Californian Zephyr - are winter delays usual?

Hello, first post.

Want to make a land trip in February / March 2013, coast to coast and back again. We'll use a mixture of Greyhound and Amtrak as having previously spent a week on the Greyhound and met such a great mix of people I want to repeat that alongside a first time on Amtrak. We have friends in the US and will stop by for a couple of days at each, near Chicago and northern Florida.

We'll arrive in NYC and travel by Greyhound to Chicago. From there the the Californian Zephyr to San Francisco, then along the coast via I think the Starlight? to Santa Barbara. From Santa Barbara the long journey by Greyhound to Jacksonville (although was tempted by the Sunset Limited to New Orleans then bus). So far all well and good.

Speaking with a friend yesterday evening who had made 3 Amtrak rail journeys a couple of years ago and he mentioned to allow some time between each leg of the journey as there may be delays on arriving somewhere. We are not factoring in too much lay over time except with our friends, it's a journey for the sake of travelling and meeting other travellers with the sense of being on the move much of the time, not a sightseeing trip.

It then occurred that crossing the Rockies in winter may cause a delay if a storm comes in or particularly heavy snowfall.

Does anyone know how Amtrak handle bad weather for the Denver to San Francisco section of the route, for example if they just take it in their stride or if it can cause long delays? Anyone with detailed knowledge or who has travelled this route in winter?

Thank you for such a good resource, how would us rail virgins manage without this forum.

On the Zephyr the winter delays would more likely happen between Reno and Sac due to high snow fall, but it just depends on how much snow falls this winter.

Winter weather can cause severe delays for the CZ. If you check www.dixielandsoftware.com you can usually get accurate and easy-to-folllow info on delays. Right now the weather dosen't seem too bad on the forecasts over there but they could get a lot worse. I've spotted 8-hour-late CZ trains during wiinter and there's also that story of the 26-hour-late train, but that was hampered by a collision with a car.

Generally Amtrak trains manage quite well in snow and winter weather, and if the train is stuck for hours, you can be rest assured you would be no better on Greyhound or even on a flight as they get cancelled in most cases much before Amtrak throws in the towel.

California to Florida by Greyhound? Wow! I am sure never in my life will I be able to gather the courage to be on a bus for THAT long a journey. I can probably manage in a train, but in Greyhound, naah!

Texan Eagle said:

Generally Amtrak trains manage quite well in snow and winter weather, and if the train is stuck for hours, you can be rest assured you would be no better on Greyhound or even on a flight as they get cancelled in most cases much before Amtrak throws in the towel.

California to Florida by Greyhound? Wow! I am sure never in my life will I be able to gather the courage to be on a bus for THAT long a journey. I can probably manage in a train, but in Greyhound, naah!

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If I were the OP, I would be willing to do that bus trip but I would want some overnight stops in the middle in a hotel. Probably one night in DLD.

Thanks everyone, it's probably not as bad I thought it could be.

Appreciate that weather predictions are not possible but it's how Amtrak cope with regular winter weather at high elevation and if we would get delayed by days rather than hours. It's interesting that the Sierra Nevada (is that the correct mountain range?) range would have more or at least more sudden snowfall than the Rockies, hadn't occurred to me but at a guess because it's closer to the Pacific?

I'm with you on getting stuck on a train rather than a bus, especially as this trip I'll travel with my wife where the first Greyhound was on my own. Getting stuck in the snow on an Amtrak starts to sound like the Agaths Christie murder mystery story!

The long Greyhound trips are a bit crazy, but learnt more in one week about the US on the Greyhound than I had in 3 or 4 flydrives previously. On the Greyhounds I used there were people from all over and all types, all using the bus for different reasons, but mostly as travelling by bus was the only way that were or could travel to where they were going. This was a year after 911, there were many wealthy people who were afraid to fly and the Amtrak didn't go where they needed to go. The mix on the buses was amazing which I guess has changed now?

