Starting later this month, Penn students heading home to some East Coast cities will have a cheaper and more convenient way to get there.
The New-York-based bus company TransportAzumah will open a new, nonstop bus service between Philadelphia and Boston, New Haven and Washington, D.C., on Nov. 20 — and students say they’re open to trying it.
Leaving from Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station, the trip should take roughly two hours and 40 minutes to Washington and six hours to Boston, according to company owner Joel Azumah.
Tickets are $20 to Washington and $40 to Boston, with online discounts of up to 95 percent.
In contrast, prices to Washington and Boston are $22 and $55, respectively, for Greyhound, and $44 and $80 for Amtrak trains.
TransportAzumah launched the new lines in response to apparent gaps in East Coast bus services.
“A lot of these markets are underserved,” said Azumah, “particularly Philly and Boston.”
For Michael Wu, a School of Arts and Sciences graduate student from Washington, D.C., travel to and from home is all about comfort.
“Buses can be great,” he said. “I use Greyhound, but if [TransportAzumah] is up to par I’ll try it for sure. So long as they’ve got padded recliners.”
According to Azumah, the company offers those amenities, in addition to the industry’s only transfer-free service between Washington and both New Haven and Boston.
TransportAzumah is also unique in offering hourly buses to the Boston region on Fridays and Sundays.
“It’s our speed and frequency that sets us apart,” he said. “We offer the convenience of skipping New York.”
Cost has been another benefit of bus services like TransportAzumah for traveling Penn students.
“I ride the train most of the time,” said Wharton sophomore Victor Salcedo, “but I’d appreciate cheaper [bus] fares if they’re under $20.”
Beginning with its buses to Boston and New Haven, TransportAzumah will allow bicycles on buses, as long as they are tagged with the owner’s name and contact information.
In contrast, Amtrak trains and Greyhound buses require bicycles to be partially disassembled. boxed and checked as baggage.
As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, students in need of a way home can choose from existing bus services such as Peter Pan, Omnitrans, Greyhound or regional trains such as Amtrak, Septa, NJTransit, PATCO and DART.
TransportAzumah representatives will hand out flyers this November in downtown Philadelphia, and interested students can join the company’s fans on Facebook.
For students close to home, the University offers subscriptions to PennPass, a program enabling students to travel for free within Philadelphia and for fixed rates in nearby suburbs.
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