Travelling through the holiday season often means having to splurge on expensive, seasonally-marked-up round-trip flights, leading many folks to opt for more budget-friendly travel options like buses or trains.

However, one Toronto woman's cautionary tale about her "traumatic" 24-hour bus ride back home has made rounds on social media — convincing many to prioritize safety over price when travelling. 

Toronto resident Chloe Tam recently detailed her journey travelling back to Toronto from New York City on a Greyhound bus in a series of photos on TikTok, which have already amassed over 1 million views. 

Tam told blogTO that she travelled to New York City for Christmas, calling the journey long yet "manageable," but nothing could've prepared her for what was to come. 

@chloetam63 Replying to @ANNESHA ADAMS ♬ original sound - Chloe Tam

The return journey began at 7 a.m. like any other, with Tam grabbing a sandwich and snacks ahead of the long drive. After a series of delays, the bus arrived in Syracuse for a pit stop at 2 p.m., which kickstarted the series of unfortunate events. 

Due to the delays, the bus driver told Tam that she wouldn't be able to make her connecting bus in Buffalo, meaning she'd be stranded in the Buffalo bus terminal overnight. 

The bus finally arrived in Buffalo at 6:30 p.m., and that's when Tam found out that the next available bus to Toronto was departing at 6 a.m. the next morning. 

"Luckily, there was another passenger on the bus who was going to Toronto as well. We sat together the whole time and shared stories about our lives and kept each other company. I also read a lot at the bus terminal. I decided not to put on my earphones because I wanted to be alert at all times," Tam told blogTO. 

@chloetam63 Replying to @confettiproblems ♬ original sound - Chloe Tam

Throughout the 12-hour wait, Tam says her fellow traveller played the radio, and even asked her to take notes as they called Greyhound to complain. At one point, Tam's travel buddy even whipped out a bucket of jerk chicken and encouraged her to eat a few pieces. 

"I think the whole trip was very memorable because I have never experienced something like this but when the traveller pulled out his bucket of jerk chicken — I found that really funny, it's like he prepared for the 12-hour wait," Tam explained. 

Despite this friendly encounter, she says that there were still a few moments terrifying enough to keep her awake throughout the whole night. 

@chloetam63 Replying to @Wah ♬ original sound - Chloe Tam

"The person sitting next to me (another person, not the traveller I was with) just got released from jail and he snatched my phone away to go on Google Maps to find his way home. I was worried he was going to run away with it, but luckily, he gave it back to me," Tam told blog. 

After running out of water — and being unable to purchase more as the vending machine onsite was broken — Tam finally made it on her 6 a.m. bus, where she encountered another issue. 

Tam says she was forced to stay awake during the whole ride to Toronto because she didn't feel safe with the person sitting beside her. However, against all odds, she finally arrived in Toronto safe and sound at 9 a.m. 

@chloetam63 Replying to @Mya he was fine for the rest of the ride thankfully #busride ♬ original sound - Chloe Tam

The comments section of the now-viral TikTok was filled with similar experiences, with most respondents urging others to value their safety over money. 

"I would have been terrified to be in the Buffalo bus terminal overnight," one person wrote. "I would've been calling everyone I knew in Toronto to just drive to Buffalo and pick me up," another comment reads. 

"I was really surprised to learn that so many people have very similar experiences at Buffalo bus terminal/Greyhound, and some of the stories in the comments are wild. I had no idea," Tam told blogTO. 

"A lot of people in the comment section said a plane is better, but it was significantly cheaper to go by bus during Christmas time. Obviously if I knew so many people have such bad experiences, I wouldn't have taken the Greyhound, the cheaper route isn't worth it." ​