Californians have a new travel option this summer with the return of Megabus and its famous $1 fares.
The company announced earlier this month that, starting May 15, Megabus would run three trips daily between seven cities: Anaheim, Los Angeles, Bakersfield, Fresno, San Francisco, Oakland and Sacramento.
“We’re excited to be back in California,” Colin Emberson, VP of commercial for Megabus, said in a news release. “Our customers have eagerly been awaiting our return and we’re happy to be able to provide a new network of travel options just in time for the summer rush.”
But what about those seemingly too-good-to-be-true $1 tickets?
A quick look at the website Friday confirmed that while it may not be easy, one can indeed book a $1 ticket. The 11-hour trip between Sacramento and Los Angeles costs $69.99 daily until June 24, when the price falls by $68.99 for the 3 a.m. departure.
A Megabus representative told Nexstar that if you want to score a $1 ticket you should book well in advance as the uber-cheap tickets are reserved for the first two or three people who buy tickets for that particular trip. If you see the $1 fare, jump on it, the representative advised.
Unfortunately, there are booking fees that get tacked onto the $1, but you can minimize them by buying your ticket online ($3.99) instead of by phone ($7).
When it comes to last-minute bookings, competitor Greyhound’s prices varied, with some one-way trips in May priced below $69.99. Buying early to ride in July or August unlocked some trips costing $50.99, but there didn’t appear to be any fares in the single digits.
