Disclaimer: public transportation is public transportation, regardless of where you are or how many stars you can rate it. You should not expect Bolt Bus to be a glamorous luxury bus service, but it gets the job done and is a great value. I commute between DC and NJ/NY roundtrip at least twice every month and have tried my luck with all the major bus services: Bolt, Megabus, Greyhound, and Tripper. While I cannot say that 100% of my rides on Bolt have been pleasant, my success rate is significantly higher as compared to the other companies available. TIP: Prior to booking, create an account on the website. This will allow you to book an "A" ticket - giving you first dibs on seats (as you board before the B and C ticket groups). The tickets cost the exact same amount, but having an account will allow you this priority AND help you earn loyalty points. 1 ticket = 1 point; 8 points = 1 free ticket. You can just show your ticket on your smartphone to the driver. There are always a variety of times scattered throughout the day depending on which stops you are traveling between. Try to book at least a few weeks in advance to get the cheapest ticket prices, but I usually expect to shell out between $25-30 per ticket. I've gotten as cheap as FREE (glitch?) or around $15-20 on average. Seats on the bus are hit or miss - depending on the age of the coach, you could get roomier ones or the standard ones. I used to be a window sitter but have come to appreciate the aisle for the extra leg space on the side. Outlets are also hit or miss, but I've seldom encountered this issue. The wi-fi will be extremely slow, so don't expect to stream shows or music while you're riding. The trips are on-time most of the time, with exceptions for traffic. I've found that we almost never depart more than 5-10 minutes late, which is great compared to the other companies I've tried. However, this may not be your best option if you are on a VERY TIGHT schedule. I usually have at least an hour of wiggle room in case anything happens. There is usually a rest stop in the middle, though it depends on your driver. You may also make 1 or 2 other stops for pickups/dropoffs depending on your exact schedule. All in all, I definitely have more praises than complaints for Bolt Bus. Given the frequency at which I ride, as well as my general hatred for public transportation (see: WMATA review), Bolt exceeds my expectations for getting me where I need to be, safely and reliably. read more

Give stars relative to what you're reviewing. Some of you people won't give 5 stars because "its a bus." Yeah, it isnt a private jet - its a bus. But you're reviewing it for being a BUS not a JET. So I really don't get your reasoning about not rating over a certain amount. that just doesn't make sense. That would be like downgrading a review of pizza because it isn't gourmet pasta from the finest restaurant in Italy. I am giving it 5* because the experience was spot on the entire time. I took Bolt Bus to NYC and back this week and there wasn't one bad thing about it. The bus arrived on time and was boarded efficiently. The bus was clean and nice. It got to NY on time despite the fact that it was raining and gray and foggy the entire ride. The WiFi worked the whole time on both legs of the trip. The plugs worked on both legs of the trip. The seats were comfortable. The people were normal. What else could you ask for?? I will definitely take Bolt Bus again and wouldn't take Amtrak unless someone gave me a free ticket. The one thing I will say: if you are a girl, I wouldn't recommend trying to use the bathroom unless you have experience skiing moguls...soft knees and good balance. But that isn't the bus' fault. read more

I'd have to agree with reviewer Sarah C. - it's completely ridiculous to rate a service below five stars because of what it is - "it's a BUS". I think if you knew that going in, but you still went ahead and took it anyway, that's on YOU. You have money to blow on plane or Amtrak tickets? More power to ya, bud. When I needed to get to NYC for an event, it just so happens that I was NOT as fortunate. As much as I love taking the train, Amtrak wants the same pricing that most airlines want for same-day tickets, and I was in the market for neither. I'd been hearing about Bolt Bus for a while, now, and although I couldn't believe somebody could actually offer a decent ride on a bus for an affordable price, I really didn't have much choice if I wanted to get to where I was going. So I went online to the site. VERY easy to use, nice that I could print out my own tickets (which I found out later I really didn't have to carry anyway!), and talk about CHEAP? $35.00 round trip to NYC? SOLD! Got to Union Station about ninety minutes before the bus was due to arrive and had time to grab lunch in the food court. I got upstairs to the mezzanine where there are nice big signs and banners indicating where you wait for pickup from several bus services including Bolt Bus. (For old-timers to D.C. - this is the same place on the garage level where the Blue Line Bus pick up point was.) Yes, it wasn't the best weather to have to wait in outside, but the bus did arrive right on time, and the dozen and a half or so people I waited with got on board in a fairly orderly fashion, after we stowed our gear away in the compartment underneath the bus. Now if you are spoiled rotten and only travel to anywhere via first class, you may stop reading here. Bolt Bus is hardly in that category. But guess what? It ain't the "Grey Dog" either. Clean with big, roomy, adjustable seats, plugs that actually WORK so you can charge your cell phone or plug in your laptop, and decent wi-fi service (which I couldn't figure out the log-in for on the trip up...got it on the trip back). Bring food with you, some books or other forms of entertainment, or sleep if you want. It's all good. I was truly surprised - and pleased! - by what I found on the trip TO my destination. NOW for the bad news, and the reason why I docked Bolt Bus a star, (and not because "it's a BUS".) Other than practically having to crawl all the way into the lower compartment to grab my bag from where it slid/was shoved by other baggage (note to potential passengers: if you can take it on-board with you and stow it reasonably well, DO IT!), the trip was pretty much smooth sailing. The 'problems' didn't start until the next day, when I had to take the RETURN trip back to D.C. and Union Station. Not surprisingly, there is no shelter of any kind where you have to wait for pick up on the corner of 33rd and 7th near Sbarro's, and it was FREEEEEZING. Where the bus was barely half-occupied on the trip up, there must've been at LEAST 40 PEOPLE in line on the trip back, (another note: if you prefer a certain seat, GET THERE EARLY.) I've read a lot of comments about the driver on the return trip being curt, rude and very short with passengers. I'm sure this guy would not be a barrel of fun at your next Monopoly party, but as bad as he was, some of the passengers were just as legendarily "NOO-Yawk" rough to match. People pushing, shoving, jostling to be first, not really listening to the driver's commands to LISTEN for their letter category to be called for boarding. After the first few moments of chaos, people FINALLY started getting on board the right way (more or less). Trying to be civilized, although I got there at a reasonable time, I ended up being one of the last people in line. (But then the bus was so crowded, it ended up not making much of a difference, anyway.) I found out the day before that when I ordered my tickets, Bolt Bus not only emailed me my confirmation, but also sent it and my ticket numbers to my cell via text message! Since I didn't feel like digging in my bag for my paper ticket, I showed the number to the driver and he let me on with that. Now I'm not saying that you should just bring your cell phone and NOT print your tickets out just in case, but it IS nice to know you have options. The bus was jammed full, (though some people stubbornly refused to give up seats next to them), but I still got an aisle seat for that little extra bit of legroom. Having a seat mate did make stretching out and dozing a challenge - didn't do a lot of that on the return trip. But I DID figure out the wi-fi log-in (which is free - and no username/password required), and we did do one stop off the PA Turnpike, I think, to pick up lunch. We did arrive a few minutes later than scheduled, but we got there in one piece! And all-in-all, I would still do this over Greyhound to get to New York. And there you have it. For the price, Bolt Bus is not bad. read more

