Megabus

The Megabus is a cheap and convenient way to travel, that being said, you get what you pay for. Some advice to passengers catching the late bus out of Cincinnati from the Gest Street stop, ask someone to drive you and wait with you until the bus gets there. I am a student at UC and I was going home from school the other night and the bus was delayed nearly an hour and a half. The parking lot where the bus stops is very remote and shady. There were mice playing near the trash can a few feet from the metal bench where I sat and waited for the bus for nearly 2 hours. If you don’t mind conditions such as these, then the Megabus is for you. If not, then I highly suggest you find another means of transportaiton. PS. Concerning the wifi, IF it is working, you can’t access any websites where you can stream shows or anything like that so if you’re not super tired, then it’s a great time to get loads of work done.

I availed megabus for going to Chicago from Cincinnati. Boarded a bus from Cincinnati university crossing at 12:40 AM Saturday. We were 2 persons and bus crew asked me rudely to sit in the back side where all the vacant seats were either broken or did not have any handrest. So it was difficult for us to sit for 6 hours as the bus was already late. there were 12 vacant seats were there in the front of the bus and when we requested to get 2 seats there we have been told that those seats are for bus drivers. I am not sure how many bus drivers and crews were there in the bus. When we argued, we have been threatened by Kliff (one of the bus crew) that we will be thrown out of the bus.
My reservation number is 56÷57−1531−80 115-​M6R-​0040-​UOC-​CHI.
I am requesting you to take necessary action and compensate us and give reply with in 24 hours otherwise we will give this review through out the internet against megabus.

Overall, I’m an advocate for Megabus. They offer cheap fares and frequent routes. The process of booking, boarding and riding is simple. These are the things that I love about Megabus.
Now, on to the things I don’t love. When I first began riding the Megabus (about 3 years ago) the overall experience was so much better. The drivers and assistants were friendly and a lot more helpful. Now, not so much. I also remember when they’d make announcements whenever the bus would take off, make stops, etc. This doesn’t happen anymore. They barely even acknowledge the passengers, which I find to be quite rude.
For the most part, Megabus is just fine. I wish they’d hire people who would offer better customer service. Also they should make sure the wifi on the bus is working, especially if they advertise this as being one of their best amenities.
Megabus, please work on your customer service.

I booked a trip coming from Cincinnati going to Cleveland with Megabus. Than found out later that I wasn’t going to be able to make it. I called to see if I could go at another time and they said no it has to be with in 24 hours. They said there is nothing they could do. I asked to talk to a manager and he said no, that he can take answer whatever question I have. (not really good customer service) I worked in retail for 9 years and when a (paying customer) wanted to speak to a manager you let them speak to a manager. I just gave up and tried to make it to the bus stop on time, I call to see were the stop is, and what time my departure bus leave, I was told I never got one, I only got a one way ticket. But I KNOW I got a ticket both ways. I ask to talk to a manager and I was told I cant??? So I spent more money on a another ticket that i’m sure I already paid for. Well I dint make it to the bus on time so I miss the first bus, I was just going to take that as a lost because they give NO refunds. But I did buy a departure ticket going from Cleveland back to Cincinnati, so I went home and traded it in on line. I called the next day to make sure I did it right, and he said it dint work and since I waited so long I cant even trad it in now, So now i’m out of 45 $ once again I ask to speak to a manager and I was told he cant help you anymore than I can. I said it don’t matter I would still like to speak to him. And he hung up on me. So I never got my money back and I was hung up on. very rude people and they are thieves. I WILL NEVER SPEND MY MONEY WITH THEM AND I WILL MAKE SURE I POST EVERY WERE I CAN TO LET PEOPLE KNOW NOT TO TRUST THESE MONEY HUNGRY NO CUSTOMER SERVICE HAVING SHARKS.

Not a good experience. I have used Megabus when I was living on east coast and it was fine. But the bus from Cleveland to Cincinnati has many issues.
The driver drops all passengers at a gas station and disappears for about 45 minutes to fill gas at a different gas station!!! No real explanation given for this behavior.
Bus was delayed and eventually cancelled with a lot of passengers waiting because one of the passengers had gone missing and they couldn’t find her!
This is dangerous practice.
Must avoid at any cost!

