1

I thought you meant Union Station, Washington, D.C.

You're arriving in LA from Fiji, and getting right onto a bus to NYC? That sounds awful.

2

The cheapest advanced purchase I found on Greyhound.com is $139. Straight through, it's 3 days with 3-5 transfers.

vs.

$137 one way on Southwest Airlines with a transfer (7 hours total) or $149 non-stop on JetBlue.

3

"Taking the bus to NYC"

Why would you want to do that to yourself?

4

I don't believe I asked to comment on how I'm travelling. I'm used to the greyhound and don't mind it.
So how 'bout staying on topic :)

Just correcting my first post (unfortunately, they don't let me change the title for some reason): I made a mistake, the greyhound doesn't leave from Union Station. So I guess I'll ask the same question but around the Greyhound station instead of Unions Station.
Things to do/see? Safe? 24h?

Thanks

5

Given that you'll be stuck on a bus for days thereafter, do things that differ as much as possible from being stuck on a bus for days. If nothing else, find a YMCA or municipal pool and go for a long swim. Eat fresh vegetables. Walk a safe beach (Santa Monica?) I can't give good specifics on any of those, but maybe someone else or google will.

6

You asked for completely free advice from total strangers, so admonishing people to stick to the topic and not have the temerity to comment on taking a bus across the country (a common topic here) makes you look prickly, to put it mildly. But, back to your question: I didn't see your arrival time at LAX. That's critical. I don't see any local sightseeing being feasible since you'll presumably have your luggage with you. Union Station and, even more so, the Greyhound station are not in the best parts of town. You could get form Union Station to the Greyhound station bhy public transit (see www.metro.net) or taxi, and hopefully can check any large bags, but you'd still be walking around with your personal valuables, such as passport and presumably money and credit card. You could visit places in the downtown area such as Union Station itself, Angels Flight, L.A. Live, etc., but what you'd do until 2:30 a.m. and still be safe I don't know. I would probably want to be back at the Greyhound station by midnight or 1. You could even look into leaving from other stations, such as Hollywood. I'd have no problem hanging out at Union Station late, but at the Greyhound station?

7

I have not been there for many years, but the Union Station is not too far from Old Town Los Angeles and Olivera Street with many Mexican restaurants and entertainment. You would need to find a locker for your luggage for the day. Be very cautious about walking around the area and keep your valuables in a waistbelt wallet hidden under your jacket. Do not wander around the areas outside of the Greyhound Station or Union Station after dark when there are very few people on the streets -- take the advice of traveling from the Hollywood Greyhound Station instead.

8

LA local here with the reality of downtown LA. The Greyhound station is located in one of the most depressing and unsafe areas of downtown. LA's homeless population is huge and 7th and Alameda is adjacent to the neighborhood where all the homeless shelters are located. Lots of street crime. Arriving at Union Station and staying around there would have been a far better option. Olvera street and close by Chinatown are right out the front door. Personally there would be no way in hell I would walk over to the Greyhound station on 7th after dark.

9

So with that said in the above (especially on #7 & 8) your best bet is to pony up the extra $$$ and take a taxi from downtown/Union Station to Greyhound.

In the afternoon you can go over to visit El Pueblo de Los Angeles which is basically the village where Los Angeles started from as a Spanish settlement in Alta California. Or you can also go over to the beach by Santa Monica and than take the Big Blue #10X bus from downtown Santa Monica to downtown Los Angeles. See http://www.mta.net on getting around the greater Los Angeles area by bus.

Unless you're planning to stop & visit what's in between Los Angeles & New York, you should consider the few comments about flying vs. Greyhound bus. Just about every airline fly directly across from LAX to NYC which means better rates that are competitive or even cheaper than bus (especially if you include food and maybe accommodations if you choose to take a break in a motel room to shower up & a good night's rest in a bed). The bus ride is 2DAYS & 18Hrs at very least or more if you break up the trip somewhere in between. A direct plane ride is only 5hrs for the same amount of money ($218ow) or less. Furthermore this option (getting to NYC by plane) gives you 2 or 3 extra days that would otherwise be spent, cramped in a bus to go around to visit different places in/around Los Angeles or the east coast such as 3 extra days in/around New York or to include other cities such as Washington, DC or Boston. You fly to Washington, DC (or to Boston) and spend the 2 - 3 days that would otherwise be wasted on a bus ride and than go up (down) to New York by bus or train. Your call.

10

I still say, why torture yourself with the longest bus trip possible in the USA, from LA to NYC? That is just dumb, when you can fly for the same price,and be there in 5 hours vs 3 days of hell, thru some of the worst parts of many cities, and considering you have to eat for 3 days, it will actually cost more to take the bus.

11

Amtrak won't allow you to check luggage if you're not travelling with them. And they no longer have lockers. In theory, OP could head to Greyhound first and check his luggage. Then walk around the Art District and Little Tokyo and then return to the Greyhound station (not at 2am but much earlier). At least that way he can stock up on food and some moist towelettes.

The flight from Fiji lands either at noon or at 10am.