A couple weeks back I had to head up to New York City for an overnighter. Not wanting to deal with traffic, gas prices, and parking, I opted for one of the bus services that run between Washington, DC and NYC. I wasn't sure which one to go with but after a little research I decided on BoltBus. They seemed to have some of the best reviews and a decent track record. Note: The Washington Post did a great comparison on the bus lines that run from DC to NYC. It's worth a look if you are interested. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/artsandliving/travel/busreview/index.html] The bus was by far the simplest and cheapest way to get from Washington, DC to New York City. My tickets came to $28 round trip. A ride where I can sleep the whole way, read on my Kindle, or just have room to stretch out is well worth that cost. But like the other bus services, BoltBus offers a decent list of features. - Wi-Fi - Extra Legroom - Electrical Outlets - $1 Fares (if you book far enough in advance) - Boarding Groups - Reserved Seating Wi-Fi Ok, so they seemingly offer a lot but is it really worth it? Most of this stuff is just icing on the cake. The real deal is that you get to sit back and relax for four and a half hours instead of fiddling with the cruise control. I'll break down a few of the features a little bit more though. The on board Wi-Fi is so slow and can be so finicky that it's virtually nonexistent. Depending on your device, it may take a few tries to connect to it and once you do, you're best if you limit your Internet surfing to a minimum. Since it's an open network, security is important. [http://lifehacker.com/5576927/how-to-stay-safe-on-public-wi+fi-networks] [http://www.givemebackmycredit.com/blog/2011/05/before-connecting-to-an-unsecured-wireless-network-consider-the-risks-video.html] And due to the low speed, don't count on video chatting with a friend or watching YouTube. Although the Wi-Fi speed depends on a number of factors, in my two simple tests it was slower than 3G on my iPhone. Seating The on board electrical outlets are handy but there's only one outlet for two seats to share. Granted both of you can plug in one gizmo each, it's going to be sort of in the way for one of you with the cord dangling by your feet. Also, the slots feel very loose and my iPhone charger wouldn't stay in without falling out. It's hard not to compare the seat layout with that of an airliner because they are essentially the same thing; mass people carriers. With that in mind, there are two things to note: - There is also no flexible little pocket in the seat back. So keeping a magazine or water bottle handy isn't super easy. - There are no tray tables so you'll have to set your tablet or laptop directly on your lap if you decided to use them. - The spot for a bag under your feet is slightly limited in size by the fold down foot rest. On an airplane, you can fit a full backpack under the seat in front of you and still have some room but not so much on the bus. Those aren't huge things but certainly something that feels awkward if you are used to flying. At the end of the day, you can't go wrong with taking the bus. I'm sure there are some horror stories of broken air conditioners, mechanical troubles and flat tires but the reward of getting to sit there doing nothing (or even working on your computer) is worth it if pick a reputable bus service. If you want my advice, here it is: - Book as early as possible. You'll get to board first and have your pick of seats. I like being near the front so I can see the road ahead and it also keeps me away from the noise and/or smell of the bathroom. - Regarding your carry on, pack light. The overhead bin is not as large as an airliners and the spot under the seat in front of you is a lot smaller. - Don't count on Wi-Fi. Pack a few magazines, book, Kindle... something pre-loaded with reading material or games to keep you distracted. Wi-Fi is a bonus, not a guaranteed feature. - If you know you aren't going to use the electrical outlet, it may be best to grab the window seat so the cable from your seat mate's iPad doesn't get caught under your feet. Overall the BoltBus is an excellent choice when looking for a cheap way to get away. Give it a shot! I plan on using BoltBus more in the future. read more

Lousy service. First, the bus isn't as nice as Megabus -- there isn't as much legroom. This was disappointing as they claim to have removed seats to make for more room. I counted just as many seats as any other bus, so that's a bit fraudulent in my book. The trip to NYC was uneventful. However, the return trip to DC was a nightmare. I arrived at the appointed time of 9:15 for a 9:30 departure. The bus was late, and there was a long line. Since my boarding place was C-18, that meant I was among last to board, so I just got near the end of the line. The bus driver checked my ticket and I was on board. Once on board, us last four people realized there were no more seats. So we had to get off. The driver checked all of us, and one woman had a ticket for 8:30, but she had missed her bus. Another woman had a 9:30 tickets, and the other man was hoping to buy a ticket if there were any seats left. The driver told the two women to get on board, as she found two empty seats. She told the other man and I we had to go standby for the next bus. I didn't think this was a big deal, so I waited, and tried to board the 10:30. The man said that I had go standby, which meant would only board if there were enough seats. There were not, so I could not get on. I was angry at this point, so I called Bolt, and they told me that once I'm standby, I have to be so for the rest of the day. Since all busses were booked through the end of the day, it was unlikely that I would be able to get home. I tried to explain that if this is the case, I should have been given a seat instead of the woman who missed the 8:30 bus. He didn't care. So I came back at 11:30, and told this next driver that I've waited since 9:30 to board, and that the oldest standby's should be given priority. He said no, priority is given to those standby's who wait in line. "What line, " I said. He pointed to a line of 20 other people standing in line. So bottomline: They violated their own policy when they boarded a standby before me. They have no published policy when it comes to handling standbys. There is no sign or marking informing anyone of what to do when you are a standby. It was total chaos on a day when it was 103 degrees. I will be suing them for the price of the Amtrak ticket I had to buy to get back home. read more