I am not a regular of chartered bus travel but this experience was overall a good one. I traveled from downtown Cincinnati to downtown Cleveland. The entire trip took 5 hours, extra time to stop in Columbus. Not all of their buses are the wifi-​equipped, double-​deckers. The bus to Cleveland was a single decker with 110 volt outlet for charging but no wifi. I recommend using the restroom before leaving and avoiding the onboard restroom if possible.

Took the Megabus from Cincinnati to Chicago. The double decker was cool. I sat in the top both ways. The bus stopped for gas in Indiana and everyone had to get off the bus in the middle of the night. The bus was on time going. There was an hour and a half delay on the return trip. The luggage was mixed up at the Indiana stop on the way home, everyone had to get off the bus to reclaim luggage. Not horrible but it was the middle if the night again. The wifi worked great. Bathrooms were clean considering the cramped space. I would not hesitate to take the Megabus in the future. Inexpensive way to explore neighboring towns. If planned correctly you can even transfer to connecting buses. All reservations must made online.

watch out! we stopped in INDY on way to Chicago from Cincinnati and our suitecase was stolen from the Megabus! They dont protect your safety at all!!! The bus driver didnt even care, he said your own fault and drove away! Megabus is NOT the way to go if you are concerned about your safety!

I missed their 10PM bus as I arrived late. I called up their customer service about any reimbursement ($ 70) for my booking. They said I cant even re book my return as Cincinnati is in eastern standard time. Cmon guys, it is $ 70 bucks !!

Found a Megabus special that allowed me to go from Atlanta to Cincinnati, to Buffalo, and then all the way back to Atlanta, all for .50. Yes, 50 cents, round trip. I ended up leaving with a group of 4 others at 11.59 on February 19^th. There was… I think one or two other people the entire trip besides our mini group of people.
We didn’t have the traditional Megabus, so not the double decker bus with Wifi and outlet plugs. This 4 stars is for the trip to Buffalo, mainly, and less for the returning trip. However, what the spotty Wifi had, and what the general experience lacked, was totally made up by our driver. Really cool guy. He told us if we had any movies, we could play it (we didn’t). I only mention this because the trip meant that we used 4 different Megabus systems, and none of the other drivers offered that. He also asked us if it was okay to play music, which none of the other driver’s asked either, and which I thought was just a really polite touch.
It was actually more of a Charter bus which he drove, so it was comfy enough, unless you tried to sleep on the window ledges. This was a noon bus ride, and by the time we reached the final stop, there was only one other person besides our group on the bus. The bus driver was such a cool guy, and he kept the bus clean and organized. He joked with us, and he even stated that he would try and shorten our 9 hour trip to 7. He managed it in 7 and a half hours, which was awesome. That was with the few requisite stops for gas and food, and to just stretch your legs out. He also saw how excited we were about the snow, being from Georgia, so we stopped once where it was sort of heavy, and we were able to run around in it for a while in snow drifts several feet deep.

I love megabus! I highly, highly recommend it! I have been taking the megabus since it began and let me tell you if you think it is like another bus company that is not clean let me tell you megabus is very, very clean and you can relax! Downside is sometimes the wi-​fi doesn’t work sometimes it does it depends on the driver. There is always a stretch stop before you go to chicago (it is at a love’s truck stop in indiana) there is also a 10 minute stop in Indianapolis too. Yes it is 5 and half hrs but I promise it really doesn’t seem that long just bring along a book to read or take a nap or play with your tablet, iphone, etc and you soon you will be in in chicago. Prices from 1.00 to 40.00 can you really beat that I do not think so!!!

Short Review: Pray that everything is on time and your Megabus experience will be good. Otherwise, prepare for hell.
Long Review: I was riding out from Megabus’s hub in Chicago to Cincinnati, although it’s not anything one would consider a «hub.» All there is to indicate the stretch of sidewalk their buses pull up to is a single sign. For the sake of visibility it would be nice to have a bus stop with places to sit; but, as my personal experience suggests, such a thing is actually a down-​right necessity.

Our bus was delayed about an hour, which I can’t reasonably blame Megabus for, but the delay gave me time to witness how terrible Megabus employees can be to their customers. For the first half-​hour or so the attendant at the stop (it seems they keep one there at all times) cloistered himself in an out-​of-​service bus, only opening the doors to shoo away people asking about how late the transportation was. It was pretty offensive.

