We have taken a number of the various charter buses that ply between Washington and Znew York City. Megabus, Ourbus, Bolt Bus... our experience on Bolt Bus lands squarely in the middle. The buses have usually been clean, on time, and the electric outlets work. My one serious complaint is that on past trips the Wi-Fi was free and unlimited. This time I learned that Bolt had instituted a registration policy and the 'complementary package' was limited. Additional download capacity was available for additional fees. On a five hour trip this significantly restricts video downloads. It is enough of a pain that I will be looking at competitors first on my next trip! read more

After reading most of the reviews on bolt, mega and eastern buses we decided to go with bolt. Reviews for all the bus companies are all negative so why not go with the least expensive one! We booked the 11:30am leaving DC Union station to Nyc 36th and 11th. Great experience from begging to end. Buses were Easy to fine at Union station. We took another reviewer's advice and signed up for an account so we can get group A boarding. Our bus was clean. Driver was nice and got us there in 4.5 hours while it was cold and rainy outside. We had 1 bathroom break at a restroom stop 2 hours into our drive. I honesty have nothing bad to say about this company. read more

The good news is that it arrived on time at Union Station in DC. There was a helpful and informative attendant. It departed on time. The bus was clean. Wifi worked, and bathroom was clean. So what more could you ask for??? How about comfortable seats. I can't figure out how a bus seat manufacturer could make the seat bottom cantilever down toward the floor. Everytime the bus driver tapped the breaks, my bum slid forward. My husband and I tried using the seatbelts to see if that would help, but it didn't. First we thought it was our particular seat or just the bus we were on, but we had the same experience going and coming.. different buses and different seats. Therefore, we couldn't sleep. With all the things they got right, this one issue with the seats will keep us from ever going on a Bolt Bus trip again. read more

My daughter is on her way back from NYC to DC right at the time of this review and the bus she is on has NO adequate HEAT!! As another reviewer recently noted, it's frigid cold on that bus. To be exact, my daughter said "it is painful". With the record breaking low-tempratures I can't believe this bus is running. This company is just irresponsible and if I can't trust them to have well maintained buses with adequate heating systems, I can't trust them with recruiting responsible drivers either. Do yourself a favor and stay away from Bolt! My daughter took Megabus from DC to NYC and was pleased with them. She is using Bolt now only because her friend had already booked the bus back to DC with Bolt, otherwise she would have used Megabus again. read more

I have taken Bolt Bus to NYC from DC several times and maybe once the WiFi was working. Don't advertise WiFi if you're not going to invest any effort in ensuring its working reliably on the motor coaches! The drivers are hit-and-miss. Some are courteous and professional and others are...weird. The last bus I was on was driven by a weirdo. He gave me and my partner a lecture about not talking loudly during the drive to DC (we were seated in the front passenger-side seat) - but he wasn't looking at us or anyone else when he said this. Then he rambled on about all the rest stops on the way down to DC and how he knew them all. Then a passenger asked him if the bus will make a stop on the way to DC and he said no way, he won't stop. Then, during the ride down, he did stop. Just a really weird guy. On our ride up to NYC a few days before the driver left Union Station without making any safety announcements (not a word to his passengers) and drove straight through to NYC without stopping. And of course, the WiFi wasn't working on that bus either. Anyway, I'll definitely try one of their competitors for my next trip to NYC. Who knows, they might even have working WiFi! read more

Took Boltbus from DC to NY - great trip. I didn't have to wait to get on just because I was the 'C' group, the bus ran on time, and we took a 15 minute break at a rest area. The bus was very clean; the seats looked almost new. I felt very comfortable on the bus, no one looked sketchy. The wifi worked pretty well. The bus had plenty of leg room (and I am a tall woman). The bus drop off is in a pretty good location (not in port authority) which was nice. Great experience, I would definitely use Boltbus again. read more

