Amtrak vs Greyhound: Which is Better? (Prices, Comfort, Delays)
🚂 🚌 Amtrak vs Greyhound: DECIDING which to travel with?
Most travelers choose to either drive to their destination or fly when exploring the US. And while there are plenty of hacks for airline travelers out there, there are more transportation options than just car or plane to get from point A to B!
That’s where trains and buses come in.
What if you wanted to take a scenic train ride through America’s west coast from San Francisco to Seattle? Or, instead of driving yourself, take a bus from Detroit to Philadelphia?
If these scenarios sound enticing, then keep reading! For travelers who are seeking less expensive and more hassle-free modes of transportation for their adventures, this is where Amtrak and Greyhound shine!
For a detailed comparison between these two alternatives, I asked another fellow U.S. travel blogger, Michael DeFranceschi, from the site Michael Visits All, to help out!
Amtrak vs. Greyhound – Is Amtrak or Greyhound better?
If the idea of riding a train during your travels sounds like something out of a Harry Potter novel, then you should look into Amtrak!
Amtrak is the national passenger railroad company of the United States. Unlike flying, where you have several options for which airline to fly (e.g. Delta, Spirit, American, United), Amtrak is practically unrivaled, in that it has no national competition.
Of the 48 continental states in the U.S, Amtrak operates in 46 (sorry to those in South Dakota and Wyoming!).
If traveling by bus is more your speed, then you should look into Greyhound.
Greyhound is the largest bus service in the United States. As of 2023, Greyhound operates in 34 of the 48 continental United States though it usually has more stations in each state than Amtrak.
And now– for the big question: is Amtrak or Greyhound better?
Well, it’s difficult to say which service is holistically “better” than the other. In this article, we’ll compare and contrast Amtrak and Greyhound on a variety of factors, such as price, comfort, amenities, and rewards programs.
Price Comparison
The first metric pretty much any traveler investigates when they compare different modes of transportation is… no surprise, the price.
Let’s first compare the costs of Amtrak and Greyhound against an airline. For the airline, we’ll select Delta– the main reason being that Delta offers a lot of domestic nonstop flights.
Example #1 for a Price Comparison
For the route, we are looking at Detroit, MI to Chicago, IL.
At the time of this writing, this is the result for the first round-trip flight available on Delta Airlines departing on April 9, 2023, between these two cities:
We see it is $292. Now, here is Amtrak’s pricing from their website with the same parameters:
For the same trip, the total cost for Amtrak is $80– a $212 save from flying on Delta.
Here are the results with the same parameters for Greyhound, booking directly off their website:
The total for Greyhound ends up being $82.97– only $2.97 more than Amtrak.
To Summarize:
- Delta Flight Cost: $292
- Amtrak Cost: $80
- Greyhound Cost: $82.97
Example #2 for a Price Comparison
Let’s do one more example. We’ll use the same dates and also start with Detroit, as we did last time.
The only change is that this time– we’ll select a city a little further away. Let’s have our destination be Charlotte, NC.
So, we have $547 to fly from Detroit to Charlotte. What about taking the train from Detroit to Charlotte?
$536 for Amtrak– only a $9 difference. And what about Greyhound?
For Greyhound, we get $232.98. In this case, definitely much cheaper than both flying and Amtrak!
For cities with greater distances between them, Greyhound appears to be the better choice when only looking at price.
To Summarize:
- Delta Flight Cost: $547
- Amtrak Cost: $536
- Greyhound Cost: $232.98
Rewards Program Comparison
What about the rewards programs that Amtrak and Greyhound offer?
For instance, when you fly on most airlines, accumulating enough points is a great way for you to eventually fly some trips for free! Amtrak has a rewards program called Amtrak Guest Rewards. Greyhound had a rewards program called Road Rewards but discontinued it as of December 15, 2022.
With Amtrak Guest Rewards, you earn two points per $1 spent. If you travel business class, you will earn a bonus of 25% more points. First class travels earn a bonus of 50% more points.
TAKEAWAY:
If you frequently use Amtrak, then in the long run, Amtrak could win on price since some train rides could be free (due to rewards). Otherwise, Greyhound has a slight advantage if you’re only looking at price.
Is Greyhound or Amtrak more Comfortable?
While Greyhound has a slight advantage over Amtrak when only looking at price, Amtrak wins by a stretch when examining comfort.
🚌 Greyhound
Let’s start with Greyhound.
The seats themselves on a Greyhound bus are fairly comfortable. They are made of leather and the seats also recline. And, unlike in an airplane, Greyhound assigns two seats per row so you do not have to worry about being sandwiched between two strangers in the middle seat.
As for the distance between the two seats, some passengers may feel as if the passenger next to them may be a bit too close (which is similar to a plane). Legroom isn’t particularly spacious, which is especially important to know if you happen to be a tall traveler!