The latter half-​hour was spent with another attendant who stood with the crowd– being just as unhelpful. I tried inquiring about what was wrong with my bus, but after ignoring me twice the attendant’s response was simply, «they said it was comin’.» He then shuffled into the crowd, telling people to go into the out-​of-​service bus and warm up (it was freezing that day). That seemed like a nice gesture until I realized he was only approaching young women, leaving the elderly and families with children to ache and shiver in the winter winds. The attendant followed the girls into the bus, shut the door for a bit, then came out and crossed the street (away from the crowds and their questions) to chat with a friend.
My bus did finally come, the ride was decent (our driver sounded exhausted, poor thing). But Megabus needs to work on their customer service. Not once was there an announcement of estimated delay, or invitation into the out-​of-​service bus for all standing there. I hope their future-​employees receive better training in this regard.

Very surprised.
This was my fourth time taking Megabus, but the first time from Cincinnati (to Chicago) and it was much more comfortable, cost efficient, and safe than I had imagined.
The stop is on the corner of 4^th and Race, in front of the mall everyone forgets exists. Usually there should be a Megabus attendant waiting around outside to direct people and load your luggage on the bus when it arrives. If you have questions, ask them.
Even as a weekend, the bus wasn’t packed coming back down from Chicago to Cinci. Both trips, I had the row to myself.
Sit on the first floor if you’re on a double decker. For some reason, people think it’s soooo cool to sit at the top, but it just makes you car sick and it’s more dangerous to sit up there.
Also, there IS wifi, but it’s a hit or miss. My ride to Chicago was fine, but the way back, it wasn’t working. They do have outlets, and at least on my bus, they worked.
Drivers get you there in a timely fashion (sometimes much earlier!). My trip to Chicago had a stop to Indianapolis, and a 20 – 30 min rest stop before that. Total, it took about 5 ½ hours. I paid $ 25 to get to Chicago, and $ 17 to come back to Cinci.
AND, might I mention that the restroom is much cleaner than one would think, so do not fret. You might want to bring some hand wipes or something though.
Layer your clothes– it gets hot if the bus is packed, but can get chilly here and there during the winter.
No one bothered me on the bus, so have an open mind about Megabus and save a ton of money.
I suggest listening to a podcast. This is what I listened to:

I took the Cin-​indy-​Chi route. And then back within 24-​hours.
Pros:
— comfy seats, for the price this surprised me but the space is actually nice.
— The stop at the Loves in St. Paul, Indiana.
— The price, I mean really you can barely beat it
–Convenient times, seems like maybe they run 24 hours in 6 – 8 hour increments?
— The driver on the way back was fantastic, friendly, joked with me a few times, I felt safer driving with her behind the wheel.
Cons:
–The heater works about an hour into the drive, double up on socks.
–the wifi didn’t seem great, but I really can’t tell because I was on my iPhone and not computer but I did witness several people seem annoyed with their computers and after time just put them away.
–this is my big one, these drivers SPEED! Now, during the summer it wouldn’t have bugged me. But, it was the morning after an ice storm in Cincinnati and a snow storm in Chicago, we fishtailed about 3 times on the way there. He made me a tad uncomfortable, and also wasn’t the most friendly person I’ve met.
So, would I refer this company to a friend? Probably not.
Would I return to this company myself? Maybe. Depends on the urgency of me getting somewhere else.

I took my first Megabus ride last spring to Pittsburgh to visit my brother. I had heard great things about Megabus, but was highly skeptical of the claims: free wifi, $ 1 tickets, and plenty of space. About half of what I was promised really did come true.
First, the free wifi. I was really excited for this as it would make the trip just fly by if I could get on Netflix or browse the Interwebz. When the bus pulled up I was disappointed to see it was not a double decker bus, but a normal charter bus. I boarded and found that it still said that the bus was equipped with free wifi, so I wasn’t too hurt. Unfortunately, the free wifi was nowhere to be found. The bus right in front of us leaving for Chicago had a signal that I could pick up while we were parked next to them, but our bus had none.
I wasn’t too heartbroken about this though because I got a $ 1 ticket as people had said, so I figured paying $ 2.50 for a round trip ticket from Cincinnati to Pittsburgh was still worth it. I traveled to Chicago in the summer and got $ 10 tickets each way for a total of $ 20.50, so it was still a good deal. Sadly, I didn’t get free wifi on that trip either (the trip to Chicago was a double decker bus too)… I’m a little skeptical about the wifi, but the price of the trip is enough for me to forgive Megabus.
While the leg room and comfort of the bus was acceptable, it was definitely not amazing. Still nothing to complain about, but I wouldn’t say that it was great. For the price, Megabus is amazing though and beats the airport any day.
The only problem with the Cincinnati Megabus stop is that it is not really under any cover. You can duck into the Carew Tower while you wait for the bus, but it isn’t under cover like it is in Pittsburgh. Great service and it is definitely worth a try. You will never want to drive to Chicago or Pittsburgh again.

