We will be traveling on Friday afternoon from NYC to DC -- want to get into DC around 6pm.

What is the better way to travel -- Greyhound or Amtrak or ...?

There's a couple of new inexpensive buses that have gotten good reviews from the travel staff of the Washington Post and other WP readers:

Bolt Bus
Mega Bus

Amtrak - hands down. Easy, comfortable and gets you from city center (Penn Station) to city center (Union Station).
Flying is a major PIA in that you have to get to the airport, get through security, wait for the probable if not certain delays.

There are the cheapo buses (sometimes called "Chinatown buses" because that's where they started running out of in DC) but I have never used them so cannot comment.

Flying probably won't be faster or cheaper after you factor-in ground transport, and it's certainly the most hassle. Amtrak is the most comfortable, and Greyhound and other non-Chinatown buses are the most economical.

Bolt Bus is upscale as US inter-city buses go. It drops you off at metrocenter in DC which is convenient. It is cheap. You make an internet reservation, pay and print out a boarding pass, kind of like Southwest Airlines. DD likes to use Bolt to visit NYC.

Amtrak is probably more comfortable, faster and a whole lot more expensive

At that hour of a Friday, take Amtrak. Bolt Bus and Mega Bus are great but not if you have a specific ETA you have to meet, and not during high traffic time periods.

I would take Amtrak - don;t trust budget buses and train seats an being able to get up and walk around are more comfortable.

But you should realize that Fri and Sun night/Mon am the trains between NYC and DC are mobbed with young people (as in standing room only) going back to spend weekend with college friends.

So get tickets in advance and be ready to get on the train the instant the door opens to be able to get seats - esp if you want to sit together.

I would take Amtrak if you can afford it. I have always found it more reliable, faster, and much more comfortable. Taking Amtrak is actually my favorite way to travel but I don't do it too often since it is typically more expensive than driving or flying on a flier like Southwest or USair.

So, if the budget is a top concern, take the bus but allow plenty of time for all the possible snafus that come with Friday afternoon traffic.

If you are not overly worried about the budget, however, take Amtrak... hands down.

One thing the bus, or at least the Bolt Bus has, is wifi and power outlets, which would, for me, make the trip feel *alot* faster and more productive, especially to an uber-geek like me.