On time, Professional, safety, easy communication, cleanliness, good service. Will ride it again.

I'm on the Lucky Starliner on my way to Boston from NYC and thought I should write the review now just in case I never make it off the bus alive. Please heed my advice and spend an extra $20 for Megabus or Greyhound/Peter Pan. Trust me, you'll be grateful in the end. As I'm writing this review, there is dirty water from a busted air-con system dripping on my shoulder. And it's not only me: a woman two rows in front of me is draped in a towel, three rows in front of her a couple is trying to plug a leak with their own sweater, and the driver's seat is completely soaked. Four seats are roped off and plastic bags filled with brown water are suspended from the ceiling. Apart from the broken air con, the smell of the bathroom is permeating throughout the bus. I've travelled in the 3rd world and I don't mind roughing it out when I have to - but this just isn't worth it. I'm amazed at the number of 3 star reviews for this company. I'll give them zero to one. I've had great experiences with "Apex" (from NY to Philadelphia) and am not opposed to Chinatown buses as a way to get from one place to another. Help me to boycott Lucky Star an maybe they'll change their ways (...and fix their broken air conditioner!). This review isn't exaggerating anything at all. Please stay away from Lucky Star. (Addition from Boston: we made it but my bag, which was in the overhead compartment inside the bus, was soaked with water - getting half of my clothes wet. Lucky Star Bus = very bad way to begin a vacation). read more

See all

Why do I love Lucky Star? It's cheap, no frills, and usually cheaper than MegaBus, BoltBus, and FungWah. They also have a free membership plan that accrues money spent so that you can redeem points for things like free bus rides, a keychain, and some water. Although the only really thing of true value (to me at least) is the bus rides, at least there's a program for people to earn something. The bus drivers don't really speak English, but they get you from NYC to/from BOS quickly and efficiently (they are usually early) and they always stop at Burger King in Vernon, CT about midway between NYC and BOS so if you're hungry or need to use the potty, you can do so. They also include free WiFi. Why do I not love Lucky Star? The buses are old and dirty and do not include outlet plugs, despite having the 'advanced technology' of free WiFi (although, slow) on board. So while you may have brought your computer on the bus, and you're doing work on your laptop... it'll die since there's no outlet to charge your computer! This can make it pretty inconvenient, especially if your computer's battery life is crappy like mine. Overall, Lucky Star Bus has more pros than cons in my books... however, the lack of outlets on the bus pushes my rating to 3 stars. If Lucky Star incorporated outlets in their motorcoaches, then I'd give it a 4-5 stars. I still will ride Lucky Star in the future though...as it is definitely one of the cheapest options of getting from NYC to BOS. read more

Can't beat the price and convenience. Can pretty much buy a ticket and board; unlike megabus or bolt where you wait on standby. Service is better by far. Leaving fr nyc, the attendant helped load bags. Bolt and Megabus drivers won't! They'll have you wait in the street until right before you leave. LS now has a waiting area with a bathroom (which is not always clean), free wifi and plugs as well as a place that sells drinks and snacks. read more

I took Lucky Star Bus from NY to Boston and I was pleased with my trip. For Friday-Sunday roundtrip was $50. I bought my tickets online which seemed like the obvious thing to do, but on the trip back to NY I noticed a crazy long line at Boston South Station and it was people waiting for standy-by tickets! I bypassed all them, walked up to the front and felt like I had the golden (online reservation) ticket, the guy stamped my pass and on I went to the waiting area for the bus. All the Lucky Star employees at South Station are helpful with where to stand/where to go. You can hop on an earlier bus if you get there early and there is space (I did this when leaving NY, my res was for 6:30, I got on 4:00pm bus). They have 1 restroom stop/food break at a Japanese buffet place (right next to a liqour store) in CT. AND THE FOOD IS CHEAP AND DELICIOUS. GRAB SOME DUMPLINGS AND EAT IT ON THE BUS. You can throw your trash away in the plastic bags in the aisles of the bus. The only reason they don't get 5 stars is because there are no power outlets, and for a 4-5 hour drive (depends on traffic) outlets are appreciated. (Bolt Bus has power outlets, but is around $75 round trip) Lucky Star is by no means luxurious or fancy, but they get the job done and have a system that works. I'll be taking it again. read more

