Helpa Hobo Travel
October 2, 2008 1:43 AM Subscribe
I am a student living in Madison, Wisconsin, and my girl-friend just moved to downtown St. Paul, Minnesota (close to the Xcel Energy Center) to go to college there. I would like to visit on the weekends (Fri. evening to Sun. evening or Mon. morning) two times a month, but money is very tight. What are the cheapest, realistic, options open to me? Honestly, more than $50-60 is moving out of my capable expenses.
Also if there are coupons or promotional codes that would be helpful for certain kinds of travel, even for only one trip, feel free to MeMail me if it's semi-secret. This kind of stuff is sometimes hard to know about unless you have friends or family in the biz.
Also if there are coupons or promotional codes that would be helpful for certain kinds of travel, even for only one trip, feel free to MeMail me if it's semi-secret. This kind of stuff is sometimes hard to know about unless you have friends or family in the biz.
This post was deleted for the following reason: poster's request -- cortex
Megabus! Never more than $25 each way, as cheap as $1 if you book ahead. Legitimate, friendly, online-bookable. Used it a bunch in the Midwest, always been satisfied.
posted by mdonley at 3:10 AM on October 2, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by mdonley at 3:10 AM on October 2, 2008 [1 favorite]
Amtrak will take you from Columbus to St. Paul on the Empire Builder for $53 one way.
posted by megatherium at 3:52 AM on October 2, 2008
posted by megatherium at 3:52 AM on October 2, 2008
sagwalla: Yes there is a shared ride board in the Memorial Union. It's on the second floor. Not sure if there is a similar board in Union South.
As for Megabus, you have to board at the Dutch Mill Park and Ride, unlike Greyhound which leaves from the Badger Bus Depot. Also, it appears from the Megabus schedule that rides out of Madison depart at 1am. Minneapolis to Madison has two departure choices--noon and 10:30pm.
If it were me, I'd check the Union board or try Craigslist.
posted by subatomiczoo at 5:08 AM on October 2, 2008
As for Megabus, you have to board at the Dutch Mill Park and Ride, unlike Greyhound which leaves from the Badger Bus Depot. Also, it appears from the Megabus schedule that rides out of Madison depart at 1am. Minneapolis to Madison has two departure choices--noon and 10:30pm.
If it were me, I'd check the Union board or try Craigslist.
posted by subatomiczoo at 5:08 AM on October 2, 2008
A friend of mine is in the exact situation you are (right down to the close-to-Xcel part), so I'm pretty familiar with the options. (I'd tell you to get in touch with him, but he doesn't own a car.)
The Greyhound is probably a little more than you'd like to spend, but my friend has done it so much that he's gotten a free ticket after 10 rides.
The last time I drove up there, I had him drive. That way I could putz around in the front seat and sleep, watch a movie, etc. while he did all the work :) You might offer that if you have a good driving record.
I am pretty sure that Megabus isn't here yet.
Craigslist is not bad, and I'd especially advertise that you might be looking to set up a deal with anyone else in the same situation or who travels up there regularly. You're pretty lucky in that this is definitely a good destination for people looking to share rides; I wish I were so lucky driving to Cedar Rapids :P
Amtrak, sadly, is really not feasible. Aside from getting up to Columbus, which is at least half an hour, the schedule sucks, it's expensive, and it may even take longer than the Greyhound because it stops everywhere. Boo, hiss.
Good luck!
posted by Madamina at 5:37 AM on October 2, 2008
The Greyhound is probably a little more than you'd like to spend, but my friend has done it so much that he's gotten a free ticket after 10 rides.
The last time I drove up there, I had him drive. That way I could putz around in the front seat and sleep, watch a movie, etc. while he did all the work :) You might offer that if you have a good driving record.
I am pretty sure that Megabus isn't here yet.
