Areas of the US Americans Generally Refer to

• The South

• The Northeast

• East Coast

• West Coast

• Midwest

• Pacific Northwest

• Rockies

• Appalachia

• Southwest (not as common)

• New England (not as common)

Greyhound Bus

Affordable bus travel with nearly 2,300 destinations across the U.S., Canada and Mexico

• Website

Amtrak Trains

Trains that travel frequently up and down the East Coast; it goes across the US including to the South and the Pacific Northwest but these routes are more expensive and less frequent. One route does go to Montreal, Canada.

• Buy Amtrak tickets in advance! The price increases closer to the travel date. For example, train prices from Philadelphia to New York can be $18 in advance or $150-$300 the day of.

• If you are taking the Amtrak train to New York, please note that there is a stop called Newark right before it (if you’re headed north) and the names sound very alike.

• See train routes

Train Systems & Light Rails

See this section for transit options by state and city

Subways & Metro Systems

See this section for transit options by state and city

Trolleys, Trams & Street Cars

Trolleys only exist in some cities.

• Seattle, WA

• Portland, OR

• San Francisco, CA

• West Philadelphia, PA

• Salt Lake City, UT

Buses

Most state transit companies offer buses in addition to trains but trains are recommended over buses. Buses will likely be the least expensive option.

Bike & Scooter Rentals

Many cities offer bike and scooter rentals that usually only require a smartphone and an app to use. The app depends on the service provided in that city.

Car Share

Ride share apps

• Lyft

• Uber

• Turo/Zipcar (may have to be US citizen)

Car Rentals

Recommended companies:

Enterprise

• Great insurance

• Able to drive a car across the US and drop off in a different location

Avis

• Able to drive a car across the US and drop off in a different location

Public Transportation in Major Cities

Most transit companies offer buses in addition to trains but trains are recommended over buses. Please note, the East Coast has better train systems that are older and more established; they have better routes, more stops and more frequent trains. On the East Coast, it’s normal to wait 20 minutes for a train. Towards the West, trains usually arrive every hour.