The bus isn't bad for getting from NYC to various stops. I've only taken Lucky Star for Boston, but you can get tickets ahead of time online (I recommend this) as though usually they're available with the ticket window, you have to dart around the crowd and block corner to get to it. And it's easier to have a ticket ahead of time. Price is cheap, as are all Chinatown buses. While the drivers aren't usually too crazy, they can go very fast at times. Only thing that stops this from being a three star is that Bolt has newer buses. And yes, they stop at a Burger King in the middle, usually. read more

Lucky Star Bus used to be my prime company for Boston - NYC Transportation. Seeing that the $15 price tag per ticket is unusually cheap for such a trip, I can say that it helps that Lucky Star hasn't been reported to be in any major accidents like the Fung Wah Bus has. The website seems a little bit sketch at first, but I'm sure it means well. It always helps to reserve your ticket online to guarantee a spot on the bus. You can also qualify for free goodies if you ride the bus enough. Key word is free goodies, so don't expect anything fantastical, haha. The Lucky Star Bus gets you from point A to point B in one piece, and I'm sure in the end that is all that matters. My experiences with the Lucky Star Bus has always teetered back and forth depending on the time, day, and if it's a holiday. Things like traffic, can't be controlled by them, so keep that in mind. The South Station Box Office is really nice, and the NYC Office on Chrystie Street isn't too bad, but seems to be kind of small for the amount of people who use it now. The free Wifi in the office is nice, but the single toilet bathroom they have seems to be very inconvinient. Pros: - Cheap Tickets - Relatively clean, and I know in Boston they try to clean out the bus before every trip to NYC. I think in NYC they try to do the same too. The effort is nice. - They have buses that leave every hour and I think every half hour as well. - You don't have to buy your ticket far in advance because they seem to not sell out at all. - If there is room and you're lucky you might be able to get on an earlier bus if you get there early. - If you're running late and miss your bus, they'll let you use your ticket for the next available bus. Cons: - They don't speak english that well, which can cause problems when trying to communicate with them. - They're kind of unorganized with the priority seating. - The Seats are kind of small, but it's pretty average for a bus. In the end, The Lucky Star Bus does get you where you want to be for a consistently cheap price. Their pretty flexible with your ticket and which bus you decide to take. So if you're randomly deciding to travel last minute, Lucky Star Bus is guaranteed to have a ticket for you on their bus, usually. The quality of the ride is really up to your own personal opinion though. read more

Cheap, no-reservations transportation Used lucky star to boston almost every week for a time, leaving manhattan on friday nights and returning sunday night. Cant beat the price/convenience....i didnt know my exact time of departure which made booking a spot on bolt/megabus a bad idea. And bolt/megabus, while offering unmatched comfort plus internet, are full unless you book like a week in advance. So lucky star has a decent interior waiting room. The buses themselves can smell like what your fellow passengers are eating that day (usually food from the nearby popeyes or chinese food) but its not a big deal and you get used to it. The buses are in better condition than your average chinatown bus, but dont expect anything fancy. Lucky star says they have free wifi, but it often doesnt work. Oneway is usually $15 on weekends. If you do make a reservation, you still need to line up maybe 30min advance during peak times (like friday nite) otherwise the bus may fill up or you wont get much of a choice where to sit, and you will stress out in line wondering if you will have a good spot or a spot at all. But this beats greyhound or peter pan, where you need to get there up to 1hr early during peak times when the bus terminal is madness (super long lines, gates hard to find, more expensive tickets to boot) read more

This is one of the better buses in Chinatown. The process here is basically first come first serve. Or shove everyone in front of you, the only downside is that for 4 hours, people who don't know you at all will be very upset at you. The trip from New York to Boston is about 4 hours or so here. The bus driver isn't the most considerate about the riders. The last time I rode it, I was sweating profusely and uncomfortably warm. Bonus - Free wifi. Password is usually on the paper sign bragging that they have wifi. As usual with bus companies - some buses are good, some buses are not. New buses and old buses. Don't really get much of a choice. read more

No real outlets usually (You might get a USB plug, but it's the luck of the draw), basically zero wifi, some of the worst clientele to grace this earth (nice job leaving your mess everywhere), I got to pay 50 dollars on Thanksgiving week for the old style 15 dollar bus. That being said, at least we didn't stop at the awful Misaki food buffet to Boston because the ride ended up being six and a half hours. On my return trip, I got to go back on an earlier bus because there was room (Yay!) but I happened to be seated behind a guy who was playing his music so loud from his earbuds that I could hear it over my own in-ear earbuds. The bus also had a vent open on the roof, so it was outdoors weather the entire time. I would say take the Bolt Bus, but you would already know that. Actually, considering Bolt Bus broke down on me and made my trip 8 hours, consider a ride share app, or schedule so far ahead and take Amtrak. As Danny Glover would say, "I'm getting too old for this shit." read more

