Best Transportation Options for Traveling US

1. ## Introduction

   
   
   
   

   Thousands of miles of roads stretch across the United States, and thousands of miles of railroads do too. Traveling across the US and taking in all the natural beauty of this country can be difficult due to the different geographic regions, as well as the remote areas such as the Great Basin and other desert areas. With all these routes and landscapes being different, what is the best way to travel through them all? Taking a car is the answer for traveling through most of the US, but there are parts that can only be reached by using a train or airplane. This project will be a comprehensive guide to all forms of transportation for traveling through the United States, covering all of its parts and providing the best experience from the trip in the process. In this extensive guide to traveling through the United States, a variety of topics about traveling from one place to another will be discussed. Some of the topics that will be presented include the travel options that are available, the most affordable way to travel, the best and most scenic routes to take within the US, and even some travel tips on what to do if the traveler wants to take public transportation across the country. This allows those who want to take that trip across states to be knowledgeable about their travel options. They can then use this knowledge to plan a trip or a vacation not only in a correct way but also in an efficient and smooth manner.

   
   
   
   

   ## Air Travel

   
   
   
   

   ### Pros and Cons of Air Travel

   
   
   
   

   Air travel is arguably the quickest and most efficient way of traveling across the United States. A flight from Los Angeles to New York takes around six hours on average, including weather and traffic congestion. However, some flights may take up to 14 hours or even more if you have a layover and a connecting flight. Nonetheless, the main drawback of air travel is the fact that your time is pretty much wasted between airport security checks and the time the plane takes off. While it might take even longer to travel by bus or train, not to mention by car, the overall experience is not as fast for people who take their time to sightsee and enjoy the journey. The benefits of air travel are found in the time saved, and in the fact that a coast-to-coast flight will not require more than a few good hours of your schedule. Also, there are many direct flights serving the major cities in the United States. Additionally, if you are traveling on a budget, there are plenty of low-cost carriers to choose from, so you can rely on these service providers and get to where you need to as soon as possible.

   
   
   
   

   ### Major Airlines in the United States

   
   
   
   

   Is air travel really the best option for taking a vacation? If you're someone who is on a tight budget, then the obvious answer would be no. However, if you have the money to spend and you want to reach your destination the fastest way, then why not? For residents of cities with airports, in many instances, a flight to a beach resort or skiing region is the quickest, easiest, and most direct way to get to your destination. Of course, even for people who don't live near an airport, making a connection at the town with the airport on the way to the vacation spot is still usually the most rapid method of travel.

   
   
   
   

   Using the car, bus, train, or boat for getting to a vacation more often than not requires sleepovers. And even when breaks in the driving are minimized through the use of several drivers, fatigue is still something to be seriously considered in lengthy journeys. With air travel, arrival at the locality of the favored destination is accurately at one's doorstep. Moreover, even though people always complain about airline charges, fares have really come down over the last 30 years. In fact, the absolute fare for many city pairs is cheaper presently in nominal dollars than it was a long time ago. Today, although it is true that we have to pay high or exorbitant prices for travel during a holiday season, for most of the year, the prices of flying are quite competitive.

   
   
   
   

   ### Tips for Booking Affordable Flights

   
   
   
   

   The United States is home to some major airlines, giving travelers a number of options to fly within the domestic territory or just stepping across the borders to Canada or Mexico. The list is certainly not exhaustive, as the United States is home to many other smaller carriers, but these are probably the most popular choices when traveling. The airlines are all very competitive, especially in the way they price their tickets. Operating from large hubs across the region, passengers often enjoy a selection of departure times, served by the competition to keep the ticket prices down. By air, U.S. airlines usually feature reservation procedures for local airlines as well, such that travelers can book their entire round trip to any destination beyond the hub affiliated with the same operating airline at the same time as their first flight. For destinations that are two hours or direct flights, travelers usually take longer to get off the plane and stretch. If regional airlines are booked, travelers must check their baggage again to board their next flight. Large regional airlines from several major hubs usually carry through checked baggage.

