Monday, February 8, 2010

Cheap Travel on BoltBus

 

I love living in New York, but sometimes I do have to travel elsewhere. My boyfriend lives in Boston, so we've been trying out different transportation methods over the past four years since neither of us has a car. I used to take the faithful Lucky Star bus from Chinatown, but then Greyhound started offering the same price to leave from Port Authority. After much frustration with long lines, overcrowded buses, and even a pretty severe bus accident (not one of my better days), BoltBus was the answer to my prayers.

BoltBus runs trips to Boston, Philadelphia, DC, and Baltimore from Herald Square. They post their schedules about four weeks in advance, and the first person to buy a ticket on each bus gets it for $1!  Buses typically leave on the hour and half-hour, depending on the route, so there are plenty of options. Also, they have a rewards program that gives you a free one-way ride after you take eight one-way rides!

The things that really set BoltBus apart from the others are more legroom and free Wi-Fi and power outlets. I used to feel like the bus was a waste of time unless I had reading homework that I could take with me, but now I can write papers, do research, or even blog while I travel!

To book a trip, go to www.boltbus.com. As a helpful hint, I'd recommend signing up for an account and the rewards program, because if you purchase while you are signed in, your ticket will be designated with an "A". All tickets are divided into "A", "B", and "C", and the "A" tickets get to board first!

4 comments:

  1. I love the boltbus! I live an hour from Boston and am always trying different ways of getting home. I have had terrible experiences with Greyhound. Boltbus is the best by far. Megabus is just about the same thing, so I guess I would suggest, as you said, Boltbus or Megabus. A plus about both Boltbus and Megabus is that you don't even have to print out a ticket or confirmation number. I don't have a printer so this is key for me. All you have to do is write down the confirmation number and you're set!

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  2. i had heard of bolt and i'm glad that i read your post. i wasn't sure how legit it was, but it seems like a great option. i live about 45 minutes outside of boston and amtrak prices have been killing me lately! thanks for the info :)

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  3. I use Boltbus to travel to Philadelphia fairly often, and I too love the service. I really enjoy having the internet. It is nice to be able to get work done on the road, or pretend to be busy to ward off a nosy neighbor.

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