Oh man, where to begin? I've ridden these buses at least 30 times by now (my boyfriend lives in Boston), so I think I can give a pretty extensive account of what to expect. Most important thing to remember: You are paying a mere $15 dollar to get from New York City to Boston. Before the Ride: -The buses leave every hour on the hour b/t 7am & 10 pm. -These people barely speak english, so don't expect them to be helpful if you need something (like directions). -If you think you're going to be cutting it close on time, bring cash, so you can buy your ticket as your board. DON'T use their ATM. It's double charged both my boyfriend and me. -The bus is first come, first serve, but usually arriving 15 minutes early gets you a seat (unless it's b.t 5pm-8pm.) -Go buy a smoothie or bubble tea from Tbaar (next door) before your trip. Deeeelish! -There is a actual lobby area here, which is important in the winter (Unlike Fung Wah). However, they don't always tell you when the bus arrives for loading, so be aware! -If the bus is sold out for the time you want to leave, just run around the corner and try Fung Wah! The Bus Itself: -These buses are old, yes. The seats will probably be ripped or the arm rest will be messed up or the bus will smell stale. But it's not filthy or anything. -The wifi usually works, but some buses don't have it. -Bring your toys fully charged, bc there are no outlets. -DON'T use the toilet on the bus. Just don't do it. The Ride: -If you travel during the day, you can probably get a seat to yourself. -If you travel during the day, you're trip is likely to be exactly 4 hrs. -If you travel on a holiday wkend, you will hate your life, but you'll get to Boston eventually (I think my longest trip was ab 6 hrs) -Remember this bus is leaving from Chinatown, meaning there's a pretty high probability of your driver being Chinese, but the near misses with the other large vehicles on the road are just part of the fun! -There will probably be someone listening to obnoxious music loudly on their headphones or talking on their phone the whole ride. Feel free give that person dirty looks. -About 1/2 through your journey you will stop at Arby's or BK. The driver probably won't say anything to you. You'll be there for ab 15 minutes. hmmm...I think that's all my advice for now. I love Lucky Star because you can just show and go AND it's the cheapest ticket you can get to Boston. I've always arrived safely and usually in less than 4.5 hrs. Try it! read more

I was taking the buses out of Chinatown to Boston since like 2001 or 2002. I started out with Fung Wah because they were pretty much the only operation in town, but once Lucky Star opened, I began using them and stuck with them for pretty much every trip. The price is right ($30 round trip) - cheaper than gas and tolls both ways for sure. One of the things I LOVE about this company is that also like Fung Wah, they have a 2AM bus out of Boston, only it is FAR less crowded. Before I moved to Boston to be with my fiance, I used to commute back and forth every other weekend. This 2 AM bus was a lifesaver because it meant I could go straight to the office when it got to NYC at 6AM. Some of the things I've encountered on this bus are (all true!): -some people bringing food on that smells horrid -bathrooms frequently have no TP or any semblance of paper (bring it with!) -a breakdown in the middle of winter on a 2AM Boston departure (we sat on the side of the highway FREEZING for hours until another bus came to get us) -a large woman spilling out into the aisle having a LOUD conversation about her 16 - YES! 16! - abortions Some tips: -Bring TP! -Don't leave NYC on a Friday night unless you leave after 8 PM (you will sit in traffic until at least 8 and only be in Stamford, CT anyway) -Waiting room is comfy, but don't wait til the last minute to use the restroom of you'll be the last to board and get the worst seat -Combat nausea by sitting towards the front of the bus -The BK bathroom has a Purell dispenser - use it rather than waiting for the sinks! read more

I have not been a fan of Chinatown buses for quite a few years. Out of convenience and price-sensitivity, I have used Lucky Star for my last few trips up to Boston. Much less scarier than a lot of its competition that I've ridden in the past. They have a ticket office on Chrystie just a block away from the Grand St. subway station (BD). The flyer on the bus boasts a waiting area with wifi and restrooms which I have not had the pleasure of frequenting, and so help me yelp, I will never have to. The women behind the ticket counter aren't scary and aggressive like I have encountered with other C-town bus lines. The bus drivers haven't been rude or psychotic. The buses have no wifi but for $15, I'll deal. The buses have been clean with plastic trash bags affixed to the arm rest of each row. I like that Lucky Star runs every half hour and they have left on time each time. The only downside is that they have some sort of relationship with Burger King in Mt. Vernon, CT so there is always a 15-minute stop. Other bus lines will usually forgo the stop to get there earlier. On the other hand, I discovered the greatness of cheese-filled tater tots at this BK so for that I am grateful to Lucky Star. I'd prefer Bolt Bus over any bus operator any day but Lucky Star has proven itself as a worthy alternative. read more