When I review I try to be fair based on service expected and service received. Bolt Bus, provides affordable transportation to from DC to several northern locations (Boston, Philly, NY). Pick up is in a semi indoor area of Union Station only as a result of new fees on Bus operators. I have taken several trips from DC to NYC and have always been comfortable and either on time or early. Many trips include WiFi (which should only really be used for mundane web traffic, no streaming), power cords (just make sure you board early, pick a seat with a power cord and test it to make sure it works). Many buses are newer and have leather seats which is a plus. Overall Bolt Bus is a solid option for anyone looking for low cost bus transportation. The reason I rate Bolt Bus with 5 stars is the result of the rewards program. The program is free and you can register on their website. You receive priority boarding (many people always ask how you get an A ticket, that's how), and after 8 trips (each leg counts as 1 trip so really only 4 round trips) and you receive a free 1 way trip. Not bad considering this program is 100% free! read more

The Bolt Bus is a joke. There is very little space on the bus and the lines are total chaos. Often buses will arrive and depart late. It's unclear who is controlling the lines. It's a miserable way to travel. I will add that their policy on arriving 15 minutes before the bus departs is absolutely ridiculous and a sham. If you arrive 5 minutes before departure, the bus may have given away all the seats to standby passengers and they will not let you board the bus even though you have a reservation. They also will not refund you your money. Their customer service when you call is awful. They couldn't care less about you. I highly recommend the other bus lines or any other means of transportation. The Bolt Bus sucks. There is no other way to put it. read more

Was a cheap option to get home from New York after the storm. For the price, not bad. First, the good: the driver was professional, courteous. There was a person directing people to the right bus at the stop in NYC. The driver kept us up to date on scheduled arrival, and we pulled into Union Station right at the time he projected. The meh: the bus itself wasn't very clean. The power outlets only worked for part of the trip. The seats aren't comfortable, even with recline & footrest. read more

Bolt bus does not honor rewards earned, their explanation of the rewards program is completely misleading if not a downright lie. While booking my tickets to go to New York this week I discovered that Bolt bus credits toward a free ticket expire and mine have expired. They say that you earn them and they are yours but that is untrue. The Bolt Bus rewards page states the following exactly and does not say ANYTHING else. "Bolt understands that customers expect simplicity when it comes to traveling on a bus. And when it comes to a frequent rider program, we're keeping it simple as well. Introducing the Bolt Rewards program. No miles, no restrictions. Simply take eight trips on BoltBus and you're eligible for a free one-way ticket trip. That's it. No strings attached. Valid at any time, regardless of time of day, day of week, or even holiday travel. You've earned it, so why not use it whenever you want? How do I sign up? It's simple. Click on the "Join Us" link on the Buy Tickets page and register. No card to carry, just remember your e-mail address, userID, and password. (If you forget the userID or password, we can send it to you via e-mail.) You only get credit for trips where you have logged on as a member, so don't forget to log in prior to making a reservation. Your awards are just that: yours. They are not transferable to family or friends. Log in from the Buy Tickets page and the number of trips logged to date is shown in the "My Bolt Rewards" section. Isn't that simple?" Simple and untrue. The credits expire and this is not mentioned AT ALL on the rewards page. Customer service says I should have read "terms and conditions". If the rewards page states " it's simple" and "that's it, no strings attached" WHY would I go to terms and conditions? read more

My 17 yo daughter took Bolt from DC to NY last Friday. This was not our first time on Bolt, but will certainly be our last. The bus broke down in southern NJ and was able to get to a rest stop, OK, stuff happens. However they arrived there at about 1PM, and didn't get a relief bus to the passengers until about 5:30PM. Whenever I called them to try to get an update I got nothing but vague answers about not knowing where the relief bus was, driver missing the exit, but will be there any minute (not true) and other half-truths and outright lies. Overall, the bus that was supposed to arrive at 1:45PM didn't get there until 7:45PM. This is inexcusable IMO, no matter what the issue with the first bus. If Bolt had taken ownership of the problem and made it their priority to give correct, current information to those affected by the breakdown I would feel differently but the combination of incompetency and indifference to the customer sealed their fate for me. They did refund our fare but that is hardly compensation for the inconvenience and 6 hours' lost time they put us through. read more

Run!!! Worst Bus service in my practice. 1) impossible to find ever changing pick up spots (no info us provided in tix or website); 2) some extreme rude drivers , especially Chitless who harassed me for one hour of waiting in line, and then threw me off the bus just to show his macho. 3) no wifi! It never works!! 4) no stops 5) always late 6) no updates or announcements.. To passengers. read more

