Whenever I’m traveling by bus, I’m amazing at how much the prices have gone up. Most of the time I’m traveling at peak hours and I need to pay the highest prices. But even when I plan a day trip out of my busy city I still pay more as I’m usually free on the weekends.
If some companies have flat-rate bus prices, my usual bus services use dynamic pricing. It’s nearly impossible to constantly lookout for the lowest bus fare. However, I also find it time-consuming to look at various websites just to check the bus schedule and price. By the time I find a good bus, I already forgot the price of the previous company I checked.
This is where Busbud comes into play. It’s one of the simplest bus ticket comparison platforms. You simply add your destination and date to view bus times with prices from different companies. It also shows me the time of arrival which helps my planning.
Busbud Features
All Bus Tickets in One Place
As I see it, the platform offers the considerable advantage of bringing in all bus tickets and routes into one place. If I want to travel from city A to city B, I don’t need to research every company linking these municipalities.
It saves a lot of research time. But the platform also allows users to discover other companies with other types of amenities. When I was traveling to Boston, I had no idea there are so many bus companies that could take me there. It was this competition that led to trying them all out on my own. I now have my favorites for price and amenities.
Savings by Planning Off-Peak Travel
Traveling at peak hours is always going to be expensive, especially in large cities. But hope is not lost, especially if you are a frequent traveler where savings quickly add up.
There was a time when I was visiting my parents out of town every week. The amount of money I could have saved with the platform is impressive. But there was no bus ticket website back then.
If you can travel off-peak, you’re probably going to find cheaper tickets. I’d say you can even buy them 50% cheaper, especially if purchased one or 2 weeks before departure.
Savings by Purchasing Tickets in Advance
Another considerable advantage of this system is it allows you to save more. It’s difficult to save on bus tickets if you purchase them from the local bus stop before departure. It’s time-consuming to go there one week in advance personally.
As a result, considerable savings can be made by planning. Your ticket purchases are going to be the most affordable. Whenever I would ask people how much they paid for their tickets, I always reply they overpaid.
Comparing Function for All Bus Companies
I was discussing this benefit with my friends. We need this system in other areas of our lives. The bus ticket operator company shows all buses from all companies next to each other. You can simply compare all of their features and extras in seconds.
When I go away for longer trips, I know that luggage is going to be important. I only choose companies taking the largest luggage. When I’m away for a day trip, I need the best prices early in the morning and late in the evening when I’ll be returning. Luggage is not important in this case.
Quick Travel and Amenities Information
Every bus has some type of amenities. But not all buses are the same. It was 2 years ago that I was traveling out of state on a bus with no WiFi. Needless to say, it was a long ride. But the most problematic issue is that there were not a lot of passengers on the bus so I didn’t have anyone to talk to.
Today, I look for amenities such as WiFi, power outlets and air conditioning. They are essential for any trip above 2 hours. Still, I find most buses on the platform offer air conditioning at a minimum.
For some of the longer routes, you may also be able to find toilets in your bus. If you think this is not important, you should reconsider your position. On the highway, there are only a handful of places the driver can stop at. This is why these amenities are probably among the most important.
Payment in Local Currencies
I understand that not everybody on the platform is from the US. I think most users are from abroad. This is why there are multiple currency options for fast payments.
Major credit and debit cards are accepted. However, if you’re traveling abroad by bus, you don’t necessarily need to pay in the local currency. When I traveled to Canada by bus, I just purchased a few tickets in advance to get to my destination with several buses. The payments were all made in US dollars.
The Official App
If you’re on the go, it is even more important to have good apps for quick payments. Finding quick bus tickets while on the road is also a lot easier through the app. There’s an official app to download which has the same features as the desktop browser version.
I like the app as it’s on my smartphone for quick confirmation at the ticket office. Not all drivers have tickets on them. In some cases, the ticket office is closed when departing at night from my local bus station. I like my confirmation on the smartphone for extra reassurance.
Pros
Cons
Final Verdict
If you’re new to purchasing bus tickets online, there’s nothing to worry about. You can even print your ticket at home for your peace of mind. As for me, this is the only method of purchasing bust tickets. Two reasons were the most important. First, I save money by finding the best price. Secondly, I save time without having to navigate numerous websites to find a good ticket.
Since I found cheaper bus tickets online, I’m also able to travel more now. I like day trips as mentioned before. I already have tickets purchased for my following trips at very low rates. I’m not paying more than on a sandwich for these tickets.
Here’s what you can do as a new customer. Simply go on the website and find your destination with its listed buses with prices. Then try to find each of these destinations on different websites to see how long it takes you. I’m sure you’ll be able to save at least a few minutes if not more on your research.
