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Has anyone ever taken this bus? Is it an okay experience or really bad? It's only about $20 to boston and i'm considering taking it, but I'm wondering if it's really a good deal or just a lot of trouble because it is so cheap. Thanks.
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I haven't taken one of those buses, BUT they do break down regularly. For $20 it is worth a shot. Good luck!
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Ive taken the chinatown buses a bunch of times to boston and philly. Great experience if you don't want to talk to anyone (bc you'll likely be the only english speaking person on the bus.) Its cheap!whoa hey whoa hey whoa
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you can also try the bolt bus. i haven't taken it. not sure if it's more reliable than the chinatown buses or not. https://www.boltbus.com
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A co-worker of mine has taken it and likes it better than Peter Pan. Plus you don't have to deal with Port Authority.
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Bus is a bus, its just as bad as peter pan, etc. and Yes Jamzer, def not dealing with Port Authority is key. Its not that bad, I usually take a tylenol PM and listen to music.
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Bolt is better run than teh Chinatown buses. I go to DC, not Boston, so WashingtonDelux is the $20 bus I have found myself on several times. There was wifi, and I preferred it to Amtrak... $20 and headphones, no worries.
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I took apexbus to DC and there were very few asians and it was mostly young 20ish year olds. it broke down on the way home and we had to hang out in a truck stop for an hour. we also drove on the shoulder from exit 1 to 7 in jersey going 30 mph. so...ya get what ya pay for.
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Bolt busses are cheap if you buy well in advance. i think they start at $5 when they very first go on sale & they also have free WiFi and plugs for your laptop. The Chinatown busses are ok. The one I took to Philly oversold and had 2 girls sitting in the aisle, but you know - $20 round trip, I guess you get what you pay for.
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My cousin who lives in Boston takes one of those buses a few times per year to visit NYC. I think he often is the only non Chinese person on the bus (his wife is Chinese), but I have never heard a complaint from him. He thinks it is a great deal and he is quite sophisticated, and all that. Good luck!
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I've taken the Fung Wah bus to DC -- $20 one way, $35 round trip. It was a very comfy, clean, new bus as nice as any long-distance bus. Driving was okay despite the fact that the driver ate his lunch with one hand on the highway (nervewracking when I saw it, but it didn't seem to affect his driving). The only thing I'd warn you of is to take them seriously when they tell you to arrive 30 minutes early. On our return from DC we got there 35 minutes before "departure" time and got two of the last six seats (despite having prepaid reservations for that exact time) and when the bus is full it leaves. Not sure what would have happened if we'd been much later.
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Yep.. I have taken them to Boston and DC a million times and somehow never had a problem bigger than traffic. Fung Wah, Apex, Eastern, Bolt, any of them were the same. Good luck! take it!
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I haven't taken one but have read news articles about the drivers going to sleep and crashing the bus. They are cheap because they aren't as regulated as a common carrier like Greyhound Which one are you thinking of using? There are 3 or 4 of them.
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MEGABUS!!! http://www.megabus.com/ First of all, it's incredibly cheap (under $10 if you reserve early, and still under $20 if you're later). More importantly, my friend (who's been taking it a lot lately) says that the buses are all new, so they're in great shape, clean, and comfortable. And, they have WIRELESS INTERNET somehow . . . I come from New Hampshire, so I bus up to Boston a few times a year. I'll definitely be using Megabus next time I go. In the past, I've always used Fung Wah (which is the most official Chinatown bus, along with Lucky Star). It's MUCH better than Greyhound, whose buses I've found to be dirtier, less comfortable, etc. If you want to take Greyhound, you can get it for the same price as Fung Wah ($15) if you type in a special code. I think for boston it's NYBOSR, but I'm not sure. You can find it online. But again, I actually think the Fung Wah is better than Greyhound. And it sounds as though Megabus is by far the BEST.
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I took the megabus to boston for $30 roundtrip. I def recommend it. Best thing is your seat is reserved for that departure time. I believe boltbus has the same policy too. I have taken greyhound and had to wait for the next bus even though I showed up 30 mins before departure.
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used Bolt before, 2 thumbs up
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My girlfriend takes it every month (to her board meeting) She loves it for the price. (She's 80 yrs young).
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Thanks for all the feedback on the buses. I booked the megabus: it's only 38.50 round trip! Plus the seat is reserved. I just hope it's not a nightmare, but we'll see! Thanks again
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I'd say DEFINITELY go with one of the newer, JetBlue-y bus companies. My experience with the Fung Wah/Chinatown busses was not good. The bus was dirty, there was an unannounced detour through Philadelphia that involved a lot of non-freeway driving, the driver was pretty reckless, and we arrived in DC late late late. On the way home, the driver swerved to avoid another car, causing the overfull toilet to spill out into the aisle. Absolutely disgusting. The nice thing about the newer bus companies are: reserved seating, wifi, and general cleanliness.
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8thandPrez » there was an unannounced detour through Philadelphia that involved a lot of non-freeway driving
I used to take the Chinatown bus to DC far too often...if you're buying tickets on the spot, pretend you actually _want_ the Philly bus. That's the only way to get an honest answer on which one goes to Philly. Once you find out, get on the _other_ one.
My experience with Washington Deluxe and Vamoose was much better.
Also, keep in mind that Washington Deluxe actually has pickups/drop-offs in Brooklyn. -
I have used Megabus before to DC and plan on using it to Boston. It was on time and clean.
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Fung Wah bus is no longer an option:
http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/local/new_york&id=9012935The bottom is now higher.
For better or worse, the change on Nostrand is going to make the change on Franklin look minor. -
It looks like Mayor to be Quinn has solved the Fung Wah problem
To quote her "it may take a little longer to get to Boston, but it's safer"
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I think Fung Wah was a case of people getting what they paid for.
Bolt Bus and Megabus are more expensive, but in my mind, worth it.
With Fung Wah's departure, I fear the chinese population will go back to 15 passenger "church" vans, which may be no safer.
For better or worse, the change on Nostrand is going to make the change on Franklin look minor. -
Looks the like problem has been solved, Fung Wah has ordered 2000 of these and the only danger would be a sneaker blowout.
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Those look slow.
If Fung Wah is smart, it will change its name and list new principals on its incorporation papers. Folks are saying it is permanent.
I'd be suspicious of any new bus company named Wung Fah.
For better or worse, the change on Nostrand is going to make the change on Franklin look minor. -
They can always use Fung Yu, which, due to their history would be more suitable...
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This solution still is plagued with slowness, despite pedestrians yielding the right of way.
For better or worse, the change on Nostrand is going to make the change on Franklin look minor. -
More press:
For better or worse, the change on Nostrand is going to make the change on Franklin look minor.
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