Buses, subway, taxi in USA

Bus

In the United States intercity bus travel is very common. Today it is the most economical way to travel in the United States. Buses are equipped with toilets and climate-control systems, and many have radios and televisions in them. There are both day and night trips from city to city. 

Participants of Work & Travel who travel on buses often need a bus every day to get to work. Sometimes the employer provides the worker a bus, but this can sometimes be awkward because they are then stuck to a fixed schedule. To travel around it is easiest to use ordinary city buses. 

Fare on public transportation is different in different cities. But, the difference is small. In most cases, the fare is 1 dollar 25 cents. A feature of American public transportation system is a transfer ticket. Along with the tickets for free or for a small extra charge, you can purchase a transfer ticket which will allow you to make multiple trips on many buses without buying multiple tickets. On the bus there is usually a machine that allows you to pick where you want to go and then pay for your transfer ticket. It is necessary to make sure you always have smaller bill denominations because the driver will not change money. 

For students it is possible to receive a discount to save up to 25% in transport costs. To receive the discount, you need to buy so-called Student Advantage ® Discount Card worth $ 20. It is sold in the office and in the terminals of Greyhound.

Above all else, remember that you need to arrive at least one hour before departure. If you buy a ticket in advance, you can save a substantial amount of money, but even with an advance ticket, it is still best to show up early. By the way, if you buy a ticket for 30 days, the ticket cost is reduced greatly. 

Tourists from other countries suggest the so-called travel Ameripass (or Discovery Pass), which can be used to drive an unlimited number of times over a period of time. The purpose of this is so you can move throughout the country at a very reduced price. Although this is not the most effective way to travel, it is definitely one of the cheapest. With the Ameripass you can easily transfer from bus to bus with only a restriction on your movement (only USA). Tickets are available on a variety of dates. The Cost of an Ameripass ranges from $ 121.5 for the four-day ticket to $ 458 if you buy a ticket for 2 months. 

The largest company (almost monopolist) that provides these services is Greyhound.

Of course, traveling by bus has its problems: the bus is much slower than trains or aircraft. Also, the Greyhound Company must search each and every bag of its passengers which ultimately causes huge delays. However, you can greatly benefit from the price of the Greyhound bus tickets. 

Taxis

Taxis are usually ordered by phone or if taken from a hotel, you can stop a taxi by waving your hand at them. In cities such as New York or Los Angeles, because of the enormous distance from place to place, taxis can be quite expensive. The taxi system is well developed in most large American cities. Finding a taxi is not difficult because there is no lack of them. They are usually painted in yellow. American taxi drivers must have a taxi license and a fare counter on their dashboard. Customers must be given receipts. Also, remember that it is necessary to tip your taxi drivers. Each passenger in a licensed taxi is automatically insured against accidents on the road, so if possible, avoid taxis without license (so called “gypsy” taxis). Riding in a taxi is not always easy, as most American taxi drivers are recent immigrants who are unable to speak proper English. Sometimes it turns out that the tourist knows the city better than the taxi driver. 

Metro

Metropolitan America is notorious for its high crime level and dirty cities. Nevertheless, the metro is the fastest way to commute. Millions of Americans use the subway every day without any problems of crime or robbery. Of course, you should still take certain precautions: do not carry hard to handle bags and personal belongings, do not wear jewelry, avoid unlit and poorly lit cars, do not to lag behind the main crowd of passengers. With regard to the subway, it is not as simple as it is in say, Moscow. For example, in Washington D.C., the price of a subway ticket depends on the time of day, your destination, and how many different trains you have to take. These things are poorly marked for foreigners and sometimes even the locals struggle.