For long trips on Greyhound, the best way to optimize for comfort is to get a window seat. It’s a lot easier to sleep since you can lean up against the window.
Greyhound doesn’t offer “business class” or “first class” like an airplane does. The seats on the bus are all virtually the same.
🚂 Amtrak
Now, we’ll direct our attention over to Amtrak.
Like an airplane, Amtrak offers separate classes. There are three that are typically offered: coach, business, and first.
Let’s first explore a Coach class seat.
The seats in coach class are noticeably more comfortable than the seats you’ll sit in on a Greyhound bus. The seats recline and there is much more legroom available. A wide armrest separates you from the seat next to you so if you sit next to a stranger, neither of you will feel as if you’re invading the other’s personal space.
What’s Business Class on an Amtrak train like?
To be honest, it’s hardly any different from coach. The difference in comfortability of the seats isn’t really all that noticeable. Legroom is about the same. Unless you want to have a business meeting on Zoom and need the extra quiet or something while you travel, business class is hardly worth the increase in price.
Last, we look into the comfort level of a first class seat on Amtrak.
Well, like the business class seat, a first class seat on Amtrak is not that much more comfortable. If looking at comfort alone, upgrading to first class would not be worth it.
Amtrak Upper vs Lower Levels
Did you know that on some Amtrak trains there is an upper level and a lower level? We didn’t either until we started riding the trains!
So, which of the two levels is more comfortable?
There is slightly more sway on the upper level so if you’re prone to motion sickness, it might be better to sit in the lower level.
However, if you sit on the lower level and are close to the door, you may experience sudden changes in temperature when the door opens. Imagine the door opening when you’re on the train in Chicago in January or in Phoenix in July. It could be a bit much!
It really just depends on which of these two disadvantages you can tolerate more.
Amtrak Private Rooms
But wait! You think we’re done when talking about comfort on Amtrak! Not yet– there is one more thing we need to bring to your attention.
What if we told you that you can get a room… with a bed... on an Amtrak train!? This is also something we totally did not expect would be available on a train!
There are two different rooms you can get: a roomette or a bedroom. The roomette is fairly small and could be considered a claustrophobic nightmare to some, but it can accommodate two people.
TAKEAWAY:
Overall, we feel confident saying that Amtrak triumphs over Greyhound when it comes to comfort.
Which has better Amenities?
As to whether Greyhound or Amtrak has “better” amenities, we’ll first write out the amenities offered on each and compare them.
🚌 Let’s start with the amenities offered on Greyhound.
Greyhound is surprisingly quite accommodating on luggage storage. You can store three bags underneath the bus (the first bag being free) and also store additional luggage in an overhead compartment above your seat.
In addition to having generous luggage storage, Greyhound buses also have air conditioning, one onboard bathroom, individual power outlets (though some seats don’t have them…), and free wifi.
🚂 Now let’s walk through the amenities offered on Amtrak.
Regarding baggage, Amtrak gives you the option to bring up to four bags (that’s a lot to pack!) — the first two being free and the other two at a cost of $20 per bag. Your carry-on bags must be under 50 lbs and adhere to a size requirement. You are also permitted to have two personal items as long as they are 25 lbs or less and adhere to a size requirement.
Each Amtrak car has its own bathroom, individual power outlets, air conditioning, and free wifi.
And that’s not all. For comparison’s sake, here are two amenities you’ll have on an Amtrak train that you won’t on Greyhound: bike storage and food/drinks served onboard.
With the exception of only a few routes, all passengers, regardless of which class your seat is in, are offered Café service— which includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner options, snacks, and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. If you are in a private room or first class, you even have complimentary food & drinks.
Oh, and one more note about the WiFi: we generally find the WiFi on Amtrak more reliable.
TAKEAWAY:
When it comes to amenities, Amtrak wins this one. There’s just far more offered onboard compared to Greyhound, making it a more enjoyable trip.
Amtrak vs. Greyhound – Travel Time & Delays
If you were asked whether a bus or train could go faster, which would you pick?
Amtrak’s trains have a speed of 110 miles per hour to 145 miles per hour. Greyhound buses travel at around 70 miles per hour.
Obviously the routes are not the same for a train and bus. Additionally, trains and buses usually make multiple stops along their routes, which drastically increases travel time.
So, to get an idea of whether it’s faster for someone to take Amtrak or Greyhound, let’s look at two trips and compare their durations.
Example #1 for Travel Time Comparison
Let’s first compare a trip from Ann Arbor, MI to Pittsburgh, PA– which takes around 4.5 hours if you drive by car. First up, let’s look at Amtrak…
Between almost 9 and 19 hours (!!) if you take Amtrak. Let’s see how long it takes if you take the bus…
One of the bus trips takes about 9 hours, compared to Amtrak’s almost 9 hours.
