BoltBus

Bus is clean and comfortable. Price is good. My one complaint — the driver gets on the bus, we start moving and he says he has to make a stop in downtown Manhattan before we depart for Philadelphia (during morning rush hour!) and the next bus (30 minutes later) would have gotten us to Philly earlier than he will. Okay, we were at the bus stop for 15 minutes before the bus arrived and on the bus for another 10 minutes before we departed — why didn’t they tell us this before we departed? Even better, why doesn’t the Bolt schedule clearly indicate this?

Comfortable and safe! Great cheap option. Prefer bolt bus over flying… more space… no checked luggage… you can charge your electronics… there is free wifi (although wifi on bus is hit or miss and you cant stream). highly recommend

Very disappointed with BoltBus. We bought a ticket from Newark to Boston and, anticipating bad weather that day, called ahead of time to ensure if our bus was cancelled that we could transfer buses, which they confirmed. When our bus was in fact cancelled due to weather the next day, we thought no big deal, we should just get transferred to a different bus, right? Called them again and they said we could buy a ticket for the same price as our cancelled tickets from their website scheduled to leave the day after – checked online, and no such tickets were to be found. After calling a third time and getting transferred, we were told that while we would be refunded our original fare, we could not get a new ticket at the same fare and instead must pay for tickets four times as expensive leaving from a different location. Not only did we have to talk through two lying customer service agents, we had to pay an exorbitant amount for tickets. We will never take BoltBus again.

After spending over 35 minutes total on the phone with the Bolt Bus customer service line today, I can officially say that I am not a happy customer.
About a week ago, I booked roundtrip tickets between New York and Boston, not realizing that the returning tickets were on the same day by accident. As I tried to fix it this morning, the rate had gone way up on the tickets and I ended up paying $ 40 extra for tickets back home, costing me a total of over $ 100 for the entire trip. To make matters worse, I checked the Bolt Bus website right after my phone call with customer service and saw that the tickets miraculously dropped to $ 1.00! I am beyond upset that I am unable to receive any refund or rebooking refund for this ridiculous drop in pricing. Especially right after I paid full price.
And, on top of this, the person that I spoke to this morning on the phone neglected to tell me the new cost of the tickets AND that she had already deducted the difference from the previous tickets for the new ones. So I had to call back and explain to two different people that I was charged twice for the same tickets when, in reality, I was just not told that I the money I spent on the original tickets was deducted from the new tickets.
After this trip, I do not think I will be using Bolt Bus again.

Confortable, no stress travel. The only reason I didn’t give a 5* is the driver was a little impatient on the road. I would not hesitate to use them again, great service.

Had overall, a good experience with BoltBus on my trip to Boston. Left right on time and arrived in Boston at the expected time. They do not have a functional wifi even tho they advertise it. They do have outlets although its not the best as the plugs do easily come out. Between this and Megabus — definitely go with Boltbus.

Overall, this bus offers a strong value proposition by getting passengers up/​down the Northeast Corridor for cheap! For passengers that complain about the cramped seats and lack of amenities, realize you are paying $ 10 – 15 on average, when Amtrak is typically $ 50 – 100 for the same route. With that being said, I ALWAYS prefer Amtrak, as it is quicker, more comfortable, and more reliable, but Bolt Bus is a great offering for cash-​strapped students and others looking for an affordable ride to Boston, Philly, or Washington DC.
From my experience riding with both Megabus and BoltBus, BoltBus is generally more comfortable and more reliable. I’ve also benefited from their rewards program, and taken several free rides as a result. If you are looking for an affordable transportation method, this is the best option! The buses are relatively clean, and the outlets are (usually) working. One major caveat is do not rely on the wifi! From my experience it is barely functional, so I usually prefer my cellphone data.
To reserve tickets, I would recommend opening an account and using the BoltBus app. It makes buying tickets and earning rewards easy, and passbook integration is convenient.

I took multiple trips between DC and NYC. They always stay relatively on schedule.
The most recent trip that I took was from NYC to DC with Kalvin on a weekday, we departed 34^th street at 1:31 PM (scheduled for 1:30 PM) and arrived at the downtown location at around 1:50 PM. We picked up additional passengers and left at around 2:07 PM. We took no bathroom break and arrived at DC Union Station at 6:12 PM (scheduled arrival 6 PM). The traffic was not terrible but it was raining really hard on that day. Kalvin was great!
However, on an another trip when I was scheduled to leave on a Sunday at 10:30am (from NYC), the bus was nowhere to be found other than a Baltimore bus leaving a little after us. They got another bus here by 10:25am and we left a little before 10:40am and arrived at 2:55pm at Union Station. We were scheduled to arrive at 2:45pm. We took a 15 minute bathroom break at Delaware Welcome Center.
On another Friday, we left at 6:30pm and were supposed to arrive by 11pm, we arrived at midtown NYC at 11:10pm with a 15 minute rest stop break in Delaware. And we were all put on a Yankee bus with no electric outlet and very tight overhead space. We stopped at 33^rd first. I know in a previous trip that I took, we would stop at the downtown Soho location first to let off the passengers. But we didn’t this time around and they made the midtown stop first.
Note for DC-​bound travelers: once you arrive at Union Station, walk towards the main waiting area (for Amtrak people), take the escalator down and turn right to catch your subway ride if you are taking public transportation. For people leaving DC, when you exit from subway at Union Station, walk towards the sign of «amtrak» (not «buses») and take the immediate right when you take the escalator up where it then says buses. Follow the escalator up to the parking lot and you will see signs for bolt bus.
I remember there was once or twice where we were all just let on the bus without displaying our tickets. That was a little concerning but fortunately it was still a smooth ride.

