To Gotham, Slots City and Beyond

Greyhound (800-231-2222, http://www.greyhound.com) offers passenger bus service countrywide, with area terminals in Washington (1005 First St. NE), Springfield (6770 Frontier Dr.), Triangle (18518 Jefferson Davis Hwy.), Woodbridge (1040 Express Dr.), Silver Spring (8100 Fenton St.), New Carrollton (Amtrak/Metro station), Annapolis (308 Chinquapin Round Rd.) and Frederick (MARC train station, 100 S. East St.).

* New York. Bus service from Washington to New York City starts at $22 one way or $38 round trip on Greyhound. Peter Pan Bus Lines (800-343-9999, http://www.peterpanbus.com) serves the Northeast Corridor and shares terminals with Greyhound in Washington, Silver Spring and New Carrollton.

Several other companies offer service to New York's Chinatown and Midtown. Fares with IvyMedia/GotoBus.com ( http://www.gotobus.com) start at $20 one way and $35 round trip, plus a $1 surcharge for some tickets. Seats on Washington Deluxe (866-287-6932, http://www.washny.com), from Washington for $20/$35, and Vamoose (877-393-2828, http://www.vamoosebus.com), from Bethesda and Arlington for $25 each way, can be booked on their respective Web sites. The safety records of several companies have come into question; go to http://www.washingtonpost.com/travel to see how you can check out your bus company.

* Atlantic City. Several bus companies travel between the Washington area and Atlantic City. Eyre (410-442-1330, Ext. 3213; 301-854-6600, Ext. 3213; http://www.eyre.com) has pickups in Rockville (1750 Rockville Pike), Norbeck (Georgia Avenue and Norbeck Road), Burtonsville (Burtonsville Crossing Shopping Center, National Drive and Route 29) and Ellicott City (Route 100 and Long Gate Parkway). Cost is $28 to $30 round trip, with $20 returned in coins for use at Trump Plaza.

Greyhound also offers service from the Washington area. Dream Tours (800-336-4545) departs from Seventh and G streets NW, Springfield, Fairfax and Wheaton. Fare is $45 round trip.

* Bus tours. Organizations offering tours include:

> DC Tours (888-878-9870, http://www.dctours.us) offers tours of nearby sights, including Monticello and Thomas Jefferson country, and Colonial Williamsburg.

> Encore! (202-223-1259) offers regional historical and cultural bus tours, including trips to Fredericksburg, Pennsylvania Amish country and Rehoboth Beach, Del.

> Martz Gold Line/Gray Line (301-386-8300, http://www.graylinedc.com) organizes trips to Williamsburg, Gettysburg and Monticello, among other regional destinations.

> Smithsonian Associates (202-633-3030, http://www.residentassociates.org) offers regional study tours via bus, such as Baltimore art and John Wilkes Booth's escape route.

> Trafalgar Tours (866-544-4434, http://www.ttusa.trafalgartours.com) offers luxury motorcoach tours throughout the United States, as well as in Canada, Europe and other international destinations.

> Tours 4 Fun (626-288-3667, http://www.tours4fun.com) organizes longer bus tours from Gaithersburg, such as a seven-day East Coast excursion that includes Hershey, Niagara Falls, Cape Cod and Manhattan.