Let me start off this review by saying that Megabus is a low cost although convenient transportation option. Dont expect beverage service, smiling and cheery faces nor excellent customer service. You get what you pay for. I booked a ticket to Hampton onMegabus the day before Thanksgiving online for less than $20. I dispise sitting in traffic on 95S during the holidays and Amtrak was $160 roundtrip...so Megabus was a brilliant option...until....I arrive at Union Station via Metro 30 min before departure time. I grab dinner, a few snacks and rush outside to get in the Megabus line. The line was long....longgg...and it was cold in the bus depot. We wait.....we wait.....for 1 hr....our bus is an hour late. Of course, we're anxious and a little worried. Finally, the driver comes around to our line and explains that our bus is en route from White Marsh but its stuck in traffic. Sigh. Another hour later, our bus arrives. And we go........ Like I mentioned, I cant complain cause this entire trip cost me $20.00. Just be sure to use some patience and focus on your destination :) read more

Disgusting customer service. My bus was cancelled due to weather conditions. While this is not megabus's fault, the email address I provided was never contacted and I was not notified of the cancellation. To make matters worse, I was not refunded the full amount for my ticket. When I called to complain about not getting my full refund, I was told it was in the Terms and Conditions. I asked to speak to the supervisor/manager and was promptly told no and was hung up on. Will not be using them again. read more

Shaion and the other (Shrenott?) two representatives were very rude on the customer service line. This is in addition to the fact that the bus 48231 is more than 1hr delayed. Very unsatisfactory service and customer service. read more

Nope. Booked a 7pm bus from NYC to DC. When I arrived at the NYC pickup location, the line inexplicably wrapped around the entire block. (I later found out it was because the 5pm bus hadn't even arrived to pick up its passengers, this delaying everyone else.) We finally departed at 7:50, and the driver announced this was approximately a 4 hour drive. For whatever reason, the bus didn't arrive in DC until 1:15 in the morning. No apologies, explanations, nothing. Even before the bus left the pickup spot the bathroom smelled like a mixture of urine, vomit and port-a-potty cleaning solution, which should give you a good idea of the cleanliness factor of it. (You can never unknow this, and I'm sorry.) Staff was rude, unhelpful and completely apathetic of the delays. Bottom Line: DON'T DO IT! RUUUUUUN! read more

Do you like to gamble? If so, then Megabus may be for you! From what I've gathered, based on my own experiences and others, Megabus is a 50/50 proposition. On average, half the time the trip will be acceptable, the other half the time it won't. I've ridden Megabus 3 times in 2011. I've been stranded on the side of the highway for 4 hours. I've watched a bus full of passengers guide a lost driver down a 2-lane rural road using their own cell phones and Google Maps. I've been on zero buses with properly working Wi-Fi. I've arrived 3 hours and 4 hours late on what is supposed to be a 5.5 hour bus ride. Megabus is "cheap" in every sense of the word. Cheap fares, cheap service, cheap reliability. Wonder why so many people put up with Megabus? In a society where the word "cheap" has come to mean something positive, Megabus doesn't need to improve the quality of its service - people will keep flocking for those low low fares. The negative reviews here are justified, as are some of the positive ones; but ride Megabus enough and I promise that you'll have the opportunity to experience your own Megabus nightmare. Never again. Never again. read more

I can't really say that my bus was late...because IT NEVER CAME. After waiting for 2 hours (half of which was spent baking in the 95 degree sun), we finally got a refund from customer service. A full refund you ask? No, only a partial -- we would have to email Megabus and ask for a refund for the other half of a round trip. Let's see if this makes sense. How am I going to get on a bus LEAVING DC if I'm not even there? Anyway, I'm never using Megabus again! Ugh! read more

Someone driving me from NYC to the club in DC? And I can sleep and not feel bad that im ignoring the driver? Thats 6 stars in my book. Stars do not measure the gratitude i have for these guys for granting me the ability to do all this AND do so in as little as 2.50. Although its hard no-a-days to get in there fast enough to guarantee a low booking like that. I have, however, never paid more then 24 round trip from NYC to DC. They have a new fleet which has wifi as well as outlets to charge your techies. The seats are clean and cumfy and USUALLY the temp in there is perfect. If you come back early enough in the am you can usually be guaranteed an unpacked bus meaning you have two seats to sprawl out and nod off until you are home. The DC location has changed and is a sketch part of town, please be careful. Additionally, they used to have a Mega Nazi...he was bad. Racists, rude and all around one of the worst people ive ever met. I did not see him last time i was there (hopefully all the complaints got him an office job). ALWAYS be at your bus at least 30 minutes ahead of time- not bc it will leave without you but because many people miss theirs and they will take your cumfy seat leading you to have to complain. If you miss your bus, they will put you on standby (sometimes for a $5 fee) this MAY NOT HAPPEN. Ive sat there for 6 hours and never made a bus bc they are often all full. So dont miss your bus. I have traveled to Toronto, Boston, CT, DC and Philly on Megabus and I prefer it over Bult, PeterPan and Grayhound. read more

Rude and extremely incompetent employees. Always late. Drivers always stop in the middle of nowhere, saying that the driver doesn't have the hours to move on and we have to wait hours for the replacement driver to arrive. Bottom line, you will never get to your destination on time, maybe add 3hours to the ticketed time. Please boycott. They deserve to go out of business. read more

