. I used to often take one route and the bus terminal was over three miles from the main downtown area, which can be tricky if you don’t have a car.

In one case, I was forced to take a taxi as it wasn’t possible to get from the bus terminal to my final destination (the airport) without it.  It’s good to check where the bus stop will be as you don’t want to need to take a taxi to get there.  Google Maps in my go-to source.

Avoid buses that depart or arrive late at night

Trust me on this one. A lot of cities have poor transportation after a certain hour (often eleven at night), and often bus terminals are in the heart of the city center.  Unlike European cities, many American city centers aren’t uniformly safe and I recommend using some caution if you’ll be walking around with all your valuables late at night.  Crime in America is an issue.

Book in advance to get the best times and prices

Many bus companies, especially Boltbus and Megabus, advertise low rates if you book as far in advance as possible.  I often take Megabus and wait to see when the tickets go on sale, so I can get one of the first tickets, which is typically less than $5.  If you wait too long, especially for holiday weekends, the prices will go up considerably.  That said, you’ll find a bus to your destination within a day or two if you simply head to the bus station on short notice.

Not every bus still has wifi… or working plugs

A good playlist is always a good idea. Photo by VadimGuzhva/bigstockphoto

Although many bus companies advertise that buses have wifi, the wifi on the bus is ridiculously slow, throttled for video, and unreliable.  I’ve been on countless buses where the wifi never worked because it didn’t have wifi, the wifi was broken, or there were too many people on it at once.

It’s become trendy to have outlets, but often, the outlets are somewhere really inconvenient or they don’t work.  A lot of people think initially that they’ll work on the bus, but I find that it’s not a conducive environment for working as the seat-tray makes it hard to fit a laptop in many cases.

This becomes especially true when others decide to lean their chair back.  I’ve been on buses where the outlets were above you in the “ceiling”, so unless you spend the whole bus ride holding your plug in the outlet, you will not be charging your electronics.  Some of the newer buses have improved upon this design and have easy-to-access plugs/usb ports.

You need identification and often your bus ticket printed

Typically, any photo identification will do, however the name needs to match the ticket. That means that you typically can’t use your friend’s ticket. If you’re a foreigner, I recommend having your passport on you.

Not all bus companies allow e-tickets, so I always print my ticket ahead as finding a good place to print my ticket isn’t always easy near the bus station.  Some bus companies are better about accepting e-tickets, so check the terms to see if it’s enough to have a ticket on your phone.

The real reason that I always print my ticket?  I need to have my phone charged enough for when I arrive.  As a result, I recommend having it printed, so you don’t need to worry about having your phone charged up for the next transfer or for when I arrive at the destination, particularly if it’s a long bus ride.  I often find myself playing on my phone, which can kill the battery.

Your bus ticket is typically non-refundable and for a specific time

Unless you pay extra for a refundable ticket, you’re often getting one for a specific time. Don’t miss your bus! Some bus companies allow you to change the ticket for the difference in ticket price in addition to a fee, but I’ve actually bought a ticket in most of those cases as it was cheaper than the change fee.

Oh, the people you’ll meet!

Dr. Seuss must have taken buses around the United States. While most of my bus trips have gone by without incidence, both my husband and I have some  memorable  bus travel stories as do most of my friends. Most people sleep, stare out the window, talk to friends on the phone, or chat with friends on the bus. Let’s be clear that most people you’ll encounter on the buses will be non-offensive, but as I have regularly taken regional buses through rural areas, you’re bound to meet some characters.

This following story is from my husband who took a twenty-four hour Greyhound bus from Pennsylvania to Kentucky via Ohio…

Over the Thanksgiving holiday, many students choose to take Greyhound home because it is so cheap.  You’re  not supposed to bring alcohol on the bus, however some people do.  This student had smuggled a bottle of peach flavored vodka on the bus.  He was hell-bent on talking to every girl on the bus and switched seats countless times.  He was drinking the vodka and kept offering it to the girls.  After they all rejected it and him, he sitting up next to me. There was a girl nearby from Hawaii who was heading to a friend’s house in Iowa to celebrate Thanksgiving.  The girl and the guy hit it off and get very drunk on the bus.  They start having a big make-out session, so the whole bus was just eavesdropping while some were openly watching them.   The issue was that it was night-time and they were being loud while everyone else on the bus was trying to sleep. The first leg took us to Columbus, which is a big switching point for buses.  I was heading south from there as was the guy.  The girl was heading further west from there. We get to Columbus and they decide that they’re in love .  The girl invites him to come to Iowa with her to her friend’s house and the guy actually switches his ticket to go to Iowa.  Sure enough, they left for Iowa together to her friend’s parents house. Imagine her friend’s reaction when she shows up hungover with this random guy she met on a Greyhound.

Don’t drink too many liquids

This is a newbie bus mistake.  It’s good to stay hydrated and I typically bring at least one bottle of water for longer journeys, however I generally avoid bus bathrooms.  More importantly: Some buses, especially regional ones for shorter legs, don’t have a bathroom on the bus.  Be sure to use the bathroom at the bus terminal before you leave!

It’s not a guarantee that your bus will stop off at a bus station or rest stop long enough for you to go inside.

For longer trips, keep in mind that the bus will probably stop off at a rest stop as they’re not allowed to drive over a certain number of hours without stopping.  It’s not a guarantee for shorter journeys that the bus will stop off at a rest station long enough for you get something to eat, so bring your own food/drinks ahead.

If it looks like you’ll have fifteen minutes waiting at a station for passengers, be sure to tell the bus driver that you’ll be back to ensure that the bus doesn’t leave without you.  There’s often a line for the restroom at rest stops.

