It has been a long winter, but spring break is just around the corner. Thankfully, the affordability of bus travel makes going home for spring vacation an easy feat, even on a student’s budget. You can cut costs even more with a few simple yet effective steps. Follow these insider tips to save on spring bus tickets to and from campus.
Plan Strategically
Bus rates follow the rules of supply and demand. When demand goes up, the supply decreases, which results in rising rates. Fortunately, you can utilize this to your advantage by strategically booking tickets.
Select the Least Busy Departure Times
To save on spring break bus tickets, choose the least busy travel times. Commonly, travelers opt for the most convenient time slots, which tend to be mid-morning or early afternoon. As a result, early morning or late evening bus departures are usually the least populated, which translates to lower costs.
Choose Travel Days Carefully
Along with time, the days of travel will affect pricing. During the rest of the year, Tuesday and Wednesday are the least popular travel days. But the combination of holiday and winter break schedules alter this timeframe, at least for departures.
For your trip from campus to your spring break destination, try to choose a day or two after classes finish for the semester when most students have already left. If your testing schedule allows for it, book your departure a day before the last day of classes. This arrangement will prevent you from getting stuck in the exodus of students leaving town.
On the way back, the majority of the travel rush is over, so your biggest competition is other student travelers. Fortunately, most of them will want to arrive on the weekend or the Friday before classes start. As such, stick with the traditional mid-week bus travel days for the best prices.
Book Bus Tickets Early
Once you’ve nailed down the best travel days and times, buy your bus tickets as soon as possible. The demand for tickets only grows the closer the date gets. This sentiment applies year-round, but the increased number of people traveling during the spring break season inflates the rate even more. To score the best deals, you need to avoid the last-minute rush and book your trip sooner rather than later.
Use Your Resources
On top of strategy, keep your eyes open for other savings opportunities. There are a variety of ways to score reduced rates on bus travel. However, you need to keep your eyes peeled, do your research, and utilize all your resources.
Student Discounts
Many bus carriers offer discounts for student travelers. For instance, Greyhound offers up to 10% off year-round for pupils who sign up for their Student Advantage Discount Card. A lot of campuses also partner with providers to offer their students reduced rates. Reach out to your campus student services department to find out which opportunities are available to you.
Seasonal Promotions
In some cases, the savings are location-specific. For instance, a carrier may reduce pricing on seasonally underutilized routes. As a result, you can end up booking cheap bus tickets to many destinations that are more popular during summer travel. Sign up for booking companies’ and carriers’ newsletters and alerts to learn about deals as soon as they drop.
Compare Pricing
To ensure you get the best deal, it’s vital that you compare carrier prices. The easiest and most effective way to accomplish this is through an online booking platform. By the time you navigate multiple carrier websites, the prices may have already changed. With using bustickets.com, you can compare the prices side-by-side in real time to ensure you get the most budget-friendly deal.
Don’t Overlook Group Travel Options
Some universities offer charter bus trips from campus to popular metro areas within the region. If this option is available at your school, you may reduce your overall bus travel costs, even if your home isn’t one of the designated stops. The school-sanctioned charter bus is likely to offer a reduced rate, so you’re already cutting expenses. In large cities, like New York City, bus tickets are incredibly affordable because of the large number of carriers that service the city. As a result, you score even more savings by booking a connecting bus trip to home from wherever the charter stops.
Save Big on Your Spring Bus Tickets Today
Ready to escape campus over break? Save on your spring break bus tickets at BusTickets.com. Our online booking platform allows you to compare prices and trip options from your dorm, classroom, library, or wherever you happen to be on campus. Simply tap or click to book your bus tickets today!