Would it be correct to say that people ride the Amtrak long distance trains more for pleasure than getting from here to there? If that's so there's probably a different mix of people to the Greyhound? We are really looking forward to riding with Amtrak, trains are very special and one of our very best journeys ever was years back on a night sleeper from Marseille to Calais in France, was so interesting could hardly sleep.

Yes the trip across the south is very long, 65 hours on the route we have chosen. The purpose is to get to the end and know that we have made (for us) an epic journey across the US. When we get to Jacksonville we will be whisked away to our friends house and made a fuss of, it's pretty near to a permanantly deserted beach so a great contrast. We are no longer young so want to do as much as possible while we can, and for as long as the money holds out.

My first LD train trip was to go visit my daughter and SIL in Utah. I considered that trip 3 vacations in one. The train, the layover in Chicago and, of course, the visit with family. I would still say, though, that I used the train as a mode of transportion, not as a destination in itself.

I do like to fly, but not for longer than 2-1/2 - 3 hours (flying home from Utah last year and then flying to/from Utah this year was just a tad more time than I was comfortable with). I like take offs and landings, but get bored with just sitting up there (which is why I prefer a window seat). So, if I have the time & money, I will look to take the train whenever possible as a mode of transportation.

v v said:

Thanks everyone, it's probably not as bad I thought it could be.

Appreciate that weather predictions are not possible but it's how Amtrak cope with regular winter weather at high elevation and if we would get delayed by days rather than hours. It's interesting that the Sierra Nevada (is that the correct mountain range?) range would have more or at least more sudden snowfall than the Rockies, hadn't occurred to me but at a guess because it's closer to the Pacific?

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The Sierra Nevada are famous for the heavy snowfall, measured in feet rather than inches. The railroad is kept clear, though, and if there are delays they are a matter of hours not days. There was one famous incident of the City of San Francisco becoming snowbound back in like 1953, but that was very much the exception and hasn't happened again to a passenger train.

However, with that said, the route is over Donner Pass. Since it sounds like you are not from the U.S., you may want to look up what happened to the Donner Party, after which it was named. http://en.wikipedia....ki/Donner_Party

" you may want to look up what happened to the Donner Party, after which it was named. http://en.wikipedia....ki/Donner_Party "

Thanks zephyr17, feel a whole lot better after reading that. Hope it hasn't become an American custom if you are delayed on the pass.

Donner Pass and the stretch between Roseville and Truckee are perhaps some of the most interesting and challenging miles of American railroad , especially in the Winter when the snow comes down by the yard. Much of the snow removal equipment including the Big Rotaries and the various Flangers and Spreaders can be seen in the Roseville Yard and some great videos on YouTube show this stuff in action. And if you can locate an Altamont Press California Timetable or another similar timetable/atlas, it makes the trip through there that much more interesting.

v v said:

" you may want to look up what happened to the Donner Party, after which it was named. http://en.wikipedia....ki/Donner_Party "

Thanks zephyr17, feel a whole lot better after reading that. Hope it hasn't become an American custom if you are delayed on the pass.

Click to expand...

Well there is a monument to the Donner Party in Donner Pass. . . at a picnic area.

v v said:

Yes the trip across the south is very long, 65 hours on the route we have chosen. The purpose is to get to the end and know that we have made (for us) an epic journey across the US. When we get to Jacksonville we will be whisked away to our friends house and made a fuss of, it's pretty near to a permanantly deserted beach so a great contrast. We are no longer young so want to do as much as possible while we can, and for as long as the money holds out.

Click to expand...

Hey, could you tell me your itinerary? Greyhound has gotten better recentely with new and refurbihed buses. My favourite bus is on my avatar, the D4505. Those buses have been spotted running Houston-Miami, so I thought you might want to know. My favourite Greyhound route is St. Louis-Phoenix, don't know if you've taken that one.

v v said:

Thanks everyone, it's probably not as bad I thought it could be.