Set an alarm

On long bus rides, you might fall asleep. That’s fine, however if your destination isn’t the final destination, you’ll want to set an alarm on your phone before the time that your bus is supposed to arrive.  There might be traffic, but in general, it’s a safe move.

One suitcase and one backpack.  Keep your valuables with you.

Remember that you’re NOT on a plane. Some bus companies are more lax about luggage, however if it’s a crowded bus or you’re traveling over major holiday, you might need to pay for an extra bag.  I also recommend avoiding having your stuff in bags if possible as I’ve seen people get rejected from boarding onto buses when carrying their belongings in plastic bags.

I tend to keep my valuables in my backpack rather than below the bus, especially if the bus has a lot of stop off points  I recommend labeling your bag clearly as it’s hard to find a black suitcase among 50 other black suitcases .  Weird size luggage might cause issues, so ask beforehand.

Typically at stops, people take their items from the hull, so unless you want your bag taken by mistake, it’s best to keep your valuables in your backpack with you on the bus.  I’ve never had a bag stolen or taken by mistake, but if it’s a long ride with a lot of stops, I recommend labeling your bag clearly and packing your backpack carefully.

Be early for the bus!

Although it hasn’t often happened, buses leave on time.  More often than not, they’ll wait a couple more minutes for passengers who are running a few minutes late, but I’ve seen so many people running after the bus without success.  You need time to get your luggage under the hold.  Certain bus companies, including Megabus, overbook their seats, so if you’re not there early and it’s a full bus, you might get rejected on the bus and need to wait for the next one.

What to bring on long bus trips in the United States

If you’re wondering what to pack for an overnight bus trip, I’m well-experienced in these long miserable journeys that I’ve done to save money.

Be sure to bring antibacterial gel

Some bus bathrooms are best avoided.  Similarly, the soap dispenser may not work. Be sure to have your own antibacterial gel to clean your hands with, especially if you plan on eating.

Travel Pillow.

This is the MOST important item that you’ll want to pack for an overnight bus trip as I struggle to sleep without a good travel pillow. I have this exact travel pillow and I love how small it folds up!

Backpack that will fit your valuables, including your laptop.

I recommend looking for a carry-on friendly sized backpack that can fit your backpack as well as most of your valuables, so that they’re close to you.

Your iPad and a season of shows lined up with some headphones.

This is definitely not a necessity, but if you’re going to have a lot of long bus trips, I recommend bringing an iPad , so you can watch movies on the bus.  Download your shows before you leave wifi!

I recommend not buying your snacks at the bus station if possible as the prices tend to be a lot higher and the selection isn’t as good as going to the supermarket! Avoid peanuts as some people are really allergic.   I really like to carry granola bars with me as they’re hard to smoosh and non-messy.

Wear layers and bring a sweatshirt.

You never know when the bus will be too warm or too cold, so I always try to bring a sweatshirt to put on over my clothes in case I get cold! I recommend dressing comfy and you’ll be sitting for many hours.

A good book and a reading light.

For night buses, the driver typically shuts off the lights after a certain time. Although there’s a reading light from above, I’m often very conscious of it annoying the people around me.  Instead, I usually bring my own reading light as well as a good book.  For a good read, I recommend Night Film (which will take you many hours to finish), the Power , or On the Road for some American travel inspiration.

External Phone Battery Charger

You never know when there won’t be a working charger on the bus and you might need to make a phone call. Don’t let your phone die and carry an external phone battery charger .

Have you traveled by bus in the United States? Anything you’d add?

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About Karen Turner

New Yorker–born and raised. Currently living in the Hague, the Netherlands after stints in Paris and Amsterdam. Lover of travel, adventure, nature, city, dresses, and cats.

Reader Interactions

February 24, 2018 at 12:47 am

Wow, I live in the US and I have never even considered bus travel (excluding taking the Megabus very occasionally from San Francisco to LA). That’s such a cool way to travel the country, and I will definitely have to consider it in the future! Thanks for sharing all these helpful tips.

February 24, 2018 at 3:12 am

The US is so spread out that it’s difficult to see a lot of it without access to a car. Bus is often the only option for many travelers. I’ve never traveled long distance by bus in the US, but I’ve heard they’re pretty unpleasant.

February 24, 2018 at 4:09 am

I haven’t been to the US of A but everyone has always told me that if you want to move around, you need a car. That is the only way to travel unless you consider flights which can get expensive. I was pleasantly surprised to know that the bus routes are usable.

February 24, 2018 at 1:01 pm

Super comprehensive and useful guide! I felt I’ve learned a lot about the buses in U.S just from this post. The reading light is a great suggestion – I’m gonna consider that the next time I fret over bringing a book on trips! Same like you, I feel conscious that the overhead light will be disturbing to my neighbour 😉

February 24, 2018 at 2:03 pm

I went to college in DC so def took the fung wa chinatown bus many times! I did have a greyhound driver once say (at a rest stop) “I dont count heads, I just count time” meaning he was rolling out at the designated time with or without you! I think now at age 40, I’ve graduated from Bus travel.

February 24, 2018 at 2:32 pm

I’ve only ever taken the bus between NY and Baltimore (China Bus). I’m laughing at the Dr. Suess comment and the need for hand santizer!!! LOL

September 17, 2018 at 5:18 pm

thanks so much, gonna do it now in advance! from the Uk to AmericaU here I come !!!

May 12, 2019 at 5:00 am

Don’t use Greyhound bus.. Many of the buses are unsafe, employees for the most part are rude worst of all is the huge amount of lost luggage. Its piled in s warehouse in Dallas I think, and you will never see it again. Mine was lost last summer and none will help me get it back. Travel Greyhound at your own risk.

