Today’s Killer Startup: Wanderu
Elevator Pitch
“The simplest way to find and book bus and train travel.”
Why It’s A Killer Startup
UPDATE 2/12/15: Wanderu has just released an app for iPhone! You can download it here.
I never really considered bus travel until I moved to NYC and took the Chinatown bus from lower Manhattan to Philly to visit my best friend. It cost $15 roundtrip and even though we stopped in an empty lot in Jersey for no discernible reason for like, twenty minutes, it was totally worth it because I was super broke.
These days the sketchiness of the Chinatown bus can easily be avoided if you hop onto Megabus or, if you’re looking for other affordable travel options, one of the 70 other companies that partners with Wanderu.
Wanderu is aiming to be the Kayak of bus and train travel – meaning they’ll find you the cheapest bus or train for your route – and I am so 100% behind it. According to TechCrunch, millennials like me make up the majority of Wanderu’s client base. More and more of us are discovering that the roomier seats, wifi, and plug points on a bus (not to mention the exponentially cheaper prices) more than make up for the difference in time it may take to get from point A to point B.
In comparison to robust systems in Europe and Asia, the train and bus systems in the United States are embarrassing. The success of companies like Megabus – and the $5.6 million Series A round that Wanderu just closed – show, however, that there’s a market of people who want more options when it comes to long distance travel.
Air travel is expensive, terrible for the environment, and in places like the densely-populated East Coast, often unnecessary. Next time you need to get home to visit your parents or want to pop over to see your friend who lives a few hours away, check out Wanderu for the cheapest option.
Tweetable
Haven’t you heard that air travel is très passé? Find the cheapest bus and train ticket with @GoWanderu
