Kelvin Johnson is the best bus driver ever!! His personality literally made my entire day. The fact that he called everyone on the bus his "family" was so sweet. He was informative, professional and above all he was the biggest sweet heart. I wish there were more people like him in the world. read more

Just got back from NYC last night in record time and earned my first free trip with Bolt to boot! I've tried DC2NY and Megabus as well, and have to say I keep coming back to Bolt. Nicer seats, more reliable plug-ins and wi-fi, and knowledgeable drivers (they communicate with buses ahead of them to avoid traffic and accidents) are all big perks. Now that they've opened their Union Station location it's pretty much sealed the deal for me. read more

Our first trip on BOLT, traveled with my tween daughter. This beats the old college Geyhound days of the 80s! Didn't expect to ever be on a bus to NYC again! First time doing new things I am observing, noting what worked and what would improve the process. So here it goes... Trip from DC to NYC: 4 stars ...relatively smooth and easy; we could charge our devices but wifi didn't support watching multi-media. Tips: -Download your own content and charge your phones, games, Ipods BEFORE your trip, just in case you can't on the bus. - Bring a snack or meal if possible Trip from NYC to DC: 3 stars... Chaotic start... lots of folks, uncertainty about which bus (e.g. A 7:30am bus arrived. Lots of confusion and attitudes only to learn that it was a Baltimore/Greenbelt Maryland only bus our DC driver would arrive 10 min later. A BOLT employee on site (besides the driver) was seriously needed. We had apparently "C" tix and got called last. Couldn't sit together to debrief the NYC experience. Older bus, no opportunity to charge my phone, but luckily I did the previous night. Other than that unpleasant start, the return driver was wonderful and trip seems (halfway there) otherwise uneventful. For the money, a great value. Hassle factor for first timers leaving NYC was high, but next time we'll know better, we'll be better travelers. My seatmate is a BOLT pro...her ticket was $1 for this ride and for her too, the pros far outweigh the cons. Value and convenience reign! Tips: - Bring an extra dose of patience for the NYC to DC leg. - Be prepared to be out in the elements longer than you'd think! - Know where the stop is...actually on 33rd around the corner from Sbarros - Give yourself two extra hours to get there...that way you won't be stressed if things are running late - Remember, these tix are super cheap and a great alternative to driving. This is also a popular route. If they get you there alive, mission accomplished! read more

Right now posting from a bus. Bathroom stinks like hell. Almost puke inducing. And I am not even sitting at the back. Never again! I will stick to dc2ny or vamoose. Oh and no, this is not posted using the wifi. That's slower than dial up. read more

For the money, this is the best bang for your buck. $40 round trip from greenbelt to NYC on the weekend. It can cost that much just in tolls, let alone parking. Amtrak can be around $300 round trip. I'll provide you with some facts about my trip to help you decide one way or the other... -Labeled stop for BoltBus at metro station was nice -I arrived 15mins early as requested, but the bus was late -They were OK with electronic copy of ticket that they emailed to me -Bus stopped in Baltimore, which filled the bus up, but driver gave heads up that the open seat next to you wouldn't be that way for long -Seat was about as spacious, clean, & comfortable as typical tour/coach bus -Definitely chilly temperature (most people wore long sleeves, so I'd do the same) -Working 3 prong A/C plugs were by all seats, just in different locations on different buses -WiFi was very limited & weak on one trip & didn't work at all on another -drop off in NYC was few blocks from Penn Station, which is convenient - Drivers were good enough, no jerky movements or recklessness -Just be prepared for traffic, as the drop off times don't account for that Hope this was helpful. Give it a shot & review yourself. read more

I've used megabus, boltbus, best bus, dc deluxe, and Peter Pan. BoltBus is by far the worst of these options. Chronically late and not on schedule. The buses are cramped and not well maintained. Of the 3 times I've taken bolt bus, the a/c hasn't worked 2 of the trips. This renders BoltBus as an oven on wheels for a ride between Washington to NYC that should take 4-5 hours as long as 6 hours. The absolute worst. Spend a few dollars more on reliable service. read more