This bus service was for those who wished to save money. If you have a flight to catch, get on a bus 5hours prior, otherwise don't complain (common sense, you never know what can happen, whether it be traffic or an accident causing that traffic). Greyhound isn't any better yet you don't see them getting shut down. They've had more deaths than Lucky Star and Fungwah combined. Greyhound owns Bolt Bus and Yo! Bus(even thought it appears as a Chinese bus). Goodbye competition, goodbye variety. Hello Megabus. Oh and not to long ago Greyhound had a bus full of roaches....they are yet to be shut down or recieve the bad press that the Chinese buses have gotten. Soon we'll only have 1 bus company running everything and no cheap tickets. Hope you return Lucky Star. Same wishes for Fung Wah. Like every over bus company, every trip would not be the same. I gave this company 5 stars for the convenience of being able to buy tickects at a fixed price, no matter what time/ day of the week (unfortunately the price went up, but it was still convenient for last minute travelers). read more

I got my tickets through their website for $1.50 each way. $3 round trip from Boston to NY is STEAL. Yeah the buses aren't the greatest and the wifi is spotty but you get what you pay for. If you want a plush ride, try Amtrak. The driver was nice and we got to NY in 4.5 hours even though we were stuck in traffic due to an accident. Overall ride was smooth- no jerky braking. Oh and for those who don't see the poster with the wifi password: if the wifi router is named L771, the password is lucky771. The number of the bus is included in the router. read more

I don't know why I've given every other bus more respect than Lucky Star. In my early college years, I was a Fung Wah devotee but as I grew and Megabus and Bolt Bus came into the picture, I left Chinatown in favor of Midtown. Being convenient to my office on 3rd near Grand Central was essential as I like to leave work at 3:30 on Thursdays and catch the 4pm Bolt Bus in order to get to Boston with ample time to meet up with my former roommates for Thursday night television. However during that GREAT BLIZZARD a few weeks ago where we received scarcely 3 inches and Boston got no snow, my Bolt Bus ticket was cancelled a day in advance. I was left to scramble for a new bus ticket and Chinatown was where I know I could find it. In a nutshell: 1. The ride from NY- Boston typically smells like fried chicken because of the unfortunately placed Popeyes near the 'station'. The man across from my the first time ate his chicken, then ate it out of his teeth, and then licked the box. The ride from Boston to NY is much less redolent. 2. The bus always gets me where I need to go ON TIME. This is essential and I don't know how they do it, but the man and I took it this past Sunday at 1PM (we had tickets for the 2 but got there early and kindly let us on), and we arrived at 5PM At&t time ON THE DOT. You don't get this with any Megabus. 3. Wifi! Free! Recent addition and you've got to know the password (our bus's was lucky818), but it makes the trip all the more pleasurable. and finally: 4. No funky changes in price. Since when can Megabus get off charging $24 for a Sunday ticket IN ADVANCE and Bolt Bus charging $21. Who do they think they are? All in all, I still prefer Bolt Bus to all others, but when they're jacking up prices on me consistently, Lucky Star will be there for me. I know it. read more

Free Wifi. Yay! No outlets. Boo. The drivers didn't freak me out in terms of customer service or driving habits, so already they did better than their more expensive competitors Greyhound and Peter Pan in that respect. Also, I'm a huge fan of Chinatown in New York, so the location was perfect... just steps from great food and shopping. This was a great alternative to the train and the plane and the automobile! :) Quick Tip: The wifi password is posted inside the bus on a poster on a window... not that they'd TELL you that. read more

