ATLANTA megabus.com has added Atlanta as its seventh hub and is initiating service from here this month to 11 southeastern and southern cities.

The announcement came just days before Greyhound announced it was expanding its express service in the South.

The megabus Atlanta hub will connect travelers to Birmingham, Ala.; Charlotte, N.C.; Chattanooga, Tenn.; Gainesville, Fla.; Jacksonville, Fla.; Knoxville, Tenn.; Memphis; Mobile, Ala.; Montgomery, Ala.; Nashville, Tenn., and Orlando.

The company said the service starts Nov. 16.

Greyhound Express is adding routes from the Greyhound Atlanta hub to Memphis and Birmingham, beginning Nov. 15.

Fares on both megabus and Greyhound Express start at $1 and tickets can be purchased online.

The new Greyhound routes are the latest addition to that lines express service, which was launched in December and now includes more than 30 markets in the Midwest, Northeast and the Southeast. The service also is being extended to Canada.

In Memphis, Greyhound Express will operate from the citys new intermodal facility at Memphis International Airport.

megabus.com now serves roughly 70 cities and locations in the eastern U.S. and Canada. Its Atlanta hub is on the street level of MARTAs Civic Center station in downtown.

Atlantas convention and visitors bureau welcomed the addition of megabus coaches.

"Already the worlds most accessible city, getting to Atlanta will be even easier with the arrival of megabus.com," said William Pate, president and CEO of Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau. "Over the last few years, Atlanta has seen significant tourism growth with our world class attractions and restaurants. Adding a new form of transportation for travelers will only heighten the citys exposure.

To launch its southeastern service, megabus is offering 10,000 free seats between Nov. 16 and Dec. 16.