Bus travel is underrated. Here's what to know about this cheap, sustainable way to travel

Travel days can be draining, packed with long waits and lines – maybe even a delay or disruption. Benjamin Fields said he avoids these headaches by traveling on a bus.

"Flying seems quicker, but you go to the airport, you go through security, if you go to another country, through customs – it's a lot of time you don't realize," the 27-year-old PhD student and teacher based in Tulsa, Oklahoma told USA TODAY. "I think (bus travel) is quicker and more efficient. It's easy, too; you show up to your bus, and it leaves in 20 minutes."

Fields goes on a bus trip twice a month, often visiting his uncle who also lives in Oklahoma, when he doesn't feel like driving himself. When he attended college in Ithaca, he visited cities like Toronto by bus.

Most people think of hopping on a flight when going on a long-distance trip, but buses are an underrated way to travel that can be friendlier to both your wallet and the environment.

Save money with train travel: If you live in this US region, a train ride might be cheaper than a flight

For trips between 200 and 500 miles – like between New York City and Washington, D.C. – intercity buses are not only significantly cheaper than buying a flight but have much "lower greenhouse gas emissions per trip" compared to personal vehicles or air travel, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation, Climate Change Center. Taking the bus over a flight can reduce a traveler's carbon footprint by up to 77.5%, a 2023 Wanderu study found.

"Intercity buses are often overlooked, but they’re one of the best ways to travel affordably, comfortably and sustainably," said Kai Boysan, CEO of Flix North America, which also owns Greyhound. Together, Flix and Greyhound operate North America’s largest intercity bus network, connecting over 1,600 destinations across the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

From 2022 to 2023, FlixBus ridership surged by 36%, and the bus service is seeing a trend among last-minute bookings for weekend getaways to national parks and ski towns.

Here's what to know about bus travel.

What are the benefits of bus travel?

Many travelers find intercity buses a convenient, accessible way to move between cities. A bus ride from downtown New York to downtown Philadelphia is estimated to be 27.9% faster than traveling to the airport and taking a flight, according to data by the Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development at DePaul University.

New York City-based content creator and frequent bus traveler Nick Portello, 23, recommends this mode of travel for trips of five hours or less.

Whenever Portello visits his alma mater in Boston, he prefers to take the northeast bus service, OurBus.

"I love it as opposed to flying and even Amtrak," he told USA TODAY. "The most obvious reason is the price – a round trip bus ride between Boston and New York is often less than $50." A 2023 CNET analysis of median cost per mile for popular U.S. travel routes, like between New York and Chicago, found buses to be the cheapest option compared to planes, cars and trains.

He also likes how bus pick-ups and drop-offs are centrally located within cities, eliminating the need for additional transportation to the airport. On a recent trip to Philadelphia, his bus dropped him off near his friend's apartment.

"It's a very relaxed experience that allows you to look at the New York skyline through the window seat," Portello said. Scheduled rest stops allow travelers to grab food, use the bathroom and stretch their legs for a few minutes. All Flix buses feature free Wi-Fi – compared to paying on most U.S. airlines – and power outlets at each seat.

Buses also help make travel more accessible by linking rural communities to major cities, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. They accommodate passengers with mobility issues, with wheelchair lifts and priority seating on every bus. Greyhound bus drivers are trained to assist passengers with disabilities and offer boarding assistance and wheelchair storage, FlixBus said.

While intercity bus travel is already a sustainable option, the industry is working to become greener, with Flix committed to being carbon-neutral by 2050. The company is piloting zero-emission technologies like electric and solar-powered buses along with using AI-powered technology to come up with the most efficient driving routes.

Popular bus routes in the US

• New York City to Washington, D.C. – from $62

• Los Angeles to Las Vegas – from $90

• Boston to New York City – from $50

• Seattle to Portland – from $52

• Chicago to Minneapolis – from $91

• Miami to Orlando – from $53

• Dallas to Austin – from $53

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bus travel is cheaper, more sustainable. Here's why you should try it.