Expectations.... It's a bus line, not a limo service. Took Megabus from DC to NY for the first time... saturday morning, back on sunday afternoon. It's a double decker, no frills, inexpensive bus line. The pick up point in DC is right outside of Chinatown. It's easy to find and it's set up well in between a parking lot and a tennis court? (why there's a tennis court there, i do not know) Anyways, it's a good spot, not some hectic corner where you're blocking businesses or walkers. There's a distinct line, a guy there with a clipboard, etc. There was no confusion about where to be. There's a Bolt bus stand there too. No Bolt bus checker-in-er person though. Got there about 45 mins early, was the 3rd person in line. Our bus was already there. about 10 mins before departure time, we get called over by the clipboard guy, checks us in, hopped on the bus, and we depart right on time. Inside, the bus is clean. Seat space is a little bigger than an airplane. I'm 5-10, and...not as slim as I'd like to be...and i felt comfortable. I could cross my legs without hitting the seat in front of me (can't do that on JetBlue). I will say this, the front set of seats that have the table in between...I wouldn't be able to do that. looks like you'd be bumping knees the whole trip. I made the mistake of sitting on the first level, 2nd to last row. Port-a-potty smell the whole way. My fault since I was the 3rd person on the bus and had my choice of seats. A/C temp was good. My wife wore a jacket. They advertise wifi and outlets. Neither worked. No big deal. I look at those things as a bonus anyway, especially at $13 for the trip. Arrival was late due to a crap load of traffic on the turnpike. Thank goodness I wasn't driving *road rage*. On the trip back, the NYC "depot" is madness. But it's NYC, starbucks is madness! They have two queues working. Alternate between lines on the next bus. Stay close and listen up for your bus to be called. They had 3-4 guys there "managing" the crowd. We load up and leave about 30 mins late. Again, expectations. There are hundreds of people at the NYC bus stop catching buses going in every direction. I'd say, not bad considering they're doing all this on a side street next to Madison Sq Garden with another hundred ppl just walking around....not a nice wide-open bus station. Again, clean bus, outlets don't work, but wifi is working. No prob, my phone was already charged up. I've been on Peter Pan and Greyhound. Megabus was much, much better than either...and cheaper. I can't comment the other cheap bus lines since I have no experience. Overall I was a great deal not having to drive and only paying $13. Tolls alone are about that much. I would just recommend keeping your expectations in check and don't sit near the toilet. read more

I have been using MegaBus all season to travel between Philly and DC. Most experiences have been good. Last night was probably the worst experience I have ever had on a bus. For one, the reservation system is awkward and gives physically impossible options such as leaving Philly at 7am and returning to Philly at 5am that same day. Easy to make a mistake. Second, there was a horrible beeping sound the entire 3 hours of the ride. It was non-stop sometimes getting louder but never stopping all together. But eh, put earphones in and it wasn't too bad except I didn't have earphones. Third, it was 1 damn degree on the bus. Its the middle of November and the A/C was BLASTING! I was so uncomfortable with a sweater and a coat on and STILL freezing. It took me an hour to warm up once I got to my car. My teeth were literally chattering. People kept making comments about it being so cold on the bus. I even got a headache! My cozy warm Uggs were of no help. My toes were frozen in my moccasins. Fourth, I am all for arriving on time to the destination but the 90 miles per hour that bus was doing had me clinging to my seat for dear life. We arrived 30 minutes early during rush hour. Why was the driver going so fast?! Why was my life flashing before my eyes on those bridges. I think I will take a break from Megabus until they get it all the way together! read more

Life is better now that MegaBus departs from Union Station. Think of everything that brings with it -- a covered waiting area! Metro access! easier access to cabs! parking if needed! (keep in mind, parking is expensive) no scary pimps or scared sex workers walking around at the corner (like at the old "bus station" /dirt lot on north capitol). coffee, water, snacks, real food, magazines, etc. from the shops inside the station! bathrooms inside the station! One word of advice -- on a very cold day, DO NOT SIT in the front seats on the upper deck. The heaters are on so high that they will burn your ankle and make you feel like you have gotten trapped in a Finnish sauna. Otherwise, awesome mode of transportation between DC and NY. :) read more

I've seen/read a lot of shade about Megabus, and too can agree with some of the things everyone is saying. Let's just keep it real, we're getting what we pay for! I went to college at Mizzou and a lot of my friends used Megabus to go to KC or STL, but I didn't start using it until I moved to DC. It's pretty reliable if you do everything right. My luck is always so-so with Megabus. If you miss your bus, simply pay a $5 transfer fee (CC only) and hop on the next one. That doesn't apply if you missed the last bus of the evening. TIPS: *Be on time, they will leave your ass (actually, get there 20-30 mins early) *Pee before you leave, (I don't think they clean the bathrooms until the end of the night) *Make sure the outlet you've chosen works *Sit as close to the exit as possible *Cheaper fare options if you depart early morning or late evening. Hard to find a comfortable sleeping position. P.S.-Don't even think about chasing after the bus. Once it's in motion they aren't allowed to let you on. read more

