The bus trip horror stories are out
there. The ones where you simply want to get away for the weekend, but instead
get stuck in a layover in Harrisburg, turning a four-hour drive into a 20-hour
ordeal.
But with a new express line from York
to New York City, these trips might become a lot easier and frequent for
Pennsylvanians.
According to Greyhound's website,
one-way tickets -- for trips that can take 8 hours or more to get New York City
-- cost between $60 to $90. This new service will offer tickets for half that
price and get you to NYC in about four hours.
OurBus
will offer express bus services from York, Lancaster, and surrounding
Pennsylvania areas to Manhattan starting Sunday.
"We are definitely excited about
this," York city spokesman Philip Given said. "There are express
buses from Washington and Philadelphia, but this region of the state has been
neglected."
Lancaster is the largest city in the
Northeast lacking intercity bus service, with residents relying solely on the
train, said Erica Prince, senior operations coordinator at OurBus -- and
round-trip tickets on Amtrak are typically more than $100. NYC to York Bus
“We’re dedicated to offering
low-cost, reliable and efficient bus service to cities across the US that have
been historically under served by limited transportation options,” Prince said.
OurBus has partnered with
Lancaster-based Executive Coach collaborating on bus routes, pickup locations
and service times.
Compared to other express bus lines
such as Megabus or Fullington Trailways, Prince said OurBus is different
because of its roots as a tech company -- they offer an app on which riders can
purchase tickets and track arrival times.
Buses often have some stigma
surrounding them, said Dale McMichale, owner of Executive Coach.
"People think of them as
cramped, or smelly, or they think of the yellow school bus they rode in grade
school," McMichael said. "But our buses are new."
They offer restrooms, wifi, charging
ports and free bottled water, Prince said.
Buses pick up and drop off in
Manhattan near Madison Square Park.
Monday through Saturday, the bus
departs from 53 East North Street in York at 6 a.m., and on Sunday departures
are set at 8 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Returning to York from New YorkCity, a bus departs at 3:20 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and at 2:20 p.m.
and 7 p.m. on Sunday.
Riders in York and Lancaster will be
offered $10 one-way promotional fares through July 14 to celebrate the launch
of the new bus service serving Southern Pennsylvania with additional stops in
Malvern, King of Prussia and Fort Washington, Prince said.