BoltBus - Run!!! Worst Bus service in my experience. no wifi! It never works!! 4) no stops 5) always late 6) no updates or announcements.. - Transportation Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I rode the Bolt Bus from Washington DC to New York and back to DC in April 2014. The buses left almost on time, which was great. The bus going to New York had cloth seats that you could sit on and were pretty comfy. An OK trip. The bad part of the trip--The bus from New York had plastic vinyl seats that are broken down so badly you can't sit up. There is no way to sit up right. Instead, gravity and the broken seat forces you to slide down and ride the four-five hours slumped down in ways that will give any normal person lower back pain. Awful seats. See photos. The drop off and pick up place in New York is way out of the way. No way to get a taxi down there and it is a long walk to the "city." I won't ride Bolt Bus again. Definitely an inferior bus trip compared to the other buses I have ridden between DC and New York. read more

Bolt Bus.... We were scheduled to leave at 9 am on a Sunday from 33rd St and 11th Ave. Instead, because the bus was not full, Bolt decided to pick up people at Grand and 6th which resulted in a delay of about 45 min. What the heck?!?! We kept sitting on that location waiting for more and more people to pile onto the bus. This is not fair to those who bought a ticket on time and wanted to leave at 9 am. This isn't a city bus that stops at every bus stop. There should be one pickup location and off we go. That's what I paid for and that's what I expect. I will never use Bolt again. There are so many options out there. read more

Folks, please believe all the negative reviews. I have no idea how this company remains in business. I am on a bus now headed to NY from DC and we just stopped on the freeway. The bus driver has not said one thing to us about what is occurring or how we will get to our final destination. Luckily, my NY event isn't until tomorrow afternoon. But still, WTF! read more

Every time I try to use bolt bus, SOMETHING goes wrong. It's ALWAYS something. Busses with NO AC, breaks downs that tact's on another 1.5hr to your trip, and some of the drivers are just rude and unprofessional. Maybe not for everyone, this is just based on my experiences. read more

The driver showed up over an hour late on 11/20/17 at 6th Ave. between Grand& Watts for the DC/Union Station run - 25 of us standing in the freezing wind and customer service is clueless when they even bother to answer calls...while the poor folks waiting for their 8:45 bus to Philly were still waiting at 10:40 when we pulled away! My e-mail to their customer service was answered by with a robotic BS reply. I've taken them for years, and this round trip was the worst ever (they also showed up 1/2 hour late on a freezing morning leaving DC two weeks prior). Abandon hope all ye who enter here. read more

Spend the extra money and #AVOIDBOLTBUS! Friday, July 5th, 2019 I purchased two round trip tickets from Newark, NJ to DC, leaving Fri at 6PM and returning Sun at 1:45PM. We arrived at 5:35PM and stood under the #BoltBusSucks sign. Greyhound buses come and go. Other buses come and go. We talked to two other guys who were to be on the same bus. One of them mentioned that he'd previously waited over a hour for a bus to arrive. So, no one became overly concerned. At 6:25PM, someone calls #BoltBusSucks! The rep told him that the bus left at 6, leaving 4 people behind. The guy disputes this as he was there by 5:45PM. The second guy calls #BoltBusSucks and is told the same. He arrived at 5:40. I called and received the same message. We all protest that it's not possible that a #BoltBusSucks departed at 6:00. We were all there! We all demand refunds and were told "no refunds." The first guy called BoltBus again. This time he is told that we should have gotten on a Greyhound! WTF? How the hell should we know to board a Greyhound Bus, when we purchased tickets for #BoltBusSucks? I purchased tickets with a competing bus company. No problems. Sun., July 7, 2019 We arrived at Union Station at 1:25 for the 1:45 return trip. At 1:45, we were told we would not depart until 2:15. At 2:15, we were told we would depart at 2:50PM. #Incompetence. #BoltBusSucks #IWantMyMoneyBack read more