Mixed results with an adventure every time!!! I feel that all one has to say is , "BoltBus", and a grand image is conjured of seats that are slightly too small for me, friendly drivers full of sass and the cabin illumination of 10 MacBooks and 5 PC laptops. It's the kind of real experience that I thoroughly enjoy. Being exhausted from partying constantly in NYC for the past weekend; all you can do is shut your eyes and hope that the driver wont do a u-turn on a small 2 lane country road (this may actually happen to you as it did to me). This is often a tempting situation to get oneself into, however, beware. I did this once and became disoriented to the point that I made the jackass error of all jackass errors, I left my backpack on the bus. I simply walked off without it. No one hammer me for this more than myself, but I can say that after a week filled with frantic emails and panic soaked nights, boltbus actually delivered my backpack back to me, contents intact. I'm not dumb; I know the odds of a safe baggage return from a $25 bus ride. It is for this reason that I firmly stand behind boltbus. For all of the possible ways they might fail, all of which are really inconsequential, boltbus will help you out when you're so out of it that you will leave your bag on the bus. At least they did in my case. I would usually encourage talking on the bus, simply for the variety of folks that do ride the boltbus. Most people that aren't tools will recognize that you are watching "ALI" over their shoulder or watching them chat with their girlfriends about who their going to hook up with the moment they hit the city. Most are indifferent about this simple act of voyeurism. If they do not like it, watch out, you could be in for a long ride. The riders are generally attractive, and savvy enough to know about "the bus with the plugs and the legroom". I really believe that once you purchase a bus ticket, you accept that you are taking a bus ride, and accept all of the "cons" that come with that little purchased experience. Unless your driver is high on LSD, buy the eticket, make the confirmation, print your boarding pass, take the ride. read more

Took the Bolt Bus from NYC to DC this afternoon. Got to DC in a little less than 4 hours (no stops along the way). Kelvin was the best driver--- so friendly, funny, and helpful!!!! My only complaint would be that the Wifi is pretty weak but that wasn't a dealbreaker for me. read more

This was my first time on Bolt Bus, going from NYC to DC. The bus was over 30 minutes late leaving. The weather was very cold, but no one communicated with us on the delay, reason for it, or ETA. We were just left standing and freezing in 18 degree windy weather. There appeared to be an agent, best to my knowledge checking on the bus arrivals and such, but he seemed to have more interest in the young woman (I guess a passenger, maybe a friend) who walked around with him, than the freezing passengers waiting for over 45 minutes waiting for the bus. The overhead panel in the bus we were on was torn up, with panels removed. We were informed there was no WIFI or power outlets. The seats were extremely uncomfortable. I could not rest and by the end of the 4 1/2 hour trip by hips and bottom were in pain. The arm rests and seats upholstery was not in good condition. Much of the padding was torn away. This was a first and last trip for us on Bolt. read more

I'm not 100% sold on Bolt Bus, but today our driver was Miranda and she gets 5 stars for sure. Got us boarded better than the earlier bus, had the best route (I normally drive DC-NYC), and kept an even sane speed and lane so we weren't all bopping around. If I always got Miranda, Bolt would be how I'd always go. Until then, ill just hope to get her as my captain. Thanks! Plus got in 15minutes early! -Matt Beatty read more

This was our first trip from DC to NYC on Bolt Bus and were pretty excited b/c of all of the great reviews. Certainly the price is great. The bus left on time. Awesome. However, I almost couldn't believe how the driver was speaking to some of the passengers. A lady was complaining while we were leaving DC about her seat being broken. The driver pulled the bus over, stormed back to her and lit her up about finding another seat. He then got back in his seat and took off while getting on the loudspeaker and totally put her on blast. What? Who does that? Like, you already told her to find another seat and using the microphone on the bus was just your way of being a bozo. Anyone talking about the decent leg room must be on another bus. The foot rest eliminates any extra room for your legs. The seats were very uncomfortable which was a surprise b/c everyone said how comfy the seats were. The power for my phone was on and off and we couldn't connect to the wifi. Big deal? Not really but when Bolt Bus uses those things as selling points, they need to work. We get to the rest stop in Delaware and the drive said we have 15 minutes. Understood. 15 minutes is up and we start to leave. Some dude comes running out and gets on the bus. Once again, the driver lit him up and then got on the loud speaker "folks, when i make an announcement, you have to take those ear buds out of your ears and listen to me..." Dude, drive the bus and stop reprimanding your customers who pay your salary. He was a complete bozo with the way he treated people riding his bus. I will say, we arrived on time. That is great for sure but at the expense of all of the other things? Not sure. Customer service is KING. You can almost be late, have seats that are tough to sit in, etc but if you have great customer service, all will be great in the end. read more