My bf and I had a great experience taking the bolt bus to NYC a few weekends ago. We bought tickets about a month beforehand for an avg of 40 bucks RT per person. If you book early enough, you can easily snag 1 dollar fares one way. I would recommend booking 2-3 weeks in advance to get Group A tickets (first dibs on seats). You can show the driver your ticket on your phone, no need to print them out. There are two locations that you can get dropped off in NYC, 6th st b/t Grand and Watts or 37th and 7th. Fridays are usually the craziest and if you leave in the afternoon the trip usually takes about 5 hours or so with traffic. The bus was clean and quiet and while wifi was quite spotty it wasn't too bad. There are power plugs on each seat which is very convenient for charging phones/ipads. The bus drivers were very friendly and informative. The pick up spot is in Union station in the parking garage. Union Station and the metro can get pretty hectic so plan plenty of time to get there. Tip: Arrive no later than 10 minutes before the bus leaves or they will give your seats away. read more

I booked a Friday afternoon - Sunday night trip, DC to NYC. I booked Bolt specifically because it received a very positive rating from the Washington Post and it was advertised that power outlets and wifi would be available. Since the bus left at 1:30, I thought the amenities would allow me to make the bus my "mobile office" on my way to NYC. Big mistake. I was one of the last people to board the bus and was stuck in seats that did not have a power outlet. Not that this would have mattered. Two minutes into our ride the bus driver informed us passengers that the wifi was broken. 0/2. The trip also took longer than advertised. My 1:30 pm departure was supposed to arrive at 5:45 pm in NYC. I knew that this was a very optimistic estimate, but I was still surprised when my bus finally rolled into Penn Station at 7:30 pm. Another thing. Our bus driver hit a car in Chelsea just before we arrived to the NYC bus station. The hit passenger yelled at our driver, our driver stopped the bus and yelled back, and the confrontation ended with our driving leaving the scene and challenging the the other guy to "call the cops, see what happens!" Bolt Bus yo. Yikes. The return trip was better. My wifi worked for the most part and I had a power outlet. Also, no hit-and-runs. I probably won't be back. read more

No mas Bolt Bus. What was one of the most pleasant and super affordable ways to get up and down the east coast has turned into a clusterfuck of clusterfuckery. At least in NYC and Phila. No one seems to work for them. Just the bus drivers. They have no signage. It's impossible to tell where to stand for which bus. You WILL be standing in the wrong area. When buses are late, or just don't show at all, there is no way to know if you can take the next. What about the people that are already have tickets to be on the next bus? No one knows!!!! Look, I get that I only paid $12 for the ticket, but does that give you a reason to treat me like dirt? Oh, it does? Oh :( read more

My husband and I booked a trip to New York from Greenbelt station on Wednesday 12/21@9:45am. When I boarded the bus I checked the bathroom and found it to be absolutely disgusting. There was urine all over the entire toilet area. Not just on the toilet seat, but a half inch of urine standing on the toilet area. I had to request toilet paper from the driver and a something to clean the area. I was offered toilet paper and two small wet wipes to clean. I did as best I could , but the floor remained saturated in urine as well. We were jokingly told there was WiFi on the bus, and if it was not available he could send a complaint to the main office. Needless to say, there was NO Wifi. The ride otherwise was uneventful. Our ride back home was 12/23 @ 6:45 pm, again from NYC to Greenbelt. This time I did not even bother with the bathroom, my husband informed me there was no toilet paper. The bus was late and the boarding procedure was a disaster. Shoving and yelling the whole time. The driver had no public address system onboard so he could not completely be heard. Again, no Wifi was available. Half way through we stopped at Delaware House Travel Plaza. We were told "Come back at 8:26", unfortunately because of the lack of microphone and PA system many in the back of the bus heard "8:36". As soon as he said it he disembarked the bus he was gone. We went in, used the very nice and clean restroom there, and then returned to the bus. The driver got back on the bus and proceeded to back out. There were three empty seats. Luckily, I spoke up and let the driver know we were missing people. He ignored me and continued to reverse. I yelled again and others joined me and he proceeded to drive out of the plaza. Not until someone got up and ran to the front of the bus did the driver finally stop. The three other people had ran up to the bus then boarded. I can't imagine what they would have done if we wouldn't have stopped. Their bags and belongings were still on the bus. They repeated again, why were you leaving so early? It's not 8:36!!!! He said "I told you 8:26", and we all raised our voices saying in the back everyone heard a different time. Some 36, some 26. The point to all of this is I'm appalled that a driver would continue to drive knowing full well that his paid passengers were not on the bus and make no attempt to retrieve them. If the PA system on the bus worked properly, and the driver would have stayed and reminded passengers getting off the bus "eight TWENTY SIX" rather than just saying it once as he's jogging off the bus, then this would not have happened. The seats on both buses were horribly uncomfortable and everything was dirty needing to be cleaned. Seat armrests and we scungy and felt like they had not been cleaned in a year. We will not be riding BoltBus again and will definitely tell others to avoid them as well. read more

