The low-cost bus routes between Washington DC and New York City have become a perennial travel story, one that we ourselves covered first in June 2006, and then again this year with the launch of the BoltBus and Megabus $1 fares. But we had yet to sit down and look at how they compare to each other, so we figured now, as everyone tightens their belts a bit, would be the perfect time. And of course, with the holiday seasons upon us and Inauguration weekend approaching, New York and D.C. are sure to be popular destinations over the next couple months.
Having made over a dozen trips between D.C. and NYC over the past few years, I've taken over half of the buses listed (after the jump). Some buses have dropped me off on the outskirts of Manhattan's Chinatown, under a bridge and a good 10-minute walk to the nearest subway station. (That would be the 88 E. Broadway stop.) I've taken others that arrive at NYC's Penn Station, just a few steps from public transportation, but have fewer time choices.
So, there's a trade-off. It's hard to find a bus company that offers everything, but some come close. Whether it's location, times, Wi-Fi, or pit stops that matter to you, I hope the list below helps.
APEX Chinatown Bus - APEX leaves from D.C.'s Chinatown (610 I St. NW, a few blocks from the Gallery Place/ Chinatown Metro station) almost every hour. It makes two stops in New York - downtown at the corner of Canal and Allen St. and Penn Station (West 31st between 7th and 8th). You can purchase tickets online, at the bus stops, or at local grocery stores in Maryland, Virginia, and D.C. (call 1-888-688-0898 to find a location near you). Most buses have Internet on board but no power outlets. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis, and APEX recommends that you arrive 30 minutes before departure, even if you reserved a ticket online. Tickets between New York and DC are $20 one-way and $35 round-trip. The bus makes one rest stop along the way. If you sign up for an account, you earn points for traveling through the ApexBus Reward Program.
Bolt Bus - One of Bolt's biggest perks, like its major competitors, is location, location, location - arriving and leaving from well-lit areas close to public transportation. Unlike the competition, though, Bolt's fleet of buses offers leather seats, more legroom, power outlets, and free Wi-Fi. (There are no tray tables, though, which make using your laptop slightly uncomfortable). Bolt departs from DC's Metro Center (11th and G. NW) and arrives at NYC's Penn Station. If you don't like using the restrooms on board, I suggest drinking very little before you leave, since not all drivers make a pit stop. Tickets range in price from one dollar (if purchased ahead of time) to market value (based on ticket demand and time of purchase - usually 25 dollars or less), and online reservations include an assigned seating zone. That means you don't have to push and shove your way to the front of the line; like boarding an airplane, you simply wait until your zone is called. To get a good deal and seating area, book in advance. If your travel plans are up in the air, though, beware: you cannot modify your reservation or get a refund for your unused ticket. Your best bet may be standby in that case. And be sure to create an account with the company, because after eight one-way trips, the ninth is free for members.
DC2NY - DC2NY, "the upscale
bus," offers free on-board Internet service but no power outlets.
There are two departure options from DC: Dupont Circle (20th and Massachusetts NW) and McPherson Square (14th between H and I NW). In New York, the bus stops near Penn Station at 34th between 7th and 8th Ave.
While DC2NY does not give refunds if your plans should change, you can
reschedule as long as you do so 24 hours before the trip. You can also
put tickets on hold indefinitely. Payment for bus tickets are required
when you make your reservation. A round-trip ticket costs $50 and one-way costs $28 when you book online. If you register as a member, tickets
are a little lower: $46 round-trip and $25 one-way. Walk-up tickets
cost $30 (cash only). Passengers must arrive 15 minutes early. There are no assigned seats, and drivers take a vote to see if
passengers want to take a rest stop. They also offer a bottle of water on board, which is a nice touch.
Eastern Travel - Eastern Travel provides daily bus service between Chinatown in D.C. (7th and H St. NW) and NYC's Midtown (34th St. and 7th Ave.) and Chinatown (88 E. Broadway). There
is free wireless Internet on board but no power outlets. One-way
tickets cost $20, round-trip cost $35, and they are non-refundable and
cannot be exchanged for another date or time.
MegaBus - MegaBus leaves from DC's Metro Center (11th and G NW) and arrives at NYC's Penn Station.
Ticket prices vary depending on the day, and you can choose from around 14 departure times each day. You can make changes to your online reservations up to 24
hours before departure, but there are no refunds. If you book far
enough in advance, you can get tickets for one dollar. MegaBus offers
free Wi-Fi but no power outlets and makes one rest stop along the way.
