Budget Travel - Washington to New York -- the Bus Alternative

Needed to head up to NYC for some events linked to the release of the new Ken Burns PBS special on national parks -- please watch starting 9/27 and five subsequent nights! -- and decided to follow the travel patterns of my younger colleagues -- the buses that go from the heart of DC to Penn Station. My first surprise -- booking 3 weeks out I was able to buy roundtrip travel for $9.50 -- about the same as the security taxes for a flight between these cities. And the second surprise was the trip itself. Seats at least as confortable as economy -- but with power for my computer and wi-fi throughout the trip. The buses were only half full both directions, so I had an empty seat beside me. And the third surprise -- time spent. I walked out of my office at 10:05 am and was in NY at Penn Station by 2:30 pm -- just over 4 hours. Going from my office to DCA, arriving in enough time for security, flying to LGA, getting a taxi and getting to midtown would be at least that long -- and literally 30 times more expensive.

OK, no RCC to nibble snacks and wait. And I was the only passenger in a suit. But I'd do it again.

ya i think there's a bus company thats called boltbuses check it out on the web i dont know the exact website name so google it

There are actually now at least 12 bus options to NYC from DC, and the Washington Post did a handy comparison on 8/30/09. See: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/27/AR2009082703374.html