I apologize this this is such a long review, but I highly encourage all to read it before booking just so you know what kind of bus drivers Bolt works with. Bus arrived late, and while that was expected, it was pouring raining and there were no nearby restrooms so it was kind of frustrating. There aren't any benches or overhangs to wait under in NYC. I am used to using Amtrak but my boyfriend convinced me that this would be a good cheap alternative to get home. I will not do this again. The good thing is that the Bus is super cheap, clean, and you get to DC quick and safely. However all the negatives of my first experience with Bolt make all of that irrelevant. Things that went wrong: 1. Not one single outlet on the bus worked. Unfortunately, I arrived at the bus stop with only 30% battery assuming I'd be able to charge on the bus as they advertised. That was not the case and because I needed my phone upon arriving in DC, I had to just power down on the bus to save battery. Made for a nice looooong trip. 2. A few times, just to test and see if the wifi worked, I powered back up and tried to jump on wifi. Never once was I able get any wifi, but it was fun (not) watching to battery continue to drain to 23% trying. 3. I was told we got one rest stop on the way back, that never happened. 4. Weird seat prioritization. We bought our tickets about a month in advanced and we were the first people to arrive at the stop (about 40 minutes early) so I was certain we would be one of the first people to get on the bus and choose our seats. Well what we were not aware of was Bolt had started adding letters to the tickets to prioritize who could get on the bus first. Our tickets said letter "C" which meant we were the LAST boarding group. Basically instead of standing in the rain for 40 mins I could have run to the bus at the last minute and gotten on at the same time I was allowed to board, after everyone else did. 5. The most awful bus driver. I don't know what was wrong with this man, but he started out the trip yelling at us like we were children. It was a very nice group of people on the bus actually, no one was drunk, rude, or loud. Just looked like tired and weather weary commuters. Well, the bus driver gets up before leaving NYC and yells at us, "If I catch anyone doing drugs or drinking, I WILL pull this bus over and contact the authorities. If you make any noise, I WILL NOT TOLERATE IT. This bus WILL be quiet. Oh yeah, and everyone pull your cell phones out now, yes you, RIGHT NOW, now turn those ringers off. If I hear any ringers I will take your phones!" Yelling at us like we were low class, trouble making children. The trip gets started and about 3 hours in the bus slows down to a stop. I was excited thinking I'd get the restroom break and stretch I was told about at booking. No, a lady's cell phone had either rung or she was doing something with the volume. The bus driver pulled to bus over to get out of his chair, tower over her and her husband and YELL and SCREAM down to her, spit flying, slang using, demeaning and DEGRADING. I was sitting 3 seats behind her and it was awful. The woman looked to be in her mid to late 40s, and was a very meek and quiet woman. Whatever happened with her cell phone was an accident, but she clearly was not intending to be loud, violate rules and also looked as though English may be her second language. I tried to take a video but did not have enough battery. In addition to other things that were yelled, the bus driver screaming said, "WHAT DID YOU NOT UNDERSTAND, WHAT YOU DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH? TURN THAT OFF OR I WILL TAKE IT, RIIIIIIIINNNNG RIIIIIIIINNNNNG, RAAAAAANNNNG, YEAH THAT RIIIIIAAAAANGGG THING, TURN IT OFF." He looked like he was about to snatch the phone out of her hand then her husband stepped in and said very kindly, "Please stop, my wife, she doesn't speak English, she means no harm." The husband's English was broken as well. It made everyone in the seats surrounding me uncomfortable and sad. There wasn't one person on the bus that agreed with what the bus driver did, as we talked about it the remainder of the way to DC. The poor woman looked humiliated. Basically, even at that cheap price, I would never subject myself to be treated like an animal and therefore will not be ever riding this bus again. Since all the benefits it should have had were not there anyway, if I really need to save money on Amtrak I will use any of the other bus companies over Bolt and highly recommend anyone else do the same. Bolt Bus probably needs to issue some type of statement, refund or apology to EVERYONE that was on that ride. Just horrendous. read more