New Century Travel - New Century is a true, bare-bones Chinatown bus, leaving from DC's Chinatown (513 H St. NW) and arriving in NYC's Chinatown (88 E. Broadway). There's no Internet on board and seating is on a
first-come, first-served basis. Tickets cost $20 one-way and $35
round-trip, and New Century does not offer refunds. Drivers make one
pitstop between DC and NY.
Today's Bus - Today's Bus is another company that operates between DC's and New
York's Chinatowns and makes one rest stop along the way. Buses leave
from 610 I St. NW in D.C. and 88 E. Broadway in New York City. You cannot make changes to your tickets, and they're non-refundable ($20 one-way; $35 round-trip).
Tony Coach
- Tony Coach is a new company operating between DC and NYC with
tickets starting at $15 one-way, $30 round-trip. You can choose from the following
DC and NYC departure and arrival locations: Foggy Bottom (23rd and I St. NW) and Chinatown (H St. between 6th and 7th NW) in DC and Midtown (Broadway and W. 31st) and Downtown in NYC. The driver makes a stop on the New Jersey Turnpike for a brief break.
Vamoose
- With Vamoose, unlike other bus companies, you don't have to be a
member to take advantage of their promotional offer. Save the coupon stubs
from four tickets and receive a free ride one-way. You can make
reservations online, which guarantees you a seat if you get there 15 minutes before the bus departs, but you don't pay
until you're on the bus ($25 each way - cash or personal check). You can also modify your
reservation with no penalty. If you're traveling from Northern
Virginia or Maryland, Vamoose is a great option, since it leaves from Rosslyn, VA and Bethesda, MD and arrives at Penn Station in New York (255 W 31st St.).
Bus drivers stop halfway for a quick break. The downside - Vamoose
does not have Internet on board. The buses are comfortable, though, and
the customer service is unbeatable.
Washington Deluxe bus - Washington Deluxe just added a Saturday service and a new pick-up location in Dupont Circle. Other departure locations are Tenleytown (4530 40th St NW) , McPherson Square (1015 15th Street NW), and downtown DC near Union Station (441 New Jersey Ave NW).
Collect eight one-way coupon stubs and receive a free one-way trip.
One-way tickets cost $21 and round-trip cost $40, except on Saturdays,
when tickets are $25 each way. Making reservations guarantees your
spot on the bus as long as you're there 15 minutes ahead of time, but
you don't pay for your ticket until you're on the bus. The company
accepts only cash on board, so to pay with a credit card, call them.
On Saturday, Washington Deluxe leaves Washington between 7:45 and 9:30 a.m.,
depending on the location (Washington Deluxe does not depart from Tenleytown on Saturdays). Stopping along the way is at the driver's discretion. Drop-off in NYC is downtown at Allen St. and Delancey St. (Washington Deluxe also drops off in Brooklyn).
Photo: Megabus
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I'm going to need one of these buses to stop in Philadelphia. Greyhound and Chinatown buses are not cutting it haha
I've ridden the Chinatown buses between DC & NYC before and love them. With more options now, I can't see any reason not to use these. They're comfortable, relatively quick, and cheap. Beats flying any day.
Here's the biggest problem for me -- the return trip. I go to NYC to see the opera or ballet or a Broadway show. The options for returning after an evening event are pretty much Greyhound (ugh). I haven't checked ALL these buses' return schedules, but Bolt and Megabus don't have anything in the evening. Any suggestions? (I usually wait and take the 1:45 am Greyhound -- always packed to the gills -- because it gets in at 6 am and the metro is running, well, except on weekends, and that's an even bigger problem.)
Eric, Apex does go to Philly.
I wrote my own little write up on this topic about a month after you did: http://ppgeek.blogspot.com/2008/12/how-to-travel-between-nycdc-on-cheap.html
There are a lot of different choices, but also the quality of the ride matters to a lot of people as well. Traffic can become problematic, which is also why you should think about other options, like jetblue or amtrak. I really like dc2ny the best, if only because I live near dupont. Don't forget, they also vote on watching movies during the trip too, which helps pass the time :-)
Is there any bus I can pick up in New Jersey to go to Washington DC?
I wasn't always a cheap-bus enthusiast. Going intercity by rail is comfortable for me.
The last several years have seen a sudden profusion of cheap intercity buses along the east coast. Four companies offer $15-20 rides between major cities from DC to Boston, with the established services like Greyhound cutting their prices to match.
Hi,
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Thanks
Sofia.
Every time I take a bus to Washington DC, I ride the Bolt Bus.
Boltbus is one of the better lines. So is Megabus and Vamoose bus. I don't think Vamoose bus has wifi, but maybe they'll add it in the future. These bus lines are growing like crazy so who knows?
Does the Vamoose have power outlets like the bolt bus?