Options for Bus Travel From Washington, D.C. to New York City

By Rachel Cooper

Updated 01/10/19

BoltBus in Washington, D.C.

Mr.TinDC/Flickr/CC BY 2.0 

Traveling by bus from Washington, D.C. to New York City is becoming increasingly popular and remarkably cheap. A bus trip from D.C. to NYC takes about four hours and round-trip fares typically cost between $25 to $50. The buses are convenient and relatively hassle-free. You can often easily make last-minute reservations and get a seat, depending on the time of day. Keep in mind when planning a trip, that buses are affected by traffic so you should try to avoid the busiest travel times whenever possible.

Here is a guide to bus companies that provide service between these two cities. Note that the bus stop locations change periodically and confirm the stop location when you make a reservation.

BestBus (formerly DC2NY)

  • DC bus stops: 20th St. and Massachusetts Ave. NW (Dupont Circle) and Union Station, 50 Massachusetts Ave., NE Washington, D.C.
  • NYC bus stop: Penn Station at 417 W. 34th St. New York, NY
  • Details and amenities: New buses, free Wi-Fi, flash sales, reward program

BoltBus

  • D.C. bus stops: Union Station, 50 Massachusetts Ave., NE and DuPont Circle, 1610 Connecticut Ave., NW Washington, D.C.
  • NYC bus stops: 101 6th Ave., 672 1st Ave., 11th Ave. and W. 36th St., and 230 W. 36th St. New York, NY
  • Also departs from the Greenbelt Metrorail Intermodal Station and Baltimore’s Maryland Ave. Station
  • Details and amenities: Reserved seating, free standard Wi-Fi, power outlets, leather seats, ultra-cheap promotional fares

Hola Bus

  • D.C. bus stop: 715 H St. NW Washington, D.C. 
  • NYC bus stops: 7th Ave. and 31st St., 7th Ave. and W. 33rd St., 28 Allen St. New York, NY
  • Also departs from Rockville and Baltimore, Maryland
  • Amenities: Free Wi-Fi, reclining seats, television, fully air-conditioned

Megabus

  • D.C. bus stop: Union Station, 50 Massachusetts Ave., NE Washington, D.C. 
  • NYC bus stop: arrives at 7th Ave. and 28th St. and departs from 34th St. between 11th Ave. and 12th Ave. New York, NY
  • Also departs from Baltimore (White Marsh), MD.
  • Details and amenities: Almost two dozen daily trips, frequent departure times, free Wi-Fi, reclining seats, ultra-cheap promotional fares

Tripper Bus Service

  • Maryland and Virginia bus stops: 4681 Willow Ln. Bethesda, MD and 1901 N. Moore St. Arlington, VA
  • NYC bus stop: 254 W. 31st St. New York, NY
  • Details and amenities: New buses, free Wi-Fi, ultra-cheap promotional fares

Vamoose

  • Maryland and Virginia bus stops: 7401 Waverly St. Bethesda, MD and 1801 N. Lynn St. Arlington, VA
  • NYC bus stop: Penn Station (7th Ave. corner of W. 30th St.) New York, NY
  • Details and amenities: Free Wi-Fi, power outlets, reward program

Washington Deluxe

  • D.C. bus stops: 1610 Connecticut Ave. NW (Dupont Circle) and 50 Massachusetts Ave. NE (Union Station) Washington, D.C. 
  • NYC bus stops: 202 W. 36th St. (Penn Station) and 122 Allen St. New York, NY
  • Also departs from Arlington (Pentagon City), VA and Brooklyn, NY
  • Details and amenities: Walk-ins welcome, reservations guarantee seats, free Wi-Fi, reward program

You can also travel between D.C. and NYC by train on Amtrak on the 457-mile Northeast Corridor that runs between D.C. and Boston. Keep in mind that a train ticket is more expensive than a bus ticket but offers the advantage of slightly faster speeds and being able to get up and move around in the car.