It's easy to compare megabus and bolt because they operate next to one another. Loading: Bolt: Some sense of order. Quick loading process. Megabus: Chaos. Stops: Bolt: Express trip. Occasionally a bus will stop for a 15 minute break at a rest stop, but this is rare. Megabus: Stops in a suburb of Baltimore, which adds 15 minutes minimum to the trip. And it isn't a rest stop. You spend the 15+ minutes waiting on the bus. Seats: Bolt: Larger seats with two outlets. Megabus: Medium-sized seats with no outlets. Drop-off: Bolt: Drops off at Penn Station Megabus: Drops off at 28th st., three blocks from Penn Station. Dependability: Bolt: I've ridden Bolt about 6 or 7 times and never had a problem. Megabus: I've ridden Megabus twice and both times there were serious delays. The last time I rode the bus we left and hour late. Also, on this occasion it was raining and in the 30s and it was only after many passengers asked to sit inside the bus to get out of the rain and cold that they allowed us to do so. Bonus: Bolt drivers are members of the transit union, so they are paid well, have benefits and can bargain with their employer to ensure that they remain properly compensated and well treated. (When you spend your money on Megabus, much of it leaves the country and goes to the UK.) read more

I was pretty impressed by the DC-Philly and back service. People formed an orderly line and we were all loaded on with no trampling. The buses took off exactly on time, so don't be late! Even with the stop in Baltimore, the trips were extremely fast, but that's more due to the lack of traffic than any Megabus magic. I prefer the single level buses since that gives you space above your head for small bags. With the double decker, you have to shove your carry on under your seat. The buses were clean, though I didn't investigate the bathrooms. I was a little cold and kept my coat on for both trips. I would definitely recommend this bus over the Chinatown buses for DC-Philly trips, and tickets can be really cheap. My ticket to Philly was only $3! read more

An improvement compared to the Chinatown bus but it still didn't live up to expectations. Why? 1. WiFi was not functional. 2. Complimentary French Hip Hop music was provided by the customer sitting behind me to B'more. 3. We made an un-planned stop to pickup passengers from another Megabus that had broken down at the rest stop between MD and DE. Regarding point #3, I requested a refund as our arrival time was delayed by an hour. Megabus denied the refund request so I guess I will stick to Vamoose or Bolt Bus from this point forward. read more

BLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!! I usually take my tripper bus to NY, but I needed to get to NY on a Thursday night after work and decided to pick Megabus just because it's closer. It was raining sooo hard that night and I had to wait in a parking lot that only had a few tents for 20 minutes. Mind you I was carrying a backpack that I couldn't put anywhere and my dinner which consisted of a salad was more like a soup by the time I got on the bus. YOu gotta give it to the driver though; even with such horrible weather he was able to make it to NY in 4.5 hours, but still it's a "Meh, I've experienced better" type of review. read more

Our bus left at 8 am from DC to NY. Just before 10am near Aberdeen Md., the engine shut down. The driver reported a problem with the engine saying "it was the same thing that happened last week." An hour later a mechanic arrived on another bus, which had apparently broken down earlier that day. After the mechanic diagnosed the issue, a new bus was called for. We were informed it would take another 90 minutes for that bus to arrive. In the meantime, the mechanic apparently did something to the bus he arrived on that he thought would suffice to get to New York. We all got on to the other bus, trading our broken one for a recently broken-then-field-repaired one. He mentioned to the driver something about being careful on the hills, and then said "good luck." I should have known right then and there. Two more miles and one exit later, the bus had failed to accelerate passed 35 mph. We pulled over again. The driver called the mechanic who instructed him to wait ten minutes and try again. He did. Another three miles and the same result. We waited again, and tried again, and actually gained speed. We got over 50 and plugged along, over the Delaware Memorial Bridge. At mile 2 of the NJTPK the engine quit again. We waited another 10 minutes and made it mile 29 before it cut out one more time on us. It was now past 12:30; our scheduled arrival in NY was 12:15 and we weren't halfway there. The NJ state police saw our distress and rudely inserted themselves into the situation. The brusque trooper made a frustrating situation intolerable. He would not allow us to attempt any more progress, get air outside the bus, or call someone to pick us up. To his credit, he did begin flagging other MegaBuses down to pick up those they could. 5 here, 8 there. It was now after 2. The wedding we had to attend, a ONCE IN A LIFETIME celebration between two dearest friends in NY at 4pm, was now out of the question. We were on the two different busses and/or standing on a highway for over 6 hours now, for a what should be a 3 hour trip, with no hope of making the event that was the purpose of the trip. And it gets better. We wait on the side of the NJTPK for another hour. In that time, not one, but two tow trucks arrive. A couple of busses stop to scoop up a handful here and there. It was not until 3pm that an actual rescue bus arrived with capacity. Think of that. The first bus is distressed at approximately 10am. A new bus does not arrive for another FIVE hours (bearing in mind it's a 3 hour trip along one of the most densely traveled and populated corridors of the country...we weren't exactly in Montana or something). FIVE HOURS LATER. And we still have half of the trip to go. The best part? We will arrive just in time to run right in to the rush hour buzz saw. Perfect. The poor drivers who were with us are not to blame at all. This falls squarely on management. Our first driver did his best with two busses that clearly SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN IN USE. Megabus response was not just inadequate; it went beyond rude. It was negligent. Buses breakdown all the time. How does it take five hours for a replacement on I-95 between DC and NY? HOW? Your response was so insufficient that I will never ride with you again. You displayed such blatant disregard for your passenger's considerations, I will advise everyone I know to travel with your competition. Hopefully a competitive marketplace weeds out such an insulting lack of customer service. Megabus owes everyone on the 8am bus their money back for that trip, and any other leg of their journey associated with it. That would be the least they can do. Again, mistakes happen, and nothing will be perfect. It's the way you handle the imperfections that make the difference. Anyone can put together a bus schedule and assign a coach and driver. Clearly, not anyone can handle when a bus breaks down. Megabus failed the 8am DC to NY bus so utterly and completely, I cannot even end this message wishing you anything short of 6 hour commute, where your car breaks down 4 times. read more

