Service to smaller cities by Chinatown bus lines had less of a price advantage. Ĭompetition and price wars between newly successful companies, combined with online ticket sales, led to a reduction in fares. As word spread, they became popular with non-Chinese travelers due to lower fares and the demographics of these bus lines became similar to those of other intercity bus lines. At first, very few non-Chinese made use of the services. In 1998, two companies began operations: Fung Wah Bus Transportation, between New York and Boston, and Eastern Bus, between New York and Philadelphia. The first companies to offer Chinese intercity bus service had minimal features, including unmarked curbside bus stops and no advertising or customer service this greatly reduced overhead costs. History Early history Fung Wah Bus Transportation Van Hool C2045 coach on a stopoverĬhinese-operated intercity bus service began when the Chinese working class and new immigrants, particularly Chinese restaurant workers who found jobs in other cities, needed to travel to and from New York City, Boston, and Atlantic City.

Others continue to operate with increased oversight. Destinations include most major cities as well as casinos popular with Asian Americans.Īs a result of safety issues and several fatal crashes, most Chinatown bus lines were shut down by regulatory authorities in 2012. They operate with lower overhead and lower fares compared to competing services. Chinatown bus lines, with New York City as the hub Bus-ticket saleswoman at the corner of East Broadway and Forsyth Street in the Little Fuzhou neighborhood of Manhattan's ChinatownĬhinatown bus lines are discount intercity bus services in the United States, often operated by Chinese Americans, primarily Fujianese.

Passengers waiting to board a Travel Pack bus on Mulberry Street for Boston in 2004 Passengers waiting at the now-defunct Fung Wah Bus Transportation ticket window on Canal Street at the Bowery in Manhattan's Chinatown Eastern Bus MCI 102D元 coach boarding passengers in Manhattan's Chinatown 2010 schematic map of four eastern U.S. For Chinese-owned intracity public transit, see Dollar vans in the New York metropolitan area § Chinatown vans. This article is about intercity bus travel.

Sands casino bus nyc