Not bad at all. It doesn't smell like poo or puke and there is no stinky girl in front of me who talked the entire time and forgot how to use shampoo or deodorant because she must think it's cool to look grimy and hipsterish. *Take a Breath* Bolt was pretty professional. There was no screaming at the top of their lungs or mistreating people who just want to get away or are trying to get home. Kelvin was the nicest driver ever. Some people were a little tired of the "we are family" label he applied to us ("Hello family!) but the bald jokes and friendly manner really were a great change from the gruff manner and short temper you get from a lot of Chinatown buses. I didn't have a laptop but from the view on other people's screens it looked like it was a lot slower going up than it was coming down but it is FREE. Suggestion: In order to make your ride less annoying, bring a friend to chat with, so you don't notice just how long 4 hours can be. It also helps if you join their free frequent rider service so that you can load with group A and get first dibs on the seats. The seats in the back by the toilet look cramped and unless you're into the kinky stuff, who wants to be less than a foot away from someone possibly taking a poo? read more

I did my research on yelp and a few other sites as to what's the cheapest and best way to travel between DC and NYC, boltbus wins and they proved it. First, make an account. That can get you an A boarding pass (like Southwest), your eligible for $1 rides and its free to make. Next be sure to book about 45 days in advance if possible, that gives you the cheapest tickets. Third, get there a little early. No reason in taking away stars for sitting in the back by the bathroom, every big bus is the same and this is no different, it will smell. We made that mistake of getting there 10 minutes before departure but its our own dang fault and we paid for it. A couple notes, wifi is spotty. It didn't work on either ride. They do have outlets on every seat but the exit rows so don't sit there if you need to use them. Finally seats are very comfy and spacious and the bus is very clean. The drivers were both nice and professional. Also on the trip to NY we stopped at the Delaware welcome center where they have restrooms and food courts, pretty cool. So if we find ourselves needing to take this trip again, Boltbus it is. Unless we're rich, then I'm taking a helicopter! read more

Ok, ok. I have a confession to make: I've never taken the bus as means of long haul travel-- I'm talking: crossing state lines, seeing America - yep, none of that. So I reserve the romanticism of riding on the bus to the movies where someone dramatically leaves (or arrives) in a scene-- maybe something sort of like in "Napoleon Dynamite" (LaFawnduh) or in Almost Famous (William). Anyways, long story short, I'm just not a bus person. However, the fact that I'm not keen on riding buses doesn't mean I'm not opposed to it! I hopped the Bolt Bus with my boo to NYC for a weekend and it was probably the most painless experience ever. First off, we booked early and were able to score Group A seating (aka: you get boarded first). Our bus driver didn't screw around with anyone who didn't have Group A seating so when he called all the Group A's to line up to board, he was sure to call you out if you weren't in that group (fair warning!). You can also ride standby if you didn't buy your tix in advance, but depending on the day (we left on a Friday night), your chances are slim to nil on scoring a decent seat, much less a seat at all. When we piled in, the bus was clean as a whistle and there weren't any funky bus stenches. Free WiFi on board is in full effect too (it work intermittently but was still nice to have around). Oh, and did I mention the leather seats?! Oooh the lap of bus luxury! One other thing to note: Bolt Bus is easy on your wallet! If you book well in advance, you can score those elusive $1 tickets. But, if you're like most people and only book a week or two ahead, you'll probably score tix for about $15-20 per way. Still not a bad deal-- and it's way cheaper than flying or taking the train. Another thing to note-- the bus will only stop once (maybe twice, if you're lucky) at a gas station for a tinkle/ snack/ beverage break so make it worth it your time! The only gripe was that we sat in the second row on the right hand side and had two outlets to ourselves. However, the person in the front row didn't have outlets so they tried swiping our outlets... we were able to arrive at a compromise but if you and your travel buddy will need outlets for your laptop/ iPod/ any gadget that will need juice-- best to grab a seat in the third row or further. read more

It's the age-old rule of "you get what you pay for"... Often non-working wifi, smelly busses (that need to have their bathrooms scoured), irritating passengers with no regards for other people and always at least one crying baby. And then there's the midway rest stops when everyone gets the worst smelling fried food possible. It's cheaper than taking Amtrak to NYC, Boston, DC or Philly...but is it worth it in the end? Book early to avoid price hikes. They love variable pricing. ...now back to my noise canceling headphones and iPad movie. read more

Some things are a steal at twice the price. This would be a poor option at half. Suckered by the shiny veneer into enduring this clown shoes operation, I can safely say to go with Megabus or a pedicab. Driver, on seeing my wife and I running off the metro lets us into the bus before screaming in some guttural slang about arriving at 4:11 vs 4:10. I would say that if I wanted to pay to hear an elementary school washout go on a rant, I would go to the DMV. But I just renewed my license and the DMV folks were great. Settling into the attractive seats, I realized they are apparently greased in between trips, as it is impossible to stay in them without bracing firmly against the seat in front of you. So now slumping uncontrollably in my seat, attempting to make use of the wifi, I realize that it is "wifi" - a mere selling point and connectivity in name only. Incapable of handling Pandora or even low bandwidth tasks like sending an email. Onward for only several more hours then, minus email, radio, or anything, being regaled by the crippling idiot behind me, loudly discussing with his phone companion, who various acquaintances are 'running with'. Save yourself. read more

I have used BOLT bus for trips between DC and NYC MANY times. I am a Senior and often the OLDEST person on the bus-in general this has not bothered me, but my recent departure on a Saturday morning left me a bit unnerved. The bus was jammed and the woman who asked to sit next to me, couldnt stop talking-and what made it worse was that the wifi was NOT working! And furthermore, one passenger needed a rest stop so he could smoke and the driver complied! All of which annoyed me. When Bolt, like the little girl with the curl, is good it is very very good, but when it is bad.........(I Dont mind the Union Station departure=you just have to figure out WHERE they are-and dont try to get downtown if there is a race going on at the same time...). I'll use them again, but.....only if I can't find another...... read more