"The Chinatown bus may SMELL like shit, but its better than THIS shit..." That was the quote of the day coming from a guy wearing a "serenity now!" t-shirt. How appropriate. The day started with mass perplexia. Stood for an hour in the heat with a crowd of confused people who didn't know which bus was where and at what time. The hot dog vendor conveniently wore a boltbus hat, doled out water at inflated prices, and gestured wildly when asked where the line for a certain bus was. The yellow-vested gents were nowhere to be found, but if they were miraculously spotted, they barked for an incoming bus and then disappeared again into the crowd. DC formed its own line - ah we are such a bureaucracy. Yet somehow there were a bunch of people all ready to go for the 12:00 bus, which apparently didn't exist. Therefore, us 12:30'ers were pushed to 1:30. We stood in the heat, for an hour, finally got on, and then on our way down, we pulled over to the side of the road because, (and i quote the driver), "this bus don't have any juice. We need to recharge it. Just be a couple of minutes folks." So we sat on the side of the road, no air, no lights, no power... waiting for the bus to 'recharge.' By the time we got to DC, we were cheering and I think I may have seen someone actually kiss the ground upon our arrival. oh. my. God. $15 dollars from DC to NYC seems like a steal, but 6.5 hours later, I'm thinking $22 bucks for the more-organized boltbus was a far better deal. read more

You know you're scarred by your past when a passenger projectile vomits before the end of your trip, yet you STILL enjoyed the ride more than a Greyhound misadventure. Such was my round-trip MegaBus voyage to Philadelphia this holiday weekend. They have everything you can expect from discount bus travel, and more. The bus departed on time. New Year's miracle #1. The bus, not every bus, to Philly had a sky roof for spectacular bird watching and star gazing opportunities. The bus was clean (even after the vomit comet ). The bus has wi-fi. Even my s.o. Amtrak doesn't have. The bus is hushhush quiet. No engine noise up above. The bus is double-decker! Hence the "up above." The bus arrived on time. Perhaps due to its on time departure. The bus staff was polite and helpful (take a hint, Greyhound). The bus parking lot is convenient to metro. Deducted one star due to continued failure to reach a human on their customer service line as I try to refund a snow cancellation ticket. Everything else made this a smooth and inexpensive trip, so I'll book with MB again and will certainly recommend them as a worthy alternative to train and plane. read more

Wow. Look, I really think these bad reviews are a result of the classic Yelp conundrum with things like buses: when all goes well, people forget about it. The 10% of the time it does not go well, they run to Yelp to vent. Megabus is the best way to get to Philly or NYC, hands down. If you have a better way, tell me. Their prices are FANTASTIC. They typically get me from NYC to DC or vice versa for around $10 on average (off peak hours). Sometimes I get tickets for $3!!! If I'm early or late, they usually seem to be able to put me on a different bus. They leave every hour most days, which makes it really convenient. The buses are perfectly comfortable. No complaints. The other day, I had my first ever bad experience, the bus was an hour late, then had a mechanical problem, we got to NYC about an hour and a half late. Grumble grumble. Two days later, unprompted, I get an email that I'm getting a full refund! If you hate the $10-$15 Megabus, please, be my guest, pay fifteen times as much for Amtrak. Nothing ever goes wrong there... read more

I have been using megabus for a MEGA minute. I visit NY at least 6 times a year AND if I can get a cheaper international flight. Sooo I took the mega bus to NY last month (October 2014) to fly with my companion to South Africa. Because I was taking two bags, I purchased two tickets and DARED someone to ask me to sit by me. Nah, it was not like that, but i was waiting to whip out my TWO tickets. Anywho, my total trip was 4.50 - yes $4.50 for two tickets to NY. I do NOT drink water at least 3 hours PRIOR to getting on the bus or while on the bus - thus, I don't TOUCH the bathrooms - ewww. However, this time the outlets did NOT work so I had to use my phone, power it off - as if I could not simply put it on airplane mode - to simply preserve my power. The driver was nice and we got there ON TIME! I consistently use the bus as the train is too costly and I am TOO frugal. read more

Megabus(t)! Two bus companies are leaving from DC. One is professional, clean and timely going approximately 65 MPH to reach its destination while the other is running 15-20 mins behind schedule with the same average speed, needs a Silkwood scrub down and leaves the consumer less than satisfied. Which bus arrives at its destination first with happy customers? You only get one chance to make a bad impression. Others may have had a different experice and this, however is mine. Sadly, I rode for free thanks to a charity auction and a generous friend yet was still prompted to write this 1 star review. But yea for chairty! Megabus(t) #1: Compared to their competitors, the bathroom to/from NYC/DC are filthy. Megabus(t) #2: Compared to their competitors, punctuality is secondary. Megabus(t) #3: Rude driver NYC to DC. To say that she threw my bag onto the asphalt is no exaggeration. The cash tip from my pocket to my hand went from hand to pocket. No exaggeration- she threw it. Megabus(t) #4: No trash receptacle encourages other passengers to leave trash behind. Another competitor leaves bags on every seat and strongly encourages one to take personal responsibility for their actions. Megabus(t) #5: I won't return. 1 strike for DC to NYC + 1 Strike NYC to DC = Vamoose read more