Let me tell you a story about Bolt Bus, which I had the displeasure of riding this week. I ordered my tickets online, and showed up to my 7:30 bus at 7:34, and was informed the bus already left. I understand that a deadline is a deadline...but really? 4 minutes?! I was then directed to a standby line which I had to stand in, in the cold and wait another hour for the next bus at 8:30. I waited and they let the people in front of me BUY tickets on the spot, instead of letting someone who HAD tickets get on! Ridiculous. I then had to wait for the 9:30 bus since it was full before I got to the front. (I was only 4th in line...) And once again at 9:30 the man in front of me got to buy his ticket on the spot instead of letting me go on. I was late, cold, tired, and simply fed up. I used my iPhone to pay for a ticket for the DC2NY bus that would depart in 15 minutes and got on with no problem. So basically, my ticket to NYC was a complete waste, but I still had my return ticket (which I made sure to be early for). Before making my way to the pick up location, I called BoltBus JUST to make sure it was the right station. (It was the last bus and I couldn't miss it). When I was walking toward a the pickup spot, I spotted a BoltBus and asked the man if it was the right bus to DC. He was talking on the phone and brushed me off and muttered "yeah". It didn't feel right. There was 10 minutes until we left and no line and no one on the bus. I walked about 50 ft and spotted the ACTUAL bus to DC. If I stayed and listened to that other driver I would have missed the bus! I got on and headed back to DC and was dropped off at Union Station. The driver on the intercom was very rude and loud. I get that he was trying to be firm, but it came off as rude. He repeated things repeatedly and loudly, as if he was speaking to a group of children. It was quite off-putting. Wifi was spotty. Seats were alright, more comfortable than the DC2NY bus. About 3-4 minutes after getting off the bus at Union Station, I noticed I left my wallet on the bus. I frantically ran back and the bus was still parked. I ran to the front (making sure to wave my hands so the driver saw me). I breathlessly told him I left my wallet on the bus. Instead of letting me on to get it, he screamed at me and said "GET THE HELL OUT OF THE WAY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? MOVE!!!" I shouted again and again that I left my wallet but he closed the window and ignored me and drove off. He simply drove off with my wallet, credit cards, cash, social security card, etc. I quickly called BoltBus Customer Service....only to find out their offices were closed. I was stuck at Union Station with no money, no credit card, nothing. I had to call a friend to come pick me up, since my car was parked at the Franconia-Springfield parking garage. I ended up leaving the station at 1 am. In the morning I called the BoltBus customer service number to ask if they had found my wallet. After being transferred here and there, I was finally told they had my wallet, but I could only pick it up from 6 am - 1:30 pm this week, except Wednesday and Thursday. This means I have to wait until Friday and will have to drive 1.5 hours to their Maintenance center in Maryland to pick it up. This was simply the worst experience I've ever had. I was treated like absolute dirt. Please, I URGE you to stay AWAY from BoltBus. I don't ever want anyone to experience the panic and just disappointment I faced. I'm sticking to MegaBus. I wouldn't ride another BoltBus even if it was for free. read more

My friend took BoltBus today for the first time. She traveled from Union Station to Delaware and her overall experience was horrible. The bus arrived late and when they arrived in Delaware she got dropped off in the middle of nowhere, where she then had to take an uber that was $50 to get to her actual destination. She didn't expect this bus service to be bad and it was reasonable priced. Going forward she will not use this service anymore, but I do hope you all take into consideration the reviews you all receive. read more

It's possible I'm jumping the gun here - I'm actually on the bus home - but so far, so good, judging by the two trips I've taken this weekend. Leaving from D.C. - since we left our home prior to the Metro opening in the morning we took a cab. Our cabbie knew right where to take us, so we had no problem actually locating the bus, but if we'd metro'd on our own, we might have been left searching. They leave out of the north side ... the parking garage? We were lined up into A, B, C, but everyone had B, so I'm not sure how those assignments were made or exactly what the point was. I was nervous about what I might find when it came to a driver, but she was friendly, sober (what? I read the news!) and a safe driver. We left on time, but not 5 minutes into our trip she said the rear AC didn't seem to be working and asked how folks in the back were holding up. The answer was, "It's hot!" So we rolled into the BoltBus parking lot and made a very quick and efficient switch to another bus. We arrived about 25 minutes late but that seems extremely reasonable to me when you think about predicting arrival for a long trip. (How many times do I get to Cincinnati or wherever later than I expected?) Leaving from NYC - a bit of madness, since you leave from a street corner and not so much an actual terminal. From right in front of the Sbarro, just like they tell you if you elect to leave out of Penn Station. But talk about efficient. Right before us they loaded two more busses - I'm not sure where the first was headed but the one before was the 1:15 to Baltimore, and it pulled out on time. Our bus slid into line, we boarded, and at about 1:30, off we went. Again, the driver is courteous and driving cautiously. On neither trip did they play a movie. On both trips we made a 12-15 minute pit stop. We didn't have an outlet in our particular seat on the first bus but I saw them (and we didn't need one.) Wi-fi has worked on both trips. The other patrons have all been quiet and respectful. The toilet on the first bus functioned fine; smelled a bit like a latrine on the inside, but ... it is, right? Both times the bus itself has smelled fine and kept good circulation. Both times the interior of the bus was in good condition. The second bus was a bit more spacious. It's our first go at a bus, but it's actually more pleasant than flying (less hassle) or driving yourself (I'm on the Internet! And I don't pay the tolls....) and cheaper than the train. I think it works best to keep your expectations low (it is a bus, after all), but we will do this again. read more