Example #2 for Travel Time Comparison
Let’s try a shorter trip: Portland, OR to Seattle, WA, which takes about 2.5 hours if you drive by car. So, let’s see how long it takes on Amtrak…
About 3.5 hours. Not too bad! And now, Greyhound…
So we range from 3 hours to 3.5 hours. The bus is potentially a little faster!
Comparing Delay Times
What about delays for Amtrak vs Greyhound?
🚌 Greyhound
Well, Greyhound’s are easier to imagine. A bus uses the same roads and highways that cars and trucks use so construction, accidents, and general stop-and-go traffic can potentially lengthen the time or delay of a Greyhound trip.
Regarding weather, a Greyhound bus will definitely be slowed down due to heavy snowstorms and rainfall.
🚂 Amtrak
What about Amtrak? You may think that a train would not experience traffic the way a bus can. However, this isn’t true unfortunately.
Amtrak shares the same railroad tracks as freight trains. Even though Amtrak, a passenger train, by federal law should have preference, it rarely plays out that way. In recent years, Amtrak’s on-time arrivals have generally been decreasing, with the worst state being Michigan.
Bad weather wise, Amtrak is affected much less. A train’s speed won’t be changed due to snow or rain. However, a downed tree or damaged power lines from an intense storm will temporarily stop a train.
In our opinion, it would be fair to expect a delay ranging from 30-60 minutes on both modes of transportation.
TAKEAWAY:
Who wins here on times & delays? By a slim margin, we think Greyhound.
Which has better Network Availability?
As mentioned earlier, Amtrak operates in 46 of the 48 continental US states whereas Greyhound operates in 34 of the 48.
However, Greyhound generally has more stations in each state it operates in versus that of Amtrak.
So, depending on where you live, it may take a few hours to reach an Amtrak station whereas you may have a Greyhound station much closer by.
TAKEAWAY:
Who has the better network availability? Since Amtrak operates in 12 more states than Greyhound, we’ll say Amtrak slightly wins over Greyhound in this area.
Is Amtrak or Greyhound Safer?
Considering that an Amtrak train can carry far more passengers, more lives would be affected in the event of an accident. However, it is more likely a bus would be involved in an accident due to traffic and/or weather, as opposed to a train.
One more note. As we discussed earlier, Greyhound is slightly cheaper for shorter trips. We’re not trying to be critical here, but simply pointing out that the lower price could potentially attract some unruly passengers who otherwise might not be able to afford a train ticket.
TAKEAWAY:
For safety, we’ll go with Amtrak as the safer option since weather conditions can easily impact the safety of Greyhound buses and their drivers.
FAQ: Traveling with Amtrak vs Greyhound
No. Due to being on rails, it’s smooth traveling when on Amtrak! However, if you do sit on the upper level of a train, you may feel more sway from the car, which could irritate passengers prone to motion sickness.
Somewhat, unless you’re used to sleeping upright in a chair. It may be a little easier to sleep on a Greyhound bus if you have a window seat, as you can lean against the window.
No. Just like an airplane, where the seats are divided by class, some seats are more expensive than others. Also, you have to manually select (or get assigned) a seat. On Amtrak, it operates in the same fashion. You pick your seats when you order a ticket online.
We’ll pick Amtrak for this one. Since the seats are a little more comfortable, the ride is not bumpy, and you get more amenities, Amtrak has an overall better ride quality. It may cost a little more, but as many things in life, you get what you pay for.
Honestly, Amtrak and Greyhound both are quite easy to board! Neither has an advantage or disadvantage in this area.
Restrooms are present on both Amtrak and Greyhound. On Amtrak, each car has its own bathroom so there is one bathroom per all passengers on that particular car. On Greyhound, there is only one bathroom onboard for all passengers.
However, unlike Amtrak, a Greyhound will sometimes stop at a rest station.
Final Thoughts: Amtrak vs. Greyhound – Which Should You Take?
We know that was a lot of information to take in so let’s summarize our findings from this article!
Amtrak wins when considering comfort, amenities, network availability, and safety. Greyhound wins on travel time and (in the short run) price. However, since Amtrak gives you two points per trip with its rewards program, in the longer run, Amtrak would then also win on price.
So overall, Amtrak provides a far better traveler experience. This is not to say that Greyhound is awful, though, but when comparing the two there is a clear winner.
Hopefully you’ve learned all about the similarities and differences between Amtrak vs Greyhound from this and are ready to make your decision. As a side note, we suggest you buy your ticket(s) for either of these options as soon as possible as prices rise rather quickly!
Let us know what you think below: who do you prefer to take to get from point A to B?