12 of my closest and dearest friends got the bright idea to take the Megabus from DC to NY a few weeks ago just for the day. I hate driving but I am also not a fan of the bus :-( Unless someone (usually my boyfriend) is chauffering me it's usually a lose lose...but turns out the Megabus option was an easy breezy alternative to someone driving (since it saved us tons on gas and tolls) and was way cheaper than the alternative we were considering - Amtrak! We took the 7:15 am bus and returned on the 9:00 pm bus. No drama getting on for departure and minimal drama getting on for the return. Lots of the buses were running late but the guys herding us cats were very helpful in getting us on the bus and making sure we were accomodated (altogether). With the exception of the swarm of rats attacking a dropped piece of pizza in the NY departure area (which literally had me screaming and staning on my boyfriend's back) and the stinch from the on-board bathroom (which I refused to use - imagine holding it for almost 3 hours), the ride was well worth the low price we paid. I'd take Megabus again under the right circumstances (like someone refusing to drive me) and the price being right...but I would remember not to drink a bottled water 30 mins prior to getting on FOR SURE!!! And perhaps I'd pack a Bee Bee Gun for some rat sharp shooting if headed back to NYC. LOL!!! read more

On Christmas Eve, I scheduled my 3:30pm Megabus to get home to the family for shortly after dinner. The bus, whose stop has recently just moved (along with Bolt Bus's) to 9th and G, was conveniently located near the Gallery Place/Chinatown Metro station. I got there at 2:50 for my bus, and waited patiently... ...and I waited patiently... ...and I waited... not as patiently... Finally, as the line of at least thirty-some people had grown long and the clock had hit 3:50, and there was no sign of the bus, I called the Megabus USA office. They told me that there was "no notice of delays or cancellations" by the time I got through to someone at 4:00pm. Half an hour late, and they said things were on time. I asked who I was supposed to speak to about a refund. They referred me to the customer service number. I called it and they said they only took e-mails. What? Fast forward to 4:15pm, and the 4:45 bus line has begun to form. 75 people wait in line, and the 4:45 people begin getting antsy in DC at around 5:15. We, the proud 3:30 bus, have been waiting since as early as 2:45. Customer services tells more people that there is no sign of delays. The bus finally comes at 5:45, and says it is the 4:45 bus, and they get priority. At this point, the 3:30 people are prepared for a riot. Thankfully, the bus driver was kind and as helpful as he could be, and we were able to sneak on to the extra spaces (many already had paid off Bolt Bus to take them for their buses that were frequent and on time, or had gotten in cabs to take the train). We packed in like sardines to the double-decker bus, and finally arrived in DC at 10:30, more than two and a half hours late. Never again. read more

I have taken MegaBus several times throughout the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic, including a weekly trip from DC-Philly for the past few weeks. So my review isn't about one bad experience when the bus was late or wifi wasn't working, both of which I have experienced from time to time. I am breaking my review into a few categories. 1. Delays/On time performance: Overall from my experience, MegaBus has a better on time performance then air travel. Sure I have been stuck in traffic a few times and had a bus pull up 20 minutes late. But take your pick, plane, train, bus, boat, or magic carpet. All are subject to delays of one sort or another. The only time the delay really stood out was my first trip from DC to Philly. It was a new route and I think the first time the driver was on it. He made a wrong turn and we got in about 40 minutes late. I really think MegaBus should have had them run a practice run or given him a GPS. However this happened once in my 20 plus times riding with them. Bus cleanness: The bus is always clean. I have never found trash or seen mud or other dirty on the bus. They must clean it between every trip. The same goes for the bathroom. I have only ever had to go 'number 1,' but if nature calls and I find myself going 'number 2' I would feel comfortable doing it on the bus. They have toilet paper and hand sanitizer. WiFi/Power Outlets: This feature is great and one that the Acela Express didn't have until recently. The WiFi works well, I had one trip where it didn't work but other then that no complaints. The power outlets have always worked for me. Seating: If you can grab of the few seats in the front with the table do it! the rest of the bus isn't too bad if you have both seats to yourself. You can expect to have both seats on most non-peak travel times. On peak times consider buying two seats so you can spread out. If you do have to sit next to someone hope they are a smaller person because the seats aren't that wide. Stops: This is more of a factor of personal preference, I find their stops to be very convenient. They do change from time to time, so double check before heading to the bus. Price/tickets: You simply can't beat it. I have traveled on several $1 tickets and never paid more the $10. Your ticket is always reserved, so you are guaranteed a seat on the given time of your bus. I have never taken BoltBus, so I can't comment or compare it. However I would like to make note of one comment from 'Money V.' on 'most of your money goes to the UK.' I am not really sure what the bases of that comment is other then that MegaBus is owned by Stagecoach Group, a British company that is publicly traded with owners all over the world. However the same can be said for BoltBus, which is owned by Greyhound, which is owned by FirstGroup. Like Stagecoach Group, FirstGroup is company with an HQ in the UK and publicly traded. read more