May 20, 2019 at 2:37 pm

The buses are affordable but the catch is, IF YOU CANCEL YOUR TRIP, ITS ‘ZERO’ REFUND! However, they can reschedule you at no cost. So, think well and be sure before you book!!

July 11, 2023 at 7:01 pm

Tip for sleeping on busses

If you are fortunate enough to have 2 seats to yourself push back your seat to the limit. Then leave the other seat in upright position. You can then test your Head on the other seatback. About as comfortable as it gets on a bus

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Bolt Bus – Disrupting the Urban Transit Market

Bolt for a Buck.   This simple concept has created value—an estimated $85MM* in annual revenues for Peter Pan and Greyhound who partnered to create BoltBus in 2007—in a formerly stagnant bus transportation industry. 1

BoltBus’ business model is simple: to transport customers across major metropolitan cities at a low cost.  Yet, through its unique operating model, BoltBus has managed to disrupt the urban transit market, growing the market size for bus-goers and even stealing share from premium formats.  According to the Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development, in 2014, “while bus service grew, Amtrak train-miles held constant, and the number of airline flights diminished by 3.5%.”   Conversely, “the number of daily trips [by city-to-city express carriers] was up 3.9% in 2014 vs. 2013, with BoltBus and Megabus accounting for nearly 80% of these operations.” 2

The company’s success can be attributed to its distinct value proposition.  Offering a marked difference from other providers, BoltBus guarantees passengers a seat on the bus, removing the headache of uncertainty and the frustration of excessive wait times for passengers.  Given this, the company is still able to maximize revenue and seat utilization via two methods: 1) Non-refundable tickets secure revenue and reduce the threat of ‘no-shows’ by implementing a “use it or lose it” policy and 2) Walk-up tickets are sold 10 minutes prior to departure with customers lining up on “standby” to fill up any open seats.  This approach serves to maximize seat utilization but also, with prices for walk-up tickets costing ~30% higher than the highest advance purchased fare [and only in cash eliminating credit card fees], it also serves as an additional revenue stream. 3

Furthermore, its distinct operating features at each point in the value chain enable BoltBus to create and sustain a competitive advantage:

Pathways to Just Digital Future

BoltBus reduces overhead costs by eliminating traditional ticketing agents.  The company primarily sells tickets online, offering customers who prefer more traditional formats the option to purchase tickets over the phone, albeit, for an additional $3 fee, passing on the additional service cost to the consumer. 3

Furthermore, dynamic pricing enables the company to maximize revenue based on demand.  Though its slogan, “Bolt for a Buck,” derives from a minimum of one ticket for each trip being priced at a dollar, BoltBus’ pricing strategy is much more than a marketing gimmick.  Dynamic pricing encourages price sensitive passengers to buy early, securing a lower price and confirming minimum utilization for each ride as early as four to six weeks in advance.  As the bus reaches breakeven, pricing can steadily increase, up-charging last-minute customers who have a high willingness to pay.

2. Passenger pick-up

While competitors such as Greyhound incur the expense of maintaining bus terminals in major metro areas, BoltBus eliminates this cost by doing curbside pickups.  This practice enables BoltBus to provide additional convenience to its customers, with pick-up locations often located in central and accessible locations.

3. Bus boarding

Defined processes for boarding based on pre-defined “Groups” (A-C) create an orderly process akin to airline boarding.  Whereas traditional competitors use a “first come- first serve” policy to seating, BoltBus’ process allows travelers to be more efficient, guaranteeing not only a seat, but also a place in line.  However, unlike airlines, BoltBus give priority seating (A) to all loyalty program members, encouraging frequent passengers to join and providing BoltBus even greater access to customer data.

Despite its low-cost offering, Bolt Bus provides premium amenities such as Wi-Fi access and power plug-ins, all on a new, luxurious fleet of buses.  Doing so has allowed it to attract a new, younger segment of consumers while also converting more premium customers.

BoltBus’ unique operating model creates value in an antiquated industry.  Doing so has enabled it to revive bus transportation in cities, delivering passenger satisfaction ratings of over 90% over the past three years (as compared to Greyhound’s 67% satisfaction score). 3   However, as competitors replicate this model (e.g., MegaBus, Yo! Bus, BestBus, Go Bus, etc.), BoltBus will need to continue to evolve its operating model to sustain its competitive advantage as it expands nationally. 4

*Estimated based on 200 daily departures, operating 365 days a year at an average ticket price of $30 and 40 passengers per trip segment. 2

• Peter Pan Company History. Retrieved from: http://peterpanbus.com/about-peter-pan/company-history/
• Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development. “Adding on Amenities, Broadening the Base 2014 Year-in-Review of Intercity Bus Service in the United States.” Retrieved from: http://las.depaul.edu/centers-and-institutes/chaddick-institute-for-metropolitan-development/research-and-publications/Documents/MotoringIntoTheMainstream.pdf
• Bolt Bus FAQ. Retrieved from: https://www.boltbus.com/faqnw.aspx
• FirstGroup 2015 Annual Report. http://www.firstgroupplc.com/~/media/Files/F/Firstgroup-Plc/indexed-pdfs/2015/firstgroup-annual-report-2015.pdf

Student comments on Bolt Bus – Disrupting the Urban Transit Market

Thanks for the insights on the inner-workings of BoltBus! I’ve used their service before and had a great experience myself. In addition to the factors you pointed out, does their bus fleet utilization factor into their low-cost model? I’m wondering if BoltBus is able to afford luxurious buses and still charge bottom dollar prices by maximizing the utilization of the bus routes. Additionally, I’d be curious to see what other kind of internal HR/organizational structures BoltBus has implemented that also contributes to their low SG&A.

Thanks Trang! This was an interesting and thoughtful analysis of a superior business and operating model that should continue to spread through and disrupt the transportation industry.