Pretty darn good bus service. Can't beat the price. Took boltbus recently for a weekend round trip from DC to New York. When I saw the prices, I didn't expect much. I was just excited for New York. As I got on the bus, I started to realize a few things. Don't come late. I booked my ticket really early and had B-01 seating group (you are boarded by group), but I was late. Late meaning I came right on time which apparently isn't early enough because I was one of the last to board. I got stuck with the last row next to the bathroom and with someone next to me when many on the bus had both seats to themselves. I was envious. Why do people have to shove their gum in the window crack? Freakin' people.. Don't sit near the bathroom if you can help it. Obviously. When people use the restroom during the trip, it WREAKS. Like really badly. I'm not exaggerating. Not all of the seats have power outlets. Check to make sure before you sit down if you boarded early enough to choose. The drivers are really nice and funny. As far as the DC to New York route is concerned, if you can hold your pee for 2 hours, you should avoid using the restroom on the bus. They stop in Delaware at a rest stop which is great. The wifi is painfully slow. Like 0.05 mbps slow. My AT&T HSDPA smoked it out of the water. The signal is surprisingly excellent the entire journey. Bottom line: buy early, board early, and get the seat you want. read more

Maybe it's premature to be writing my review before I depart on my 3rd ride ever on Bolt Bus. But I heart Bolt Bus and you should too if you're a frequent traveler to NYC. Always unnecessarily early/punctual, I arrived at the Bolt Bus stop at 11th & G at 6am - 30 minutes before departure, 15 minutes before boarding time. The bus was already there waiting and by 6:05 we were allowed to board. Much to my surprise, this bus is outfitted with sweet black faux leather seats. My back and behind approve. The seats are comfy, the bus is clean - what more can I ask for. I wasted no time firing up my laptop because I gotsta yelp. The bus isn't full and I have an empty seat next to me so I have my laptop plugged in as well as my cell phone which was in need of a charge. The bus driver just gave a quick speech on respecting other passengers and the features of the bus. We are pulling away from the spot with a spot-on departure time of 6:30am. read more

3.5 stars actually. Due to lack of WiFi service for both ways, and delay departure from DC. DC bus station is now at 10th & H NW (The big parking lot at the old convention center. Closet metro stop-Gallery Place/Chinatown) I got there early but didn't want to get on the early bus (cuz it drops off at a diff. NYC location). So I waited for my original bus time, but for some reason they didn't move the bus up for people to get on until 15 mins after original departure time. I was in Group A, so I was able to get on the bus first, that's a plus!! It was pretty organized arrangement to get people on the bus in groups. The ride was smooth, but wifi didn' t work!!! Great!! O well. I got to NYC 6th Between Grand & Watts-Canal St. & 6 Av. on time. Return trip, I got on the bus on 33rd and 7th-By Sbarro's. It's by several subway station. The closet lines are 1,2,3. I felt like it was a little disorganized when they were asking for the groups to get on the bus. Everyone was all just standing around the door which crowded the entrance to the bus. Again the bus ride was smooth, but the wifi and the electrical outlet didn't work. AHHHHH!!!! We did make a stop for like 15 mins. I got back to DC on time. So no complaints there. For around $50 round trip DC-NYC (depends on when you buy the tix), it's pretty reliable for getting you to your location safely. The wifi service is not very reliable, so I won't count for it. read more

My Baltimore-NY leg was worthy of four stars, but my return trip squeaked by at two. Both drivers were late, but color me unsurprised on that point. The first driver didn't care about letter ranks, and just took the whole line as a FCFS. The second driver almost didn't let us on the bus because Gmail had printed out our tickets in an unusual format. No problems with the outlets on either trip, but the return bus had issues functioning properly as a WiFi hotspot. Fortunately I can sleep through anything, but my companion was bored to death by this. We were fortunate to nab the last seat pair available on both trips. I enjoy the cheapness of red-eye travel. I like Bolt Bus more than the other means of medium-haul transportation I've taken (slightly cleaner, some more conveniences, easy and cheap), but inconsistency is the motherhood of doubt. read more

I notice that all of the really glowing reviews from my yelp friends are from 2008-10. Based on my experience, Bolt Bus has gone waaaaaay down hill. Union Station is crazy convenient, but you want to talk about a clusterfudge???? SOOOOO disorganized. Soooooooo disorganized. Examples: "Do you want me to wait along the wall, or in one of those 'lines'? Oh, in both places? Okay... that doesn't make any sense." "Sir, can you speak up a bit? You don't have a bullhorn and we can't hear over the roar of the buses!" "Is this the 6.30 to New York? No? But it's 7 o'clock -- why is the 5:30 bus just boarding?" I'm skinny, but these seats are SKINNY. Very uncomfortable. And there's no mesh pocket thingy in the back of the seats -- why not? What good is that dinky little drink pocket gonna do me? Hmm? Oh, and on one trip, we were delayed an additional 30 minutes because there was a guy in a wheelchair who wanted to board, and THE BUS WAS NOT HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE, so they had to go get an accessible bus. Why would you have inaccessible buses???? I know Megabus picks up in a location that's shady as hell and crazy far out of the way, but overall, I had much, MUCH better experiences with them, so I think I'll stick with them. read more

Considering you can get from DC to NYC for just $1, it's a sweet opportunity. Sure, it's a long ride and there is a large possibility of being much later than you thought, but that is just life. The two times I've taken it, there has been a break just before the last hour leg, which is nice. It's always been clean, the driver nice, and the other riders not too abrasive. Sometimes it can be a free-for-all but most of the time it is organized by letter groups (which cuts out having to queue in the hot sun and deal with line-cutters). I'll probably never travel between NYC & DC without Bolt. Also, the bus driver was in communication with someone who told him to take an alternate route because of a major accident. As a result, we never hit any traffic, though it did take longer as we did have to take a less direct route. I found that very impressive. read more

