FIRST CLASS Train vs CHEAPEST Bus between DC and NYC

I find it interesting how Jeb does everything he can to use a bus bathroom, but Suzanne always goes before the bus departs.

I’m a MegaBus/Charter Bus Operator based in Atlanta and I loved this review. MegaBus is a Great way to travel for those on a budget, and who want to see the country without the hassle of driving themselves.

What I usually like to do is to book Amtrak coach on the regional. If you book it far in advance, it can sometimes even be less than $30.

My girlfriend and I traveled to DC from NYC on Northeast Regional service, and spent only $31 each way. Even the cheaper Amtrak service beats bolt bus in every way in regards to comfort, speed, and service. (As much as public bathrooms are never those to sit and stay a while, Amtrak's were clean enough to feel comfortable using.) If more people knew how good Amtrak could be against highway based transit, more people might demand expansion of the Amtrak network as I do.....

Jeb Brooks is such an amazing guy, putting all of this effort into making videos for us to watch.

Great video! I will say, I feel like it's worth mentioning (at least in passing) in a video like this that, for the $40-50 you actually paid for the megabus tickets, you can also opt for the faster Northeast regional train between DC and NYC, which is sometimes available for $20 and READILY available for $31. Even business class on the Acela, which is consistently available for $71 and gets you at least ~50% of the value of Acela first, is priced competitively with megabus. Not saying the video isn't complete without these comparisons, but since the ACTUAL megabus price is often more than the NE regional, it seems to warrant a mention. In any event, thanks for the great content!

Bus toilets are a dealbreaker for me. I’d pay extra and take the train. Bit surprised to see you guys didn’t use the seatbelts in those front seats. An emergency stop at hight speed on the motorway could have you slammed up against those windows… or worse 😮. Great vid! 👍🏻

I bet The Sopranos theme song played in your head as the bus was driving by Newark-Liberty! 😂I just find it funny how despite Pret a Manger (which means "ready to eat") and Au Bon Pain (which means "good bread") both having French names, NEITHER of them originate in France! Both founded in the UK and US! Though Au Bon Pain was at least founded by a French baking equipment manufacturer to showcase their ovens. And here's a fun fact, DC's Union Station was designed by New Yorker Daniel Burnham, who also worked on the famous Flatiron Building in NYC as well as the plans for Manila and Baguio in the Philippines and the White City for the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Pretty small world when you think about it!

I could watch Jeb Brooks’ videos all day, they are very entertaining and love watching his and Suzanne’s travels around the world 😊

I've booked a ride with Megabus once! We went from NYC to Atlantic City back in July 2012, but apparently the route was operated by Academy. So we ended up on an Academy bus from the Port Authority Bus Terminal (instead of Megabus's NYC stop) and not a cool Megabus double-decker (which I actually have a toy of just because). We made a stop at the Cheesequake (now Jon Bon Jovi) service area to Atlantic City and on the way back. The only time we were stuck in traffic was on the way back to NYC on the Lincoln Tunnel approach. The Moynihan Train Hall upgrade to NY Penn Station was definitely needed! I like the mix of the old and the new, not to mention it's within the James A. Farley post office building that was also designed by the McKim, Mead & White trio who worked on the original Penn Station that was once next door (they worked on the Brooklyn Museum and Columbia's main campus too). Sure it's different from the original Penn, but it's better than nothing! NYC is the "If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere" city, and it deserves an Amtrak hub that welcomes tourists with a grand "Yes, you CAN make it here!" The pre-Moynihan Club Acela used to be...pretty bad to say the least. Symbolic of the pre-Moynihan modern Penn Station in general, as one person put it, "One entered the city like a god; one scuttles in now like a rat”! The only thing good about the old Amtrak concourse of Penn before Moynihan was it had the only Krispy Kreme in the entire state for a long time.

I rarely comment on YouTube but just wanted to say how much I enjoy your videos. Both you and Suzanne are great and provide an informative and entertaining look at modes of travel, whether it's airlines, trains or buses. As a flight attendant and aviation/transportation nerd, I always look forward to watching you guys! Keep up the great work and safe travels to wherever you go next!

There is one other reason you did not mention for taking Acela vs. a bus... People like my husband who suffer from major stress and anxiety issues would most definitely prerfer a mode of transportation that is generally quieter. I am sure that between the Acela service and the bus; the Acela service would get the point.

I’ve always thought first class on the Acela was a bit of a gimmick. Yes, you get lounge access and complementary food, but the seats are not that much different from business class. You could easily purchase a day pass for lounge access for less than the premium that you’d pay to upgrade to first class, and with the supply chain issues affecting the menu options, you’re better off staying in business class and buying food to bring onboard.

Jeb what you didn't mention in your video is that the regular AMTRAK from DC to NYC isn't really much slower than the ACELA. The quality of the experience, seats, bathroom, etc is very good and the cost is A LOT lower. There's something else too. YOur bus looked empty. So you didn't experience the full joy of that mode of transportation. The train is a lot more quiet, sane and spacious. Great video.!

From an European prospective I think that the Boston-DC route has a lot of potential. Amtrak could without doubt improve service with better classes.

I booked a day trip to NYC from Boston about a month in advanced last spring. It was $56 each round trip and it was awesome, usually I fly or drive between the two cities but I wanted to try something else and it was worth it. Zero delays and we arrived in Boston coming home about 45 minutes early. (The trip was in mid June)

Pro tip for Megabus: the upper deck second row of assigned seats has way better leg and foot room, is cheaper, and you still can generally see out the windshield in front of you.

I really love your Amtrak experience videos. Thanks for taking the time to out all of these videos together, they really make my day. Have a good one, Jeb!

Great to see some familiar DMV traffic 😅! I’ve been stuck in traffic on that stretch of 95 in MD many times! Thanks to you and Suzanne for the great content!

It is good to again see train content on the channel. Both of you do an excellent job of providing informative and entertaining videos.