Transportation Irritation
 "If you see this logo on the side of a truck, then you are being followed by THE WOLF!" Location: Norton, MA
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Yes, I know that rhymed. xD Anywho, plans are made, and a budget has been set and is in the process of being built. Both me, and a friend of mine are going to AC' 08. ^^ However, here's the thing. My friend doesn't want to fly. It's not that he has a fear of flying; it's going through the hassles of security, and the fact that you're limited to what you can bring. So we're taking...*ques drum roll*.... Greyhound Bus Lines! Okay, so we've found something more comfortable, and cheaper. Now here's the problem. It's going to be an 18-hour ride, and we're going to have to take the red-eye ride. Yup, from 5 PM one day, till 1 PM the next, we'll be on the road. So here's what I am curious about: Do the buses that do long routes like that have either a 110 AC, or a 12v hookup? Because we're both bringing SO MANY things with us. Nintendo DS, portable DVD player, and even quite possibly a PSP. It'll be a long ride, so I want to make sure we're well equipped. xD Oh, and according to my ESTIMATED [not exact] calculations, there is about 41 weeks left until AC 08. xDD |
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From http://www.greyhound.com/travel_information/bus.shtml:
"Radios, laptops and other electronic items may be carried on board, provided that they do not disturb fellow passengers and that headphones are used. (External power outlets are NOT available on Greyhound buses.) Greyhound buses are not equipped for movies on board, although some connecting carriers may offer this service."
I fly a lot. Security is not that big a hassle provided you know the rules and pack smart.
1) Have any liquids and gels in a 1-quart ziplock bag (no bigger, no smaller, must be ziplock). Nothing in that bag may be more than 3 ounces. Most drug stores sell "airline approved" sizes of nearly anything you'd need.
2) Be prepared to take off your shoes.
3) Take your laptop out of its case.
4) Take all the metal out of your pockets; remove any bigass Texas-style beltbuckles; take off any big metal watches; take the cel phone off your hip; pat down your pockets to make sure you got everything.
5) Put all of the above on the conveyer. There is no excuse whatsoever for setting off the metal detector.
Personally, that seems to me like a better choice than 18 hours on a bus.
Also, many airports have one or more airline club lounges. Usually those are for stuffy, pompous business-sorts like me, but most people don't know that a one-day membership is anywhere from $25 to $75. Some of them even have an open bar once you get in. :9
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permalinkLocation: In a small little box in your small little mind.
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I'm going to have to side with Uncle Kage here. Not only are you saving yourself the huge headache of being on a bus for 18+ hours, but its actually a lot more comfortable. By a lot. Don't get me wrong, Greyhounds are nice and all, but Less time + beautiful view + free snacks & drinks + other things out weighs the slight problem of security.
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permalinkLocation: Philadelphia area, PA
Yah. What he said. And leave yourself some extra time to get through, just in case something bizarre happens. I always try to get to the airport 1.5-2 hours ahead; that way i can pick up my ticket, check my stuff, and get through security without feeling rushed, and i can just curl up at the gate and read for whatever time remains.
You can't carry so much as a bottle of water in with you, but you can buy one once you get past security, so it's not so bad. And as much of a pain as it is to not have some of the stuff you'd like to have with you--i normally carry a swiss army knife and have to remind myself to toss it into my checked bag--it's really only for a few hours, which makes things a lot less stressful. When i can get a direct flight, that's even better, though layovers really aren't a big deal as long as i leave myself some time to grab a meal and find the next gate.
And one other security thing--make sure you have your ID with you someplace easily accessible. It doesn't sound like much to many people, but being a person who doesn't drive, i always have to check that it's in the right place.
I don't know of any long-distance mass transportation system that offers outlets en route. The local trains in philadelphia have a couple if you know where to look, but i don't think the amtrak ones do. And the airlines don't have any on the planes, but they do have a few around the gates if you need to recharge stuff. There's often a tv at the gate, though it almost always runs newsreels.
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permalinkLocation: Norton, MA
Hmm... this might be a bit of a challenge then.
I thank you UnckleKage for the info. Though a friend of mine did say there was a bus that MIGHT have had a 12-volt power hook-up, but meh. Perhaps for another company.
And the other reason we decided to take the bus is it's a lot cheaper. Trying to get to PA on a VERY limited budget is no fun. v.v
But alas, it'll all pay off once my foot enters that big revolving door of the Westin....and gets jammed.
"Don't be a wierd boy." ~ Exile, Road Rovers
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permalinkCorrection: Many Amtrak trains do have working electrical outlets. The Pennsylvanian (NY/Philly to Pittsburgh) had them this year. Obviously, I can't promise there'll be one where you're sitting or that it will work...
