After people collectively flipped out over the prospect of paying $1 to ride a discount Google shuttle to Los Angeles, the folks from the oft-maligned national bus carrier (or their PR firm, rather) wrote us to say that, hey: Greyhound also has obscenely cheap fares to SoCal and elsewhere.
In the interest of fair and balanced journalism (and because no one is paying us to promote their cheap intra-Interstate 5 service) here's what Greyhound's PR firm had to say:
I saw your article on Megabus yesterday and wanted to reach out on behalf of my clients at Greyhound. Back in May we launched a service called Greyhound Express which offers $1 fares, free Wi-Fi, extra legroom and power outlets on routes throughout California. All routes involve very few stops (in some cases zero), passengers get guaranteed seating and every trip is run on our modern, environmentally friendly buses with free Wi-Fi, power outlets, extra legroom and leather seats. And our favorite feature: trips on Greyhound Express start at just $1 every day!
Cool. So at least you know you have options the next time you want to see the Giants play in Chavez Ravine or your great aunt in Hawthorne asks why you don't visit more often, or your "kilo of meth must absolutely be there overnight." As with Megabus, the $1 fares are for booking early. A casual search for tickets over three weeks in advance returned fares that were about $25 - 40. But let's not forget that free WiFi.
Greyhound buses leave out of the temporary Transbay Terminal at Main and Folsom Streets in SoMa, which is only slightly easier to get to than Caltrain. They also offer service to Las Vegas, so you can gamble away all the money you saved getting there.