jonldn

Dear All

Planning my annual trip NYC - Boston this Dec - I have taken - plane - limoliner and Amtrak to Boston -

Plane - too much fuss!
Limoliner - was a disaster but willing to try again
Amtrak - Ok

I have heard a lit about Chinatown buses - as I am my ownsome - is this a good option (saving money to spend elsewhere!)

what do people think?? I will have a suitcase with me as well

THANKS everyone as always as I appreciate the input

Jon

paulalou

They are the Fung-wah buses and run quite frequently and very inexpensively ($15, I believe). You can buy your tickets online (www.fungwahbus.com) and it is highly recommended that you do so - otherwise you are on a standby system.

MikeT

You should know that DOT has been investigating these "Chinatown" buses during the past few months and found they are rife with safety violations, DOT violations, unlicensed and uninsured companies, etc. We are talking 100s of violations.

socialworker

One of the workers where I exercise, uses them all the time. I would not take one but that is JMO...A few years ago several junior high kids were killed on a school trip on a bus driven by one of those companies. I would stick with the train, but I am well aware that most people who use the very cheap service are quite satisfied.

Anonymous

I've taken the Chinatown bus a few times and it was just fine.

But you should know that there are also mainstream bus line possibilities: Greyhound has responded to the competition, and is offering very competitive rates between Boston and NYC. There might be other lines, too, or perhaps they've merged wtih Greyhound; check Peter Pan and Bonanza.

Another consideration with the buses is that some use the regular terminals in each city (midtown, either Port Authority or Grand Central area in NYC, South Station terminal in Boston) whereas others are based in Chinatown, which is less convenient for most visitors to NYC and lacks any sort of terminal accommodations in either city. Fung Wah, for instance, uses South Station in Boston.

Anonymous

Luggage on the Chinatown buses is do-it-yourself. They are the big intercity buses with luggage storage underneath, but you load and unload your own.

wyatt92

Just curious why you thought limoliner was a disaster? I took it recently and thought it was fabulous.

Anonymous

jonldn posted his limolinner saga in January 2005. If you put the word limoliner in the search box at the top of the page, his post entitled Limoliner is about #6.

jonldn

Dear All

as I said I am willing to give Limoliner another go (even if their customer service after I used them was poor to say the least!) I was curious about other methods and which one was best - thanks for all the replies appreciated as always
Anonymous - what a memory - it certainly was a saga! LOL

All the best to you all and regards from a chilly london

Jon

escargot

If I don't drive, I take Amtrak Acela - my college son uses the Fung Wah bus, but it has broken down on him twice in five trips - making a delay while they wait for another - now major buslines have become competetive in price, and I think more reliable, there have been some safety issues with Fung Wah -
If you do take Amtrak, and you book on an Acela (instead of a regional with all the additional stops) I always find it a pleasant ride (especially since if I don't go first class, I always sit in the quiet car, where no cell phones allowed and only quiet conversation). If you want to be sure you will get a seat on the quiet car on Acela, wait in the Acela waiting area in the terminal at Penn Station - and if you are so inclined, get a porter to bring you to the platform prior to the general gate announcement - you need to tip him - but he will bring you down by elevator prior to the general gate announcement, and you will be seated on the train prior to everyone else fighting for a seat and place for their bag on the train. I find this especially useful if I am traveling with elderly or small children, or if you have a heavy bag or several items, or want to be sure you will get the seat you prefer.

Should you prefer to pay for first class, you can wait in the Acela 1st class lounge, which is lovely, and again have a porter bring you to the platform before everyone else.

Personally I have no complaints with Amtrak Acela, I take it at least six or seven times a year, this week I took it twice and by the time I read, dozed off and had a snack I felt the time flew by.

I've had no experience with Limoliner, but friends of mine that took it recently were quite pleased.