Appreciate that weather predictions are not possible but it's how Amtrak cope with regular winter weather at high elevation and if we would get delayed by days rather than hours. It's interesting that the Sierra Nevada (is that the correct mountain range?) range would have more or at least more sudden snowfall than the Rockies, hadn't occurred to me but at a guess because it's closer to the Pacific?

I'm with you on getting stuck on a train rather than a bus, especially as this trip I'll travel with my wife where the first Greyhound was on my own. Getting stuck in the snow on an Amtrak starts to sound like the Agaths Christie murder mystery story!

The long Greyhound trips are a bit crazy, but learnt more in one week about the US on the Greyhound than I had in 3 or 4 flydrives previously. On the Greyhounds I used there were people from all over and all types, all using the bus for different reasons, but mostly as travelling by bus was the only way that were or could travel to where they were going. This was a year after 911, there were many wealthy people who were afraid to fly and the Amtrak didn't go where they needed to go. The mix on the buses was amazing which I guess has changed now?

Would it be correct to say that people ride the Amtrak long distance trains more for pleasure than getting from here to there? If that's so there's probably a different mix of people to the Greyhound? We are really looking forward to riding with Amtrak, trains are very special and one of our very best journeys ever was years back on a night sleeper from Marseille to Calais in France, was so interesting could hardly sleep.

Yes the trip across the south is very long, 65 hours on the route we have chosen. The purpose is to get to the end and know that we have made (for us) an epic journey across the US. When we get to Jacksonville we will be whisked away to our friends house and made a fuss of, it's pretty near to a permanantly deserted beach so a great contrast. We are no longer young so want to do as much as possible while we can, and for as long as the money holds out.

Click to expand...

I admire your sense of adventure, and your stamina, to embark on such a trip. When I was a lot younger, in the late '60's, I traveled to 49 states mostly by bus, but some rail also. You obviously carefully planned your schedule, which is important now. Compare to your trip in 2002, Greyhound has drasctically cut and eliminated vast route segments and schedules.

As for riders....Greyhound is, in the words of one of its former CEO's, "the bargain-basement of public transportation". Its demographics echo that fact. Quite a difference from Amtrak. If I were in your place, I would seriously reconsider taking the Sunset to New Orleans instead of the bus.

As for the California Zephyr, I think overall it's probably more reliable end to end in winter for the most part, than in the spring when it is often disrupted by flooding across Iowa...

For your long distance train trip, click on "deals" and rail passes. The 30 day USA Rail Pass is only $669 for 12 segments.

Leaving Santa Barbara I would take a Pacific Surfliner to Los Angeles on either Sunday or Wednesday getting on the Sunset Limited at 10 PM. Take the Sunset Limited as far as San Antonio and then Greyhound to Jacksonville Florida.

I have ridden enough buses to know that I prefer trains whenever it is possible.

A few people ride trains just for the thrill of riding the train and watching the scenery. I for one use trains to go see friends and family and sometimes National Parks. Our most recent trip was from Spokane WA to Cleveland OH where I rented a car for 11 days. We went to our daughter's wedding in Baltimore before we went back to Cleveland to get back on the Lke Shore Limited. We sat in the Cleveland station all night waiting for the LSL. It showed up at dawn several hours late.

From Chicago, we took the Empire Builder as far as Cut BAnk MT where we had a car rented to spend a day to see the east side of Glacier National Park.

I would not ride Greyhound or Trailways any farther than I had to.

Ispolkom said:

v v said:

" you may want to look up what happened to the Donner Party, after which it was named. http://en.wikipedia....ki/Donner_Party "

Thanks zephyr17, feel a whole lot better after reading that. Hope it hasn't become an American custom if you are delayed on the pass.

Click to expand...

Well there is a monument to the Donner Party in Donner Pass. . . at a picnic area.

Click to expand...

Now tell me you're kidding

Swadian Hardcore said:

v v said:

Yes the trip across the south is very long, 65 hours on the route we have chosen. The purpose is to get to the end and know that we have made (for us) an epic journey across the US. When we get to Jacksonville we will be whisked away to our friends house and made a fuss of, it's pretty near to a permanantly deserted beach so a great contrast. We are no longer young so want to do as much as possible while we can, and for as long as the money holds out.