Bolt Bus would've been FREAKIN' awesome a few years ago when Chinatown buses still dominated the scene. Free WI-FI, electrical outlets, inexpensive fares, et cetera. I took Bolt Bus to NYC several days ago. It was a good experience, but there's not much to rave about. The extra leg room rocked, but I didn't like the pleather seats. Even before my vegetarian days, I always thought clothed seating was way, WAY more cozy than leather. It was a wicked cold morning when we left for NYC, and the bus took about 30 minutes to heat up. Not cool (no pun intended). We arrived in NYC half an hour late, but traffic in DC was insane because of the upcoming inauguration. I would certainly take Bolt Bus again, but it's not much different from Vamoose and DC2NY. If you are easily annoyed, take Bolt Bus as they don't play movies. read more

I took my first trip on the Bolt bus over the Easter weekend up to New York. It was so convenient and comfortable for the $! The seating is first come first serve so if you are traveling with anyone you can easily sit together. The bus is equipped with complimentary wifi and outlets which would have been helpful if I had brought my laptop. Between lugging my bag and purse my laptop was the last thing I wanted to worry about carrying. My one or several complaints about the Bolt bus would be when departing from DC the bus was late and the driver was rather rude. Halfway through the ride someone was talking on a cell phone and the driver got on the intercom and said "who ever is talking on a cell phone keep it down I can't hear my music" it was quite comical to me but I'm sure the other patrons found it rude and in poor taste. He also commented on how tired he was during the drive and how we have a long drive ahead of us. Not the thing you want to here on a bus trip arriving at 1:15am! The bus ride coming home was right on time and no nasty comments about talking too loud. haha! The price of the tickets are very inexpensive, both tickets were less then 20.00. Between the tolls, gas money and the stress of driving I don't know why you would drive up to NY instead of taking the bus. read more

I took the Bolt bus from DC to NYC. The bus was on time, there are power outlets on the bus, and there is free wifi on the bus! The price is very reasonable. I recommend sitting near the front as it does get hot near the back (the engine is back there). read more

I had a terrible experience on boltbus on a trip from NY to Washington DC. The trip was supposed to take 4 and a half hours. Instead I was on the bus for 6 hours!!! This is due to the incompetence of the bus driver who decided to exit the highway in hopes of finding a faster route. The driver said that the rain was causing traffic and leaving the highway would be faster. This route added 2 hours to the trip. Besides this, the advertised WiFi did not work at all and the bus driver announced at the start of the ride that none of the outlets work. The bathroom was absolutely filthy. Worst of all is that the ceiling was dripping water everywhere onto the seats and floor. There were puddles of water on the ground. If for some reason you are in the mood to get pissed off, then I implore you to take bolt bus. I was extremely disappointed in my ride. read more

Hour and half late on the way there, sitting on the bus floor fearing for my life coming back - that sums up my Boltbus experience. Visited NY from DC last month and decided to try Boltbus. On the way there, a cold Saturday morning, the bus was more than hour and half late picking us up - with all of us stood there in the cold shivering. The unapologetic explanation was that there was a marathon in DC. But the marathon was not a spontaneous gathering - it happens every year and the street closures are known well in advance. Yet, Boltbus nonetheless sold everyone tickets and told everyone to be there, while it took no action to plan around the marathon. Oh, promises. Amazingly, on the way back to DC, things were worse. I booked their 9:30 pm bus back to DC. The bus arrived only around 30 minutes late, hooray! But it turned out that they had oversold, by one. Being the last one getting on, I had no seat. The bus driver offered me to sit in the entrance stairwell, on a bag of his books. How am I going to get to DC on a Sunday night at 9:30 pm? So I reluctantly agreed. The bag of books was more comfortable than the grooved floor, but I had no padding otherwise. Leaning on the cold hard walls of the stairwell, every time a car passed by, the road roared right beneath me. Looking out of the passenger side front window, I prayed that the bus doesn't get into an accident, cause I would either smash against the stairwell wall, or fly out of the front window. I used to ride Chinatown buses on this route and have never been this sore, tired, and in pain afterwards. Wasn't Boltbus supposed to be better than Chinatown bus? Also, can someone tell me if having me sit in the stairwell is legal? read more

