and train travel search platform in North America.”
The result was Wanderu, which has since partnered with the likes of Amtrak, BoltBus, Greyhound, Megabus, Peter Pan, Via Rail Canada, and other domestic and international carriers.
“We have partnerships in place with all major bus and train carriers,” Raygorodskaya assures, “allowing our users to see and compare various travel options all in one place and choose the one that best fits their needs in terms of departure time, trip duration and ticket cost.”
In addition to appearing on the schedules of nearly every major rail and bus system in the world, the dynamic duo has found themselves in such vaunted venues as Forbes, Fortune, and Inc. Magazine’s lists of the best young entrepreneurs and also at the famed South by Southwest Festival in Austin, TX. While many young jet-setters might set their sights on jets, Raygorodskaya and Bratnikov practice what they preach by travelling almost exclusively by bus and rail.
“Statistics show that more and more young people are opting out of driving in favor of alternative forms of transportation,” Raygorodskaya points out, “and with airline tickets being quite pricey and requiring additional arrangements such as expensive commutes to and from the airport, bus and train travel has really taken off as the preferred way of travel.”
By making the preferred way the easiest way (or at least much simpler and more efficient than it was when the MBTA was created in 1898), Wanderu not only allows people of all ages to get where they want to go, it may even inspire some to go somewhere new.
“We believe that we have found a niche in the travel world,” Raygorodskaya says, “but success is not a destination - it’s an ongoing process. That is why we are always striving to provide our users with the most reliable resources to live their lives to the full and leave the hassle of travel planning and searching for a good deal to us.”
Matt Robinson is a professional journalist, writer, communications director, educator, coach, and parent. His food writing can be read at matts-meals.com and he can be reached at [email protected]