If you're thinking about taking Lucky Star Bus, make sure that you base your decision on recent reviews (written after November 2013). The U.S. Dept. of Transportation shut down this bus line in June '13, citing tons of vehicle maintenance issues, traffic violations, and unmonitored drivers. In response, Lucky Star spent millions of dollars bringing their equipment up to the standards of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and reopened 5 months later. And yes, I just knew all of that off the top of my head. I took Lucky Star Bus for the first time last week, and I have to say - I almost feel like I've missed out on a longstanding rite of passage. It was my understanding that a white-knuckled intercity Chinatown bus ride was an integral component of the broke twenty-something's NYC living experience. Well - not any more, friends. I am sorry to report that the new-and-improved 2014 Chinatown bus ride no longer packages complimentary roaches, human-sized holes in the floor, or near-death experiences in your $25 journey. That being said, Lucky Star still offers a bit of that Chinatown Bus je ne sais quoi. It's a safe bet that your bus won't have WiFi or outlets (and believe it or not, humans lived this way for years), and your driver will maneuver your bus like a lawless race car. You can still look forward to stopping at the world-famous Misaki Sushi and Seafood Buffet at a small-town strip mall halfway between Boston & New York, and you'll be smelling it for the entire second half of the trip. Bottom Line: Lucky Star is an excellent bang for your buck. It's funny that some people complain about the lack of amenities and/or customer service as though it'd be any better on a train or a flight. The only difference is that you'd be paying roughly 4 - 8x as much. I love that this bus line leaves out of LES/Chinatown instead of the God-awful Penn Station/Port Authority area like all of the other bus lines I've taken. And for the record, I've taken some truly awful buses - I'm looking at YOU, Peter Pan and Greyhound - so I can appreciate the relative luxury of my Lucky Star experience. My Lucky Star bus was not only clean and well-maintained, but the passenger base was seemingly normal and not just a bunch of homeless people and ex-convicts a la Greyhound. "Lucky Star: The Surprisingly Functional Chariot" - (new slogan suggestion) read more

Since I've literally tried just about every option for bus transportation between Boston and New York, I figured now is good time to final review the contestants... Lucky Star is a good option for their consistent low prices, I have never paid more than $15 for a one way trip. I've actually have paid even lower sometimes which is an added bonus! Now the bus itself isn't exactly all that great, no outlets, no cup holders, it smells, you can only get on the wifi if you get the "special code". They always cram it full even if it means leaving later than scheduled. Location is anything but convenient, least for myself, I prefer leaving from Port Authority. They do however always stop for food, which is great since I highly recommend NOT using the restroom on the bus. I can't tell when they last cleaned this buses, they're gross. However, if you're looking for a cheap option to Boston, this is it! You don't even need to book ahead online, just walk right in and they'll get you on the next bus out of there. This is a last resort bus for me, since I absolutely refuse to ride FungWah. read more

Lucky bus brings me back memories of traveling back and forth from NYC to Boston every weekend for half year!! CHEAP.. it's approx 20$ or 15$ a trip VS greyhound it's dirt-cheap but price comes with quality as well. when you pay that little.. you can't really expect much.. It drops you off in chinatown NYC and boston bus station. Avoid major holidays + rush hours.. Occasionally the bus BREAKS DOWN too. happened to me probably 3 times within half year time frame!! when that happens. your 4 hours bus ride could turns into 10 hours... I'm glad that I am no longer needed to take this bus... but if you need to travel and want to save $$ i guess this won't be a bad option. read more

PROS: - I got a seat when all other Boston-NYC buses were sold out because of Metro North accident - Rest stop mid-journey to use real bathrooms and eat Chinese food - Free wifi on the bus - Bus didn't smell like a toilet - $25 ticket! CONS: - Having to listen to very loud, very long multilingual cell phone conversations for the entire ride, some of which were conducted via speakerphone - Having to monitor driver for entire ride to make sure he didn't fall asleep and crash the bus OTHER NOTES - I recommend taking note of emergency exit windows in case the bus catches on fire. - There was a lot of McDonald's being consumed on the bus. If this is a turnoff for you, you might want to avoid this busline. read more

Yes it is $15, but I don't care - one star. I took the bus to Boston on Friday and left at 1pm and got into South Station in Boston at 6:15. On Sunday night the bus arrived in Chinatown at midnight and it was raining. I don't spend too much time in Chinatown, so I was trying to find out where the subway station was. The bus driver said he was busy and got in the bus and shut the door. Unfortunately, I was in the last seat in the bus and was the last one to get out, so there was no one else to ask. Lucky Star, you suck. read more