A couple questions come to mind: (1) How much of this model can and cannot be replicated by competitors? For example, curbside pickup instead of bus terminals as a cost-saving measure seems like a no-brainer, but (a) why can’t existing competitors and new entrants do the same thing? (is there a regulatory + space constraint?), and (b) as boltbus scales up, will it have to eventually build out its own terminals if it has enough transportation volume? Can the same replicability be said for the boarding process and the pricing scheme?

(2) How much of this seemingly lower pricing scheme is actually growing the revenue/profit pie (lower per unit price offset by even more volume –> more revenue) rather than shrinking the pie while allowing boltbus to take share? If it is the latter, then how sustainable is profit/share capture by one particular firm, especially if competitive advantages not sustainable (i.e. can be replicated by other firms)?

In the long-run, it seems that these changes are providing greater value to end consumers and making bus transit more affordable and comfortable, but perhaps any capital providers to these companies should not expect an attractive financial return.

Very interesting! I agree that a major business risk is the replicability of the model. There are virtually no barriers to entry other than the capital costs of the buses and employing the drivers. A robust customer loyalty program could help somewhat as competition grows. I’m interested in the company’s long-term growth strategy. Will the company pursue growth in markets beyond the coasts? (For example, other markets where short-haul flights connect cities, such as Dallas-Austin, seem to have a lot of potential.) Might the company pursue longer trips, such as SF-Las Vegas, overnight? It will be really interesting to see this evolve, especially as flying has continued to get more expensive.

You did a great job of analyzing the key factors that create value for passengers. Having used the service, I do appreciate the low cost, clean cabin, and online ticketing. The point you raised about potential competitors replicating the business model is a valid one. A point of differentiation comes to mind. I think BoltBus has done an excellent job of maintaining a high safety record. Other low-cost competitors, especially in the Boston area, have not done as well (or at least have not managed perceptions as well). As long as BoltBus isn’t cutting corners on maintenance or has plans to replace buses sooner than the industry standard, I imagine they will continue to provide safe and convenient service to their customers.

Thanks for sharing this! I’ve used Bolt Bus a ton, especially in college. I have noticed a distinct increase in prices over the years, though. As their new luxury fleet continues to age, what will Bolt do to command a price premium? Particularly as the other new companies you mentioned enter the market at lower prices and even more convenient locations (Go Bus service to Cambridge, for example), what innovations will Bolt make to it’s service to fend off the competition?

I’ve also noticed that Bolt services is concentrated on the Northeast Corridor, providing a great alternative for expensive train tickets. I’d be curious to see Bolt expand service to other parts of the country where transportation options are fewer. This could allow the company to take market share from short haul flights without cannibalizing existing bus route sales from parent co’s Greyhound and Peter Pan.

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Ever In Transit

Travel & food adventures in California and beyond

Boltbus: Another New Way to Get From Los Angeles to San Francisco

02/04/14 | California , Travel Reviews

Taking the bus is not the first (nor second!) way most Californians think of to get from Los Angeles to San Francisco. Flying is the way to go and if for some reason you can’t fly, you drive. In recent years, though, these busy air routes have become increasingly more expensive and exhausting, as is any trip through the airport crowds and security. Driving is a long and even more tiresome option and is not very sustainable, especially if you are traveling alone. So I was glad to discover the budget bus services filling in until we have the long-awaited option of high-speed rail here in California.

Last year at about this time, I published a post detailing my experience using the (at the time) newly introduced budget bus service, Megabus (see Megabus: A New Way to Get from Los Angeles to San Francisco ). This year I wanted to share my experience with an even newer entry to the California intercity express bus market, Boltbus .

Boltbus is owned by Greyhound Bus Lines, but is operated as a somewhat more upmarket brand offering free wifi (with electrical outlets) on all buses, and a budget travel bonus — on each bus, a ticket is randomly offered at $1, giving them the slogan “Bolt for a Buck”. The company started running routes radiating out of New York City in 2011. In October 2013, they introduced service to California running buses between Los Angeles, San Jose, and Oakland. San Francisco and Las Vegas were added to the map in December.

When I decided to go down to Los Angeles for the recent LA Times Travel Show, I decided to save some money and take Boltbus to see how it compared to last year’s Megabus adventure. So I bought a round trip ticket for the six-hour drive from San Jose’s Diridon Station to Union Station in Los Angeles.

While I did not get the random $1 ticket, I only paid  $23 for the round trip ticket . Compared to $180 for a return flight (or more than $70 for the cost of gas to drive), the ticket was a steal! I just checked today for tickets toward the end of this month and it seems prices range from $9 to $24 one way, depending on what days you travel on (Friday and Saturdays cost the most). Nevertheless,$48 round trip is a still a good deal.

The one major problem I had with Boltbus was that their website wasn’t open for ticket sales until about three weeks before the date of departure. I tried a few times over the few weeks before that and each time I got an error message that said something like “The schedule has not been released for this date yet. Please check back 4-6 weeks before your date of departure”. And as I said, I continued to get that message until almost three weeks before departure. If  the bus had been full, this would have been a problem because booking a flight at such short notice would have been very expensive. Luckily (for travelers), the buses are still not running at capacity, but when they are this could pose a problem for people trying to plan trips in advance.

Like Megabus, the buses were clean and brand new. The seats where spacious and comfortable, though I preferred the warmth of Megabus’s upholstered seats to Boltbus’s leather-ish seats. Like Megabus, the route stops for 30 minutes at a rest area midway between San Jose and Los Angeles so that you can get something to eat and use the bathroom (though there was a clean bathroom on board). Generally, the experience was the same.