I can only rate this based on my assessment versus chinatown bus (Which is sketchy and cramped). I don't need a luxury bus to get me from DC to NY, but having airplane-esque space between the rows are pretty sweet. They are comfortable enough to get through the drive, and on several occasions that I have taken the bus, they have made a pit stop. It was also summer so they were blasting AC while my friend and I did not bring a sweater so that kinda sucked to shiver for about 5 hours. I didn't have anything to test out the wifi, so I don't know how well it worked. Bus drivers are funny and they try to make the best of your trip with jokes and what not. For the price and not having to drive yourself, I think it's a good value. read more

bolt's price is good (dc to nyc), but they advertise wifi and power outlets. the wifi is usually too slow to stream. my power outlet went out about halfway to nyc and wasn't available on the way back. as it was an evening bus, pretty much everyone on the bus got really screwed by this. how hard is it to make sure the power strips work? the bus was also full of trash when we boarded from nyc. it's the 21st century: you gotta have power on the bus. read more

Are these drivers professionals? Are they insured? What happens to you if they're in an accident? A Bolt Bus (Operated by Greyhound) leaving NYC at 4:30 pm on 7.12.10, at the entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel, caused an accident with our personal vehicle, which withstood minor damage including a flat tire. The driver refused to take responsibility when the police arrived, and due to the minor damage involved and the fact that there were people on the bus, I took down the driver's information and we let the bus go. We replaced our tire ourselves. I went to lodge a complaint, and Greyhound gave me at least 10 phone numbers to nowhere. I am concerned that this driver is not safe, and may cause other accidents. Greyhound is a big company, and should have a functioning and responsive customer service department, both via phone and email. Professional drivers should make the road a safer place, instead of endangering fellow drivers and passengers too. In the future, I'll take the train. Amtrak is expensive, but at least they have some kind of customer service. (Also, the New Jersey Transit train from Princeton Junction only costs $15 one way, if you can find somewhere to park your car...) read more

Never again. I'd give it a zero, but Yelp won't let me. I took Bolt up to NYC and back this weekend. Both directions were nightmares. Way up: I took the Friday 1 pm bus, scheduled to arrive at 5:15. We did not arrive until 7:45. While traffic was bad (in part due to a temporary closure of the I-895 tunnel in Baltimore and an accident in Delaware, neither of which is Bolt's fault) our driver exacerbated the situation. 1) Driver was 15 minutes late picking us up. This is not due to traffic on the trip from NYC or anything, as he did not discharge any passengers at the time of pickup. 2) Instead of taking New York Ave. NE to the Balitmore Washington parkway -- which, I admit, can get congested but is the shortest and most direct route -- the driver took a roundabout way that took us up to the Capitol and then through NE on H Street. Given DC traffic, all the stop lights, and the fact that construction on H street closed a lane and made us crawl, that saved us no time. Took us over a half hour to get to the Parkway. 3) Driver then proceeded to engage in a number of "shortcuts"/"detours" on the way to New York City any time there was a hint of traffic. These alternate routes took us significantly out of the way -- therefore adding mileage to our route -- and ALSO were generally streets through populated areas where traffic lights and speed limits prevented us from going much over 20 miles an hour anyway. 4) In Delaware, we actually ran into the bus that left DC A HALF HOUR after we did as it LEFT A REST STOP. In other words: Driver's antics added so much time to our trip that the following bus not only caught up with us but had time to make a rest stop. 5) At this point, we are running an hour and a half behind, and people with theater tickets/dinner reservations/whathave you are antsy. Bus driver mentions he plans to stop on the Turnpike. Passengers overwhelmingly state that they do not want to stop and wish to continue to NY. Driver tells us that he will be stopping for him, but that he will "make it quick." At rest stop, bus driver leaves bus and spends some time leisurely chatting with the driver of another bus. Rest stop was not quick. 6) Driver decides that he knows a "shortcut" and will take the Holland Tunnel instead of the Lincoln Tunnel (as we are going to the midtown stop). On way to Holland Tunnel, decides to go through Jersey City, which is gridlocked with Friday night traffic. Took us almost 40 minutes to get from the highway to the tunnel alone. Around this time, people started getting really agitated, asking why we were in Jersey City, why we did not take the Lincoln Tunnel, etc. Driver just started laughing and told us that he would take the route he thought appropriate, and telling us of all the other times people have complained about his "shortcuts," but that if they don't like it, they can get off the bus. Once we got through the tunnel, we got to make our way uptown in Friday night traffic. This was, as you can guess, delightful. In other words, while traffic was to blame for most of our delay, our driver's poorly chosen "shortcuts" only added to the situation. His attitude was also atrocious. Although I seriously considered sucking it up and buying a train ticket for the way home, I thought, surely it cannot be that bad on the way back. Had I only but known..... We are loaded on the bus on time. Driver is (unlike previous driver) good humored and kind. On time departure -- hooray! But then -- driver tells us that we have to go to the downtown stop at Grand and Watts to pick up additional passengers. What? If I wanted additional stops to pick up passengers I would have taken Megabus. So downtown we make our way. Except, its the day of the gay pride march, so Fifth Avenue is closed, driving additional traffic to the other avenues. Then, as we approach the village, the route cuts across Seventh (which is what we are on), causing gridlock. Once we finally pick up the additional passengers (which at this point has added 40 minutes to our trip) we go back through the Holland Tunnel. Only to discover that, on I-78 (the highway that links the Tunnel with the Turnpike) there is construction that has brought traffic to a literal halt. Every so often we inch forward a few feet, then sit at a complete stop. It took us almost an hour and a half to go about 10 miles, according to Google Maps. While the construction isn't Bolt's fault, the fact I was stuck on it is -- my bus shouldn't have been anywhere NEAR that traffic, as it should have gone out through the Lincoln Tunnel. But because they added this additional stop downtown, I ended up getting to DC hours late. And of course, at no time prior to our departure were we notified of the extra stop (or our new route) which may have given us the chance to make the choice to take the train. Which is what I will from now on -- the price is worth it. read more

