If you live in a large city, you’ve probably heard of BoltBus and Megabus, and their famously low $1 fares.
Both carriers earn revenue by charging more for premium schedules, which means you can find bargains on seats they need to fill during quieter travel periods.
How to Score $1 Bus Tickets
But how do you actually get one of those fleeting bargain fares? Use these pointers to secure the lowest-priced tickets.
1. Choose Your Route
Before hunting for deals, confirm that these providers serve the destinations you want.
Megabus operates stops across 34 U.S. states, and it also runs a schedule between Toronto and Montreal in Canada.
BoltBus runs routes on both the East and West Coasts. On the East Coast it calls in Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. Its West Coast corridors serve Oregon, Washington and Vancouver, British Columbia.
2. Reserve Your Ticket as Early as You Can
To maximize your odds of landing the cheapest fares, book as far ahead as possible. Booking months in advance gives you a far better chance of catching a $1 ticket than waiting until days before travel.
Each scheduled departure will typically include at least one $1 seat, according to the BoltBus FAQ. This rare bargain is “generally within the first handful of seats sold. The earlier you book your ticket, the greater your odds are of grabbing a seat for a buck.”
Be quick with Megabus as well: the company awards $1 fares to “the first or initial customers that purchase a ticket for that trip,” per its terms and conditions.
As more seats are taken, fares climb. Even if you miss the $1 deal, booking early might still yield a $5 seat — which is still an excellent value.
3. Schedule Your Trip Smartly
Because routes usually include only a handful of $1 seats, you’ll have a better shot if your travel dates are flexible. Avoid traveling on Fridays, Sundays, holidays and peak weekend times to increase your chances of a bargain.
Route popularity also affects pricing, as Megabus explains in its terms. While many routes may still have just a single $1 fare, less-trafficked trips could have additional low-cost seats.
4. Keep an Eye Out for Promotions
Occasionally both carriers run special deals and promotions. Following them on social channels is an easy way to catch newly announced discounts and act quickly.
You can also hunt for promo codes on deal sites such as RetailMeNot and travel search platforms like WanderU, which lists bus and train options.
5. Join Bolt Rewards
BoltBus provides a loyalty program called Bolt Rewards.
The program is straightforward: take eight paid BoltBus trips (each costing more than $1) and your ninth one-way ride is free. Route length doesn’t matter — after eight qualifying trips, your ninth journey is complimentary.