   
   
   
   

   ## Road Trips

   
   
   
   

   ### Benefits of Road Trips

   
   
   
   

   When searching for flights, start as early as possible to guarantee the largest selection and best prices. Sometimes waiting until the last minute does pay off; the same companies that enjoyed high traffic for nearly a year now have to fill their flights to capacity. Book your flights online. Airlines typically offer a lower price online than through other reservation methods. If you are unable to make reservations online, call the airline or a travel agent and tell them you would like to make a reservation. Then make sure the online fare is indeed the cheapest.

   
   
   
   

   When selecting flights or paying for your ticket, try using a credit card that offers mileage accumulation or other frequent-flyer bonuses. When you book online, some airlines offer a bonus for selecting tickets that can save traveling expenses. When choosing a seat, try to select one near the center of the aircraft since it is said that these are less subject to turbulence. Even if you have nontransferable tickets, you may still be able to find someone for your seat and sit together.

   
   
   
   

   ### Planning the Perfect Road Trip Route

   
   
   
   

   Road trips in the United States are a classic way to see the states. With thousands of miles of roadway from coast to coast, you can take a couple of weeks or a couple of months crossing tons of major landmarks. For road trips, you need a car. You can rent one, take your own, and drive across the country. There are often one-way rental fees or drop-off charges with rental cars. Check the fine print. Road trips can be an expensive way to travel. Expenses like tolls, gas, and hotel stays add up. Of course, road trips offer a great deal of flexibility in terms of schedule. You can come and go exactly as you please, provided you’re back to work or school on time. Remember to bring guidebooks, maps, GPS systems, and other tools to ensure you can navigate from state to state. And bring games and other types of entertainment, especially for those with children, as hitting the road for days at a time can become not only boring but also frustrating. Be sure to take lots of breaks so you don’t get tired, and so you can ensure you see as much of America as possible. Finally, always have a plan B wherever you’re headed, because plans have a way of changing every day you’re out on the road.

   
   
   
   

   ### Must-Visit Roadside Attractions

   
   
   
   

   Road trips allow you to create your own surreal experiences, such as just driving in the middle of nowhere, listening to your favorite podcasts, having picnic lunches while looking at incredible scenery, and visiting places that are otherwise impossible to reach. The US has some of the most scenic drives in the world, such as Arizona’s Route 66, California’s Pacific Coast Highway, and Alaska’s Inland Passage, just to mention a few. The Great American road trip tradition makes for a great family adventure, whether doing it alone or with friends. With so many attractions lining the US states among incredible scenic landscapes, from mountains and forests to semi-arid deserts, seascapes, and islands, you get to sample America in its many diverse regions, climates, cultures, and activities depending on your interests.

   
   
   
   

   There are numerous tourist centers and landmarks along these highways that let you sleep on the road in some of the most in-demand motels, holiday villages, comfort motels, and cabin guest houses. Road trips allow you to make interior travel arrangements and find discreet attractions, such as mountain getaway hideaways and food and wine routes, while still staying within the recommended driving range during vacations. There are ample rest spots where one can pull over and stretch, hear the birds sing, and take in views and cultural exhibits along the way. Not to mention, road trips offer vast opportunities to meet interesting characters, experts, and others interested in swapping stories, getting rare time together with a vacation partner. Plus, at the end of a long day of hiking and driving, nothing beats a warm meal and a good night’s sleep in a well-known American inn.

   
   
   
   

   ## Rail Travel

   
   
   
   

   ### Overview of Amtrak Services

   
   
   
   

   Traveling a long distance by train may not be the most expedient manner of reaching your destination, but it is one of the most pleasant. Many of the great train stations in the United States are over a century old, and the surrounding neighborhoods are usually teeming with bakeries, pubs, and bookshops that cater to rail passengers on their way between destinations. Several of the most famous trains in American history are no longer in service, but the trains that remain continue to connect the nation from one side to another. The most popular trains are operated by the government and are subject to more stringent travel regulations than the others. This means that the trains are unlikely to be very late but are also much more likely to sell out of tickets and accommodations. To ensure that you get your top pick of boarding time, type of accommodations, and direction in which to face your reclining seat, book your ticket well in advance. Also, arriving half an hour before the scheduled departure time is essential, even if your friends tell you that in the past the train has always boarded at five minutes after the official departure time.