Although I went up to NYC (From DC) on the Megabus, the trip back for the Megabus would have been $45 (the trip up was only $14). Crazy, right? Since the Bolt has a better rating on Yelp then Mega, I decided to try the Boltbus for my ride back (to the tune of $22). My Boltbus stop was in Chinatown - a block away from Canal and 6th (along Watts and Grand). I arrived about 30 minutes early, and the bus was already there - but as no one was allowed to board, we ended up forming a line and standing around for the next 15 minutes. Once we were allowed to board, I must say, I was impressed. The seats were leather, and seemed to have a little more leg room then the Megabus. The bus driver was incredibly efficient, and had everyone onto the bus, with tickets checked, in 10 minutes. As he was waiting around for any late comers, a trio of girls show up. They had reservations for the 8pm bus (this was the 2pm), and wanted to see if they could hop on this bus instead. The bus driver took a survey of the number of seats left, called headquarters to verify their reservations (they didn't print out their reservations), and let them board. Very nice! The ride was smooth - I actually fell asleep, something I normally have a hard time doing on buses - and we arrived in DC 20 minutes early! Only reason why Bolt didn't get a full 5 stars, was that the internet kept cutting out. As the driver was busy driving - he had to keep giving us (the passengers) directions on how to reset the hub. While nice, it was a little annoying to have that keep happening throughout the ride. P.S. Although I like the Boltbus marginally better then Megabus, as a general rule, the Megabus seem to be cheaper by $5 - $10. As a result, I will probably continue to ride the Megabus - because the Bolt wasn't *THAT* much nicer. Unless it's a situation like yesterday, where the Megabus was astronomically higher then Bolt. read more

Hey you! Yes, you. You want to travel from D.C. to NYC comfortably and quickly, take a train or a plane. You want to have shopping money for when you get to NYC and not stress about driving your own car? TAKE THE BOLT BUS. I've taken another bus company and had a pretty bad experience..but with Bolt??? Everything was A-OK. The bus was clean, on time, and there were electrical outlets!!! Want to have first dibs on a window seat?? Make an account with them and sign in every time you purchase a ticket. You'll get "A" seating which is convenient. It's not fancy and it's not supposed to be. However, it IS efficient and inexpensive. read more

I will start this review by quoting Molly Ringwald's Samantha in Sixteen Candles: "I LOATHE the bus!" Seriously, I'm not sure if it was part of the scarring from childhood tauntings on the bus to/from school (or the girl that attacked me with her bus pass in 1st grade), or that awful story about the guy who beheaded another dude on a Greyhound in Canada, but I seriously dislike the bus. I have previously ridden some of the other DC/NY busses and was left to wonder if these things they called busses were safe, up to code, or whatever. They smelled bad and had weird stains and small seats. 5+ hours of that can be hell. That all being said, Bolt Bus by far exceeded my expectations for my recent trip from NYC to DC. The price was right - $19 one way. The seats were large and comfortable (leather!), with cupholders for drinks and footrests. The bus was clean and the driver was extremely courteous. Bonus points that it showed up and departed NYC on time. They also had plugs to charge cellphones/blackberries and free wi-fi that actually seemed to work (since I saw many folks working away on the internet). Now, my first choice for travel in the future will likely not be the bus, but if I'm looking to save a few smackers on a trip to NYC, I will definitely give my business to Bolt. I'll let someone else figure out what those stains are on some of the other bus lines. read more

The best way to travel between DC and NY! With comfortable seats, free internet, cheap fare ($10-23 one way) and polite driver, I really can't complain. Southwest-style lettered tickets keep the trouble of lining up away. Many weekend trips seem to sell out, so plan early, at least a few days ahead. Also, only some seats have power outlets, so if you have a laptop, look carefully. read more

Goodbye, Chinatown bus! Goodbye, JFK! Goodbye, NJ Turnpike (well, sort of)! Goodbye, Amtrak! When it comes to making the trip from DC to NYC, I have transferred my allegiance to Bolt Bus. I went to New York this week for fun and got to go roundtrip for $30. The website says that the DC pick-up location is at 11th and G, which is a few steps away from the top of the Metro Center escalators. When I went on a Tuesday morning, there was a sign that said "Mega Bus" with a huge bus that said "Mega Bus" on it. I was a bit confused since I knew that Mega Bus and Bolt Bus were entirely different companies. So don't be fooled. My bus was supposed to depart at 8:30am, and they started boarding between 8:20-25. Our driver was super friendly and helped passengers put their luggage in the compartment under the bus. On the bus itself, it was a bit chilly. I was glad I brought my sweater. I wish I could say more about the bus ride itself, but I watched two DVDs and then - poof! - I was there! The internet was all it needed to be. It was a bit slow, but it worked and kept me entertained. Surprisingly, I had a bladder of steel on this trip, and did not use the bathroom facilities, though my germaphobic traveling partner did. She came back from the bathroom with a smile praising its cleanliness! One miiiinor gripe is that the website doesn't allow you to access your reservation. I got my confirmations text-messaged to me, but I had accidentally deleted them. I wanted them to send it again, but there's no "My Reservations" function on the website. Still, five solid stars for Bolt Bus. I think I may try Mega Bus next time just to compare... read more

Just tried BoltBus for the first time on a trip from DC to New York 1) The plug worked (although one of my two wasn't totally working with my 3-pronged plug 2) The WiFi worked and was only slow for a few moments on my trip 3) We started boarding at the departure time and I got off the bus 10 minutes before my arrival time 4) The bus was clean and spacious 5) The driver was friendly and a good driver 6) They didn't mind that I just showed them my reservation in my email on my smartphone 7) The bus wasn't packed and I was able to sit by myself There were no flaws at all with this trip -- literally everything about it was perfect! read more

I am split between giving these guys 0 stars and 5 stars. The good: often travel on Bolt and they are reasonably priced, nearly always punctual, clean, simple, and typically have a nice driver. The bad: They train their customer service people to lie. As a customer, I expect integrity. Maybe that's just me. They say that if you arrive 2 hours late (or depart 2 hours late, whichever it happens to be) then you are due a refund. The truth is that it's actually 90 minutes. They don't tell you this, though. I only found out after repeatedly asking the customer service guy (whose job I don't envy, having been trained to misstate the actual policy.) I cannot forgive lying, so to express my discontent I am leaving a 1 star review. Please note, however, that they are the best bus company going between DC and NYC, in my experience. I have only ever had one late bus - (90 minutes late) - but every other one has been on time. So this 1 star is maybe unfair. But I have no other way to protest against their deceptive statement of policies. NOTE that Internet is crappy and spotty. But it's a big vehicle that moves you to your destination. Read books, people. read more

