Planes, trains and automobiles.

If you thought those were the big three when it comes to accommodating long-distance travel, then you forget one — a big one: bus travel.

Call it an autobus, motor coach, Greyhound or Megabus; these mass transit movers still fill the highways across America and are even more popular abroad. Actually, as a percentage of total travel, bus travel doubles up train travel in the United States, 2 percent to 1 percent, respectively.¹ And domestic bus operator Greyhound carries around 16 million passengers per year.

If you think of the bus as the last resort when it comes to long distance travel, perhaps driven more by value than any other factor, then you haven’t saddled up on a 35-foot, 450HP coach recently.² Bus travel is versatile, convenient — and yes, still a great value — when compared to flying, riding the rail or piloting your own car down the highway.

Here are five reasons to take a second look at bus travel for your next adventure:

1. It Makes Dollars & Sense
   

   You can book a round trip ticket from Philadelphia to New York for $26 via Greyhound. That’s including fees. (Note: for about that same price, you can pay the tolls to cross about two bridges into NYC.) Bus travel from the City of Brotherly Love to the Big Apple will take you about two hours, the same as a car. And while Amtrak can shave 20 minutes off that commute, it can also cost twice as much for a one-way ticket as your total round trip aboard a bus. If you think you’ll beat a bus aboard a plane, your 30-minute flight time will certainly do it, but once you add time for your early arrival, trekking from the parking garage to the terminal, TSA screening, waiting for baggage and taxiing on and off the runway, those time savings don’t look like savings anymore. While you’ll need to comparison shop your route, here bus travel wins on price and may even come out on top when it comes to time. And if you don’t have access to a car, the bus is a no-brainer here.^{3, 4}

2. ^You're Taking a Tour
   

   You might have heard of hop-on, hop-off bus tours, but you might not be familiar with the concept. As with many things having to do with buses, this is a concept that’s more popular in Europe and other destinations abroad. But it’s quite simple: you pay one price to get from Point A to Point B, and you can get off the bus and back on as many times as you’d like within the ticket’s restrictions. Whether you’re trying to take in as many as NYC’s popular landmarks as possible in a few hours aboard a double-decker bus, or you’re taking your sweet time soaking in Rome’s St. Peter’s Basilica and Trevi Fountain, these tours are an economical and flexible way to see a city on your own.

3. They're Green. No, Seriously.
   

   Don’t be fooled by the smoke you see being jettisoned from the tailpipe of a big old bus. The truth is that buses have the smallest carbon footprint of all forms of motorized transportation. Buses use far less energy than trains — and one bus is more eco-friendly than at least 30 cars. So step aboard proudly with your reusable shopping bags and metal water flask; you’re saving the planet one mile at a time!⁵

4. Your Location Begs for Bus Travel
   

   There are several ways to look at this unique advantage that bus travel offers travelers based on where you are and where you want to go. The first scenario is that you’re traveling between small towns that don’t have a plane or train station, and may not be particularly close to one. Think of traveling from Williamsport, Pa. — home of the Little League World Series — to Frederick, MD. Bus travel is right-sized for this journey.

   The second scenario is city travel. While we’re mainly focusing on long-distance bus travel for this article, we’d be remiss not to mention that amid countless rental car, ride-sharing apps, and bike and scooter rentals, a city bus may be the most economical and convenient way to explore a new city.

   Finally, while buses are popular in America, they’re more popular almost everywhere else, from India to Ireland to our neighbors to the south, Mexico and Latin America. There are many reasons for the prevalence of bus travel in these spots, ranging from infrastructure — specifically, lack of railroads — to cultural reasons. In Mexico, for example, buses see more than 60 million passengers annually.⁶ European travelers looking to take a long trip on the cheap may opt for Megabus, which is also available stateside, especially in and around the United Kingdom, Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam. Meanwhile, FlixBus, based in Germany, services 20-plus European nations for as little as 5 euros per ride.⁷

5. If You Haven't Experienced Bus Travel In Years
   

   If you haven’t been on a bus in a decade or two, what you’re currently envisioning might not match the reality of modern bus travel amenities. What used to be rustic coaches meandering down the open road have evolved. A ton. In fact, odds are your next cross-country bus ticket will net you free WiFi, power outlets, reserved seating, extra legroom, and other benefits, such as onboard movies and TV access, you might pay extra for on a plane.

Bus travel deserves its own spot, and ample consideration, right beside top travel options such as planes, trains and automobiles. And it’s not just because it’s a cheap ticket; it’s because bus travel has come a long way in terms of offering comfort, convenience, and even arrival times rivaling other modes of transit.

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