Frequently Asked Questions
Coach USA Bus Service
Q. Which Cornell breaks do you offer bus service?
A. Buses run for all Cornell undergraduate breaks (fall, Thanksgiving, winter, February, and spring break)!
Q. How can I buy Bus tickets?
A. The locations serviced by Coach USA are listed on our website (studentagencies.com/bus). After selecting your destination, you will be directed to megabus.com, where you can reserve your bus ticket.
Q. Do I have to be a Cornell student to use your charter bus service?
A. No. Anyone can use our charter service. While most of our customers are Cornell students, we often have faculty and staff on our buses as well as Ithaca College students.
Q. Do the charter buses sell out?
A. Yes! It is not unusual that our buses sell out.
Q. How much luggage am I allowed to bring on the bus?
A. You may bring one suitcase/bag for storage in the luggage area under the bus and one carry-on aboard the bus.
Q. do i need anything else to board?
A. Yes, you MUST have a valid ID. Student ID’s are fine.
Q. Can I buy tickets in advance for multiple breaks?
A. No. We are only able to sell tickets for one break at a time.
Q. How far in advance of the breaks do you start selling tickets?
A. We typically put the seats on sale for all breaks after fall break as soon as the last break has ended. Tickets for fall break will go on sale shortly after Labor Day.
Q. Why don't you offer charter buses for the Labor Day weekend?
A. Because the long weekend falls shortly after the start of classes.
Q. Can I buy just a one-way ticket?
A. Yes. Unlike other charter companies, we sell one-way and round-trip tickets.
Q. Once I buy a charter bus ticket, can I get a refund if my plans change or a credit for a future break?
A. No. Our charter tickets are NON-REFUNDABLE. We do not offer credits toward future trips either. If you can't use your ticket, you can sell it to another person.
Q. When will I get my ticket?
A. You will receive a 2nd email within 2-3 days of your order confirmation which will contain your Eticket.
Q. What do I do once i receive my Eticket via Email?
A. When you receive your Eticket, you will present it on your phone to the person loading the bus. You will do the same for the return portion if you purchased a round-trip or a one-way from a destination other than Cornell.
Q. Can the bus drop me off at an unscheduled stop before it reaches a scheduled destination?
A. For safety and security purposes, we are not able to make unscheduled stops or drop-offs en route.
Q. What happens if my bus gets delayed due to traffic or weather?
A. We understand customers make personal plans around the bus schedules. We make every effort to ensure our buses depart and arrive on time. However, there are sometimes travel factors, such as traffic, detours, and weather conditions which create delays that are beyond our control. In the event of a delay, your driver will communicate the estimated time of arrival and make further updates as appropriate.
Please check your email and our website for any updates regarding delays or cancellations. If we have to cancel the charter buses due to severe weather, the buses will generally depart the next day at the same time, weather permitting. Please make sure the email is not marked as spam in your inbox.
Q. What about your drivers?
A. Coach USA employs only professional, screened, and highly trained drivers.
Q. Am I allowed to bring food and drink on board the bus?
A. You may bring food and non-alcoholic drinks aboard the bus. We kindly ask you to pick up your trash before you leave the bus. Smoking is not allowed on the bus.
Q. Am I allowed to bring pets on the bus?
A. No.
Q. Do the buses have rest rooms?
A. Yes.
Q. Do the buses have WiFi available?
A. Most buses do, but we can't guarantee whether the bus you will be riding will have wireless available.
Q Do the buses stop for food or rest room breaks?
A. Generally not. However, it is up to the discretion of the bus driver whether or not he/she will make a stop.
Q. What if the departure time for my bus from Cornell conflicts with my class or lab?
A. Since we have been offering the charter bus service for a long time, we have carefully selected the departure times based on what has historically worked for the majority of our passengers and their class schedules. Unfortunately, we cannot adjust the departure times to accommodate individual requests.
If you have any questions that have not been answered here, please email laurie.heller@coachusa.com