   
   
   
   

   ### Popular Train Routes in the U.S.

   
   
   
   

   The current Amtrak train fleet is a mix of modern high-speed trains and rather traditional rolling stock that differs on various routes. Overall, it provides a scenic travel experience with increasing comfort over other transportation options the further you move into the first-class segments. To incorporate your train travel into your overall trip experience, you should book a trip where the train ride provides a significant benefit. There are three types of routes available on the Amtrak network. The long-distance routes provide various classic vacation destinations like Seattle, Portland, New Orleans, Orlando, and Miami in the South, and Los Angeles and San Francisco in the West.

   
   
   
   

   The Northeast Corridor is a hub that provides the main urban centers in the East and is part of the congressionally recognized 'shortest possible route.' Special trains that often have names like the Downeaster, the Piedmont, the Keystone Service, and the Vermonter provide additional services between major hubs. The modern high-speed trains running on the routes are called Acela and set the benchmark for how Amtrak can perform on this infrastructure in terms of travel time, service level, and comfort. The traditional train services provide different travel classes. In general, all classes come with luxury and customer services. However, they include more or fewer benefits that exclude some Amtrak partnership offers that provide additional benefits. Before choosing a certain travel class, avoid being affected by what is written about the route and journey length. The high-speed trains and long-distance routes come with various daylight route offerings, which provide additional scenic value.

   
   
   
   

   ### Luxury Train Travel Experiences

   
   
   
   

   Being that the United States spans a great distance and covers a vast area, the drive from coast to coast is 3,000 miles – and that is short of crossing the border to each coastline. The length of travel and its location from some corners of the country to others warrant flying. The distances between cities make traveling by bus understandable too. But those different city and countryside locations are rewarding for train travel just as well. One needs to decide if train travel is the best mode of transportation serving their desired route, or if bus travel or flying are more suitable. To help guide with that decision, these are the most popular train routes with endpoints traveling from west to and through the middle of the country to east, or back again.

   
   
   
   

   The first popular train route is the California Zephyr. This Amtrak line travels from Emeryville, California to Chicago, Illinois, passing through Salt Lake City and Denver, Colorado along the way. This train line is known for offering the most spectacular scenery of the USA; it is a sightseeing train. Passengers are treated to breathtaking views of the San Francisco Bay, a ride up the Sierra Nevada mountain range into Nevada, then past gold country, the magnificent views of the Rocky Mountains inside the front range and along the Colorado River in DeSoto Canyon National Recreation Area. The views from the rails during wintertime are just extra special, which makes the trip all the more enjoyable. The next popular train route is the Southwest Chief. This train travels from Los Angeles to Chicago, passing through Albuquerque and Santa Fe, New Mexico along the way. This route travels through deserts, past grass prairies, in front of mountain peaks, and along the canyons of the Indian land. The Chicago-Los Angeles train is called the Southwest Chief; a destination-specific name. The California Southwestern route is part of the Big Game route, which runs from southwest to Chicago. It goes through the Rocky Mountains and Colorado Plateau. During the day, the Chief passes through the Sacramento Valley, the San Joaquin Valley, Albuquerque, and the high desert. At night, passengers travel through the snow-capped peaks in Colorado, the grass prairie, across the central region, and past the large centers of the national community.

   
   
   
   

   ## Bus and Coach Services

   
   
   
   

   ### Greyhound vs. Megabus

   
   
   
   

   You may be transported in one of the few remaining dome cars in the country for the amazing views they afford – all while enjoying some of the best meals you have ever had. There is also an observation car with floor-to-ceiling windows, unique bench seating, and areas that rotate 180 degrees so you can be in the optimal place for watching America’s astounding views. And this is just the “Standard” class of service option – the Voyage (Super-Dome) class is by far the ultimate experience. All cabins have been created by taking two adjoining cabins and creating one larger suite with beds converting from first-class recliners to nighttime queen-size sleepers. Sleep in style in your own room in the observation car that has been remodeled to accommodate two passengers – with two amazing views of America’s countryside. The room is now set up for private white tablecloth dining from unique bench seating and more – this is your opportunity to be totally pampered in the rail experience of a lifetime. These units can also be used as semi-permanent facilities at locations with existing tracks that can support them.