After being a long time bolt user and rewards holder, I will NEVER use bolt again! I bought a ticket for a trip from Philadelphia to New York on a Thursday night and the bus NEVER CAME! Myself, along with all the other customers, were left waiting outside in December!
Naturally, I figured customer service would rectify the situation but to my surprise, they REFUSED to help me at all. Basically saying my claims were a lie and they do not compensate for people who missed their bus! That would mean that ALL of the passengers arrived late and missed the bus. I am so beside myself and how horrible bolt has dealt with the situation. Clearly they have unreliable drivers and inconsistent management. Do not expect any type of help from this company when THEY make an mistake and leave you in the cold!

Wow what a dirty, noisy, pungent bus. My seat is currently leaning leaning toward the aisle and I have 3 more hours left on my trip from NYC to Boston. This is bus has no outlets and the wifi is really meant to distract you from your other surroundings. Not sure I want to put my arm down on the worn to the metal arm rest. I researched which bus to take and decided this one from some reviews but wow was I taken here. Bus 0841 needs to desperately be retired… Man… These fumes are strong and people are coughing here. The driver was nice.

I recently took a Greyhound and I have to say the Bolt Bus is miles above better. The bus driver was honestly the best. He was super friendly and attentive, answered everyone’s questions and even took time to help an elderly lady who was seriously confused about where to get off at.
The bus was clean and has plenty of leg room. The wifi works great, the seats are comfy, and there are outlets for your chargers. Great trip! Highly recommend them :)
My one tip is to get there early even if you are in Group C so you have a chance to pick your seat!

The bus was not on time which apparently is common but since this was my first trip on the bus, I was unaware. The bus itself was not very clean. It was not filthy but it could have definitely used a deep clean because the floors were dirty and sticky. All of the outlets and plugs did not work but fortunately the one in my seat did. Once on our way, our ride was easy and the driver got us to our destination safely. There was a small delay but we arrived close to the scheduled time. I would use the Bolt bus again for a quick commute from NYC to DC or vice versa.

GREAT OVERALL EXPERIENCE!
I am not a fan of flying, so I decided to start taking bus trips, and was VERY satisfied. The bus was on punctual, quiet, had plenty of leg room, a clean bathroom and a huge cargo area that allows folding bicycles. What more can you ask for? I look forward to using the service again soon. Keep up the good work ladies and gents!

Just got back from D.C., no issues at all, I am thankful. I have to say it was a pleasant ride to and from, and luckily I had both seats to myself — so I guess that’s why I am saying all this lol!
As far as amenities and all that jazz, there are none. I tried the wi-​fi but connecting it was challenging so I gave up and used my data plan to watch movies.
Overall, It’s as basic as you can get for the price, so it’s up to you to come prepared with the necessities that will make your trip more luxurious (food, water, entertainment)

This review is specifically about the plugs in the seats. My charger wouldn’t stay. I saw a passenger across from me using gum to stop his charger from falling. I don’t know why they aren’t able to hold. maybe age and frequent use has made them useless. Whatever the reason, I highly suggest replacing them since so many passengers want to charge their technology. Having working plugs would make Bolt Bus higher on my preferences of traveling. Bolt is now on the same level as every other bus company.
With the plugs as an exception, Bolt is great. Just don’t expect to charge anything on your trip.

It’s the bus. No matter which bus company you decide to go with, a 5-​hour ride between Boston and NYC is never going to be fun, especially with the random waves of traffic along the way. Pro-​tip: suck it up and pay the the heavier price for the train or plane. Or if you’re like me and always forget to book far in advance and end up being stuck taking a bus, here’s my general take of Bolt:
Pros
— leather seats are nice, kept very clean, and look more sleek than those of other buses
— outlets at every seat assure me that my phone will never die!
— drop-​off location at Midtown West is a convenient walk to Penn Station (and my apartment woo!)
— to ensure that we would arrive in the city near the original estimated time of arrival, the driver decided to ditch the midway pit stop at McDonalds
–responsible drivers
Cons
— No one helped me load my huge suitcase into and off the storage area, and no one guards that area either as suitcases are being loaded on and off. You should only bring one at your own risk. I do know of instances of ripped suitcases due to mishandling by other passengers who were in a rush to take their own things out.
— Not sure if this is the normal route, but my driver decided to drive locally starting at the point between the Bronx and Manhattan all the way down to 33^rd street as opposed to taking the West Side Highway. 7pm in Manhattan means traffic, traffic, and more traffic, and there really was no room for a large bus in the midst of all this traffic. Crossing down 90+ streets was by far the most painful part of the 5-​hour ride.