Click to expand...

Hey, could you tell me your itinerary? Greyhound has gotten better recentely with new and refurbihed buses. My favourite bus is on my avatar, the D4505. Those buses have been spotted running Houston-Miami, so I thought you might want to know. My favourite Greyhound route is St. Louis-Phoenix, don't know if you've taken that one.

Click to expand...

Here's the link I'm using http://www.greyhound...nder/step2.aspx dating it for the 12 March 2013.

Start is Santa Barbara, CA and finish is Jacksonville FL. It will probably be the 06:00 am bus but the 08:10 pm is also a possibility. Sorry, couldn't find a way to link the actual page I have in front of me.

No haven't taken that route although did end up in Phoenix where I met up with my wife, she had just flown there from London. I was about 5 hours late getting to the airport and she had worried a little.

During the previous night having travelled from Denver to Kansas (I think) the outgoing westbound bus was full before we arrived in the depot. They had to find another bus to link up with another westbound and that took about 3 hours. Very interesting experience as there was a diner about 300 yards from the bus depot that I think, but not sure, closed until the next bus came in (the bus depot not the diner), but not a lot of street lighting to be had. The 6 or 7 of us walked across to the diner but being accompanied by a group of local young men.

I tried to chat with them and I think my accent amused them, but some in the party were a little worried and on later reflection thought it could have been a little different.

v v said:

Ispolkom said:

v v said:

" you may want to look up what happened to the Donner Party, after which it was named. http://en.wikipedia....ki/Donner_Party "

Thanks zephyr17, feel a whole lot better after reading that. Hope it hasn't become an American custom if you are delayed on the pass.

Click to expand...

Well there is a monument to the Donner Party in Donner Pass. . . at a picnic area.

Click to expand...

Now tell me you're kidding

Click to expand...

No, there's a state park with campsites, picnic tables, grills, everything you might like. I'll admit that the picnic areas are a bit away from the monument, but it's a great place to watch the trains snaking high above you up to the pass.

There's also an annual Donner Party Hike, which looks quite interesting. Why, though, does it have to include a barbecue lunch? Why not a corn feed?

Did you check on the USA Rail Pass? Does your Greyhound route go through Texas? I do remember a bus trip from San Angelo Texas to New Orleans ( 3 different buses). My first transfer was at San Antonio. The second transfer was in Houston.

When I got to New Orleans my luggage was not under the bus I was on. It caught up with me about 20 hours later.

The Greyhound station in New Orleans is in the same building next to the Super Dome as the Amtrak station.

The other option you could use would be the SW Chief back to Chicago and the "City of New Orleans" to New Orleans and take the Greyhound bus from NO to Jacksonville Florida.

v v said:

Swadian Hardcore said:

v v said:

Yes the trip across the south is very long, 65 hours on the route we have chosen. The purpose is to get to the end and know that we have made (for us) an epic journey across the US. When we get to Jacksonville we will be whisked away to our friends house and made a fuss of, it's pretty near to a permanantly deserted beach so a great contrast. We are no longer young so want to do as much as possible while we can, and for as long as the money holds out.

Click to expand...

Hey, could you tell me your itinerary? Greyhound has gotten better recentely with new and refurbihed buses. My favourite bus is on my avatar, the D4505. Those buses have been spotted running Houston-Miami, so I thought you might want to know. My favourite Greyhound route is St. Louis-Phoenix, don't know if you've taken that one.

Click to expand...

Here's the link I'm using http://www.greyhound...nder/step2.aspx dating it for the 12 March 2013.

Start is Santa Barbara, CA and finish is Jacksonville FL. It will probably be the 06:00 am bus but the 08:10 pm is also a possibility. Sorry, couldn't find a way to link the actual page I have in front of me.

No haven't taken that route although did end up in Phoenix where I met up with my wife, she had just flown there from London. I was about 5 hours late getting to the airport and she had worried a little.