I took the Megabus last week from Cincinnati to Chicago for the first time.
Pros:
— Easy boarding process
— Clean buses
— Plugs so you can charge stuff
— On time (early coming back)
Cons:
— The «free wi-​fi» did not work, at all, either way. The people I sat next to said it never worked. Pretty disappointed about this since they advertise it a lot.
Overall, it was a pretty good experience and I would recommend it. When people ask how it is, I tell them Megabus is the Southwest of buses. Clean, friendly, no frills, just get on and go.

Let me first make this clear: I hate buses. I get very, very motion sick on them and suffered nearly every trip between college (Boston) and home (Long Island) on a Greyhound coach bus, doped up on Dramamine, desperately trying not to disgust whoever had the disadvantage of sitting next to me. Again, I hate buses.
That being said, the Megabus is pretty darn fantastic.
Thanks to a tip from a friend, I scored free (yes, FREE! — except for a 50 cent processing fee per ticket) Megabus tickets, so I decided to use them to take my boyfriend and I to Chicago, which would be a first for the both of us. We arrived downtown about 30 minutes before our departure and the bus was already there. We showed them our confirmation on my smartphone and boarded the bus.
Being giddy and child-​like, we nabbed an upper-​deck seat. As with all coach-​style buses, the seats are very very narrow. Luckily I like my boyfriend and didn’t mind putting the arm rest up and leaning on him for the majority of the trip. (It may be more awkward to do so with a stranger…) The WiFi on the bus was a great feature and allowed me to check my email when 3G coverage was lost in the middle-​of-​nowhere parts of Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois.
We had one pit stop in between Cincinnati and Chicago and arrived about 15 minutes EARLY (something Greyhound could never do) even in the light snowfall during the journey. On the way back, however, our bus was about 20 minutes late to pick us up. (In the winter in Chicago, it is NOT fun waiting in the frigid cold at 6:30am!) We had the same rest stop as we did the way to Chicago, yet we still arrived back in Cincinnati on time.
Also, I didn’t get motion sick. :)
I’d give the Megabus Cincinnati 5 stars if there were more destinations. Choosing Chicago wasn’t difficult when the other choices are Indy, Columbus, and Pittsburgh. I’d love for them to add Nashville! Please?
Regardless, the next time we want to head to Chicago, we’ll gladly shell out the $ 10 per ticket to do so via Megabus!

I’ve been riding the Megabus out of Cincinnati since early last year and have done so on a few occasions. My main destination, Chicago, but then again as from the other reviews I’m sure you have noticed that there aren’t many other destinations (additionally only going to Indy, Columbus and Pittsburgh).
The Positives: It CAN BE Cheap. It is fairly efficient (few problems and delays). And is usually roomy enough for you to stretch out on since the buses are never fully packed. Most have free wi-​fi available. And everyone I have met on the Megabus have been great.
The Negatives: It can also be expensive. If your trip is planned ahead of time each way can cost as little as $ 5. If you wait to book it until 2 – 3 weeks beforehand or even less, each way can be as high as $ 40 – 60 (not much of a savings if you drive an efficient vehicle). Also on my last trip, the bus was 1.5 hours late and the air conditioning system was half broken. Usually not a problem, except when its the middle of the summer and its 99 degrees outside.
I’m a big fan of Megabus, their cost and their fairly good efficiency. I would recommend taking it if you want/​need to take a trip to Chicago, Indy or Pittsburgh and have a good 4 – 6 weeks at least to plan ahead. With that you can get a fantastic deal (think roundtrip for about $ 10 – 30). Hope this helps.

