This week I made it all the way from Manhattan's Canal Street to Atlanta's Buford Highway for just $40 — thanks to the miraculous yet polarizing Chinatown bus.

The term "Chinatown bus" refers to any of the many bus companies that run out of tiny storefronts in New York's Chinatown to and from destinations around the US.

These intercity buses provide a phenomenally cheap alternative to air travel. The Chinatown buses also have much cheaper fares than big-name buses like Greyhound or Megabus.

However, the buses have drawn ire from some Manhattan residents as some of them illegally park and drop off their passengers — creating crowds, traffic, and plumes of exhaust.

New York's governor signed into law new regulations for Chinatown buses in 2012 requiring them to stop only at designated places. However, DNAInfo reported this month that police have been "unevenly forcing" that law and that Chinatown residents are still displeased with the buses.

Despite the controversial nature of this business, for me the Chinatown bus was an obvious choice. I reckon I saved $300-$350 by taking buses this holiday season instead of planes. Indeed, these buses provide an important service for a large segment of the population who can't afford to shell out $350 on a plane ticket.

This was hardly my first time taking the 14- to 18-hour trip all the way down to Atlanta, so allow me to present my guide to getting around on the Chinatown buses.