Megabus service is rolling back into L.A.

By Hugo Martin

Nov. 28, 2012 12 AM PT

A low-cost city-to-city bus service that pulled out of Los Angeles four years ago because of low ridership is rolling back into L.A. in hopes of getting traction in its next outing.

Megabus.com, a subsidiary of Paramus, N.J.-based Coach USA, plans to relaunch its Los Angles hub next month from Union Station, with service to San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland and Las Vegas. The bus service will also add a second California hub in San Francisco.

The bus line, which offers free onboard wireless Internet, power outlets and bathrooms, now serves 120 cities from eight hubs in North America, mostly on the East Coast, Northeast and several Southern states.

Tickets, which are sold online on www.megabus.com, range from $1 to about $25. The travel time from Los Angeles to San Francisco will be seven hours, 45 minutes. The travel time from Los Angeles to Las Vegas will be five hours, 45 minutes.

Megabus operated out of Los Angeles for less than a year, starting in 2007, but shut down because of low ridership, despite positive online reviews from passengers.

Mike Alvich, a Megabus vice president, said he expects the Los Angeles service to be more successful now because his bus company will spread the word on social media outlets such as Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr.

“We think there is a pent-up demand for a better way to travel,” he said.

Most of the riders from Los Angeles are expected to be young professionals, college students and senior citizens who want to take advantage of the low prices, Alvich said.

A major advantage Megabus offers over airline travel, he said, is that Megabus does not charge for the first checked bag.

“And you don’t have to take your shoes off when you board, either,” Alvich said.