There were two major benefits to Boltbus over Megabus:

• As I mentioned last year , Megabus’s double decker vehicles are not allowed to travel over the mountainous Grapevine/Tejon Pass , north of Los Angeles, in icy, winter weather. This almost led us to be re-routed all the way around the mountains, which would have added a whopping 8 additional hours on to a normally 6 hour drive! So that’s a risk you take when taking Megabus in the winter. Because  Boltbus’s coaches are only one level, there is less need to worry about this.  Also, I found Boltbus to be warmer than I remember Megabus, which I believe is because it’s harder to regulate the temperature in a double decker bus. I did like the enjoy the expansive views from the top-level front seats on Megabus, but it’s not worth the risk of delay and discomfort of the cold.
• Strong wifi! Though both buses were at low capacity and had similar numbers of total passengers, the Boltbus wifi signal was much stronger and more stable than the Megabus signal which was virtually unusable. I tried connecting a few times on Megabus off and on and I could not get it to stay connected for more than a few minutes. The Boltbus connection, however, stayed connected through most of the drive, though it did drop off once on the trip down. Still, it was nice to connect my laptop (and even my phone) to this stable wifi and get some work done on the drive.

In summary, while there were a few things that irked me about Boltbus, I still think it’s a great way to get from Los Angeles to San Francisco and other Bay Area cities on a budget.

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May 16, 2014 at 10:55 am

We went to Vegas from LA, by Voltbus. The cheapest and convenient way of traveling. At first, we were having a secong tought of how to get around Vegas without having your own car. Then, using our ipad mini we were able to use the google map on how to get around by comutter bus. Everything was so easy and hassle free with the travel we had.

Thanks to Voltbus, i will tell all my friends how easy, convenient and relaxing to be on your bus while travelling. Free wifi, aircondition system is so amazing, foot rest. We cannot content ourselves how lucky we are to have chosen your service.

May 18, 2014 at 4:41 pm

Hi Rose, I’m glad you had a good experience! Do note, I’m not affiliated in any way with Boltbus (nor Megabus) — I’m just a happy customer. Glad they started service to Vegas, too!

June 24, 2015 at 1:05 pm

Hi Cassie. It’s been good reading your blog. Just wanted to know if this trip from SFO to LA, through Megabus or Boltbus, was through the Pacific Coast Highway?

June 24, 2015 at 2:22 pm

Hi Saurabh, good question. Neither of these routes travels down the Pacific Coast Highway. They go down the center of California (I-5) which is the fastest and most efficient route to get between the two cities–it takes about 6 hours that way.

Driving all the way down PCH/Highway 1 from San Francisco to Los Angeles takes much longer–over 12 hours. If that’s what you want to do, I would recommend renting a car and doing it over 2 or 3 days so you have time to stop and explore.

June 25, 2015 at 12:27 am

Ah ok, I was looking for a bus trip along the PCH spread over 1-2 days. Will check them out. Couldn’t find a 1-day trip though.

June 25, 2015 at 12:58 pm

I don’t know of any bus trips that go all the way down the coast, so if you find one, please let me know! A reader asked about that once before so I’d love to send him what you find out! Best of luck and have a great trip!

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Standing by for boltbus a day earlier? - San Jose Forum

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Standing by for boltbus a day earlier?

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Just curious anybody done this, do Boltbus drivers allow travelers who bought a ticket for a later departure date depart a day earlier. I read that officially I would have to rebook at a total of $5 and may need to pay in addition if applicable any difference in fare. Though in practice how lenient are bolt bus drivers are to this ticketing policy. Would they decline to accept it, will they ask me to rebook over the phone, or pay them the difference in cash? If the bus is pretty empty would they let me on as a standby with a later ticket?

Anyone got experience with this?

I don't think too many of us will have an answer for this question. Why don't you go to the source?

This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity.

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    The majority of the now 13U team has been together since 2018. The squad planned to travel to Cooperstown, NY, for a week long tournament / team experience during the Summer of 2020. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the team could not travel to Cooperstown.   

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The Uncertain Future of the Yellow School Bus

Amid driver shortages and a dwindling ridership, the role of the bus is changing.

This is an edition of The Atlantic Daily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories of the day, helps you discover new ideas, and recommends the best in culture. Sign up for it here.

The yellow school bus has remained remarkably consistent over the past century. But as a smaller share of kids ride the bus, its role is shifting.

First, here are three new stories from The Atlantic :

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A Mixed Legacy

Across county and state lines, school buses are remarkably consistent. The yolky exterior color, called National School Bus Glossy Yellow, has remained the go-to shade since 1939. Buses are outfitted with a pop-out stop sign and vinyl seats, which, in my memory, tend to be ripped up and held together with strips of duct tape. Riding the yellow school bus is a tradition shared by generations of American students—but that experience is less common now than in previous decades.

In 2022, only about a third of students rode the bus to school, down from roughly 37 percent five years before, according to a Washington Post analysis of the National Household Travel Survey . More students are getting dropped off by car or driving to class—a trend that accelerated after the coronavirus pandemic began, especially among the children of college-educated parents.

Many people are nostalgic about the school bus, but its legacy—and present—is mixed. The bus was once a transformative force in American education, enabling a switch from highly local, one-room schoolhouses, Antero Garcia, an education professor at Stanford University, told me. And in the years following Brown v. Board of Education , buses became a potent symbol of desegregation. But for many kids, the bus can be a place of stress. Students may face discipline from drivers (many of whom struggle with low pay and odd working hours) or bullying from peers. Garcia also noted that it can feel like a form of punishment for bus riders to spend hours commuting each day just to get the same educational opportunities as students who can be driven by parents.