We had a quick getaway to NY and left in the afternoon. Tickets were relatively inexpensive at $15/person one-way. We normally use Tripper or Vamoose, as they depart out of Rosslyn, but they are more expensive than taking Bolt or Megabus. When you purchase your ticket, you are assigned a boarding section (A, B, or C), a la Southwest Airlines. Check-in was organized and seamless--we didn't have any toner at home so I just showed them my confirmation on my phone and that was acceptable. It might be because our departure was in the afternoon, but I didn't see many customers lined up in section A or B, so we were able to pick good seats. We had the regular plush seats and not leather. There seemed to be a bit more leg room for my 6'2" boyfriend. The ride was comfortable for both of us. Sadly, the outlets did not work, but the driver reset them during the rest stop. Wifi was spotty, but we rarely use wifi nowadays thanks to our smartphones. The only thing I did not like was the drop-off point. They had recently changed it and it dropped us off in the middle of nowhere. Not so great when it's chilly out. I liked our driver--he didn't speed, was funny, and kept it real. People were getting up as we neared our stop and he told them to sit down, because a cab would not hesitate to cut in front of a bus, and "we've gone too far" for people to get hurt. Overall, a good first impression. I would definitely use Bolt in the future if Tripper or Vamoose didn't have seats available. read more

Our driver was 30 minutes late, making our bus leave 30 minutes late. When you are on a right time schedule, this is absolutely unacceptable! When I book a 12 pm bus I expect to leave at 12 pm. read more

I ride "The Bolt" a lot between DC and NYC, and usually during off times mid-week. I like the drivers, and the buses appear to be a new fleet with new seats, good ac, etc. Also, I hate having to watch a stupid movie on the other bus lines. Some vote on this, "Who wants to watch a movie, who wants to make a rest stop..." Bolt makes a decision. No movie, and only a stop if the bus driver has to pee. Also, these drivers are usually of the age where the prostate is getting larger, and voiding is more frequent. So, give them a break if they want to stop. Finally, as a curb side bus service (meaning no station), they do have a bit of reasonable organization, which prevents people from cutting in line, taking up two seats on a crowded bus, and outright fraud with the cash payments. I like The Bolt. Knowing that a bus can sometimes be only as good as the traffic that it has to traverse, these guys do a good job. Would I recommend my mother take the Bolt Bus...sure, why not. As long as I am there to meet her under the peep show awning at 33rd and 7th. For a bus service, I'd give it 5 stars if it wasn't for the fact that I had to take that middle aisle seat in the back next to the bathroom once before. Really now, just get rid of that seat. read more

Seriously? Is this my first time using Bolt Bus? Wow! I am impressed. It picked me up underneath the awning at Union Station and boarded me with dignity and order. I love it. The seats were "leather" which I wiped down with Lysol cloths in an attempt to reduce my bedbug risk. The driver was clear about acceptable behaviors on the bus. There was a power outlet (eventhough I did not have my laptop this time). And fortunately for me, there were only like half the number of possible passengers on the bus. When I went to the bathroom, there was tissue and sanitizer (wtmi, I know) but this is important. This was a fantastic experience. All for $17! read more