MegaBUST! DON'T DO IT! I have always been a Vamoose-r, but I decided to try Megabus for a change to save a little money (the DC-to-NYC round-trip fare was roughly half the cost of Vamoose). BIG MISTAKE. This review compares the two. FIRST LEG: Firstly, having to navigate the labyrinth that is Union Station alone made the deal not worth it. (Vamoose conveniently picks you up on the side of the road in Rosslyn or Bethesda.) There are no overhead compartments to store your bags on Megabus, but there are baggage-designated areas on the first level like they have on airport buses. However, you are not allowed to put any bags there. Apparently this is a new Megabus policy because placing bags in the baggage-designated areas has been rendered insecure. Therefore, you must either put your bags under your seat or in your lap - no ifs, ands, or buts, lest you crave a scolding from the driver. My boyfriend and I had reserved two seats at a table on the bottom level, and there wasn't a lot of floor space, so we had to put our bags in the trunk. (Vamoose has overhead compartments ... as all buses should have.) Re: the table reservation: The whole point in paying extra to reserve a seat at a table was so I could get some work done. However, I plugged in my laptop, and there was no power. (Vamoose does not have tables on their buses, but it does have working outlets at every seat.) The bus driver drove painfully slowly. We left Union Station relatively on time but arrived in New York 20 minutes late. (Vamoose bus drivers drive at speed and sometimes even get you there early.) When we arrived in NYC, we were dropped off conveniently on 7th Avenue at 28th Street. There was no one to remove our bags from the boot - we had to do it ourselves. My boyfriend nobly took over the role of baggage handler for all the passengers. (Vamoose also drops you off at about the same location and has baggage handlers at every stop.) SECOND LEG: (I decided not to judge Megabus solely on the ride into NYC. You never know - no baggage compartments on board aside, the other transgressions could very well have been flukes, so I decided to wait for the return trip to assess Megabus fairly.) Though Megabus's drop-off point was handy, its pickup point was not: 34th Street between 11th and 12th - much further away than the drop-off. (Vamoose not only drops you off and picks you up in the same place, but the bus stop is in front of a café - handy if you need last-minute food and drink.) The bus was 50 MINUTES LATE. If you know NYC, you realize that 34th and 12th is right near the water, which didn't make the wait any more pleasant, as it was 30 degrees outside, worse factoring in wind chill from the Hudson. No info or apologies given for the delay, just that "traffic is sometimes bad". This time we sat upstairs and had a little more room on the floor for our things (but, again, no overhead compartments) and working outlets. (I've ridden Vamoose for years, and the buses have never been more than five minutes late.) More ridiculously slow driving on the way back, which was surprising considering the delay, but then - surprise! - we found ourselves in a line for the weigh station. Since when do passenger buses have to get weighed?! I swear other bus lines were zooming past us, occupants mocking us from the windows, as we waited in line with cargo-toting flatbeds and wide loads to get on the scale. This took at least 20 minutes, during which time my boyfriend telephoned Megabus customer service only to be told that they had no real answer for him re: the what was happening other than stopping at a weigh station wasn't "policy". (Needless to say, this has never happened on Vamoose.) We finally made it to White Marsh (stop one). Since there were no Megabus reps on the ground, passengers opened the trunk to get their luggage out. This is when our driver decided to accelerate. I'm still not sure if he was attempting to roll out or just pull up, but either way the passengers outside panicked, and I can see why, as I dare say there must be some liability to moving a bus with the boot hatch open. (Face palm.) We at long last arrived to Union Station at nearly 3 pm instead of our originally scheduled ETA of 1:40 pm. I was supposed to have been at work at 3 - so much for that. THE MORAL OF THE STORY: DON'T TAKE MEGABUS - IT MEGA BLOWS! Take Vamoose - it's more expensive, but it's better on every single level. I wouldn't take Megabus again if they gave me a gift certificate that extended into my next lifetime. Save yourself the headache. The only reason I'm giving Megabus two stars instead of one is because we made it to and from New York intact ... but then, that's what's supposed to happen anyway. read more

The worst service I have ever gotten from a bus company. As crappy as Chinatown bus is, it's 100 times better than Megabus. I am standing with about 15 other people that are all extreme disappointed with the service. They have sold our tickets to other people and now we have to either buy another full price ticket or wait n line to see if the next bus has any available seats left. I just heard a guy tell us that he purchased an $80 round trip ticket yesterday and his bus was late 1 hour for pick up! And now, he got to the station 5 minutes before boarding but they won't let him in because he was supposed to be here15 minutes early. So they won't follow their own rules but you are expected to pay for their fails as well. I also got got here 7 minutes before boarding and actually made it inside the bus and was escorted out as they sold my spot to someone else because I wasn't here 15 minutes prior to departure. I definitely do not recommend this business. read more

you know...it is what it is... I was part of the Mega Bus, Bolt Bus, Chinatown Bus thang waaaaayyyy before big corporate got involved (anyone else remember the Chinatown NYC bus wars that people literally died while prices fell?)! Anywho, this bus, if you buy your ticket far enough out, and leave at odd times is a great deal! Yes....the wireless is NOT guaranteed to work.....YES....the bathrooms are NOT going to be very clean...but it is what it is! Just bring your lap top, some DVDs snuggle in, and pray for no traffic...the bus will get you there!! read more