Good deal Normal driver Decent bus Warm inside Low price No complaints read more

As far as Chinatown buses go, this one thus far has been drama free for me (I will explain later in my review of Apex and New Century bus lines). I have no idea why I continue to torture myself with riding the bus. I guess it is cheap and the chinese gene is so strong. LOL. My bottom always seems to hurt after the second hour into the ride, but still I continue endure this. Lucky Star is good for travel from NYC Chinatown to South Station Boston. It is 4 hour ride, and this time, I had no hassles. The ticket is $15. They also stop at a Burger King in Connecticut. Even when I came back from Boston, we also stopped at the same BK. I wonder if Lucky Star has a contract with BK? read more

I've been taking Lucky Star buses a couple times a month for the past year. Pros: - Lots of daily buses to and from NYC/Boston to choose from. You can usually buy a tix at the window for the next bus although I book online for an extra $.50 surcharge. No need to print a physical tix as you can show your phone with confirmation number. - Fairly reasonable tix prices. - Drivers move on the road quickly. - Power outlets under the seats. Wifi usually works with decent speed. - Helpful service at South Station, Boston. Quite nice there with plenty of food/snack options. Cons: - Bus restroom is sometimes completely locked and out of service which can make a lengthy road trip very uncomfortable. You'll have to hold it in until the 15 minute rest stop right outside of Hartford. - NYC Chinatown employees are not friendly. - Depending on their mood, employees may or may not help you with your stowaway luggage. - Some drivers will talk on their bluetooth headset during the entire drive which is illegal and irresponsible. Summary: You get what you pay for. It's pretty affordable and convenient. Use the bathroom before you board. There is a midway-ish 15-min restroom stop right outside of Hartford, CT at either Burger King or a Chinese buffet restaurant. T Stop at South Station. B/D or F Subway stations are both a 7-minute walk away. Taxis are also easy to get. Lucky Star Bus, improve your customer service and driver safety issues and I'd gladly pay a little bit more because of the convenience. read more

Pros: its a dollar online and always 15$ walkup price. it's also the quickest to Boston in my experience, and makes a food stop halfway for a bathroom and snack break. Cons: don't even think about using the bathroom on the bus, it is one of the most disgusting things ever. the seats are often broken and dirty and gum is stuck in every nook and cranny. not the most pleasant ride, but the fastest and cheap. read more

Never mind all the horror stories about the Chinatown buses operating between NYC Chinatown and Boston and other places... When it comes down to it, they take you there alive and fast, and for a mere $15, while Amtrak takes about the same time (if not longer) and costs close to $100... I tend to like Lucky Star, which is slightly less crowded than the more popular Fung Wah. It's efficient and in about 4 hours you are at South Station in Boston. The buses have no frills, but they're not falling apart either. As mentioned by the previous reviewers, the buses stop for 15 minutes at a Chinese buffet on the way to Boston (scary... if you ask me), and usually at Roy Rogers on the way back (scary too... just my personal opinion). They leave about every hour on the hour (sometimes more often), and unless you travel at rush time there's no need to buy your ticket in advance: just show up at the bus stop a few minutes early and you should be able to get a seat. read more

If I could give this company 0 stars I would. ALISSA in customer service is extremely rude. Choose any other bus company than these scammers. If you have no other choice and must use this company, then log in as a guest and don't store any personal information on their website. read more

Don't do it. I thought it might be worthwhile to save a few bucks. How bad can it be? I've traveled to a lot of countries and this bus was on par with the worst - no air conditioning in the middle of summer all the way from Boston to NY. Enough leg room - if you are under 50 pounds and 4 feet tall. I would rather spend another $5 and take Bolt - any day. read more

Awesome. I took Lucky Star both ways on my trip to Boston this past week. I was able to show up a few minutes before the departure time and snag a ticket for $15. And we made the trip, both ways and including a 15 minute Burger King stop, in exactly 4 hours. The bus left within five minutes of the stated time, and came bombing down the BQE with the reckless abandon of the craziest NYC cab driver to make sure we got back to Chinatown before sundown. Sure, it's not the most luxurious bus ride ever, and there's no free internet, but the convenience of being able to get your ticket cheap even at the last minute is worth it. Who needs the internet anyway? read more

I am on the Lucky Star bus to Boston right now. This motor coach has very little legroom and zero WiFi but plenty of cockroaches. Just flicked one off my satchel, in fact. Oh and I was chastised for having arrived to check in 10 minutes before departure (although the bus is less than half full). That said, the bus does seem to be operating as expected frim a mechanical standpoint - acceleration, steering, the whole shebang. read more

