PF Cheng's Law Blog

For passengers travelling between Philadelphia and New York, or vice versa, taking the bus is without a doubt the cheapest and most convenient option, and right now you have 3 bus companies to choose from – (1) Greyhound, (2) New Century Chinatown Bus, and  (3) Megabus.  

Greyhound (www.greyhound.com) is the oldest and most well known of the 3.  Advantages of Greyhound include:

·         Extensive network – Greyhound’s network spans the entire country.  You can reach pretty much anywhere in the United States with a Greyhound bus.

·         Location – The Philadelphia Greyhound terminal is located across the street from Chinatown, and within minutes of downtown Philadelphia.  In New York, the Port Authority Bus Terminal is 2 block away from Time Square, making Greyhound the most convenient option for tourists. 

Disadvantages of Greyhound include:

·         Frequent delays - Buses generally run once every hour, but delays of 30 minutes or more are quite common, and sometimes they will skip a bus entirely.

·         Outdated equipment - Most Greyhound buses are over 10 years old, and the toilet can be quite smelly.

·         High ticket price - The fares are the most expensive of the 3.  Even with a discount, it still cost more to ride the Greyhound than the other 2 companies.

New Century Chinatown Bus (www.2000coach.com).  A favorite among the Chinese population, this company has a rather colorful history (apparently there’s a turf war in New York between the different Chinese bus companies, and some guy ended up getting killed, his head cut off, and his body torched).  Advantages of New Century include:

·         Frequency - Buses leave once every 30 minutes from 6 in the morning until 11 at night.  For Philly to NY, nothing beats the frequency of New Century.

Disadvantages of New Century Chinatown Bus include:

·         Frequent breakdowns – this company has a reputation for breaking down in the middle of the highway.  Yours truly experienced breakdowns on 2 out of 5 occasions.

·         Poor upkeep and inadequate driver training - the cleanliness of the vehicle leaves a lot to be desired, and the bus drivers can be a little reckless.

Photo taken from Megabus website.

Megabus (www.megabus.com) is the latest entrant into this competitive market; and despite its numerous shortcomings, so far I must say I am quite impressed by this upstart company.  Advantages include:

·         Price – Fares start at just 1 dollar each way.

·         Comfort – brand new double-decker buses with comfortable seats, clean restrooms, and free WI-FI ensures a pleasant and enjoyable trip each and every time.

Disadvantages of Megabus include:

·         Lack of a proper terminal – this company is like a 50 cent operation.  It has no stations, no ticketing office, not even a restroom for passengers.  You simply wait by the Megabus sign located on the side of the road; and tough luck if it rains or snows.

·         Poor frequency – with only 8 trips per day, the Megabus runs half as frequently as the Greyhound, and only a quarter as frequent as the New Century Chinatown Bus. 

·         Change fees – with both Greyhound and New Century, you can take the earlier bus as long as seats are available.  With Megabus, there is a 5 dollar change fee.

In the end, which company you choose depends on your priorities.  Personally I prefer the Megabus for its price and comfort, but you are free to disagree with me.