While I’m a big fan of train travel, the fact is our train system is something of an embarrassment. But guess what? The bus industry has gotten its act together and has become an economically viable—and often surprisingly comfortable—way to travel.

On routes of 400 miles or less, the bus is often the way to go. Most people are familiar with Greyhound, which serves more than 1,700 destinations in the U.S.

It’s most popular along the busy East Coast corridor, where there are also competing services such as MegaBus, BoltBus and LimoLiner.

And these bus lines are ramping up the amenities to compete with airlines and trains, offering Wi-Fi and roomier seating.

In other parts of the country, there are regional lines that aren’t very well-advertised.

Between Southern California and Las Vegas, you can skip the car and take Orange Belt Stages.

In the Pacific Northwest, a service called Northwest Trailways provides intercity service in Washington and Idaho.

And if you’re not sure which bus is the best option for you, check out a resource called Busjunction.com.

Although it doesn’t include every regional bus line, it’s a search engine that gathers thousands of fares and schedules from several bus carriers, so you can figure out which bus line works for you.

Find more money-saving tips in our Driving & Car Rental section.

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