During the previous night having travelled from Denver to Kansas (I think) the outgoing westbound bus was full before we arrived in the depot. They had to find another bus to link up with another westbound and that took about 3 hours. Very interesting experience as there was a diner about 300 yards from the bus depot that I think, but not sure, closed until the next bus came in (the bus depot not the diner), but not a lot of street lighting to be had. The 6 or 7 of us walked across to the diner but being accompanied by a group of local young men.

I tried to chat with them and I think my accent amused them, but some in the party were a little worried and on later reflection thought it could have been a little different.

Click to expand...

v v said:

Swadian Hardcore said:

v v said:

Yes the trip across the south is very long, 65 hours on the route we have chosen. The purpose is to get to the end and know that we have made (for us) an epic journey across the US. When we get to Jacksonville we will be whisked away to our friends house and made a fuss of, it's pretty near to a permanantly deserted beach so a great contrast. We are no longer young so want to do as much as possible while we can, and for as long as the money holds out.

Click to expand...

Hey, could you tell me your itinerary? Greyhound has gotten better recentely with new and refurbihed buses. My favourite bus is on my avatar, the D4505. Those buses have been spotted running Houston-Miami, so I thought you might want to know. My favourite Greyhound route is St. Louis-Phoenix, don't know if you've taken that one.

Click to expand...

Here's the link I'm using http://www.greyhound...nder/step2.aspx dating it for the 12 March 2013.

Start is Santa Barbara, CA and finish is Jacksonville FL. It will probably be the 06:00 am bus but the 08:10 pm is also a possibility. Sorry, couldn't find a way to link the actual page I have in front of me.

No haven't taken that route although did end up in Phoenix where I met up with my wife, she had just flown there from London. I was about 5 hours late getting to the airport and she had worried a little.

During the previous night having travelled from Denver to Kansas (I think) the outgoing westbound bus was full before we arrived in the depot. They had to find another bus to link up with another westbound and that took about 3 hours. Very interesting experience as there was a diner about 300 yards from the bus depot that I think, but not sure, closed until the next bus came in (the bus depot not the diner), but not a lot of street lighting to be had. The 6 or 7 of us walked across to the diner but being accompanied by a group of local young men.

I tried to chat with them and I think my accent amused them, but some in the party were a little worried and on later reflection thought it could have been a little different.

Click to expand...

Try this link http://extranet.greyhound.com/Revsup/schedules2/pageset.html.

It takes more effort than using the GL public website, but rewards you with much more detailed schedule information....

Santa Barbara to Fla on a BUS?

Please allow me to point out a couple of things:

Trains have more than one restroom - at least

One of them might be clean. And trains actually have acceptable food with choices of when you wish to eat.

If you are flexible enough, you can sometimes get

A room for a reasonable rate, which could make the trip almost bearable.

v v said:

Swadian Hardcore said:

v v said:

Yes the trip across the south is very long, 65 hours on the route we have chosen. The purpose is to get to the end and know that we have made (for us) an epic journey across the US. When we get to Jacksonville we will be whisked away to our friends house and made a fuss of, it's pretty near to a permanantly deserted beach so a great contrast. We are no longer young so want to do as much as possible while we can, and for as long as the money holds out.

Click to expand...

Hey, could you tell me your itinerary? Greyhound has gotten better recentely with new and refurbihed buses. My favourite bus is on my avatar, the D4505. Those buses have been spotted running Houston-Miami, so I thought you might want to know. My favourite Greyhound route is St. Louis-Phoenix, don't know if you've taken that one.

Click to expand...

Here's the link I'm using http://www.greyhound...nder/step2.aspx dating it for the 12 March 2013.

Start is Santa Barbara, CA and finish is Jacksonville FL. It will probably be the 06:00 am bus but the 08:10 pm is also a possibility. Sorry, couldn't find a way to link the actual page I have in front of me.

