Need recomendations for travel options from NOVA to NYC? (Arlington: purchase, casino)

[likesguitars]

I'm sending my Mom from NOVA to NYC
What is the nicest ride?
We are in Reston so an afternoon departure near there would be nice, but Im not counting on it.
The train is always nice but the cost is almost more than flying.
Are there any really nice Bus lines that make the trip?
Anybody have any recommendations or experiences?

[Tone509]

BoltBus and Vamoose are said to be pretty enjoyable rides. (I've yet to try either of them.) Besides features that attract "savvy" travelers like free wi-fi, they often have non-stop trips to NYC. One or both of them leave from as far out as Arlington, I believe.

Good ol' Greyhound isn't bad, either. They'll have the most trips to NYC although you'll likely have to stop in Baltimore, Wilmington and Philly along the way. From somewhat recent experience, I can say that it helps to arrive at least as there will be long lines at each departure.

Whatever you do, I would strenously advise against any of the Chinatown-based lines. Their drivers operate the vehicles at an unsafe speed.

[yamota]

I rode the Vamoose bus last time and it was okay

[South Jersey Styx]

If you can get a good flight up there, do that. We do that quite a bit.
Train is fantastic but costs compare to the plane.
I agree with the bus thing -- take Greyhound or other rep dealer but avoid the Chinatown ones (crowded and there are some creeps on there sometimes).

Hope your mom enjoys her trip!

[ACWhite]

If your mom lives near/has a destination near JFK airport, Delta at one time offered a lot of shuttle flights between DCA and JFK that were very cheap and extremely convenient compared to the typical flight. Maybe there is something similar from Dulles to an airport close to where your mom is going.

[rados]

I used the Bolt bus once for a round trip to NYC. The bus is fairly comfortable, didn't have much problem during the ride except of few passengers that yakked on the phone . I mean come on - do we REALLY want to know about your personal lives? If you must gab, at least keep it down ....
Try to avoid the late afternoon buses, 'cuase you will hit a lot of traffic.

[khyung]

I have ridden Boltbus, Megabus, and Chinatown buses. Overall, I find Chinatown buses to be the best value with consistently low prices, without advanced purchase required. Boltbus and Greyhound are overpriced. Megabus does launch many promotions but does not generally match Chinatown buses in price or in frequency.

The other authors' derogatory statements against Chinatown buses are too broad and generalized to apply to the numerous Chinatown buses, run by distinct providers in business for many years. For routes between DC and NYC, Chinatown buses offer by far the best value and greatest convenience. Chinatown buses dominate the DC/NYC both in price, convenience, and popularity.

[yamota]

I think Boltbus is operated by Greyhound

[ICS67]

Originally Posted by khyung

I have ridden Boltbus, Megabus, and Chinatown buses. Overall, I find Chinatown buses to be the best value with consistently low prices, without advanced purchase required. Boltbus and Greyhound are overpriced. Megabus does launch many promotions but does not generally match Chinatown buses in price or in frequency.

The other authors' derogatory statements against Chinatown buses are too broad and generalized to apply to the numerous Chinatown buses, run by distinct providers in business for many years. For routes between DC and NYC, Chinatown buses offer by far the best value and greatest convenience. Chinatown buses dominate the DC/NYC both in price, convenience, and popularity.

Well, here's another take on the Chinatown buses from a New York Times reader shortly after the crash of one such bus last month that killed 15 passengers returning to NYC from a casino trip to Connecticut.

"My children, who live in DC, often used the “Chinatown” bus to come home. The bus they booked was always oversold, they often had mechanical problems on the road, and the drivers were not always alert. I was so happy when they started using the other bus, run, I believe, by Russians, as I felt they were much safer. Sure, the “Chinatown” bus was cheaper, but the maintenance of the buses, quality of the drivers, and the overselling of seats was horrific. Maybe now the city will step in and regulate these renegade bus companies."

[stax]

I pretty much swear by BoltBus and MegaBus, although I used to take Vamoose quite a bit back in the day. I think that they may be the nicest out of the bunch, but their scheduling caused me to have to use other options. I'm sure that there are good Chinatown bus companies, but because there are so many companies that run the Chinatown services, most people have no idea who is reputable and who is shady and dangerous. I wouldn't recommend them for anyone who isn't familiar with NYC, because they will drop you off in Chinatown (usually under the Manhattan Bridge), and getting out there may be slightly difficult for someone going there for the first time.

As far as Amtrak is concerned, it can be extremely pricey (after being in Europe for a while this year, I'm wondering, what is the point of paying those exorbitant prices for the Acela to shave 45 minutes?), but if you get your ticket at least 14 days out, the price goes down to 49 each way for most of the times listed. You'll find that getting out of DC on any one of those options isn't that hard, but as far as getting out of NY (especially in the afternoon), Amtrak is the best option, rather than standing in those infernal lines for the buses, and being at the mercy of traffic.