I am currently on the bus back from NY to DC and I think it's safe to describe the bus temperature as "arctic". I'm wearing a down coat, gloves, hat, snow socks and a scarf and I am FREEZING. Also, no outlets. Or wi-fi. Two stars because my bus to NY got in on time. Feeling generous. Will not take Bolt again. read more

I have mixed feelings on Bolt Bus. I've used it a lot but don't think I will anymore. Their outlets work about 80% of the time but not every bus has outlets for each seat. Wifi has never worked for me. The DC-NY takes a 15 minute rest stop if that's your thing. One time that stop was badly needed as they had shut down the bus' bathroom. If you absolutely need to be some place on time, book an earlier Bolt bus. Though mine have always departed on time, they've never arrived less than 30 min late. Also some of the buses have these new crappy leather seats that are angled towards your feet..meaning the entire ride is a struggle not to slide off your seat with each brake and turn. That was a miserable ride. read more

Bolt, nooo! What is happening to your quality? This used to be reliably the best DC-to-NYC bus service - great prices, leather seats, functional wireless, outlets, and timely departures. But the past few times I've taken Bolt, I've gotten later departures, no working wireless, no outlets, washed-up Peter Pan buses...I just feel like quality here is beginning to slide. I think DC2NY easily ties them now. read more

Okay, I swear, the next time I write a review it is going to be a nice one.... Alas, too bad Bolt Bus couldn't be it. With the type of competition it faces, I just can't understand what goes into the decision-making behind the scenes. Why do you hire not-nice people who don't provide any useful information? Why do you make us stand like frantic cattle on the sidewalk (NYC)? Why do you let stand by passengers on at the last minute and allow them to pay less than those of us who booked in advance? Why do you allow the employee who answers customer service emails treat customers like they are imposing with their questions and imply that it is our fault that we somehow wouldn't assume that "My Bolt Rewards, Point Summary" and the lightning bolt icons that follow might actually represent how many points we have in our account? (P.S. they don't, so you better click on your name and then Bolt Rewards and then add your trips up manually and then minus that from how many you need to get a free trip and then you will know). Why do you do this when we can take MegaBus? P.P.S. Drivers always seem to be nice and competent, it's just everyone else at the company I seem to have a problem with. read more

BoltBus was my saving grace in college. I traveled from Boston to New York often and each time, it was cheap and reliable. As they have gotten more popular, the prices have increased without much improvement in quality. However, it is still a great service and one that I will continue to use. read more

DC to NYC review - ON TIME! - boarding based on group numbers A, B, C - 3 separate lines for A, B, C - good leg room space - bathrooms don't smell - drivers are very professional - bolt bus tells people to turn their music down, turn cellphones off, etc - this route has a 15 minute rest stop to use bathrooms and buy food/snacks/drinks half way - outlets for every one (i remember megabus would have outlets every x-amount of seats) - free wifi (doesn't really work though, it's very spotty / on and off all the time) read more

I say this as someone who almost exclusively preferred Bolt for several years (and who gave them 4 stars in a review 2 years ago), but their customer service and the standards of quality are rapidly deteriorating. Buses are overbooked and frequently delayed, and they use old Peter Pan buses with no wifi or outlets when their regular buses break down. This happened to me a few weekends ago. The bus smelled truly awful and there was a lot of very angry customers who had all planned on using outlets and wifi. Yes, I know those this are not rights, they are privileges; but those privileges, combined with the promise of more comfortable, clean buses are why people take Bolt in the first place. The pick up locations are also nightmarish because there is no formal line and people are literally fighting to get on the bus first. On the flipside, I have been impressed by recent Megabus trips. I've had problems with them years ago but they appear to have gotten their act together quite well. The pick up location in NYC is orderly and organized (and a few blocks away from the madness around Madison Square Garden/34th & 7th). The buses are clean, the wifi worked reasonably well, and they now have outlets. For the DC to NY round trip, I'd recommend Megabus over Bolt any day. read more

It was very uncool to leave 15 minutes early and strand 6 people on the side of the road on a 90+ degree day in Baltimore. Not to mention, when the stranded people called and very calmly explained the situation to customer service, the response was that "our buses don't leave early" and a hang up. read more

