Bus travel around the world

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

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

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Australia

Bus/Coach Systems

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

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Central America

• Tica Bus
  Routes in Central America covering the capitals and cities along the route (map here). Starts in Tapachula, Mexico, and goes through the following countries:
  • Guatemala
  • El Salvador
  • Honduras
  • Nicaragua
  • Costa Rica
  • Panama

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Europe

Bus/Coach Systems

• Eurolines
  Eurolines covers almost all of continental Europe
• BusAbout

Romania

• FANY provides bus service for all of Romania

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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

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North America

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

These bus systems cover Washington D.C., New York, Boston, and Philadelphia.

• Bolt Bus
• Tripperbus
  What really sets Tripper Bus apart are the amenities normally lacking from such budget services: free WiFi signals on the bus, and electrical outlets by your seat, so you can stay plugged in and online throughout the four to four-and-a-half-hour ride.
• Vamoose
• Fung Wah
• Apex

Please Google the safety records of Vamoose, Fung Wah, and Apex before you choose to book with them. They used to have a few issues around safety, which may have improved in the last year.

West Coast

• Lux Bus

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United Kingdom

• Greyhound
• Megabus
• National Express

Written by Jack on 26 February, 2009 in Travel. Last updated on 17 February, 2010.

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