For Burlington Trailways buses, is advance booking helpful and needed to be sure of a seat?

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I've traveled extensively by bus through this region, and while I'm aware that you've long since completed your travel, I'll answer this for the benefit of anyone who comes here in future...

As opposed to Greyhound, the largest US bus company, Trailways buses do not typically have reservations, and booking in advance does not guarantee you a seat. Seats are first-come, first served, at the time the bus arrives at your stop.

In this case, booking the ticket online makes no difference, though if you were starting or ending your trip here and it continued onward or if you transferred to/from Greyhound or another line, then you would want to book in advance due to the seating restrictions of those other carriers.

This bus shouldn't often be full, as it departs from Chicago westbound, and even if it is full leaving Chicago, it will typically discharge more passengers than are picked up, as most people in Iowa are traveling to and from Chicago, rather than points west. It's extremely unlikely that the bus would be full on arrival in Mount Pleasant. Furthermore, most people are taking the somewhat more direct Greyhound buses, which travel through Davenport (the much larger Quad Cities area) on the way out from Chicago.

There shouldn't be any significant difference in fares between booking online and at the counter, though the latter may be higher. It's worth calling the actual station in the departure city about this, as far as in advance as is practical, as fare prices change frequently and sometimes radically. You might also see a difference in fares between the Trailways website and the Greyhound website as well as buying at the counter.

Overall, I'd book in advance if possible, though if not, I wouldn't worry much about it. You'll still get where you are going.

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