Craigslist is not bad, and I'd especially advertise that you might be looking to set up a deal with anyone else in the same situation or who travels up there regularly. You're pretty lucky in that this is definitely a good destination for people looking to share rides; I wish I were so lucky driving to Cedar Rapids :P
Amtrak, sadly, is really not feasible. Aside from getting up to Columbus, which is at least half an hour, the schedule sucks, it's expensive, and it may even take longer than the Greyhound because it stops everywhere. Boo, hiss.
Good luck!
posted by Madamina at 5:37 AM on October 2, 2008
I have taken the Megabus from Madison to the Twin Cities. It serves that route, for sure.
It's a rather dismal, middle-of-the-night ride on a packed-to-the-gills double-decker bus, but the price ($9, if I recall) is right. Cheaper even than finding a rideshare and paying for half the gas.
posted by Dr. Wu at 5:40 AM on October 2, 2008
It's a rather dismal, middle-of-the-night ride on a packed-to-the-gills double-decker bus, but the price ($9, if I recall) is right. Cheaper even than finding a rideshare and paying for half the gas.
posted by Dr. Wu at 5:40 AM on October 2, 2008
Megabus has a few trips a day and if you're willing to travel in the middle of the day it isn't so crowded and can often be cheaper. The Madison stop seemed to be a little outside of what I consider town (it's the Dutch Mill park and ride). The Minneapolis stops have one at the University and one in downtown Minneapolis, so you may need to figure in the cost of a few city bus rides. Not a huge deal and if cheap and slow is what you're looking for, it's got you covered.
posted by advicepig at 6:58 AM on October 2, 2008
posted by advicepig at 6:58 AM on October 2, 2008
I went to UW-Madison and was car-less and in a long-distance relationship the entire time I was there. In my case, I was heading to central IL, which was far more of a pain. Twin Cities should be easy because Madison's campus is *loaded* with people from the Twin Cities due to the reciprocity between the two states. Finding shared rides to T.C. should be an impossible task.
- make it a point to ask new people you meet where they are from. If they are from the T.C.s, ask them if they ever make weekend trips home
- craigslist should net some hits
- ride board at the Union
- I'd forget Greyhound. It's already a long drive, why pour salt on the wound
Keep in mind that students with cars are probably poor enough that they are looking to share gas costs in today's petrol-starved landscape. That should work in your favor for finding rides.
Good luck.
posted by mcstayinskool at 7:08 AM on October 2, 2008
- make it a point to ask new people you meet where they are from. If they are from the T.C.s, ask them if they ever make weekend trips home
- craigslist should net some hits
- ride board at the Union
- I'd forget Greyhound. It's already a long drive, why pour salt on the wound
Keep in mind that students with cars are probably poor enough that they are looking to share gas costs in today's petrol-starved landscape. That should work in your favor for finding rides.
Good luck.
posted by mcstayinskool at 7:08 AM on October 2, 2008
If you do take the Greyhound, keep in mind that the St. Paul Greyhound terminal is one the edge of a neighborhood which is pretty sketchy after dark.
posted by nathan_teske at 8:35 AM on October 2, 2008
posted by nathan_teske at 8:35 AM on October 2, 2008
i'd second checking out the rideshare things. there are probably postings in person as well as online ways (facebook maybe/something similar?) to find out who's going back and forth.
passing by the Xcel center wouldn't be out of the way for the majority of travelers, so keep your search open to doing carpools going to the U of M or some of the other private colleges around the area. there are tons of people in your same situation, keep asking around.
posted by nzydarkxj at 11:21 AM on October 2, 2008
passing by the Xcel center wouldn't be out of the way for the majority of travelers, so keep your search open to doing carpools going to the U of M or some of the other private colleges around the area. there are tons of people in your same situation, keep asking around.
posted by nzydarkxj at 11:21 AM on October 2, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
Alternatively, you could always solicit rides on Craigslist, and it seems that at least some people are driving that route on a regular basis. I have no idea how much it would cost to split gas expenses with the driver, but consider that some people might just take you along for the company.
posted by halogen at 2:26 AM on October 2, 2008