Other stories in "Buses"

Taking the bus

With $1 fares, Megabus caught riders' attention fast.

Not long ago, no one wanted to take a bus anywhere.

They took too long. The depots were depressing. They weren't even that cheap; sometimes, you could fly for less.

Then in 2006, Megabus arrived from the United Kingdom with its $1 fares and express service. It doesn't have depots; it picks up passengers on university campuses, in downtowns and at train stations.

Its giant motorcoaches are subject to the same conditions that slow any kind of traffic: weather, congestion, construction. But once a bus has picked up its passengers, it keeps going until it gets to its destination, making a trip by bus no longer than one by private car — and you don't have to drive.

From Minneapolis, the Megabus goes only to Madison, Milwaukee and Chicago, and from Milwaukee, it goes only to Chicago, Madison and Minneapolis

But from Chicago, it goes to Kansas City via Normal, Ill., and St. Louis. It goes to Detroit and Ann Arbor, Mich. It goes to Toledo and Cleveland in Ohio. And it goes to Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio.

Fares still are $1 one-way, if you book early enough. Tickets can be booked up to four months in advance; the first tickets to sell generally are cheapest, and the last are most expensive, depending on demand. Wait a few days to reserve and round-trip tickets are likely to be closer to $20-$40 weekdays, $50-$60 weekends. Last-minute round-trips can top $100.

From downtown Minneapolis, motorcoaches leave from and arrive at the Fourth Street Garage near Target Center. From the University of Minneapolis, the stop is the University Avenue Ramp, across from Williams Arena.

In Madison, the stop is the Dutch Mill Park and Ride at the intersection of U.S. 51 and 12/18, in the far southeast corner of the Madison area.

The stop in Milwaukee is the Amtrak Station near downtown. In Chicago, it's Union Station. Be sure to arrive at the stop on time; as at airlines, a seat isn't guaranteed.

Book online at www.megabus.com or 877-462-6342.

Megabus now has a Los Angeles hub, too; from there, buses travel to Las Vegas, to San Diego and San Ysidro and to San Francisco, Millbrae, Oakland and San Jose.

It also has a New York City hub. From there, motorcoaches go to Boston; Atlantic City; Buffalo and Toronto; and Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C.

So far, however, there are no connections to the Midwest routes.

Last updated on August 4, 2008