Transportation in the US for Travelers
Overview: This article will go over transportation in different parts of the US.
Regional Map of the US
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)
Public Transportation that Traverses the US
Greyhound Bus
Affordable bus travel with nearly 2,300 destinations across the U.S., Canada and Mexico
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
Local Transit Options
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.
Car Services
Outside of some major cities, most of the US will require a car to travel.
The Most Bike and Scooter Friendly Cities
Please note, this does not mean that all cities on this list have bike and scooter rentals.
San Francisco |
Minneapolis |
Portland |
Seattle |
Washington, D.C. |
Chicago |
New York |
Fort Collins |
Boston |
Boulder |
Philadelphia |
Austin |
Tucson |
Denver |
Madison |
Eugene |
Sacramento |
Cities with the Most Walkability
San Francisco |
Washington, D.C. |
Seattle |
Chicago |
Boston |
Philadelphia |
Miami |
Long Beach |