Bus travel around the world

Updated on 01 November, 2008

Bus travel is economical, eco-friendly, and sometimes much faster than other options. In Mexico and Brazil for example, it's the cheapest way to get around, and quite comfortable as well.

Taking a bus saves significantly on CO2 emissions, as we mention in these travel tips, the difference is between traveling 4,000 km in an airplane per ton of CO2, and a massive 33,000 km in a long distance bus! So, the next time you need to travel, try the bus if you can.

Below are the largest bus systems in a number of countries.

• Asia
• Australia
• Europe
• Mexico
• North America
• United Kingdom

Asia

Bus/Coach Systems

• JR Bus Kanto Japan
• Alpico Japan
• Nishitetsu Japan
• GreenBusThailand
• The Transport Company, Ltd. Thailand

Australia

Bus/Coach Systems

• Greyhound Australia
• Firefly Express Coaches
• Premier Motor Service
• Integrity Coach Lines
• Kynoch Coaches
  

Europe

Bus/Coach Systems

• Eurolines
• BusAbout

Mexico

• Flecha Amarilla
  Mexico City Airport, Mexico City (Norte), Aguascalientes, Celaya, Colima, Guanajuato, Guadalajara, Irapuato, Leon, Morelia, Puerto Vallarta, Queretaro, San Luis Potosi, San Miguel de Allende.
  Spanish only site with timetables, prices and distances available
• ETN
  Mexico City (Norte), Mexico City (Observatorio), Aguascalientes, Celaya, Colima, Guanajuato, Guadalajara, Irapuato, Leon, Manzanillo, Morelia, Puerto Vallarta, Queretaro, San Luis Potosi, San Miguel de Allende, Uruapan, Zamora.
  One of the best luxury services with only 24 seats per bus
• ADO GL
  Mexico City (TAPO and Norte), Cancun, Chetumal, Merida, Playa del Carmen, Oaxaca, Puebla, Jalapa, Veracruz, Villahermosa, Tampico, Poza Rica
  Timetables, prices and journey times available in English and Spanish
  This site features ADO's luxury (GL) services
  For first class services use Ticketbus
• UNO
  Mexico City (TAPO), Cancun, Campeche, Merida, Oaxaca, Puebla, Jalapa, San Cristobal de las Casas, Veracruz, Villahermosa, Tampico, Poza Rica
  Luxury service! Timetables, prices and journey times available in English and Spanish.
  If this site isn't available use Ticketbus
• Ticketbus
  Mexico City (TAPO and Norte), Cancun, Campeche, Chetumal, Huatulco, Merida, Playa del Carmen, Oaxaca, Puebla, Puerto Escondido, Jalapa, Veracruz, Villahermosa, Tampico, Poza Rica, Tapachula, Tuxtla Gutierrez
• Estrella de Oro
  Mexico City (Taxquena), Acapulco, Aguascalientes, Chipancingo, Cuernavaca, Ixtapa, Queretaro, Lazaro Cardenas, Taxco, Zihuatanejo
  Includes luxury "Diamante" services between Mexico City and Acapulco. Excellent, fast website with online reservations and ticket purchase
• Omnibus de Mexico
  Mexico City (Norte), Guanajuato, Guadalajara, Leon, San Luis Potosi, Zacatecas
  Schedules and prices available in Spanish
• Estrella Roja
  Mexico City Airport, Puebla (downtown and CAPU)
  Timetables, prices and journey times available in Spanish
• TMT
  Mexico City (Airport, Observatorio), Toluca
• Parhikuni
  Morelia, Patzcuaro, Zihuatenejo, Ixtapa
• Bamba Experience
  Mexico City, Oaxaca, Puerto Escondido, Zipolite, Mazunte, Huatulco, San Cristobal, Palenque, Flores/Tikal, Bonampak, Yaxchilan, Guatemala, Panajachel, Antigua
  A flexible hop-on, hop-off travel network for backpackers. Very reasonable prices and a fun alternative to public transportation
• Wayak Bus
  Mexico city, Puebla , Cordoba, Veracruz, Catemaco, Villahermosa, Palenque, Campeche, Uxmal, Merida, Chichen Itza, Valladolid, Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum
  A hop-on, hop-off tourist bus service for independent travelers that offers daily departures and a hotel pick up and drop off. A great travel solution that offers flexibility, comfort and safety

North America

Bus systems covering all of the U.S.A.

• Greyhound
• Megabus
  Based in New York City, this service goes to many destinations on the East Coast and the Mid West, such as Chicago, Kansas City, Syracuse, Albany, Baltimore, Toronto, and Washington DC. Check the site for a current list of destinations from each of these stops.

East Coast (Washington D.C., New York, Boston, Philadelphia)

• Bolt Bus
• Vamoose
• Fung Wah
• Apex

Please Google the safety records of the last three companies before you choose to book with them. With the safety record of these companies it may be wiser to pay a few more dollars and ride Greyhound.

West Coast

• Lux Bus

United Kingdom

• National Express
• Megabus