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The Amtrak trains do generally have have outlets on them. There were quite a few furs watching DVDs on laptops on the ride in 2007. Even if not every car has them, there will usually be some cars that do. You might not get the outlets on the first try, but hey, magic, unlike the bus or airplane, you can CHANGE SEATS!
Some of the big stops the train will be full so if you get on ther, you'll have to take what you get. But after a stop or two, you'll be able to switch and find more agreeable seats.
Coming down from MA by train is a bit of a haul but there's nothing saying you have to do it all at once. If you have some online pals along the Eastern rail corridor, you can go part way, spend an evening crashed at a pal's, then continue on the rest of the way.
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permalinkLocation: Ardmore, PA
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Bring lots of rechargeable batteries.
Seriously, I have about 8 pairs of rechargeable batteries for my various electronic devices (camera, TV remote, Wii controllers, etc.), so that I can power each of those items and have a few spares. It's turned out to be a great investment.
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permalinkLocation: Kansas, USA
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Good question--thanks for reminding me that whatever I bring needs to be rechargable/not used for long.
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permalinkLocation: San Angelo, Tx, USA
As much as I want to side with kage the thing is that some of us are poor folk
I'm gona most likely be bussing to ac next year. from where i live to pa its $144 where as if i were flying it would be over $700. While planes do offer many good things buses are cheep, and (at least for me) cheep isn't to bad.
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My husband and I took the Greyhound for AC '06. Leaving Winnipeg, Canada at 6 am and arriving two days later at 11 pm.
We would have made the same trip again for '07 except we were unable to attend. However for '08 we will be doing the Greyhound trek once more.
1) Alot of the Buses are older versions and will not provide movies for you sadly. HOWEVER, a good majority DO have places for headphones and offer radio stations. Keep your volume at a reasonable level so as not to disturb other passengers.
Keep ALL your valuables on your person at all times.
The buses do not have hook ups for laptops and the like, but the Terminals offer places where you can recharge batteries on laptops and various other electronics. My husband and I had a portable DVD player we used non stop and just charged it at the stops.
Try not to bring too many fancy things along with you. Not only because you will have alot to carry already when you switch buses and such, but also to prevent any losses or possible thefts. Traveling by bus, though cheaper, is not as secure as Flying or traveling by your own vehicle.
Remember to stay safe and keep a good eye on all your belongings, especially your luggage when it goes under the bus into stowage.
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permalinkIf you're interested, Amtrak serves the following cities in MA:
Amherst, Boston, Framingham, Haverhill, Newburyport, Pittsfield, Springfield, Woburn, Worchester.
Using Boston as an example, if you were travelling from Boston to Pittsburgh and back, you could take Boston to Washington DC, or Boston to Philly, and Philly to Pittsburgh.
And back.
The lines are the "Regional" (MA to DC or NYC or Philly),
"Capitol Limited" (DC to Pittsburgh or Chicago),
or the "Pennsylvanian" (Philly to Pittsburgh).
The shortest trip seems to be the Regional to the Pennsylvanian- going from MA to Philly, and from thence to Pittsburgh.
Times can vary from about the same as the bus, to about 4 hours faster, and the trains are LUXURIOUS compared to the bus. It's comfier than flying coach, for that matter. And the Pittsburgh train station is about 2-3 blocks from the Westin. Pricing is more than the bus, but less than flying.
Up to you how you want to travel, but if I only had bus or train to choose, for a trip that long, I'd take the train. Myself, I take the Pennsylvanian for an all-day trip (About 11 hours from NYC to Pittsburgh, first stop to last stop.) I like to nap at least 1/2 the trip, travel comfortably, and arrive walking distance from the hotel. Then again, if I lived further away, I'd consider flying to be a serious option, and skip buses.
Up to you how you want to travel there.
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permalinkFrom where I live, Greyhound is about my only long-distance travel option, besides driving. The nearest airport is 100 miles away, and the nearest Amtrak is 60 miles away. As a person who's used to long road trips, I don't find Greyhound that bad, though. It also gives me an excuse to visit a few places I might otherwise not see!
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permalinkOr you can Greyhound it to a city on Amtrak's Regional line, and Amtrak it from there.
(Regional to Pennsylvanian.)
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Just adding my two comments worth here.
Some planes do have 12 Volt outlets in them, but they require a special connector, not a cigarette lighter type. This is not hard to find though, many places will have it, but you need to be prepared.
$700 for an air ticket? You may want to take a "hybrid" approach; drive a bit to a city where you can get a good fare, maybe even a non-stop flight. Just remember to include parking at the airport in your calculations of cost.