I took Bolt from DC to NY early on Monday, June 3 and returned mid day on June 5. I had the same driver on both trips, Kelvin Johnson. The trips were excellent, on time, everything worked, and Mr Johnson could not have been more helpful, friendly, and efficient. He was a true professional and a fine representative of the company which offers very good service for a reasonable cost. Jeffrey M. read more

Bolt Bus capitalizes on Megabus concept ; you make the same amount of money even if you treat your passengers like cattle! I'd like to start off by saying I am not a "yelp" reviewer, however after my frequent trials and tribulations on the bus I felt it only fair to share these woes in warning. Bolt is good if you want a relatively cheap ticket to NYC and working outlets. Although on the weekends, nothing is worth the price just spring for DC2NY, Tripper, or Vamoose. I've been a frequent Bolt customer since its opening, however recently things have grown sour. Being operated by Greyhound brings in a certain type of employee, customer service, and crowd, that I might as well ride Megabus and save a couple dollars. When my bus broke down, I have never ever been treated so poorly, the worst part is the bus they sent to come get us finally didn't have enough seats so I ended up stuck on the bus that was "broken" all the way back to DC... Apparently the bus was in good enough condition to ruin the 4 remaining passengers nights except for the one woman who missed her bus to Baltimore so the driver decided to take his own route to drop her off.. Dare I say red flag number two for a nonstop bus,, not to mention his 20 minute tea time at the Delaware house even though he demanded we all be back in 10. After calling customer service the day after I was screamed at that you could not call customer service ... Good thing they list their customer service phone number in plain site on their website! After writing the email, i was sent back an email filled with less than true information about why they couldn't reimburse the taxi I had to take due to the drivers alternative route bender. Mobbing forward the following week I suck it up and return to Bolt just to find that they have cancelled all busses to new York city with NO emails or warnings, and my 6:30 bus ride becomes a waiting game waiting for passengers to show up from greyhound bolt and Peter pan who have a destination of NYC all while the typically rude Long Island bus driver shows no empathy and yells al people. For 10 bucks you get what you pay for... But anything more than that do yourself a favor spend the 27-30 bucks for a reliable kind, clean, working bus service. DC2NY , Vamoose, Tripper Did I mention they moved the bus station to 11th ave with no warning? Good luck. read more