The bus is a tool that touches millions of kids’ lives every day, but on the whole, these vehicles have hardly improved over decades—even as the education system flocks to other, new technologies. Its stagnation has come about in part because administrators tend to focus on interventions that improve test scores “rather than a dusty old bus,” Garcia said. He also noted that “there’s an assumption that school buses are for working-class kids, largely kids of color.” (According to the 2017 National Household Travel Survey , 70 percent of students from low-income families ride the school bus, whereas a majority of students from non-low-income families are driven to school in a personal vehicle.)

For years, the school-bus system has struggled to recover from a severe bus-driver shortage : At the start of this past school year, there were about 192,000 drivers—a 15 percent decline from four years earlier. From 2009 to 2019, the number of bus drivers dropped by 22 percent; in that same period, the number of students enrolled in K–12 schools grew by some 1.4 million. Moreover, the school-bus system doesn’t serve all students—a 2020 study of New York City’s school-bus ridership found that Black and Hispanic K–6 students are more likely to attend schools where buses are unavailable.

Still, some school districts are making changes: Efforts to add electric buses to school fleets have gained momentum lately. Some well-meaning educators have tried taking advantage of bus time by giving students more homework—which, Garcia said, “is the last thing kids want.” He wonders if the bus could become a site of enrichment rather than tedium. What if the bus were an opportunity for peer mentoring, for example, or film classes?

The bus is a liminal site: Bus time is part of the school day, but it’s not class time. Students gather together, but they have less structure, and there’s less of a focus on academics. This freedom makes the bus worth looking at in full, as a meaningful, rich space for kids in America.

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Evening Read

Stop Shouting Down the Women Going Off the Pill

By Christine Emba

Perhaps you’ve noticed something new at your local market. Opill, the first oral contraceptive approved by the FDA for over-the-counter use, began shipping to U.S. stores in March. It has no age restrictions and does not require a physician’s sign-off; you can now buy a three-month supply at Walmart or Target the same way you might pick up Tylenol or tampons or a six-pack of seltzer. This is, without a doubt, a momentous development in the realm of reproductive health … Yet Opill also debuts as more and more women, in public forums and in their physicians’ offices, are raising concerns about the effects of hormonal birth control on their physical and mental well-being—and are pushing back against the idea that pharmaceuticals are their best options for trying to prevent pregnancy.

Read the full article.

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Play our daily crossword.

Stephanie Bai contributed to this newsletter.

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Cupertino, CA

Census data: ACS 2022 5-year unless noted

Find data for this place

Hover for margins of error and contextual data.

Demographics

• about 10 percent higher than the figure in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA Metro Area: 37.6 ±0.1
• about 10 percent higher than the figure in California: 37.3 ±0.1

Race & Ethnicity

• about 1.4 times the amount in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA Metro Area: $71,964 ±$646
• more than double the amount in California: $45,591 ±$149
• about 1.5 times the amount in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA Metro Area: $151,713 ±$1,635
• more than double the amount in California: $91,905 ±$277
• about three-quarters of the rate in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA Metro Area: 6.9% 134,666 (±0.3% / ±5,380)
• about two-fifths of the rate in California: 12.1% 4,685,272 (±0.1% / ±38,720)

Transportation to work

• about 90 percent of the figure in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA Metro Area: 27.9 22,668,400 (±0.2 / ±221,878)
• about 90 percent of the figure in California: 29.2 463,270,940 (±0.1 / ±1,077,551)
• the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA Metro Area : 670,204 ±1,820
• California : 13,315,822 ±16,341
• about the same as the figure in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA Metro Area: 2.9 1,942,167 (±0 / ±382)
• about the same as the figure in California: 2.9 38,493,080

Marital status

• about two-thirds of the rate in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA Metro Area: 4.4% 21,381 (±0.2% / ±1,101)
• about three-fifths of the rate in California: 4.8% 460,360 (±0.1% / ±5,836)

Units & Occupancy

• the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA Metro Area : 708,772 ±331
• California : 14,424,442 ±2,741
• about 1.5 times the amount in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA Metro Area: $1,282,400 ±$12,858
• more than double the amount in California: $659,300 ±$1,011

Geographical mobility

• about 20 percent higher than the rate in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA Metro Area: 14.2% 278,111 (±0.3% / ±6,384.3)
• about 1.4 times the rate in California: 11.6% 4,529,708 (±0.1% / ±25,480.9)

Educational attainment

• about 10 percent higher than the rate in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA Metro Area: 89.1% 1,233,050 (±0.6% / ±7,843.4)
• about 20 percent higher than the rate in California: 84.4% 22,656,988 (±0.2% / ±42,808.6)
• about 1.5 times the rate in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA Metro Area: 54.3% 751,477 (±0.4% / ±5,852)
• more than double the rate in California: 35.9% 9,626,973 (±0.1% / ±27,977.4)

Place of birth

• about 1.4 times the rate in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA Metro Area: 39.7% 786,241
• about double the rate in California: 26.5% 10,442,880

Veteran status

• about three-fifths of the rate in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA Metro Area: 3% 46,080 (±0.1% / ±1,389)
• about two-fifths of the rate in California: 4.7% 1,415,562 (±0% / ±11,195)

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At age 90, America's first Black astronaut candidate has finally made it to space

Scott Neuman

Ed Dwight poses for a portrait to promote the National Geographic documentary film "The Space Race" during the Winter Television Critics Association Press Tour, Thursday, in February. Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP hide caption

Ed Dwight poses for a portrait to promote the National Geographic documentary film "The Space Race" during the Winter Television Critics Association Press Tour, Thursday, in February.

Ed Dwight, the man who six decades ago nearly became America's first Black astronaut, made his first trip into space at age 90 on Sunday along with five crewmates aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket.

