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

By Rachel Cooper

Updated 05/20/18

An intercity bus from the Megabus line with the New York City skyline in the background
Megabus

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 4 hours and round-trip fares typically cost $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. Please confirm the stop location when you make a reservation.

BoltBus

  • DC bus stop: Union Station, 50 Massachusetts Ave., NE Washington, D.C. 
  • NYC bus stops: W 33rd St. & 11-12th Ave or 6th Ave, between Grand and Watts, New York, NY (877) 265-8287
  • Also departs from the Greenbelt Metro station and Baltimore’s Penn Station in Maryland
  • Details and Amenities: Reserved seating, free wifi, power outlets, ultra-cheap promotional fares

BestBus (formerly DC2NY)

  • DC bus stops: 20th St and Massachusetts Ave NW (Dupont Circle) and Union Station, 50 Massachusetts Ave., NE Washington, D.C. 
  • New York bus stop: 612 8th avenue in between 39th and 40th Sts. New York, NY (202) 332-2691
  • Details and Amenities: New buses, free wifi

Hola Bus

  • DC bus stop: 715 H St. NW Washington, D.C.  
  • NYC bus stops: 8th Ave between 39 and 40 Sts. and 18 Allen St. (Lower East Side) New York, NY (202) 509-9600
  • Also departs from Rockville, MD
  • Amenities: Free wifi

Megabus

  • DC bus stop: Union Station, 50 Massachusetts Ave., NE Washington, D.C.  
  • NYC bus stop: Arrives: 7th Ave & 28th St., Departs: 34th St b/t 11th Ave and 12th Ave. New York, NY. (877) 462-6342
  • Also departs from Baltimore (White Marsh), MD.
  • Details and Amenities: Frequent departure times, free wifi, ultra-cheap promotional fares

Tripper Bus Service

  • Maryland and Virginia bus stops: 4801 Edgemoor Lane, Bethesda, MD and 1823 N. Moore St. Rosslyn, VA.  (877) 826-3874
  • NYC bus stop: 7th Ave and Broadway (near Penn Station) New York, NY
  • Details and Amenities: New buses, free wifi, ultra-cheap promotional fares

Vamoose

  • Maryland and Virginia bus stops: 7490 Waverly St., Bethesda, MD and 1801 N. Lynn St., Arlington, VA
  • NYC bus stop: Penn Station, New York, NY

Washington Deluxe

  • DC bus stops: 40th St Between Brandywine St NW & Albemarle St NW (Tenleytown), 1333 19th St NW (Dupont Circle), 15th St. between K and L Sts. NW (N. Farragat & McPherson SQ), and 441 New Jersey Ave., NW. (near Union Station) Washington, D.C.  
  • NYC bus stops: Penn Station, 122 Allen St. and three stops in Brooklyn, New York, NY. (866) 287-6932
  • Details and Amenities: Walk-ins welcome, reservations guarantee seats, free wifi

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.