   
   
   
   

   ### Regional Bus Companies in the U.S.

   
   
   
   

   Coach service serves many locations outside of the major cities. Service is also offered from local cities to major cities. This service is usually the cheapest of all transportation modes since bus ride fares are dependent on how close to the date the ticket is purchased. It gets more expensive as the date draws closer, so buy the bus tickets in advance! Most bus rides are scenic, the buses are more comfortable than ever, and allow you to rest, save on overnight accommodations, reach destinations in the heart of the city, or better yet, start some great bus travel friendships. Remember, schedules and services may have changed from the time that this guide was written. Be sure to talk to, or visit, carriers' stores or use for detailed information regarding scheduling, pick-up, and drop-off locations and times, and flexibility and restrictions on tickets. If you can line bus service up to a destination and have little to no wait time, it's in your best interest to go with bus service.

   
   
   
   

   ### Tips for Comfortable Bus Travel

   
   
   
   

   Greyhound and Megabus are two of the most popular bus service providers in the United States. A route comparison between the two is important for anyone hoping to make a trip across the country. While in the past, Megabus had a limited number of routes and mainly catered to regions in the Midwest, East Coast, and Northeast, it has since re-expanded. Its buses have brought back many of the old routes previously facilitated by its competitors, making it an important transportation option once again. Megabus offers different types of bus fares, including early bird, youth, senior discount, children and military discounts, group travel discount, and a discount for reservations with other bus companies such as Greyhound.

   
   
   
   

   Greyhound, on the other hand, is still the most expansive bus service provider in the United States. It lacks the schedule flexibility of its competitors; however, it can still guide you to rural areas and small towns with a population of two thousand or less, while Megabus could only get you as far as a major city. Greyhound also has other products that other bus companies do not offer. The BoltBus is a partnership between Greyhound and Peter Pan. The company has a negotiated corporate partnership program that features online reservation management and other valuable features for the frequent traveler or companies sending many employees out to work. It also has the option of traveling with your bike to locations like New York City, Sacramento, Montreal, and Miami. Since Megabus and Peter Pan offer the service to Boston, you might also have the opportunity to travel to Portland and Seattle with Greyhound’s bike service as they do not.

   
   
   
   

   ## Rental Cars

   
   
   
   

   ### Top Rental Car Companies

   
   
   
   

   In the United States, traveling by bus is a popular option. More than 50 public bus companies across the country offer their services to passengers traveling within the 27 states. The buses connect city centers as well as travel from city to city. The quality and price of the buses vary greatly, so keep in mind that most buses are not comfortable VIP ones. Bus terminals are also not found so often; the airports are usually the main terminals. For regional services, a ticket can be easily booked. When you are on a long trip, don’t forget to have plenty of comfort food, charge the gadgets, and remember to bring a small pillow to have a good sleep when you are on the bus.

   
   
   
   

   The biggest bus companies include Greyhound, best for travel across the country; Peter Pan Bus Lines, which is popular in the East and Midwest; BoltBus, in the western states; Jefferson Lines, which is recommended for routes between the Midwest, East, and South. And finally, there is Megabus – a popular bus carrier in the Midwest, East, and South. The Megabus has amazing ticket deals of only $1; you have to be lucky to get a ticket, though, as there is a limited number for each route. Keep an eye on your email to receive promotional offers.

   
   
   
   

   ### Choosing the Right Vehicle for Your Trip

   
   
   
   

   Keep the items you'll need for the journey within easy reach, since large luggage must be stowed in the containers under the bus (you cannot get to them during the trip). It's a good idea to pack a small bag or backpack with toiletries, a book or electronic device for entertainment, a sweater or small pillow, and snacks. Taking frequent breaks on longer bus rides means being prepared to do so in comfort. Layering clothing, bringing an eye mask and earplugs, and staying hydrated are additional ways to help ensure bus travel is as relaxing as possible. Crossing the country by bus can be hunger-inducing, and for many passengers, there aren't very many dining options. If you're concerned about spending too much money on fast food, are following a special diet, or just want better meal options than what the bus company provides, consider packing your own meals and snacks.

   
   
   
   

   Preparing for bus travel is different than for airline or train trips. You can significantly reduce the discomfort factor on long-distance bus trips by making some small efforts to be prepared