I had a pretty Meh experience with Bolt Bus on my recent trip to NY. I do like the fact that the tickets were cheap, even cheaper than the website quoted to me (it said I was paying $23, they only charged me $15 -- tho the fact that the website doesn't quote the exact ticket price is a problem). The pick up and drop off points are really convenient, basically the center of the city to the center of the city, but it was pretty sketch to be standing out in the middle of NY with all my crap. I didn't feel unsafe, it just felt sketch. I don't know why, but I couldn't get comfortable on the bus. There was just enough leg room that I couldn't complain about lack of leg room, yet I felt cramped. The bus wasn't crowded at all (it was a Tuesday morning trip) so I didn't have anyone next to me so the most comfortable position I could find was to put my feet up on the seat next to me and use my coat as a pillow to stop the arm rest from digging into my back. The ability to internet on the bus is pretty cool. As one would expect, the service is pretty unreliable and slow. I had trouble connecting to AIM and GTalk until we were outside the city, and it took a few reloads of any site I wanted to visit for me to get to a page I wanted. I'm not knocking the internet on the bus, it was super convenient -- I'm just saying to expect to be streaming video or anything. They make one courtesy stop on the way in MD with a Burger King and a few other options for fooding. I made the mistake of getting a trucker size drink fro BKing and sucking it all down before we got inside the Beltway. I didn't want to try out the on bus bathroom though. I've learned there are some things that shouldn't ever be reviewed. We did have one interesting experience on our bus. The driver decided to go a different route because of traffic, so someone on the bus called the company to complain. When the company called the driver to yell at him, he in turn came on the speaker system to yell at the passengers for going behind his back. It was honestly the strangest thing to happen to me on a bus. Overall, I'd say that I'd definitely do the Bolt Bus again, I'm just not saying that I'd be excited about it. read more

I was a little sketical taking the Bolt Bus to NY but it turned out really well. The bus was on time and CLEAN :) Also, the bus driver was silly and got us there 50 minutes early. He flirted with the ladies on the bus so that was kinf od wierd for the fellas who came with their girls lol. He was cool though. He wasn't Morris Chestnut so we didn't feel too threatened lol. Not sure if teh WIFI worked but outlets seemed to be in every seat so that was whats up! I slept like the whole way so 'm not sure how he drove, I was told FAST. They droppped us off in Manhattan so it was perfect. I'm guessing the earlier the better. It was cheap also so thats a good thing. Perfect for a weekend getaway with the friends or your significant other. read more

After touring NYC i looked for options going back to DC and there were few which popped up and among them was BOLT bus. I chose this among megabus as i read the cnn reviews of the 10 transport buses in east coast area and it ranked #1. I am not a regular east coaster so my selection was purely based on reviews. Lets take on the review: It starts from the corner of 33/7th NYC near sbarro pizza place. My bus came @ 20 min before schedule time and was on road on dot time. The ride is comfy and you don't feel its old bus. I have to give 3* on this review is as the power outlets were not functional and my phone almost ran out of battery and my hope was to charge it on the bus ..guess not. The wifi was very flaky even though there were hardly many folks using laptops/smartphones. It took 15 min break good for some stretch and munch time. As advertised ..we were lucky we didnt hit any traffic reached DC on time. 1) Comfort = 4* 2) Price = 5* 3) Schedule = 4* 4) Wifi = * 5) Power = * If you have booked your tickets online well in time you will get the boarding # A, B, C. I got the A as i booked 2 days in advance. Make sure you book your tickets in good time as these are known to be sold out pretty fast during peak days / time. I will try the Megabus next time just to see how the experience happens on it. I will recommend this if you can spare 4.5 hours from NYC to DC, else take amtrak (fast = 2.5hrs , normal 3.5hrs) read more

This was my first time taking the bus to NYC from Washington. I usually take the train but this option is a much cheaper option. The two buses were drastically different. The one going to NYC was clean, smelled good with plenty of electric outlets for each seat. The bus returning smelled horrible and only had a few outlets on the bus. They do stop in Delaware (agree with Brenda) which is only a 15 minute break but maybe a waste of time. It was nice to grab a starbucks though. Don't show up early to wait for the bus in NYC, I would recommend ten minutes before time. There were people asking us for money while we waiting in a line long a building in the rain. read more

BOLT is HORRIBLE. Take DC2NY or any other company. Nasty, and incompetant. They advertise that you are guaranteed a seat, but you are not, if you aren't there five minutes before they sell your seat. I was on hold for 20 minutes then I got an incoherent guy. Also read about drunk drivers and Bolt. DO NOT DO IT read more

