City: Chicago, IL

Category: Getting Here, Getting Around

Description: Servicing nearly 50 cities in the Midwest and Northeast (including parts of Canada), Coach USA’s super little sister, Megabus, caught on quick with its fares as low as a dollar. Chicago is one of five hub cities (New York, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., and Toronto are the others) and is a popular choice of visitors traveling from places such as Madison, Milwaukee, Cincinnati, and St. Louis. Though the fares are, indeed, generally mega-­bargains, they fluctuate depending on how far in advance you book, where you’re going, and when. Booking online incurs a 50-cent charge for all tickets, and making a reservation over the phone adds $3. Besides appealing prices, the ride is nice too, aboard a luxury single- or double-decker bus with free Wi-Fi (when service is available). Pack lightly, as Megabus permits just one piece of luggage per person at a total of 62 inches (meaning, the sum of length, width, and height) and a max weight of 50 pounds.