Low-fare, reliable Chinatown Bus
Sample Fares: Philly - NYC: From $12, DC - NYC: From $20
Chinatown Bus
Services Comparable to Greyhound Bus

Here it is! Your comprehensive guide to the "Chinatown bus". For years budget travelers in the Washington DC-Philadelphia-New York-Boston corridor have loved the Chinatown bus. Now Chinatown bus service is also catching on in West Coast cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco and Las Vegas. Despite the popularity of these bus lines it can still be difficult to find information on Chinatown bus service.

To help you sort it all out we have put together this guide. Here you will find:
  • a comprehensive list of Chinatown bus companies
  • an overview of the Chinatown bus phenomenon
  • Chinatown bus in the news
  • a Chinatown Bus Blog that updates information on Chinatown Bus.
  • Follow Chinatown Bus on Twitter for the latest deals and alerts
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    Find Chinatown Bus Service
    East Coast Chinatown Bus:
    Bus Routes: Schedules, Map, Tickets One way / Roundtrip Operators
    New York to Boston bus (return) $15 / $30 World Wide Bus; LuckyStar; Boston Deluxe
    New York to Washington DC bus (return) $20 / $35 Washington Deluxe; DC2NY
    New Century Travel; Eastern Travel
    New York to Baltimore bus (return) $20 / $35 Eastern Travel; New Century Travel
    New York to Bethesda bus (return) From $1 Tripper Bus;
    New York to Philadelphia bus (return) $12 / $20 Eastern Travel; New Century Travel; Zenith
    New York to Mohegan Sun bus (return) $22 / $30 Long Lucky Bus
    New York to Norfolk bus (return) $35 / $60 Coach88; Everyday Bus
    New York to State College, PA bus (return) $35 / $70 A One Bus
    New York to Virginia Beach bus (return) $20 / $40 NY Tiger; Todays Bus; Sprinter Bus
    New York to Atlanta bus (return) $60 / $120 Mingan Bus; I95 Coach
    New York to Buffalo bus (return) $50 / $100 Ocean Bus
    New York to Cincinnati bus (return) $30 / $60 Coach88; Sky Horse Bus
    New York to Columbus bus (return) $30 / $60 Coach88; Sky Horse Bus
    New York to Savannah bus (return) $50 / $100 Mingan Bus; I95 Coach
    New York to Orlando bus (return) $50 / $100 Mingan Bus; I95 Coach
    New York to Anderson bus (return) $50 / $100 Horse Run; Mingan Bus
    New York to Charleston bus (return) $40 / $80 Coach88; Mingan Bus
    New York to Greenville bus (return) $50 / $100 Mingan Bus; Horse Run
    New York to Charlotte bus (return) $40 / $80 I95 Coach; Oriental Pearl
    New York to Greensboro bus (return) $40 / $80 I95 Coach; Oriental Pearl
    New York to Fayetteville bus (return) $40 / $80 Mingan Bus; I95 Coach; Oriental Pearl
    New York to Raleigh bus (return) $40 / $80 Todays Bus; I95 Coach; Oriental Pearl
    New York to Durham bus (return) $40 / $80 Todays Bus; I95 Coach; Oriental Pearl
    New York to Columbia bus (return) $40 / $80 I95 Coach; Oriental Pearl
    New York to Hampton bus (return) $35 / $60 Coach88; Sprinter Bus; Todays Bus
    New York to Knoxville bus (return) $110 / $220 Tennessee Travel
    New York to Nashville bus (return) $110 / $220 Tennessee Travel
    New York to Jackson bus (return) $130 / $260 Tennessee Travel
    New York to Woodbury bus (return) $20 / $35 Express Trails; WCBT; King World
    New York to Richmond, VA bus (return) $35 / $60 Todays Bus; New Century Travel;
    Boston to Hartford bus (return) $15 / $30 Boston Deluxe
    Philadelphia to Baltimore bus (return) $16 / $28 New Century Travel
    Washington, DC to Philadelphia bus (return) $15 / $28 New Century Travel; Eastern Travel
    Washington, DC to Richmond bus (return) $15 / $28 New Century Travel; Eastern Travel
    West Coast Chinatown Bus:
    Bus Routes: Schedules, Map, Tickets One way / Roundtrip Operators
    Los Angeles to Las Vegas bus (return) $20 / $40 USAsia; American Lion; SS Trailways; Tufesa
    Los Angeles to San Francisco bus (return) $40 / $80 USAsia; Hoang Express; CABus
    Los Angeles to Phoenix bus (return) $40 / $80 Hoang Express; Tufesa
    Los Angeles to Anaheim bus (return) $34 / $56 Lux Bus
    Seattle to Vancouver bus (return) $41 / $74 Quick Shuttle
    What is the Chinatown Bus?

