Experiences with Greyhound buses

[DarkOnFire]

I've been hearing all kinds of horror stories about Greyhound buses, as well as how the Greyhound station in downtown LA is supposed to be an alternate portal to Hell or something. Has anyone taken the Greyhound from downtown LA to Palm Springs/Indio before? How was it? I also heard that Greyhound tends to oversell the bus tickets and a lot of people were turned away. The last thing we want is to be stranded at an alternate portal to Hell just because Greyhound oversold their tickets.

If anyone could share, I'd be grateful. If Greyhound really is that terrible, I'm thinking of ditching our tickets and finding an alternative, or finding someone to carpool with (we'd chip in for gas, of course.)

[Aphxtwinin]

I've been hearing all kinds of horror stories about Greyhound buses, as well as how the Greyhound station in downtown LA is supposed to be an alternate portal to Hell or something. Has anyone taken the Greyhound from downtown LA to Palm Springs/Indio before? How was it? I also heard that Greyhound tends to oversell the bus tickets and a lot of people were turned away. The last thing we want is to be stranded at an alternate portal to Hell just because Greyhound oversold their tickets.

If anyone could share, I'd be grateful. If Greyhound really is that terrible, I'm thinking of ditching our tickets and finding an alternative, or finding someone to carpool with (we'd chip in for gas, of course.)

I have been going to Coachella since 2007, i have taken the greyhound from LA station to Indio every year except last year. Its a perfectly fine way of getting to Indio if its your only option. They do oversell the buses but they have all available buses taking ppl to indio, pretty much buy a ticket and first come first serve. you might not get on your scheduled bus but you will make the next one or the one after. They keep running buses until everyone has been served, they know its gonna be a busy day and where most of the kids are going is Indio so they have as many buses as possible going there. Its obviously not a comfortable ride especially if your coming directly from a plane to a bus. Its about 3.5hours because you gotta stop in a bunch of places...but you will get there. Then you can split a cab with other ppl from the bus to get to the campgrounds or wherever it is your going. You should be fine!

[baily]

It works out fine...all the talk is just that talk.

Its an active bus station, but it's no big deal.

Carpool would be a better option as you aren't dropped in Palm Springs.

Have 2 plans the to get there...just in case.

[DarkOnFire]

Thanks very much for the help, guys. We'll try our luck with Greyhound, but have some back-up alternatives just in case.

[seanyb]

I got the greyhound from the downtown LA stop to Indio last year and it was fine
Get there with plenty of time for your scheduled bus though as they do fill up

[aphrael]

I haven't done this in more than a decade, but I *have* taken Greyhound from San Jose to LA and from Salinas to LA. The LA bus station is just like any other urban bus station; the stories/rumours are wildly exaggerated.