No haven't taken that route although did end up in Phoenix where I met up with my wife, she had just flown there from London. I was about 5 hours late getting to the airport and she had worried a little.

During the previous night having travelled from Denver to Kansas (I think) the outgoing westbound bus was full before we arrived in the depot. They had to find another bus to link up with another westbound and that took about 3 hours. Very interesting experience as there was a diner about 300 yards from the bus depot that I think, but not sure, closed until the next bus came in (the bus depot not the diner), but not a lot of street lighting to be had. The 6 or 7 of us walked across to the diner but being accompanied by a group of local young men.

I tried to chat with them and I think my accent amused them, but some in the party were a little worried and on later reflection thought it could have been a little different.

Click to expand...

As railiner said, you should use Extranet. I suggest that you transfer at Los Angeles, Dallas, and Houston to get the best buses. Avoid buses with the carrier code AAU, as those are often the bad G4500s.

v v said:

Sorry to ask so many questions, but is there a relatively accurate rail map of the Amtrak routes online? The only ones I've found are general or road maps that show rail lines when in close up only.

Click to expand...

I am assuming that you mean more accurate than the map in the Amtrak national schedule book.

I do not think all do, but most of the railroad companies over which Amtrak operates have their own system maps on-line. For these you would then have to figure over which line or lines the Amtrak trains run, but that can usually be done by matching up towns between the Amtrak schedule or map and the railroad company's map. BNSF has or had very detailed division by division maps on line. If they are not still there, send me your email address and I can email them to you. Warning: the files are large. These maps do not show roads. Union Pacific has a system map that gives low and high elevations on their system, which means for the CZ route you gett the top of the grade elevation for both the Moffet tunnel and Donner Pass.

As to delays in the mountains: Yes, the west side of the Sierras get a lot more snow than the Rockies. There was a case of an Amtrak train getting stalled for a day or so on the west side of Donner a few years back, but note that these events were over 50 years apart. The railroad has had over 140 years of practice in dealing with the snow falls on that section of line. I would rather use it across the mountains in the winter than try to cross these mountains on the parallel Interstate highway. In the summer the highway is quite a bit faster, but in the winter maybe not, and maybe even closed at times. It is far better to be looking out the window at the snow when riding on rails than when riding on pavement. It is entirely likely that the train through here could be on time or not severely late when a but would not be able to get through at all.

Coming east out of California to Jacksonville. I would go for the Sunset Limited across the southwest to New Orleans, then bus. The train only runs three days per week, and it is not the fastest on the system, but thanks to a lot of work by UP over the last few years, the days of it frequenty running hours late are gone. As someone else said, in New Orleans Amtrak and Greyhound use the same station. I think you would find some of the scenery from the train more interesting. In California you will at one point be going along the shore of the Salton Sea, which is the lowest elevation on rails in the US. It is below sea level. In the last couple hundred miles before New Orleans you go through the swamps of south Louisiana, This area is known as the Cajun country which is where the Brits exiled the French out of Acadia to on the basic theory that those not killed by Malaria would be eaten by the alligators. Entirely different group of Frenchmen in ancestry than those in New Orleans.

Thanks railiner, understand your and others point. The only reason I have a small doubt about the bus is because I'm travelling with my wife, but so far she wants to do what draws me to do it, guess she wants to share what's important to me? We do have a week or two to make decisions, and do thank everyone as all of your points are valid. We will talk it over in light of what is written here, but we both understand that it's physically very hard and at times uncomfortable. But I did something similar 10 years ago so know what to expect.

Did you check on the USA Rail Pass? Does your Greyhound route go through Texas? I do remember a bus trip from San Angelo Texas to New Orleans ( 3 different buses). My first transfer was at San Antonio. The second transfer was in Houston.When I got to New Orleans my luggage was not under the bus I was on. It caught up with me about 20 hours later.The Greyhound station in New Orleans is in the same building next to the Super Dome as the Amtrak station.The other option you could use would be the SW Chief back to Chicago and the "City of New Orleans" to New Orleans and take the Greyhound bus from NO to Jacksonville Florida.