    Here is everything you need to know about the Chinatown bus phenomenon.

    Chinatown Bus History
    In the late 1990s a few entrepreneurs in New York's Chinatown started running buses from Chinatown in NY to Chinatown in Boston for less than half of what traditional bus companies were charging and a fraction of what it cost to take the train or fly. Their target market was Asian immigrants who wanted to shop or visit relatives and needed cheap and convenient transportation. Although the buses were modern and comfortable, the service was bare bones-no advertising, customer service, or bus stations. Customers simply went to the bus stop, waited for the bus, and paid the driver upon boarding. For those willing to do without frills, these companies offered virtually the same service as Greyhound at a substantially lower price. Before long, word spread about the service and all kinds of travelers started using the service. It became especially popular with students, budget travelers, or people for whom the service was simply more convenient.

    Soon more bus companies duplicated this model and started offering service in other markets. Now you can find this type of bus service in Philadelphia, Virginia, Washington DC, Los Angeles and San Francisco. At this point the term "Chinatown bus" is used more loosely to describe this sort of low-cost/low-frills service. Many, if not most of the company's do not have Chinatown as there main location and may not cater to the immigrant population at all. These operators are also sometimes referred to as "curbside" operators.

    Why are Chinatown Bus services so Cheap?
    There are a few fundamental differences between the way Chinatown bus companies and traditional bus companies run their operations. Most Chinatown operators run small, streamlined operations and only offer basic service. First, most of these operators do not have formal stations; instead they pickup passengers at bus stops. Second, they eschew traditional advertising in favor of word of mouth buzz. Third, many of the operators play a very hands-on role in the operation-there are no overpaid executives at a small independent bus company. Finally, and perhaps the most important factor, is that these operators make sure they fill their buses. That tend to serve only on heavily trafficked routes.

    Are they safe?
    When these companies first started operating, concerns were raised about safety standards. There is still controversy within the bus industry about whether these newcomers are complying with the same regulations as the traditional companies. Nonetheless, all bus companies operating in the U.S. must all undergo the same inspection standards and must comply with the same rules. As in any industry there is a range of quality among bus carriers. Some are fly-by-night operators that try to cut corners while others are legitimate entrepreneurs who plan to grow and operate a long term business. Check out the News and Blog to see get the inside scoop on different bus companies.

    What to expect

    • No frills service-the driver may be the ticket collector; there will not be a lot of customer service.
    • Comfortable buses. Despite the low fares buses are usually quite nice. Most buses are comparable to Greyhound and many are actually more deluxe.
    • Communication challenges. Drivers are legally required to speak enough English to help passengers in the case of emergency. In reality this is often adhered to rather loosely. At the very least, expect your driver to have an accent.
    • Possible delays. Many of these bus routes are on highly congested roads. When the roads are busy, expect delays.
    • Rest stops. Buses will have a lavatory on board but there is usually a 10 or 15 minute bathroom break on trips over 4 hours. Don't be late returning to the bus, the driver will not count heads before leaving at the appointed time.
    • Full buses. Buses definitely sell out at peak times (weekends and evenings). Book ahead or get there early if you want secure a seat.
    • Plastic Bags. An odd little quirk on Chinatown buses is that every aisle seat usually has a plastic grocery bag tied to the arm. I guess they find this is the best way to keep the buses clean.

    Also see Chinatown Bus in the News, Chinatown Bus Blog, Chinatown Bus History

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