find and book the best prices on Greyhound bus tickets

Bus travel in the US is generally cheaper and more flexible than flying or taking the train, and it's no better than a classic American road trip with wide-open countryside and tiny, less-visited towns.

If you don't want to drive—or don't have access to a car—then Greyhound may be your next best bet to get to these cities.

Why travel by Greyhound bus in the USA?

With 3,700 destinations in 48 states (and into Canada) and approximately 17 million passengers annually, Greyhound dominates US bus travel. Compare that to Amtrak's 500 train destinations (or even MegaBus' 100 or BoltBus' paltry nine) and it's easy to see that for many smaller destinations in the US, Greyhound is the only public transportation option.

How to find and book the best prices on Greyhound bus tickets

Unlike Bolt or MegaBus, which are famous for their near-mythical $1 fares, Greyhound prices per route remain fairly consistent and within a small range depending on the day and time of travel.

That said, there are several ways to ensure you get the most affordable bus ticket possible:

• Book early. Prices will start to increase within two weeks of the departure date.
• Travel in the middle of the week or on holidays, preferably before 10am. As you might expect, less busy days and times are the most affordable.
• Shop online through the Greyhound website or mobile app. Even if you are right in front of the station, using the mobile app will cost you less than walking to the counter, which is a few steps away. (Tickets cannot be purchased from the driver.)
• Use Greyhound promotional codes that are often offered through the carrier's official Twitter account or shared by Greyhound.
• Sign up for the Greyhound Road Rewards program, which offers 10% off your first trip. You can use the points you earn while driving to redeem future discounts and savings.
• Discounted tickets: children traveling with an adult do not pay full price and students have a 10% discount. Active or retired military service members also receive a 10% discount, while passengers over the age of 61 receive a 5% discount.

Sitting and boarding of greyhounds

If you find highway scenery fascinating or revel in the bliss of traveling through cities you might not otherwise see, then be sure to book an Economy Extra or Flexible fare to guarantee priority boarding. Seats are first-come, first-served, and passengers board in groups. The earlier you book, the earlier you board, increasing your chances of securing a window seat.

Print your ticket in advance or take the reference number(s) you received by email to the bus station and pick up your tickets at self-service kiosks or counters (due to Greyhound's service range, most city bus terminals are predominantly Greyhound, although local lines may use same departure gates and MegaBus and BoltBus often board nearby).

Find your Greyhound stop or bus stop here

E-tickets have not yet been rolled out for all in-app purchases, so allow time to print your ticket from the kiosk when you arrive. Take your ID with you for all tickets.

Greyhound recommends arriving at the bus station at least 60 minutes before your desired departure time. However, if you already have a ticket and are not checking in luggage, you won't need as much time. Boarding starts 15-20 minutes before departure.

Traveling on holidays

A Greyhound bus tip that can save you money that few people use or even know about.

That's when I realized that Greyhound offers discounted fares if you travel on certain holidays. It's basically the same concept as midweek discounts: very few people travel on an actual holiday, most travel before or after, so Greyhound offers discounts to try and entice people to ride.

Now I know it's an option to consider, especially if you're short on vacation funds.