Thanks Tom, the 2 rail journeys only cost under $500 plus the roomette charge for the 2 of us, so a rail pass would be more expensive for what we have planned. Think when I travelled Greyhound I was responsible to transfering my bag from one bus to the next, has that changed now?

Hey, could you tell me your itinerary? Greyhound has gotten better recentely with new and refurbihed buses. My favourite bus is on my avatar, the D4505. Those buses have been spotted running Houston-Miami, so I thought you might want to know. My favourite Greyhound route is St. Louis-Phoenix, don't know if you've taken that one.

Here's the link I'm using http://www.greyhound...nder/step2.aspx dating it for the 12 March 2013.Start is Santa Barbara, CA and finish is Jacksonville FL. It will probably be the 06:00 am bus but the 08:10 pm is also a possibility. Sorry, couldn't find a way to link the actual page I have in front of me.

Try this link http://extranet.grey...s2/pageset.html.It takes more effort than using the GL public website, but rewards you with much more detailed schedule information....

Thanks, I'll look at that shortly

irvirv said:

Santa Barbara to Fla on a BUS?Please allow me to point out a couple of things:Trains have more than one restroom - at leastOne of them might be clean. And trains actually have acceptable food with choices of when you wish to eat.If you are flexible enough, you can sometimes getA room for a reasonable rate, which could make the trip almost bearable.

Click to expand...

We've all got different purposes and different tolerances to different things. One purpose for us to travel anywhere is to try to remove as many 'toruist' barriers as possible, we hate being on the conveyor belt of tourism. We just want to do stuff as every day people do. It looks as though travelling a mix of Amtrak and Greyhound is an excellent way to see America, next time another road trip...So although there will be times when we will curse the decision to travel Greyhound, the positives will hopefully outweigh the bad. The US is a great country to visit, the whole spectrum of people are even better, and some travel Greyhound.Thanks for your opinion irvirv, but as said we are all different.

Swadian Hardcore said:

v v said:

Swadian Hardcore said:

v v said:

Yes the trip across the south is very long, 65 hours on the route we have chosen. The purpose is to get to the end and know that we have made (for us) an epic journey across the US. When we get to Jacksonville we will be whisked away to our friends house and made a fuss of, it's pretty near to a permanantly deserted beach so a great contrast. We are no longer young so want to do as much as possible while we can, and for as long as the money holds out.

Click to expand...

Hey, could you tell me your itinerary? Greyhound has gotten better recentely with new and refurbihed buses. My favourite bus is on my avatar, the D4505. Those buses have been spotted running Houston-Miami, so I thought you might want to know. My favourite Greyhound route is St. Louis-Phoenix, don't know if you've taken that one.

Click to expand...

Here's the link I'm using http://www.greyhound...nder/step2.aspx dating it for the 12 March 2013.

Start is Santa Barbara, CA and finish is Jacksonville FL. It will probably be the 06:00 am bus but the 08:10 pm is also a possibility. Sorry, couldn't find a way to link the actual page I have in front of me.

No haven't taken that route although did end up in Phoenix where I met up with my wife, she had just flown there from London. I was about 5 hours late getting to the airport and she had worried a little.

During the previous night having travelled from Denver to Kansas (I think) the outgoing westbound bus was full before we arrived in the depot. They had to find another bus to link up with another westbound and that took about 3 hours. Very interesting experience as there was a diner about 300 yards from the bus depot that I think, but not sure, closed until the next bus came in (the bus depot not the diner), but not a lot of street lighting to be had. The 6 or 7 of us walked across to the diner but being accompanied by a group of local young men.

I tried to chat with them and I think my accent amused them, but some in the party were a little worried and on later reflection thought it could have been a little different.

Click to expand...

As railiner said, you should use Extranet. I suggest that you transfer at Los Angeles, Dallas, and Houston to get the best buses. Avoid buses with the carrier code AAU, as those are often the bad G4500s.

Click to expand...

Thanks again