Because I'm secretly a masochist, I pick the coldest day of the season, when it was only 7 degrees outside, to head up to NYC to visit my best friend and nearly lost a toe and threw up on a fake chinchilla fur coat in the process. Because I hate sitting in the back of the bus (I get *super* car sick), I got to the bus stop 45 minutes early...then prepared to freeze to death. While I waited there, 4 Boltbuses came and left - which made me a little bitter that I didn't take the Boltbus instead. Actually, at one point, I tried to play the "stupid" card and bluff my way onto the Boltbus. Darn you Boltbus staff for being wise to my game! DARN YOU! Anyways, five minutes before 7, the Megabus shows up, and the bus driver, taking extreme pity on us, lets us onto the bus without looking at our tickets. I think the abject misery on our faces said it all. At 7:05, the Mega pulls out of the stop, and starts to head out of the city. 15 minutes later - the dispatcher calls the driver, and tells him to turn around. Evidently a bunch of people showed up AFTER 7pm. Um, hello, we were there, outside and freezing - ON TIME. If people showed up late, why should we - the frozen - be punished by having to turn back around? So yeah, the driver (who was super nice...the dispatcher on the other hand made Megabus lose a star. That's right dispatcher, you brought down your company's rating!), had to turn back around and pick up the 6 people who were late...and as a result, a lady in a BIG, long, FAKE chinchilla coat, plops down next to me. The lady sitting next to me didn't bother me. It was that she took up half of my seat too (it wasn't her - her coat was really just that big and fluffy). But what killed me was the noxious perfume that she was wearing. It was musky and spicy and made me sooooo nauseous. At one point - around Delaware, I believe, I nearly puked all over her fake chinchilla fur coat. She was just lucky that years of eating my own body weight in food has made my ability to choke back vomit near super-human. When we pulled into the Baltimore stop - we were about an hour behind schedule. The poor folks that boarded the bus looked like they were ready to die. One lady actually looked like a smurf, she was so blue! What was worse? Evidently Megabus had overbooked this bus - because there were a couple of people that wasn't allowed to board, because they ran out of seats...!!! Those poor folks who had reservations - and had already been standing out there for over an hour...had to now stand out there for an additional 30 minutes (in 7 degree weather), for the next Megabus. Wow. Just...wow. Normally, with the turning around, and the overselling of seats, so that the Baltimore people couldn't board, would have brought down Megabus' rating even further. However, when I booked my ticket, I didn't get an email with my reservation. I called the Megabus number, and the nice lady on the phone got my reservation sent to me in less then 5 seconds. My entire call took a minute. It was the best customer service I've received in a long, long time. And again, the bus driver was fantastic - and made up a lot of time in NJ. We pulled into NYC only 30 minutes behind schedule. So in a nutshell - yay customer service, and super yay for the driver. Boo for the dispatcher and MAJOR boo for overselling seats! P.S. The Mega is *MUCH* better then the Apex in terms of cleanliness and safety...but behind the Boltbus in terms of comfort (but only marginally so). read more

Shoulda listened to the reviews and my gut. I used MegaBus for a NY-DC trip. The lines at the pick-up spot were CHAOTIC, that's not an understatement. They could use a homeless dude as a consultant and he could come up with a better structure than what they currently use, me and half the people there were afraid of missing our bus. My bus was supposed to leave at 11:30am, it left at Noon, got there at 4 (15 minutes later than originally planned) so it wasn't that bad. We also didn't get a MegaBus, instead we were put on a Coach USA bus. The ride in general was smooth and relaxing, bus driver was cool and updated us w/ info regularly, seats were better than Bolt Bus, and the bus was cooled just right, best of all I had two seats to myself. Now the cons --- no wifi, bathroom door didn't shut all the way and was out of hand sanitizer, luckily the bus made a pit-stop 5 seconds after I came out of the restroom so I was able to wash my hands -- the pit stop was the worst ever - horrendously long lines to get food/drinks so most people came back on the bus w/ nothing since 10 minutes wasn't enough. The ride ended w/ us getting dropped off at MegaBus's shitty location in DC in some ghettoass lot on 1st/K/Capitol or something, it was a 10 minute walk to Union Station. Advice: Bolt Bus gets packed as hell and booked quickly, take the next best option which is WashingtonDeluxe in my opinion --- comfortable seats, not many people on board, better pick-up/drop-off location, and usually has wifi. read more

Ugh. I won't be taking this bus again - and why would I, when there a so many other options from DC to NYC? Abysmal customer service, zero directional signs to show you where the bus is amid the 25 other busses in the bus terminal. I looked for directions multiple times prior to coming to the station - all they said was go up. I went up, I was just shy of the 15 minutes early and I still missed my bus - wandering around the bus terminal will do that. And by missed I mean it was there when I got there and the woman working refused to let me on - it was 859 for a 9 am bus. Ugh. The worst. Do yourself a favor and take pretty much any other bus option that's out there. Update: got on the next bus as standby - what they don't tell you when they tell you to get in the standby line is that it's an additional $5. Luckily that wasn't a deal breaker for me today, but in the past it might have been - I mean, I'm riding the bus. I'm clearly watching my pennies. What killed me is that no one bothered to say these words out loud when I was told to get in the standby line. When I told Nita, the company rep, that this was messed up, she got nasty and loud with me, walked away from me, saying that she didn't have to let me on the bus. If you like being treated crappily, boy this is the bus line for you! read more

On the first part of my trip, I was almost late. I arrived as the doors closed but before the bus left and they wouldn't let me on. I had to buy another ticket tland it was $10 more expensive than my first one because it was last minute. I also had to reschedule my return ticket and was charged $10. My return bus was then cancelled and the next bus wasn't available for 2 hours. I got a refund, but its not worth the hours of my time they wasted read more

As our first time riding a bus to NYC I must say I was pleasantly surprised, especially for the money we spent. My husband and I paid $8 each way to ride Megabus to NYC. I say I was well worth it to not have to worry about the driving or paying $100 for the train. The bus was comfortable and no...I did not have a chicken or goat sitting next to me. All the clientele on my trip were courteous and quiet, most were sleeping during the trip. My one complaint and it really isn't a complaint or the fault of Megabus but we got stuck in traffic and it resulted in a 6.5 hour trip rather than the 4 hours expected. Was it a big deal to us? No. Just factor that possibility in when scheduling your bus ride. Would I do it again? Heck yes! I mean $8? What a deal!!! read more

