Greyhound has been the leading star in changing the perception of bus travel in the past few years, and increasingly has been offering incredibly cheap deals for travel between major cities.

On February 1, 2010, the transportation service announced its $5 fare promotion for travel between New York City and Philadelphia. This special offer is available for passengers who book their departure date three days prior, and tickets can be purchased online on the Greyhound website or by calling at 800/231-2222.

To sweeten the deal, the bus line provides numerous departures during the week, giving the rider several options on departure times. In fact, Greyhound provides approximately 15 daily schedules between Philadelphia and New York during the week and up to 25 daily schedules on weekends. As readers know, FTF loves Philadelphia and there is so  much for families to do that we had to publish a huge guide to Philadelphia Family Attractions.

Traveling by bus has never been better, and what with the winter woes of cancelled flights this year, Greyhound is a safe and fun way to get where you’re going.

The bus line has focused much of their attention on safety for traveling families, adding a three-point safety harness with shoulder-height adjusters as well as a LATCH system to fasten in a child’s car seat, which functions just as it would in a smaller vehicle. In addition to these safety devices, the hard plastic rear bases of the bus seats have been replaced with softer material, should your child fall forward into the seat in front of him.

Greyhound buses today have implemented several creature comforts, too, keeping in mind that travel by bus can sometimes be a cramped and exhaustive affair. However, space and comfort should be no problem aboard Greyhound, as they have seen fit to add more leg room – 14 inches in total - for each passenger. Travelers have not only the option of comfortably napping or reading aboard the bus, but taking advantage of the free wireless as well. While surfing the internet, each passenger can utilize the provided outlets within the seats to keep laptops and any other devices fully charged.

Of course, if these aren’t enticing enough reasons to jump a bus from New York to Philadelphia, consider this: traveling by bus nearly beats out any other mode of transportation when it comes to reducing travel carbon emissions. By taking the bus, you’ll be cutting down on your carbon footprint as well as sending a message to bus companies to keep improving and promoting bus travel.

To really get the full picture on eco-travel, read up on FTF’s Greening Your Family Travels. Also, check out Bus Bazaar Lee's New York City to Atlantic City blog to get a taste of traveling on the Greyhound line today.

Greyhound always has something to offer, so be sure to look into their Deals & Discounts section on the Greyhound website.