Pros: Cheap. Ticket each way was $15. Cons: Bolt's entire "we are better" advertising is a blatant lie/joke. "Reserved seating"? Wow, what the hell else would I be purchasing, if not a seat on the bus!? A spot on the roof? The chance to maaaaaybe get on? Clearly they have high baseline standards... First the basics. 2nd trip the bus broke down on the side of the highway 3 times, each stop adding 20 mins. The driver took moronic "shortcuts" that added at least 30 mins to the trip. Both times I rode, my seat did not offer the promised power outlets. Indeed, approximately 1/2 of the seats lack outlets. Internet worked at dial up speed and thus was entirely useless. "Plush" seats were neither plush nor remotely comfortable. I wasn't expecting a leather recliner, but something that didn't cause back pain after 5 mins would be nice. Second bus had even smaller seats that lacked armrests, meaning your arm would cramp and constantly bump your neighbors. The buses were falling to pieces, with trim broken off or in the process of doing so, creating a cacophony of rattles and noise. It was literally about 85 deg on the bus, maybe hotter towards back. Asking the driver to lower temp resulted in no change. Both buses were dilapidated Greyhound relics that had been hastily converted to the Bolt brand. They hadn't bothered to remove 1/2 the Greyhound logos. Back half of busses smelled like the toilet. Boarding in DC was relatively civilized, though as there is no terminal, standing outside in the summer heat would be miserable. In NY it was a complete cluster of people jammed into a tiny sidewalk, pushing, no lines, no staff or signs indicating which bus was which. The first driver was polite but failed to heed requests to make the temp bearable. Second driver never spoke, except one of the 3 times the bus broke down. I've taken nicer buses in Africa. Very disappointing. read more

As with many other Yelp reviews I've read over the years, there needs to be negative star ratings options. Bolt Bus is a scam, not to mention their horrendous customer service. I do not write reviews but after I was required to pay $50 - cash ONLY (that was emphasized over and over) for the tickets I had previously purchased, to the driver to get out of New York, for what I was told by the driver is a common BOLT error, I will warn others. I tried calling customer service but was told the tickets expired the day after (that would have been the 17th - today is Monday the 19th - and are not refundable. In addition to that scam, here's a few fun facts about the ride home: 1) had to pull over about 15 minutes into the ride so the driver could go back and unlock the bathroom door. 2) our seat was not "BOLT"ed down properly so it rocked back and forth when slowing/stopping. 3) Used bathroom about 4 hours into the trip to be standing in liquid (I want to think it was water but since there wasn't a sink ...) because the floor drain apparently didn't drain. 4) Electrical outlets - cool you can keep your phone charged - nope, had no power. 5) do NOT believe their claims of extra legroom - what a joke. There are way too many other options than BOLT Bus. I highly recommend you look at them. read more

This was my second time using Boltbus. The reason for this heinously low review is because both the power outlets and WiFi were not working. I called up them up to request a voucher for future use, and, after what seemed like a small eternity on hold, they transferred me to Customer Service - who then tried to tell me to cast my complaint via email. I was especially appreciative when they told me that these were "amenities" not included in the price, and therefore non-refundable. When I asked why they were advertised on the website as "features," I was informed that a feature necessarily means an addition to the regular product and thus, evidently, not guaranteed. Conclusion: Boltbus Customer Service = Tight-fisted sophists read more

I'm writing this while I'm on the bus from DC to NY. This is my first time with BoltBus. The seats are uncomfortable, there is no WIFI and it's so COLD- Freezing cold. The driver said it will take sometime to heat up but it's been 3 hours and it's still freezing cold. Terrible experience! read more

Yep, a year later and as someone who travels from DC to NYC at least once a month, I'm here to confirm that BoltBus is better than Megabus. The seats are more comfortable, and more often than not BoltBus is not sold out so you can get a seat to yourself (at least on the early morning buses). Bolt is a little pricier than Mega, but I think the price difference is worth it. read more

My preferred bus to NYC. It always feels a bit cleaner than the Megabus and drops off/picks up in the most convenient locations. If you book far enough in advance, you can also get some pretty cheap tickets. read more