Traveling by bus does come with perks. When the distance doesn’t require you to travel by boat or airplane, going on a trip by bus is the best option. Nowadays, even the most remote locations will almost certainly require a bus trip, making it nearly impossible to find places that can’t be reached by buses. For many travelers, taking the bus route can also open more opportunities for travel because it’s frequently a less expensive mode of transportation.
In the past, however, one of the stark criticisms about bus travel was how difficult it could be to book tickets. No one wanted to line up for hours at the station just to buy bus tickets. Fortunately, technology has now made it possible to purchase bus tickets online.
Booking your tickets online is often the most cost-effective method of travel with online booking agents like Wanderu among others. It secures your seat and guarantees that you arrive at your destination on time. If you’ve never booked bus tickets online before, the following advice can help. In fact, many businesses are not adopting online booking system. Even for small businesses, there is a booking system for small business that they can use.
1. Explore All The Different Route Options
Traveling by bus allows you to choose from quite a wide range of route options. Usually, the choice here depends on the time you have to travel and the destination. For instance, you can opt to travel directly to your destination or travel with stops along the way so you can spend a night or two exploring certain cities or towns.
To get this right, you should plan your itinerary first. This can give you an idea of the route you want to take and the stops you wish to make. By doing so, you’ll know which tickets you should buy when it’s time for you to book them.
2. Choose A Booking Agent With A Hassle-Free Booking Process
Not all online booking agents, apps or websites are the same. There are those that’ll offer a five-star hassle-free booking process, while there are those that simply settle for less. Ideally, the former is the best option.
The easier and less confusing the purchasing process is, the less likely you are to make a mistake. There’s always a possibility of committing errors with your booking if the process is made too complicated. A good booking platform is one that’s user-friendly and informative.
3. Locate The Right Pick-Up Points
Before choosing a specific bus stop or terminal pick-up point for your trip, run a quick online location search first. Don’t do this after you’ve already made the booking. Otherwise, you might discover that the pick-up locations you selected are inconvenient or quite far from your lodging.
When choosing a bus terminal or pick-up point, the best one will always be the most convenient for you. This is especially necessary when you’re traveling with children, or the elderly, and when you have quite a lot of baggage with you.
4. Choose Comfortable Seats
Don’t skimp too much. With bus trips, you have to be ready for quite a long journey on the road. You shouldn’t miss allowing yourself the luxury of selecting comfortable seats just because bus tickets are reasonably priced. If you don’t intentionally choose the best seat, you might come to regret it when you’re worn out from the journey.
Booking bus tickets online is like booking boat and airplane tickets where you can also choose your preferred class. There are bus companies that may have seats that recline, meal services, bus attendants, and even a restroom. Those amenities plus the travel accessories you bring will truly make for a very comfortable journey on the road.
5. Assess The Payment Process
Just like paying for any other service online, you should think about how purchasing bus tickets can put your credit card information at risk. This is the reason why you should also evaluate the payment process of certain booking websites, just so you can be sure that you won’t become a victim of fraud.
A pro tip is to check whether or not the payment gateway uses a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate. This is an encryption technology that’s trusted by many people globally.
Apart from the payment gateway’s security, you might also want to check if the bus ticket website has your preferred payment mode option. The more varied the options are, the better. This means you won’t have to be so skeptical about why they’re restricted only to card payments. A good company will allow payment through internet banking, e-wallet, and money transfer apps, too.
6. Look For Bus Plus Hotel Deals
Similar to hotel booking apps, some online bus booking websites and apps offer discounts when you book bundles. In this case, it’s usually the bus + hotel bundle.
If you want to know if you can save money by using their package rather than booking your hotels separately from another online provider, you can do a computation. In most cases, you’ll be able to save money.
7. Book In Advance Or During Sale Periods
Online bus ticket booking is similar to online airplane ticket purchasing in that you may be able to take advantage of discounts and other offers during a sale or promotional period. This includes a discounted bus fare in addition to the bundle deal.
This is a great benefit to have, especially if you’re trying to save money but still want to travel or if you have a big family and you need to purchase numerous tickets for them. If you can buy bus tickets at a discounted price, why pay for them in full?
Conclusion
With online booking for bus tickets now possible, you may want to rethink the way you travel. Going by bus isn’t just about the cost savings you’ll earn. Rather, it gives you a fresh perspective on traveling as you take in the picturesque countryside, majestic mountains, rolling hills, and other sights that only a bus trip can provide. Now that you know the best way to purchase bus tickets online, you can now set out on your journey and enjoy the bus-riding experience.