PROS: - Can be cheaper than DC2NY if you book early (prices go up as more people buy tickets), - Power outlets at each seat - Space between seats is big enough to open a 17-inch laptop even if the person in front of you is reclining CONS: - Wi-Fi did not work on my trip - Bus was 45 minutes late arriving to DC (they advertise a 4-hour trip.) - 10-minute rest stop actually lasted 25 minutes I usually ride the DC2NY bus to and from NY. I've always liked DC2NY - they're almost always on time, they have good curbside support (there's always a staff person there to tell you what to do, answer questions, etc), and the internet has always worked. However, Bolt Bus runs more frequently, may be cheaper (early buyers get prices as low as $1 -- mine, bought a week in advance, was $20), and has power outlets at each seat. The Bolt Bus is also designed so that you can open a big (17-inch) laptop even if the person in front of you is reclined in their seat. I've had problems with this on DC2NY. In short, if Bolt gets their internet figured out, the two services seem pretty interchangeable, so for most people the decision will probably be based on when you need to travel and what price you can get from Bolt. read more

My experience with Bolt Bus was fantastic! We were supposed to head off to New York on the 3:00 bus, but were able to hop on the 2:30 bus instead due to available space! Once on the road, I tested out the wi-fi, which received a lot of bad reviews due to spottiness or just plain not working at all, but this wasn't the case on the going or coming buses I was on. What also was mentioned a lot was a bad smell coming from the washrooms if you sat at the back...unfortunately because we were the last to board the 2:30 bus, we had to sit at the back and I was dreading that part of the trip, BUT THERE WAS NO BAD ODOR AT ALL! I think overall for the money I spent on the trip, which was a little over $40 total! (going and coming for two!)....that the experience was amazing! I would recommend Bolt Bus, and I would use this bus service again for sure! read more

both ways, everything was broken - no wifi, electrical outlets not working, no light in bathroom, on the way back, bus had no heat everything rattles leather seats are worn and ratty did arrive safely so there's that but otherwise, felt like prison transport read more

The only reason a 2nd star is because the driver was funny and good. OTHERWISE the trip from DC to NYC both ways on different buses (coincidentally same driver) NEITHER had working power outlets or WiFi. The return bus didn't have a microphone working either so the driver was trying to shout instructions. Reason used Bolt was mistaken idea that was better the the 'Chinatown' buses. Guess wont be using Bolt again. If these seats were "extended legroom" they were the most uncomfortable ones I've been in for a while. The website "contact us" tab also doesn't lead anywhere. Guess they gave up on even trying to offer customer service. Bus driver said most of his buses didn't have power or wifi even after notifying the company and requesting fixes. Encouraged us to report it to the company so "they might do something about it." I'm not going to ride again hoping they did. read more

Thanks to the treatment I recieved yesterday from a Boltbus employee, mass disorganization and general dismissal of my concerns I will not be using BoltBus again. I arrived at 10 minutes to 2 for a 2 pm departure and they were closing the doors, which means the bus couldnt be full since the ticket " guarantees you a seat" as the site suggested and several other waiting passengers for the same bus were there as well.. When we atttempted to ask a question were told to wait inline.. they didn't tell us that the line wer were in was for a Baltimore bus. When were allowed to ask if were were in the proper line we were told that we were and also informed that busess were running a little late. So I wasn't too concerned when my 2 oclock bus had not arrived by 2;15. ( perhaps they oversold and had two 2pm departures, as it isnt unheard of. The next bus that arrived ( at the same stop) was apparenlty for Baltimore and so we continued to wait. When attempting to board the next DC bus per instruction. We were told that our tickets for the 2 pm bus would not be honored because they were boarding for the 2:30. and that we basically had missed out bus. Naturally we argues back and s inquired about what were expected to do the reply was " I don't know, but you need to step aside for paying customers". A shouting match occured on the street and not one of the 4 boltbus employees cared to try to explain or remedy the problem of atleast 10 people. I ended up going to penn station and paying a premium to taking the train. As a result of this experience I will NEVER use Bolt again. The lack of communication, unprofessional behavior and false information is Bolts fault, not the customer who followed instruction. Not only do I want my money back, I should be reimbursed for my train ticket since the Bolt employee gave me no other option to try a later bus or accomodate me for lack of communication. read more