After unloading anger on another bus company, I feel I should share the love for this one, again. It's a smelly ride sometimes, with occasionally busted seats, but more often than not you'll get your own seat if you hop on a 4pm bus. You're own seat! That's a $30 value! That's buy one, get one free! One time, the window had water in it. I have no idea how water got into the actual window pane, but it did. It sloshed back and forth the whole way to Boston. The water stayed in the pane, so I stayed dry..but that's a free amenity to the Lucky Star ride. read more

Remember that you get what you pay for and Lucky Star is no exception. Megabus and Bolt were too expensive for a roundtrip to Boston for two, so I went with Lucky Star. The bus was clean enough - thankfully the bathroom didn't stink b/c I had to sit next to it on the way to Boston. Though there was no sanitizer on either trip in the bathroom - both gross and annoying - oh and did I mention that there was no curtain/shield in the bathroom window? Just a few pieces of paper taped up to help keep people from seeing you do your business...seriously. Both drivers had headphones on (illegal, no?) and barely spoke English. When we stopped (both times at the same Burger King), they didn't bother to tell people a time limit so in one instance it took THIRTY minutes and he sat there honking to alert people to come back! I was ready to go rally everyone back on myself. Most of the seats were broken so they reclined really far back even if you didn't want it to giving everyone even less room than they already had. The bus on the way back to NYC was much nicer and newer though so that made it slightly more pleasant. I wasn't expecting much from Lucky Star so none of this was a shock to me, but most of my complaints are basic - nothing that requires a lot of effort or money to maintain. By refilling the sanitizer, putting up a curtain/black out screen on bathroom window and telling people to be back in 10 min when we stop, I would've given them 1 to 2 more stars. Me thinks it's worth the extra money to go Bolt or Mega. read more

Is it glamourous? No. Is it the best bus ride you'll ever take? No. Is it a life changing or otherwise earth shattering experience? No. BUT. It is reliable, affordable, and almost always available at the last minute. Every time I've needed to get from Boston to NYC and vice versa, Luck Star Bus has been there for me. I stay in Brooklyn when I'm in NYC so it's more convenient than a curb on 38th and 11th. Also, they have a waiting room that sells a respectable selection of affordably priced bus friendly snacks. Time permitting, there's a midway pit stop at a chinese buffet in CT (Which me thinks is owned by Lucky Star. That's just smart.) or a Burger King which, hell, might also be owned by Lucky Star. Either way, it's a well oiled, reliable machine and well worth the $20. Oh, and the buses are reasonably clean. read more

Lucky Star is Fung Wah's more boring cousin. I haven't heard of any crazy stories about fights or bus breakdowns that are the hallmark of Fung Wah. Same price, pickup is around the corner and a block down, both go to South Station now. Lucky Star has a better organized crew (neon yellow vests are easy to spot) and even have a waiting room with a ticket seller, soda machines, a bathroom, tvs, and wifi. The buses are about the same, so are the drivers. They offer free wifi on some buses. Some people have a difficult time figuring out the password. Why not try the random alphanumeric phrase that's on the 'FREE WIFI!' sign? It's spotty, though, but whatever. read more

Screeewwweeeddd me over. I had missed a Fung Wah bus.. so I ran over to Lucky Star. They over sold the bus and because I didn't go Jean Claude Van Damme on everyone's ass.. I got elbowed and pushed out of the way. Rather than stand in the heat and wait for the next bus that I wasn't prepared to shed blood for.. I went to Penn and took an Amtrak to Boston. Amtrak may be expensive.. but it's reliable. And I won't have to give part of my clothing or sanity to survive a 4-5 hour train ride (see Fung Wah Boston review as well). read more