Jovina
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You can tell if you will have a power outlet (and yes, the airlines did decide to use some goofy connector that you have to buy a special adapter for) at your airplane seat by visiting http://www.seatguru.com
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permalinkHoly cow, that's a useful Web site. Thanks for the link.
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permalinkprobably so people wouldn't bring cigarette lighters on planes and start smoking and they are child proof i bet
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permalinkLocation: San Angelo, Tx, USA
Yes, $700 for an air ticket. I would have done the hybrid approach but the problem is that my 18th birth day fell on the day of the con and my parents wouldn't allow me to do anything other than fly unless I had someone going with me, sadly theres only about 3 other furs in town and none of them went to ac.
p.s. I'm in the middle of nowhere Texas btw.
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permalinkWhat's your closest airport? And is there another you can reach reasonably?
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permalinkLocation: San Angelo, Tx, USA
other than the one intown, witch only recently got its second teminal, the closest airport is a half day drive away and my rents wouldent take me, my friends couldent take me, and i have no car
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Hmm horribly inconveniant that
Well, AC '08 is a good ways away yet. Keep a watch on the airline pages for ticket discounts and such. if one pops up, you can always Greyhound to the airport, which is nice and inexpensive (and i've yet to find a greyhound that DOESNT go to the airport) Then fly from there.
The Greyhound is not bad though. Our tickets to fly to AC would cost us $1400 EACH. And two of us need to go. So Greyhound is much much cheaper...we also snag a discount from My father in law, who is the dispatcher for Beaver Bus lines and tours and happens to know everyone at greyhound. Yes...we cheat
I wish you luck and hope to see you next year at AC. Dont get too stressed about it though. Little blessings can pop up when you least expect them
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permalinkLocation: Ardmore, PA
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$1,400? Where are you flying from? o.O
A friend of mine flew over from Europe to attend the con, and his tickets were only about $1,000.
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permalinkYeah, that was my question... where are you flying from?? I fly to London, England without much trouble for $600 round from Detroit. Before the move, it cost us about $250 to fly from Detroit to Philly.
Course were assuming you're not flying, say, first class.
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"Not Unlike the Toaster, I Control the Darkness"
-- Abby Normal, "You Suck"
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permalink"My husband and I took the Greyhound for AC '06. Leaving Winnipeg, Canada at 6 am and arriving two days later at 11 pm."
perhaps they have allot of luggage and are charged more
shoot im in GA and i could drive up there for less than that i bet
few friends and i car pooled to AC worked well for us no luggage restrictions just a few gas stops probably do the same this year
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Lol i would prefer car pooling, but sadly there are very few individuals in our area that go...well catually none really. And our car is pretty craptacular and wont go that far.
So We use Greyhound. it cost us $200 for the both of us to go to AC there and back *woot for discounts* So it's ALOT cheaper for us.
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Lol no not flying first class. I'm flying from Winnipeg Manitoba Canada. When i was trying to find flights there was literally nothing available that was cheap since we had missed all the ticket fairs. And since there are no flights that leave from winnipeg to go to the states, we have to make side connections to toronto and the like.
This year it would cost us $700 each which adds up $1400. Compared to the $200-$300 we would only pay for Greyhound, it is definately a much preferd choice. We dont mind the Greyhound really. Last time we ended up stuck in Chicago for 10 hours on the way home, but it was rather nice. We toured around the city and saw many awesome sights. Since we had never ever been to chicago it was alot of fun. We even caught an asian festival.
Though an abnormally long trip, altogether it wasnt bad and allowed for us to catch up on all the sleep we missed during the con.
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permalinkLet me try again.
What is the NAME of the airport you can reach?
See, if you tell me the NAME OF THE AIRPORT, then MAYBE, just MAYBE, I or someone else may find a cheaper way for you to fly there. (We have many smart people here.)
If not, you've lost nothing by telling us the name of the airport.
So, would you care to pass along the name of the airport?
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permalinkLocation: San Angelo, Tx, USA
sorry, the local airport is Mathis Field (sjt) the closest major airport is gona be the san antonio international airport
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permalinkLocation: Ardmore, PA
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Ah, no wonder the fare is so high -- you're flying out of a local airport. It's much cheaper to get some form of transportation to the international airport.
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permalinkLocation: San Angelo, Tx, USA
As i said in a previous post, I would have done it differently IF i could have but due to the situation at the time i was un able to.
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permalink"$700 for an air ticket"?
Dunno where you're checking.
Travelocity's showing roundtrips starting at $351 each,
with a plane-change at Dallas/Ft Worth.
SJT (San Angelo) to Pittsburgh.
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