I have been a loyal Boltbus customer for years. I still enjoy it and am glad they're around. 4 out of the last 4 rides had no wi-fi, and on 2 of the 4 the power didn't work. They should refocus on delivering on the promise (outside of the fine print on the website) made on the side of the bus via the plug image and "wi-fi" logo. It might as well say "free cheeseburgers." *changing this review from 3 stars to two, as the two times I've called the company about this issue the response hasn't been "we're working on it," but rather "you can see on the website it says we make no promises..." When you choose Boltbus because you need to use the power outlets and wifi to do work and then are unable to it's a problem. read more

Took the BoltBus from Baltimore to NYC on a friday... the bus NEVER arrived!! Strike 1 The passengers one by one tried to get information from customer service and they just hung up on us, ALL OF US.. Strike 2 The bus scheduled to depart for NYC an hour after us arrived, and refused to pick us up!! Driver was completely rude and was yelling at the customers.. Strike 3 BIG lack of communication between the ground, management, and their customers.. Thanks for wasting my time.. The only reason im giving boltbus 2 stars rather than 1 is because one of the other bus drivers who happened to be dropping off passengers agreed to take us since our bus never came. What a nice guy! But im still waiting for my refund read more

Pros: 1. It costed about $20 to go from DC to NYC on a Sunday morning. 2. We loaded up and took off in time. Ended up making it about 10 minutes early. That includes a 10-15 minute stop in NJ for food, restrooms, etc. The bus has a restroom, but we stopped anyway. 3. The bus was clean (cleaner than megabus). 4. AC worked. Cons: 1. Wifi was sloooooow to the point it was unusable. I wanted to take the bus so I can read/work without using my data plan. 2. Also, on the return trip, none of the AC plugs were working. I counted my surrounding seatmates and I checked 9 outlets and none worked. Boo!! A lot of folks want to work on their laptop, read, watch a movie on a 4 hour trip without having to worry about their batteries draining. 3. For some reason we had to go through one of those weigh stations on the return trip. I'm not sure why we had to, because I saw a truck drive past the station. This contributed to being 25 minutes late on the return trip. Overall, I would take boltbus over megabus. It felt a little nicer for a few bucks more. Slight delay coupled with no working AC plugs on the return trip led to docking 1 star. read more

If I could give zero stars I would. Bolt bus's customer service is absolutely horrendous. Not only are they awful at answering questions, they are also extremely unprofessional. After missing my first bus due to THEIR mistake, I had to have multiple phone calls with incompetent staff. After two hours of waiting for the next bus I was ready to hop on my bus and than.. it doesn't come. The bus that was supposed to be there at 11:00 arrives at 11:20. After a tiring and stressful morning I was finally ready to sit and relax -- however this was not going to be the case. I found myself needing a bathroom and lucky for me there is a lavatory at the back of the bus. When I went to the bathroom I was met with leftovers from a previous bowel movement and no working flusher. This bus is disgusting and nauseating. I most definitely will not be taking this bus again -- neither should you! read more

Bolt Bus, you are a good friend. You got us safely to NYC. Your driver was very friend and he gave us a Cinnabon when we correctly answered his trivia question. The bus was pretty comfortable and I would definitely take it again, especially for the price! read more

Let's see - it nearing midnight, and the bus that was supposed to get me home by 11:15 is now 45 minutes late and we are nowhere near DC yet. Not because of traffic but due to unscheduled stops. The service for these NYC - DC buses keeps going downhill. The Wifi barely works. The outlets are a toss-up. And yes, the delays. Hoping some entrepreneurs out there start higher quality competition to Bolt and MegaBus and the like - it will be greatly appreciated! read more

The bus driver, oh excuse me, COACH driver Desmond is rude. The end. Other than that, the bus is clean, roomy, and the outlets in the first half of the bus are really useful. read more

Whoohoo! Finally a reliable and trustworthy bus company that will take me to NY without worry or distress. I used to take random Chinatown bus companies, just hoping that they would just get me there without the bus breaking down in the middle of the turnpike. But now, I can actually enjoy my ride to NY, with Bolt Bus' comfortable seating and WiFi! As for the timeliness... Bolt Bus is very timely about leaving the destination, but I usually arrive to DC or NY late. But that's a given. It doesn't matter what time of the day I leave, there will be traffic either at point A or point B, so I don't put any of that on them. And, if you book early enough, you can get cheaper tickets than the usual $35! read more