The liftoff from a West Texas launch site marked the first passenger flight in nearly two years for the commercial space venture run by billionaire Jeff Bezos. The approximately 10-minute suborbital flight put Dwight in the history books as the oldest person ever to reach space. He beat out Star Trek actor William Shatner for that honor by just a few months. Shatner was a few months younger when he went up on a New Shepard rocket in 2021.

He missed a chance to be the first Black astronaut. Now, at 90, he's going into space

Dwight shared the capsule with Mason Angel, a venture capitalist; Sylvain Chiron, the founder of a French craft brewery; entrepreneur Kenneth Hess; aviator Gopi Thotakura and Carol Schaller, a retired accountant.

The rocket reached more than 347,000 feet, crossing the 330,000 foot high Kármán line, the imaginary line that denotes the boundary of space. They experienced a few brief moments of weightlessness.

Soon after, the New Shepard booster touched down in a cloud of dust near the launch site. The crew capsule landed under two of its three parachutes, with one redundant chute failing to fully deploy.

Emerging from the capsule, a beaming Dwight shook two fists in the air in triumph.

"Fantastic! A life-changing experience. Everyone needs to do this!" he remarked. "I didn't know I needed this in my life, but now I need it in my life."

He said the separation of the rocket and the capsule was "more dynamic" than he'd anticipated.

The 1st Black Woman To Pilot A Spacecraft Says Seeing Earth Was The Best Part

In the 1960s, Dwight, an Air Force captain, was fast tracked for space flight after then-President John F. Kennedy asked for a Black astronaut. Despite graduating in the top half of a test pilot school, Dwight was subsequently passed over for selection as an astronaut, a story he detailed in his autobiography, Soaring On The Wings Of A Dream: The Untold Story of America's First Black Astronaut Candidate.

After leaving the Air Force, Dwight went on to become a celebrated sculptor, specializing in creating likenesses of historic African American figures.

Speaking with NPR by phone a few hours after Sunday's launch, Dwight said, "I've got bragging rights now."

"All these years, I've been called an astronaut," Dwight said, but "now I have a little [astronaut] pin, which is ... a totally different matter."

He said he'd been up to 80,000 feet in test flights during his Air Force career, but at four times that altitude aboard New Shepard, the curvature of the Earth was more pronounced. "That line between the atmosphere and space. It was like somebody pulled the curtains down over the windows," he said.

The cost of Dwight's ticket is being shared among Blue Origin, Space for Humanity and the Jaison and Jamie Robinson Family Foundation . (Jaison Robinson, who flew on a previous Blue Origin flight, is on the NPR Foundation Board of Trustees.)

The first crewed New Shepard flight was launched in July 2020 and included Bezos, his brother Mark Bezos, pilot Wally Funk and 18-year-old Dutch citizen Oliver Daemen, who was, at the time of launch, the youngest person ever to go into space.

Dwight told NPR he was ready to go again. "I want to go into orbit. I want to go around the Earth and see the whole Earth. That's what I want to do now."

• commercial spaceflight
• blue origin

Breaking Down Travel Queries in an Age of AI-Powered Search

Rafat Ali , Skift

May 20th, 2024 at 1:44 PM EDT

The new Google search results in an age of AI-powered search is a fascinating mix of usefulness, uselessness, and sheer overwhelm of formats.

This past week, Google made a significant leap in the AI-driven search domain with the launch of its latest search capabilities and a more advanced Gemini AI model.

A new AI Overview stands out as a key feature in Google Search, and provides comprehensive summaries for complex travel queries. For instance, a query about the best time to visit London now generates a curated overview, complete with suggested itineraries, travel tips, and related multimedia content.

This represents a big shift from traditional search listings and new ground for travel and tourism brands and organizations to understand and master.

Many of these changes in Google Search have been going on for a few years now, and this is a new phase of AI.

I did a 10-minute video walkthrough based on the popular query, “What’s the best time to visit London?” You will see how mind-bogglingly complex this new world is, for travelers and industry folks alike.

Watch the Video

My observations:

• It is still early: AI answers have not been turned on for all queries or for all countries – it is still being rolled out.
• This works best for purely informational queries – “best time to visit”-type questions. Anything with shades of gray doesn’t yet turn up AI-generated answers.
• Results are a lot richer on mobile than on desktop.
• The travel information landscape is now infinitely more complex, as Google is pulling results from across many different media and display formats and creating many different formats of display within search results.
• Besides the results for the actual query itself, Google is now trying to push many related queries down your throat in hopes of keeping you engaged for a longer time.
• Official tourism board websites – which weren’t the most heavily trafficked sources of traveler information to begin with – will be even less relevant in this new environment. The most DMOs can hope for is that Google pulls some snippets from their sites. But as our example shows, Visit London barely gets two links or snippets in the very long results page. This was the same across many other destinations I tested.
• Trusted reader forums take on an important meaning in this age. Google is prioritizing sites like Reddit and Quora and, in travel specifically, Tripadvisor’s forums, which have generally been ignored by the company and usually have very outdated information.
• Reddit as a source of competition for any travel information query is the biggest new change in search in 2024, and there is very little the brands can do about it.
• It will contextualize results based on your location, which has been the case for a while now.
• YouTube videos are very important in the Google search environment and the technology has advanced a lot such that it can extract exact answers in the form of video snippets.
• Ads on Google will continue to have a part. But it’s unclear how inventory to display them will be affected if people can get answers right away for many easy queries.

Have a confidential tip for Skift? Get in touch

Tags: ai , artificial intelligence , google , search , the prompt , tourism

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You Can Hike the Same Path as Mammoths and Saber Tooth Tigers at This Midwest National Park

Wisconsin's Ice Age National Scenic Trail is nearly 1,200 miles long.

