Is it possible to travel within the US without an ID?

Upvote:2

Greyhound used to ask for ID but only at boarding if you used a print-at-home ticket. This was more of a credit card fraud prevention measure than anything else, and I'm not sure if they even do that anymore. They don't ask for ID if you used a paper ticket obtained from the ticket counter or kiosk, or if you buy the ticket through their mobile app. (I seem to recall there is some exception for departures from Washington DC where everyone gets asked for ID, but I don't have the info on this handy.)

You can fly in the USA without ID, but you get the blue glove treatment from TSA if you do. You go through an identity verification process that involves answering some personal questions about your finances and credit that are obtained from a third party. My experience with these questions is that they are usually kind of ridiculous. They ask things like what model of car you owned in 2005. Then you go through secondary screening. It can take an extra 20-30 minutes on top of the security wait.

Upvote:9

If you have enough cash, you could buy a burner phone, load Uber on it, buy a prepaid MasterCard and then just Uber across the nation.

Amtrak doesn’t check Id very often so you could use Amtrak. If you get kicked off by a conductor, try the next train. Dress nicely and you may be rarely asked.

Greyhound and Bolt bus amongst other long distance bus companies don’t check ids.

Buy a bicycle and bike across.

Hitchhiking doesn’t require an ID except it’s handy to have one when your dead body lands up in a cornfield in Idaho.

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