I've been using BoltBus on and off the past few years but finally reviewed it because I had to go to NY back to back weekends (used Megabus the first weekend). It's past due for a good review for my recent trip there for $1! I purchased my ticket last Mon and to my surprise got a ticket for a buck at 8am leaving Fri. Before boarding the bus, the guy gave us an inside tip that tickets are usually priced $1 every 3rd week of the month from 9am to 5pm. The trip was 4 hrs with no traffic. If I had to take a bus to NY again, Bolt would be my only choice. Okay, I might check out Vamoose Gold since I hear it's pretty nice. read more

A dollar and a dream... I thought I'd 'bolt' it a few times before I committed to a yelp review. You know, you don't want to go and judge on a first impression - and in my case, my first impression was FANNnnnnnnnntastic. So I figured, hmm, maybe i'd better see what this is like on a different trip. So, four trips later, I am convinced! You got me Boltbus. I was too cynical to believe it after one try. But a dollar and a dream later, I traveled through four states, to two different destinations, with free wi-fi, professional service, and more than once, two seats to myself. Yes, the bathroom should really only be used in emergency situations due to the possibility of totally losing your balance and falling down onto the seat. But, who's looking? And granted, I did think I was about to die the one time the driver decided while driving through the Holland Tunnel, to search through his dufflebag for some chapstick. But whats a little lane-weaving in a tunnel under the river when a roundtrip costs all of eight dollars? What is it indeed. Bolt bus, I'll be hitching a ride with you again sometime soon. A dollar and a dream, and gosh darn it, you're worth it. read more

Pleasantly surprised. I've taken other bus services to New York for almost 2x the cost, but this was so much better. Going up to NYC, the bus picks up in the parking garage above Union Station. The bus itself was a bit uncomfortable: the seats were hard and they didn't seem to conform very well to the shape of a normal human being. However, there was plenty of leg room and outlets to plug in electronics. There is also free wi-fi, but it's insanely slow, so I didn't use it. The bus made one stop somewhere on the Delaware Turnpike, which is good if you want to run in and get a snack, stretch your legs, or use a real bathroom. The bus was a bit delayed because we hit traffic around DC & Baltimore (which is unavoidable, really), but otherwise the trip was fairly uneventful. We got dropped off on the northwest corner of 33rd & 7th in New York. The return home was a bit better: the driver made announcements, was very friendly, and the seats were magically much more comfortable. The bus picks up along 33rd, on the northeast corner of 33rd & 7th, just outside of Sbarro. I think my tickets were $26 round trip. Bargain. I think tolls alone are more than that in one direction if I had driven myself! read more

I've ridden this bus dozens of times. It's decent enough, but: (1) the wifi NEVER works (it simply doesn't have the capacity to handle the number of people on a bus, so it always crashes within the first 5 minutes or else is incredibly slow); and (2) more importantly, they seem to have some kind of problem with the design of their on-board bathrooms, as there is almost always a septic smell -- of varying degrees of intensity -- on the bus, which can make the ride extremely unpleasant. One time, the stench was so foul that I rode the whole way with my scarf tied around my nose and mouth. Right now, it's a reasonable option for the price, but if they get their act together on the wifi and the bathrooms, they will be amazing. read more

Do not book with this Company. I did not have a good first experience. The pick up and drop off spots are different locations. I was dropped off at 33rd street(midtown NYC) instead of 6th ave( downtown), and was quiet confused on which location to board to return to DC. Called the customer service, the person told me to return to the drop off location, and it turned out I have to go back to 6th ave. Missed the bus, and had to book an immediate return trip with Chinatown Bus, which is much more reliable and consistent out of surprise. Will never book with this company again. I do not understand what the executive of this company was thinking to not even provide exact addresses for pick-up and drop-off locations. Honestly, not everyone knows the map of NYC, if you just park on a random street and provide only a vague description of what is around, not even the cab drivers could spot those locations. Bolt Bus please be more responsible for your customers by parking at a designated spot with a real address!!! read more

Took a trip last weekend. Left on-time from Greenbelt and arrived in NYC almost a half hour early! Then, my ride home on Sunday left right on time, and we also got home about 15 minutes ahead of schedule. My driver yelled at a passenger who had the audacity to smoke cigarettes on the bus. I'm surprised the driver didn't kick him off, but was impressed he kept the situation under control. Drivers are professional and friendly. I like your system of having the manifest on your phone for added identity protection. Love the outlets and extra leg room. For a person who hates taking the Metro in Union Station, a Greenbelt pick-up with easy parking is the best choice. read more