I've written a review for Fung Wah, which, as I mentioned there, I've taken pretty much every weekend since the summer (July). I've been thinking of taking Lucky Star, but I have to take another bus at South Station to get to my final destination and I was afraid of having a bad experience with Lucky Star and ending up missing the other bus. Anyway, one day I decided to try Lucky Star, but noticed that they jacked their price to $20, so I walked back to Fung Wah. Well, a few weeks later, I guess they noticed that no one liked the $20 fare, so they lowered it back to $15. I decided to take it this past weekend and I have to say that so far I'm liking it. As someone previously mentioned, they're not as crowded as Fung Wah. I think FW has a choice spot near Canal and Bowery; they have a big sign and a the buses are visible from anywhere in that intersection. I think that may the reason why Fung Wah might be so popular. Lucky Star's located on Chrystie, kinda around the corner and behind it on a somewhat quieter street. Anyway, I like it for that reason. Probably not that good for business, but I like it because the buses aren't as crowded as FW. The drivers seem to be better drivers than the FW drivers (I've only had two so far, but I've had a better experience here than with FW, so I'll probably be using Lucky Star more often). They don't step on the gas and then break abruptly (I hate that stop and go crap) and seem to be able to stay in lane. The employees at Lucky Star seem to be nicer here. Neither company has a very large staff. Because FW is more popular, it probably gets hectic herding people this way and that, or checking tickets and stuff. I wouldn't say they're mean or rude or anything. I just think that at Lucky Star, they're just really nice. I suppose there's less pressure on them, though, being the less popular bus service. Anyway, I'll update this again after a few more trips if I have anything else to add. Update - 03/04/08 - I've taken Lucky Star a few more times with one trip with FW. Lucky Star has buses that leave every half hour, but only on certain days and at certain times (they said at the times when they're busy; the dude said at like 5:30 or 6:30, but I don't think that's every day). FW start their buses that leave every half hour earlier in the day, and I think they do this on the weekends. I needed to leave at 10:30 to catch my bus at South Station, so I walked to FW. Anyway, I've been pretty happy with Lucky Star so far. One thing I have to appreciate from FW is that they allow you to use your ticket for a later bus (I think they said it can only be used within a 3 hour timeframe), whereas Lucky Star does not. It can only be used for that scheduled bus. That's pretty much all I had to say so far. Other than that, I think I like LS better. Update - 05/08/08 - I'm not really sure what the other more recent reviews were talking about with the buffet -- since I've been taking LS, we've stopped at a Roy Rogers once on one of my first few trips and then it was BK after that (I heard the driver say to the guys at BK that they're not going to RR anymore). So between the fall and my review, they stopped going to the Chinese buffet. I'd like to take advantage of Lucky Star's online deals, but their policy is you can't use the ticket for any other departure, and sometimes I arrive too late and miss the bus I meant to take. Update - 05/18/2008 - I've actually started leaving my house earlier when catching a bus to Boston so I'm not late for my intended departure, and having a set time to go back home, so I've been buying my tickets online. It's awesome. $15 one way already beats Peter Pan or Greyhound, but $5 and $8 tickets with Lucky Star = teh pwnage. They advertise that they also have $1 tickets (someone wrote a review about being lucky enough to get $1 tickets each way), but I haven't seen them yet. Also, there's a $.50 service fee for purchasing your ticket online, but still, that's uber cheap. Anyway, so far, so good. No complaints from me. read more

I took Lucky Star this past weekend and was quite happy with my experience. The trip there was smooth as was the trip home. I discovered that if you buy your ticket online you can get the price for even cheaper than the 15 they normally charge. I got mine for $12.50 and even saw an option for $8! Living in NYC means I am always on a budget and spending so little makes me happy. It also didn't stop at the Chinese food buffet (i was a little scared after reading about it) instead both rides it stopped at Burger King (not much better but hey at least you know what you're getting). For the price you are charged, I am very happy. A tank of gas would have been ridiculous, as would be the train. read more

I have used Lucy Star for years generally with good results. However, today I had an experience that really put me off. The website has been redesigned and looks prettier but is more confusing and less functional. For example, getting a round trip ticket is no longer as easy as it used to be. As a consequence of the confusion engendered by the new site, I entered a desired date for the ticket to New York (August 26th). The website showed that date but when I paid for the ticket it was issued for August 21st, a completely different date. When I call customer service right after buying the ticket, I was told the only way to correct the error (made by their website) was to pay a change fee. Truly offputting. Sadly, this is often the case with companies that "improve" their websites only to make them harder to navigate and less functional. Now I am wary of using this site to buy tickets in the future and you should be too. BTW, I am not a newbie at buying things online. read more

My trips to NYC were never planned out, I would just wake up one morning and say: Fuck Boston and pack up a bag and go visit the homies in Harlem. *Shout outs to my Asian homiez Pooty Tang, Tu, and Poosey Kao* $15 each way, on a adventure with a super fast driver, so what if he didn't speak English, the Lucky Star Bus drivers always got us there fast within 4 hours. BAM yer in Nu York, smack in Chi.town right off the subway. My only advice: BEWARE OF THE CHINESE BUFFET IN CONNECTICUT, I was sick for 4 days after that awful rest stop! read more