I have traveled from DC to NYC by plane, two types of trains, car, and now one of the frequent bus lines. I chose Bolt mainly for the schedule but I suspect they are all similar. I would take the train option next time and just book way in advance to get a better price.
The good:
— cheap
— on time
— not crowded
— nice driver
The bad:
— not roomy
— spotty wifi (my experience, ymmv)
— plugs won’t stay in
— temperature was cold then hot. I guess this is hard to control
— no tray tables
— no trash cans
— standing in the sun in NYC w/​no cover, no shade, etc.
My knees were in my face pretty much the whole time. The inconsiderate person in front of me decided to recline her seat all the way. I don’t want to start a flame war about this, but it’s simply not nice to do this when the seats are so close together. I’ve uploaded a picture of my knees in the seat in front. Couple this with no where to put our sandwiches and coffee and the whole experience was worth about 1.5 stars.
Cheap it is. You get what you pay for.

I am disappointed with my first Bolt Bus experience. I’m taking Bolt Bus from DC to NYC. The floor of the bus is dirty, there are lots of broken things held together with duct tape, my seat’s electrical outlet has been removed, and the WIFI is as slow as a dial-​up modem from 1995. And the A/​C isn’t working.
I had to log off of the WIFI to upload these photos via my cellular connection.
P. S. Our driver missed the exit for the Lincoln Tunnel and had to drive many miles further north to find a place to make a U-​Turn. We were 30 minutes late arriving in New York.

BoltBus was really really easy to use for me. Saved me a ton of money and time, and I was a tad bit wary for it being my first time.
I’m based in Fort Lauderdale and came into NYC for a few days and then needed to get to DC for a few days to visit the parents. Taking a plane from NY to DC was stupid expensive for the amount of time in the air and involved security and the ridiculousness of baggage claim. No thanks. $ 30 for Boltbus got me almost to the exact same place in DC.
Waiting for a bus on the street corner for 20 – 30 minutes in the whipping wind of NYC in March SUCKED. Not going to lie. But it was a quick boarding process. There are ABC groups like Southwest to pick your seats. Overhead bins for one item and you get a suitcase under the coach. All the seats recline and have outlets for gadgets, but no cup holders-​so keep that in mind although they do allow food and drinks.
I can’t comment on the restrooms since I didn’t use them, but I did notice that the on board wifi (one of the reasons that I chose BoltBus) was awfully spotty. I think this may have been isolated, but I just put my headphones in and fell asleep. However, if I was trying to get work done, this would have been annoying. I will totally use boltbus again. It was easy, and we got in ahead of schedule!

Cherry Hill —– NYC route review
i’ve been taking BoltBus for the past 2 years for work. Not daily… but weekly trips. Some of the negative reviews are fairly accurate but i think you have to put it into a different perspective, particularly those that travel on Bolt often compared to those that took it once or twice.
The Cherry Hill «mall» stop isn’t really at the mall. Its on route 38. The route going to NYC is on the corner next to the NJ Bus stop (Target and Kohl’s exit area). Basically stand by the telephone poll and thats where the door opens to board. The route going back to Cherry HIll drops you off on 38 in front of the Red Lobster.
For the most part, Bolt Bus has been on time for most pick ups and mostly ontime or early for drop offs. The trips that are late, in my experience, has been due to the weather (rain, snow, ice, etc). The wait can be unbearable since its an outdoor «waiting area». But everyone should know that before buying a ticket. This isn’t greyhound or the train that drops you at Penn Station. If the weather is bad, just know the bus driver will have to drive slower too, so drop off time will be later as well.
Some drivers and staff members are better than others. (Shout out to Karen, she’s really nice and a safe driver). I don’t like the fact that they don’t let ticket holders board until a certain time, but that «kinda» makes sense for A ticket holders running a little late (losing a seat that they may have preferred). But during bad weather? let standby people wait outside.
There were only a few occasions that outlets didn’t work. That was fine, i just slept. I prefer the buses with the leather seats (newer) and they have seat belts. During 2014, NJ had multiple bus accidents and having a seat belt just made me feel more safe during my commutes. The leg space is definitely good for an average person. I’m 5’7 and its comfortable. Can’t speak for taller people. The WiFi is hit or miss. I tend to just have movies/​tv shows downloaded on my tablet already or just listen to music.
I’ve taken the Chinatown bus, the Yo Bus, and the Megabus… i took them all ONCE… and that was one too many times. Those bus services are horrendous. Megabus double deckers take forever to get to Philadelphia. But if you are on a budget and have time to kill, take that.