Reagan Courier/Getty Images

Ever wanted to experience life as an ice age animal? Then now may be the time to go for a hike down the nearly 1,200-mile Ice Age National Scenic Trail . 

Located throughout the state of Wisconsin , hikers and nature lovers can discover this epic trail that was once inhabited by some of the Earth’s most majestic animals.

“A mere 15,000 years ago during the Ice Age, much of North America lay under a huge glacier,” the National Park Service (NPS) explains. “Mammoths, saber-tooth cats, and cave lions roamed the Earth! Some of the best evidence of this glacier is found in Wisconsin such as the state’s many lakes, river valleys, gently rolling hills, and ridges.”

Courtesy of NPS

Though the trail already encompasses thousands of miles, it’s still a work in progress thanks to a partnership between the NPS, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and the Ice Age Trail Alliance, which all work to preserve and expand its presence. At the time of publication, roughly half the Ice Age Trail is complete. (The trail was recognized as a park under the NPS in December 2023.)

“The Ice Age Trail is more than a path through the woods,” the Ice Age Trail Alliance shares on its website. “It is a place for mental and physical rejuvenation, a place to unwind after a hard day and enjoy the landscape of Wisconsin. More than one million people use the Ice Age Trail each year to hike and snowshoe, to backpack, to disconnect and reconnect.”

According to the Alliance, the route generally follows the “last outline of the most recent glacier.” Along the way, hikers can spot geologic features including kames (sediment mounds), lakes, drumlins, ice-walled-lake plains, tunnel channels, and more. 

The Alliance adds, as you walk the Ice Age Trail, “your footsteps will take you back in time almost 2 billion years.” On the trail, hikers will walk through millions of years of the earth’s history, including seeing the rock outcrops at Grandfather Falls, Lincoln County, and Eau Claire Dells (mylonite), Marathon County, which the Alliance says date back some 1.8 billion years.

Ready to hike it yourself? Check out more on the hike’s NPS website here , or plan a visit via the Ice Age Trail Alliance now. Once you’re done with your hike, consider donating to the alliance to ensure the trail stays just as magnificent for billions of years to come.

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Missionaries killed in Haiti by gang are state reps' daughter, son-in-law, nonprofit says

A Missouri State representative early Friday morning reported his daughter and son-in-law, both missionaries in Haiti, were reportedly killed in gang violence in the country.

"My heart is broken in a thousand pieces. I’ve never felt this kind of pain," state Representative Ben Baker posted on Facebook.

"Most of you know my daughter and son-in-law Davy and Natalie Lloyd are full time missionaries in Haiti. They were attacked by gangs this evening and were both killed. They went to Heaven together. Please pray for my family we desperately need strength. And please pray for the Lloyd family as well. I have no other words for now."

Baker, a Republican, represents Newton County (District 160), in the southwest part of the state.

Natalie and Davy Lloyd were part of the nonprofit Missions in Haiti Inc., which posted about the incident and confirmed their deaths.

"Davy and Natalie and Jude were shot and killed by the gang about 9 o'clock this evening," the non-profit posted on social media early Friday. "We all are devastated."

Natalie's and Davy's bodies 'safely transported' to Embassy

In a separate Facebook post shared on Friday, Baker said he received "confirmation from the Embassy that Davy and Natalie’s bodies have been safely transported there now."

"This is a huge answer to prayer for us," the state representative said in the post. "Thank you to everyone who is praying and offering condolences it’s been overwhelming and we can’t thank you enough. Naomi and I and the girls love you all so much."

USA TODAY reached out to Baker's office but has not received a response.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson extended condolences to the family on social media and said they were in his prayers.

"Natalie and Davy were two young people sharing peace, comfort, and God's word," Parson posted on X. "In light of this unimaginable, senseless tragedy, we remember the good they offered the world."

Crisis in Haiti: Biden says US is doing 'all we can' to help Haiti without sending troops

Taken, 'tied up and beat'

Late Thursday night, Missions in Haiti, Inc, reported the couple and at least one other person were ambushed by a gang of men in three trucks while leaving church.

"Davy was taken to the house tied up and beat," the organization wrote. "The gang then took our trucks and loaded everything up they wanted and left."

The post goes onto read at some point, the couple and another person were in a home attempting to call for help.

"They are holed up in there, the gangs (have) shot all the windows out of the house and continue to shoot," the post reads.

PA mass shooting: Man charged with murder in fatal shooting at Pennsylvania linen company

Who is Ben Baker?

Baker is a minister, missionary, former professor and former dean of students at Ozark Bible Institute in Neosho, according to his legislative webpage.

Originally from Indianapolis, he previously served on the Neosho City Council and as mayor of Neosho, about 20 miles southeast of Joplin, Missouri.

He is married and the couple share four daughters, including Natalie Lloyd.

Unrest in Haiti due to gang violence

In March, Haiti's prime minister resigned amid gang violence in the Carribbean island country.

When Haiti announced a new prime minister in April, gang attacks increased even further, especially in the country's capital, Port-au-Prince.

More than 100,000 Haitians − including a nearly half of the nation's police force − have fled the country since a U.S. humanitarian immigration sponsorship program launched in 2022, The Palm Beach Post , part of the USA TODAY Network reported.

Cruise line stops travel to Haiti: Royal Caribbean cancels visits to Labadee in Haiti amid continued violence

Haiti travel advisory warning

The U.S. State Department has issued a Level 4 travel advisory − America's highest warning against travel to a foreign country − for Haiti due to "kidnapping, crime, civil unrest, and poor health care infrastructure."

During the first quarter of 2024, nearly 2,500 people have been killed or injured as a result of gang violence, there according to the United Nations.

Contributing: Antigone Barton with the Palm Beach Post

This is a developing story.

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X @nataliealund.