Bolt Bus is EXACTLY like the Chinatown Bus except without the Chinatown and on a slightly nicer bus. Get real people! If everything actually worked the way it was supposed to, I would rave about Bolt Bus. But it *never* does. I have taken Bolt Bus 4 times now from and to NYC. Not once did the stars align to create my dream trip of a peaceful, orderly, relaxed, timely trip where I could stretch out my legs as I rock out to my ipod and stalk coworkers on Facebook and not worry about the batteries dying because I was charging up in one of the outlets. What a joke!! Reality: *OUTLETS: I have confirmed the outlets worked 1 out of 4 trips (the bus driver on one ride stopped the bus to reboot the outlet - yes, you must access the reboot switch from *outside* the bus). *INTERNET: The internet has *never* worked for me, supposedly you just have to keep on trying to log on and eventually it will work. *TIMELINESS: The shortest bus ride was around 3 hours from NYC to DC. The longest was 6 hours from DC to NYC. The bus has left on time 1 time that I remember, 2 other times was late. *BUSSES: Yes, the busses look snazzy from the outside and inside they are generally newer and nicer than Chinatown busses. However, I have still been on busses with TRASH left in the seats and on some busses, there is an outlet in every seat and others is hit or miss. *LEGROOM: Because not every bus is the same, sometimes the extra legroom you have will be minimal. On some busses you can tell which seats have the extra legroom (like exit rows on a plane) and which don't, you might have to sacrifice an outlet for leg room or vice versa. *BOARDING*: OMG - this is the big one and what pissed me off. If you are lucky you'll get a bus driver who does their job and takes people in the seating order. If you don't, you will have a 3-4 BoltBus employees *and a manager* standing next to the bus who lets anyone and their French roommate shove and push their way onto the bus. It wasn't a free for all (oh no, because that's so "Chinatown"), there was a line - that people disregarded and cut in front of. The bus driver took down people's names for a waiting list - and then totally ignored as people pushed their way up. The driver was just incompetent and got easily overwhelmed, at least on the Chinatown busses they are *on top* of the crowds. *CUSTOMER SERVICE*: They have an 800 number and I"ve had good experiences with the number. However, the performance and quality of their bus drivers is hit and miss. Some try to follow boarding policy some don't. Some are friendly, some aren't. *CUSTOMERS* Why do I always get stuck in front of some "well educated" DC man with his seat leaned back who doesn't want me to lean MY seat back? I paid for the freaking non-Chinatown bus for the extra legroom, so stop SLOUCHING in your freaking seat with your butt halfway down and taking up so much goddamned room and maybe my seat won't hit your knee or laptop! OMG, the other customers on the Bolt Bus sometimes drive me crazy. That is one kind of annoying passenger you will not encounter on the Chinatown Bus. *OVERALL*: I like the nicer busses that don't smell like .99 bathroom cleaner, I liked the one time we got to DC in around 3 hours, but since the wifi never works, the outlets are unreliable, and I always get stuck in front of some jerk who takes up too much space, AND I *still* have to deal with rude/unorderly/pushy boarding - I will seriously think about taking the Chinatown bus next time. Especially if it's $13 cheaper and you get exactly what's advertised. read more

Pros: -price is good -they are organized -relatively clean (er than other buses) Cons: -first driver this weekend had such a bad lead foot I almost vomited before leaving DC (not an exaggeration) -second driver this weekend got me back to DC is 3 hrs 40 minutes- now you think wait how can that be a con? well the only way we did it that fast was b/c it was the least safe driving i have ever experienced, he put a cherry on top when the whole bus gasped as we pulled on I St. to enter the lot and he literally came inches from plowing down a biker -the internet was very spotty -and my power cord didn't even fit in the plug (c'mon!) Screw it. I'd rather have some CC debt and ride amtrak than risk life, limb and nausea with those awful drivers read more

Back on top. I must say that the recent improvements Boltbus has made have been incredible! For about 2 months every bus I was on was late. I will say that their customer service has always been extremely responsive. I have found that emailing them is best and very prompt. Recently, they changed their scheduling, which allows buses a 2 hour turnaround time and I haven't had a problem since with leaving on time. Keep up the good work Boltbus! If you're not into the frantic sidewalk boarding process at 33rd and 7th in NYC, I would highly recommend leaving from the Port Authority. The process was seamless and much calmer. Port Authority boarded in a simple queue--no A.B. or C. If you're boarding from the sidewalk of 33rd and 7th--THERE IS NO LINE! Basically, just do your best to stay out of the way of the other pedestrians. Once the bus pulls up, listen for your letter and line up once you're called. (If you're A, just wait by the door when the bus pulls up). I would highly recommend using your phone as a ticket to board. It makes life easy and saves trees. Also, some props to awesome bus drivers: Kelvin Johnson and Norman Harper. You're in for a good ride with them. read more

It was 4 stars from DC to NY but only a 2 from NY to DC. Going was great---the bus driver was super nice and we got there earlier than expected even with a 15 minute break at a reststop! The wireless was working although I didn't bring my laptop and I napped throughout the entire ride. I didn't need to use the restoom throughout (thank GOD) but the bus didn't smell at all. I was pretty impressed. oh and the seats were pretty comfortable but i DO have to say, they need to add in CUPHOLDERS! that would be SUPER convenient! otherwise, where do we put our starbucks cups?! :( On our way back, it was the 10:15pm shit. Either this lady was just in a bad mood b/c she had a late drive or she was just bitchy in general. She was screaming EVERYWHERE and when I accidentally gave her my ticket from DC to NY which stated I leave 7:30am she immediately said i MISSED my bus and that I had to go into the back of the line. She can't even READ properly! I said, "oh my bad" and got the correct one and she said "FINE!" Wow lady, take a chill pill. for the ride back, oh lucky me, I had soju and korean soup before the bus ride. I had to pee TWICE. This bus was disgusting. The bus SMELLED like bathroom throughout and ugh the actual bathroom was disguSTING! after I got off that bus, I just had a uber icky feeling and needed a shower asap! I think it really is luck of the draw in terms of getting on a nice, clean bus with a friendly bus driver! otherwise, it's not bad and the rates are cheap :) read more

Non-stop. Two outlets per seat. Functional toilet. WiFi might as well be thrown out the window. I didn't get a solid connection the entire time. But I was too focused watching Walter White cook up some crystal on my laptop to notice. read more

Took this to NYC for a day trip and thought it was great. We left from Union Station on time (7:30) and got to NYC at about 11:45. The dropoff and pickup in NYC was by the Convention Center on 11th Ave, which is a little out of the way if you're a walker like I am, but there is a subway station right there to quickly take you to wherever you want to go. The bus was clean, had good legroom (better than a charter bus I took recently), and the outlets did work but were a little fussy. On the first bus only one of the two plugs worked. The drivers were both very polite and drove safely, I never felt like I was going to be on one of those bus crash stories on the news where it careens off a bridge in flames. I didn't use the bathroom either time but the bus didn't smell like a port-o-pot so to me that means it was great. My only other tip is to definitely sign up for the rewards to get the A boarding. read more