If you’re a budget traveler, I’ll bet you’re already hip to the cheap tickets for the so-called Chinese buses that run between Chinatowns in cities throughout the Northeast US.

At just $15, the cost of a seat is a bargain, and it’s hard to imagine the ticket price dropping lower.

That’s why I was surprised to see an advertisement for $1 bus fare between the same cities, offered by the company Megabus. With gas as expensive as it is, how can Megabus possibly afford to sell its seats so cheap?

I don’t have the answer to that question, but you may well be weighing the value of your life against marginal cost savings. After another crash of a Fung Wah bus a few days ago– this time in New York City– budget travelers may want to reconsider the cheap bus route.

Have you ever taken the Chinese buses in the Northeast? Share your experience in the comments below!

Photo: Naomi A. (creative commons)

Julie Schwietert

One of Matador's most prolific contributors, Julie Schwietert Collazo is a writer, editor, researcher, and translator who lives in New York and Mexico City.