From Cincinnati, Megabus’ most popular destination is to Chicago, but there is also service to Indianapolis (en route to Chicago), and Columbus (where the overnight service through to Chicago ends/​begins). But this May, Megabus added service to Pittsburgh, meaning more service between Cincinnati and Columbus.
Now, megabus doesn’t have all the amenities that Greyhound does, such as an enclosed station, seating area, restrooms, food, or the option to buy tickets in person. And the service to/​from Columbus is less frequent withe megabus — nor is there service (direct, if any) to other cities, like Dayton, Cleveland, Louisville, Lexington, Atlanta, etc.
However, the pluses of Megabus: fares as low as $ 1 each way. You can travel to Columbus or Indy for less than $ 20 each way, and to Chicago for less than $ 50. — all cheaper than Greyhound. I also find the passengers and staff of megabus to be nicer, cleaner, and the buses to be nicer as well. Plus, there’s wifi and power outlets on board the buses! Chicago trips use double-​decker buses, sure to be fun in itself!
Not to mention, the Cincinnati megabus stop is right downtown, at 4^th and Race– more convenient to destinations downtown such as hotels, restaurants, shopping, and sporting events — as well as Metro bus lines. There’s places to eat in the basement of the Tower Place food court, and lots of other places within a short walking distance from the stop. Greyhound’s station is on the fringe of Downtown, next to the casino site– it requires transferring to another Metro bus route from the center or a pretty good hike (though not way too far).
With Chicago’s extensive transit system, you won’t need to drive around the city, so why pay the price to park the car? Of course, someone else is driving: you can sleep, read, sit back, and not worry (so much) about tolls and traffic. I’ve used megabus for same-​day trips too, even to Chicago, which saved me from having to get an expensive hotel room– after all, you can sleep on the bus!
UPDATE: I used Megabus out of Cincinnati to travel to New York City in late January. However, there is no direct route between the two cities — but you can connect easily between two separate routes via Pittsburgh underneath the Convention Center. I booked in late December, using their 200,000 free seats promotion. I didn’t get free seats for the Pittsburgh-​NYC portions, but did for the Cincinnati-​Pittsburgh part. Total fare was $ 45.50 — NOT BAD!
The wifi was iffy throughout the journey. It was inconsistent traveling between Cincinnati and Pittsburgh, and bit more reliable from PIT to NYC. However, I don’t think it worked at all on the trips back home to Cincinnati. Also, the power outlets were a little iffy at times. Except for the driver between Cincinnati and Pittsburgh, who was pretty bossy (we’re paying customers, not military cadets), I found the the staff to be generally friendly.
In Pittsburgh, you cannot go into the Convention Center to wait/​keep warm/​use the bathroom, nor the Wesitn nearby. But, at least during the day, there are some fast food places within short walking distances to do that. When in NYC, keep in mind that the bus drops off and picks up in different locations, so plan accordingly, both are pretty close to subway lines.
So, my last trip had its hits and misses, and ended up downgrading my review by one star… but I still highly recommend Megabus, whether to/​from Cincinnati, or elsewhere that they serve!

Megabus was probably the best decision I’ve made in the last 6 months. Over Easter weekend I went to Chicago from Friday to Tuesday, and I was not looking forward to the drive or paying for parking. I looked around for cheap flights, and obviously found none. I pulled up Megabus’ web site literally about 12 hours prior to departure and Cincy to Chicago tickets were $ 43 each way. I pay more than that to fill up my gas tank (and I drive a MINI). I’d have to fill it at least 2x for a round trip to Chicago. Upon arrival in Chicago, I get to the hotel, and per day parking fee was $ 49. So I saved about $ 250 in parking charges alone!
The trip there took about 5:45. Considering it usually takes about 5 hours anyway, this is not much longer. You stop in Indianapolis for passengers, and 1 – 2 other times at rest areas/​truck stops, and it drops you off at Union Station, and you have taxis, buses, el trains all at your disposal from there.
The ride is akin to an airlpane seating-​wise. It’s a double decker bus, so it’s kind of weird when you pass a semi and you’re looking down at the driver. There’s wifi and actual electric plugs for recharging phones or powering DVD/​laptops, etc. You can just sit back and relax while someone else deals with all the traffic, toll booths (easy pass!-no waiting in long lines), weather conditions, etc. It was really crappy weather in N. Indiana, and I was reading a newspaper and listening to my iPod, not white knuckling the steering wheel with a death grip. No need to fuss with a map, wondering if you took the wrong exit. Let someone else worry about that.
I can’t tell you enough about how great it was, and I saved a TON of money, relaxed all the way there, slept on the way back, and if I’d bought my ticket earlier, it would have been even cheaper. I’m never driving to Chicago again!!!