On the way back from Baltimore on the megabus in the same weekend, the bus was over 2 hours late. The worker for megabus sat in her car while the rest of us stood outside in a parking lot. She would come out and talk to us when a bus arrived. When you asked her questions, she would yell "It's traffic, folks! You gotta understand that it's traffic!" However, when our bus did arrive, the people who picked it up in DC said that the driver was late to work and then proceeded to take a smoke break before taking off. Then... when we were almost into NYC... the driver pulled the bus over again to smoke. This was INSANE. It seems obvious to me that megabus has grown quickly and is no longer able to provide customers with a reliable bus ride. Furthermore, the lack of communication and honesty was crazy. We will be getting our money back and we will use boltbus, mvp, or the other smaller bus lines to get around the east coast. read more

After having to go to NYC about every other week for the past year, I've experienced the best and worst of Megabus. Some tips: If you're going at a peak time (Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun)--prepare for unorganized lines, delayed departures/arrivals (usually up to an hour). 50% of the time--the outlet doesn't work, the internet doesn't work. some of the buses don't have outlets, and some of the outlets are not APPLE compatible (apple outlets can't fit in the upstairs plugs because the metal bar is blocking the way -_-) It also does make a stop in White Marsh, Baltimore when departing from DC to NYC. So if you're trying to save time, perhaps consider another bus. +The only plus is that if you book far enough in advance, tickets can be as cheap as $1 plus a $.50 processing fee. read more

I kind of consider myself a connoisseur of the bus services to and from NYC. I have tried most of them. I wanted to like megabus. I started off liking megabus. The prices are great and the double decker seemed fun enough. However the big BUT is the fact that it is unreliable whether you will actually get on one of the blue "as advertised" megabuses. There is a strong possibility, and it has happened to me on the last two occasions, that you will be patiently waiting for the bus and an Eastern bus will roll up to the stop. If anyone has ridden an Eastern bus, you know that they are not luxurious (or really that professional)by any bus standards. I rode an Eastern once that had no air conditioning in the summer. On another occasion the driver did not know where the stop in Baltimore was and began taking direction from a passenger sitting in the front seat. When she was unclear he just pulled up to cars at stoplights, swung open the bus doors and hollered at fellow drivers or bystanders and asked them directions. If I were to rate the megabus solely on the blue megabus, I have little complaints but the suspect advertising and uncertainty certainly taints my review and the possibility that I would ride megabus in the future. read more

BoltBus cancelled my return reservation from NYC (with a refund) 24 hours in advance of my trip because of Hurricane Irene. Looking around for another way back to DC, I found Megabus which, at 6 PM the night before, hadn't cancelled any trips so I booked them for a 1 PM trip. Went two hours early to try to get on stand-by and were waved away dismissively by an employee who said that Megabus had cancelled all service for the day. And the NY Subway was closing within the hour so there was no way we would have been able to get out of paying an arm and a leg for a hotel room in Midtown. With nothing else to do, we rented a car from Laguardia to the tune of $400 (more like $500 after all was said and done- taxi fare, tolls, etc.). And that's not even what really irritates me. What really irritates me is that 1) I signed up for text alerts and *NEVER* GOT ONE TELLING ME THE TRIP WAS CANCELLED and 2) Megabus' website said that customers should contact them if they want a refund (Wtf...? Of course I do, you screwed me...?). Unprofessional any way you look at it. I won't ever consider them again- and I hope this may save someone a huge headache in the future. read more

I was scheduled to leave Durham, NC at 7:45pm and arrive at 12:55am. The bus arrived at the bus depot around 7:50, and we didn't depart until 8:30, 45 minutes later than the advertised departure time. The bus is incredibly cramped. So much so, that I struggled to take off my coat. There was absolutely no room for a carry on bag. We used empty seats to pile our bags up. The driver did not seem concerned in the least on making up lost time. Rather, he chose to take a 30 minute stop just 2 hours into our ride, adding more time to the trip. I can say I will never take Megabus if I am under any time constraints. We left 45 minutes late and arrived 90 minutes late. The ride was relatively smooth, but the seats were so cramped it was almost impossible to move. read more

Horrible service from Annapolis to nyc. Never arrived. Called customer service and checked online. No updates. Didn't receive a refund or apology. I would not recommend. They purposely do not list their customer service line in email reservations because they do not want to help you. I have also seen bus drivers yell at deaf people. Used to be a great deal. now it's downright unreliable. Also, bathrooms are portapotties now. No flush but clean. read more

Does anybody know why Megabus is always late? Their drivers are always the slowest on the road. Sitting on the bus you see every single vehicle blowing by you like you're standing still. On a recent trip, the bus driver claimed "there is a computer error on this bus." She then pulled off into a rest stop and we sat for almost 2 hours waiting for a replacement bus to show up. In the last hour of that trip, the bus was drifting between lanes and hitting the rumble strips along the roadside. Clearly the bus driver was exhausted. Why wouldn't she be? 7 hours to go from NY to DC! I have yet to ride a Megabus that arrived at or before the scheduled time. I actually prefer the Chinatown bus because they manage to arrive on time very often and even make a rest stop halfway between NY and DC. 2 stars instead of one because the power outlets work and the seats are decently comfortable so you can sleep. read more