How to Ride Cheap on Chinatown Buses
The first Fung Wah buses were mini-vans that provided transportation to Chinese immigrants from Chinatown to boroughs of New York City for a dollar in 1997. Bus service expanded to daily runs from New York to Boston. Budget-minded New Yorkers quickly learned that they could ride round trip to Boston for $20 (at that time) and the popularity of Chinatown bus lines has grown steadily ever since.
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Instructions
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Forget about a bus terminal. In most cities Chinatown buses do not operate out of a terminal, but from curbside. The ticket "office" may be little more than a desk in a storefront. In New York, the Lucky Star bus stop is at 69 Chrystie Street, at the corner of Chrystie and Canal Streets in Chinatown in Manhattan. The Fung Wah bus leaves from Bowery and Canal Streets in New York.
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Buy your tickets online if at all possible. Experienced Chinatown bus riders say its best to purchase your tickets in advance online, which avoids the language barrier issue that can occur between English speaking riders and Cantonese speaking drivers.
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Keep an open mind. If you are a picky traveler, you may not enjoy this ride. On the other hand, you are going to/from New York or Boston for $15 each way. That's a savings of about $7 to $10 compared to other bus lines.
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Become familiar with the stops. Although the stops are not listed on the schedule, Chinatown buses en route to Boston or New York generally make at least one stop at the halfway point, usually in Meriden or Manchester in Connecticut. Passengers have about 15 minutes to grab something to eat and/or use the restroom. The buses stop at fast-food establishments such as Roy Rogers or McDonald's, but may also stop at an all you can eat Chinese buffet restaurant.
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Tips & Warnings
Fung Wah means "magnificent wind' in Cantonese.
Despite recent improvements in services, Chinatown buses are still a work in progress. Passenger complaints against these bus lines have included frequent bus breakdowns and zero amenities for travelers on some buses. You might get a newer bus with plush seats and TV screens or an older bus with barely working air-conditioning.
The Fung Wah Bus line has had several accidents in recent years related to poor vehicle maintenance and driver error or fatigue. The company has also been cited for regulatory violations by the Federal Motor Carrier Administration.
