When it comes to traveling, how you prepare and plan for a trip will greatly determine the whole experience. There are so many modes of transport and choosing the right one is highly influenced by a number of factors.
Bus travel is a favorite for those traveling between New York City and Philadelphia, for both its cost and convenience. You’re definitely not pressed for choice when it comes to NYC to Philly bus deals; there are around 114 buses a day that take the two hour journey.
With so many buses available at all times, that means that as a traveler you have the power of choice over your journey. With that in mind, the following are things you should consider when traveling by bus between Philadelphia and NYC.
Things to Consider When Booking the Bus Between NYC and Philadelphia
Convenience
Convenience is a great factor to consider before choosing any mode of transport. When catching a bus between NYC and Philadelphia, questions of convenience should include things like the locations of the many bus stations in each city.
This will be of great help as there are many buses, and they stop at different stations. Before booking a ticket, ensure that you know the stations the bus will stop at and if the route is the most convenient one for you.
Cost
Cost is the main factor people choose the bus from NYC – Philly; with an average bus fare of $10.75 (often cheaper), this is a very budget friendly option.
That said, it pays to shop around even at such an already cheap price. There are many bus companies that travel from New York to Philadelphia and they differ greatly. The prices also go up on weekends and on busy days like Monday.
It will be your choice to determine which company bus to travel in depending on your planned budget and time. Browse through the price charts online and choose one that fits your budget comfortably.
Comfort
It’s only an hour and 40 minutes to get from New York to Philly, though this can be longer depending on the bus route and how many stops you make. Even so, comfort is something that you should absolutely consider when booking.
The busses traveling between NYC and Philadelphia are modern buses with the latest in-built technology. Most are fitted with Wi-Fi to ensure that you are connected through the whole journey, and also have power sockets to allow you to plug-in electronics.
As with everything in life, you’re likely to find that you have to balance out cost against comfort; the more comfort a bus offers, the higher the price.
Safety
The main aim of picking a mode of transport is to ensure you arrive at your final destination safe and sound. Fortunately, drivers operating the buses between NYC and Philadelphia are qualified and experienced professionals so this isn’t something you generally have to worry about.
Bus companies who run this route have a good track record of scheduling shifts to ensure that the driver is always fresh and free from exhaustion. The drivers are also well accustomed to the route and will travel at the required speed limit to ensure that you arrive at your destination safely.
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Megan is an Australian Journalist and award-winning travel writer who has been blogging since 2007. Her husband Mike is the American naturalist and wildlife photographer behind Waking Up Wild; an online magazine dedicated to opening your eyes to the wonders of the wild & natural world.
Having visited 50+ countries across all seven continents, Megan’s travels focus on cultural immersion, authentic discovery and incredible journeys. She has a strong passion for ecotourism, and aims to promote responsible travel experiences.
16 Comments
Amazing how cheap these prices are Meg. I recall walking through Chinatown during an NYC trip. Bus rides from NYC to Atlanta were $30 USD. Bananas. We are talking a good 20 hours or 15 minimum for 30 smackers. I was floored. But I would still pay for a plane ticket though LOL. Too impatient.
Isn’t it! Definitely one of those scenarios where it’s comfort vs cost – I’m with you on catching a flight over 20 hours on the bus lol money well spend! But the NYC – Philly bus is only usually 2 hours, and that’s easy :)
Thanks for sharing useful information. And Yes, it can cost $10 to $12.
You’re welcome CK, I’m glad the post was helpful for you :) Happy travels.
Comfort doesn’t bother me on trips when it’s less than an hour.
This trip is more around 2 hours, but definitely comfort may not be as important as price :)
Megabus RIDE has individual power outlets and free WiFi from new york to philly. some of the nicest buses I’ve ever seen.
Sounds great! I haven’t been on their buses but will have to make a note for next time :)
The trains are also a good option, usually an hour and a half to get to New York. The coach class fare on regular trains usually cost between $45 and $75 per ticket. Not as cheap as the bus, but still better than flying.
Around the same timing as the buses then. A nice alternative for those who don’t want to fly but perhaps want a different form of transport than the bus. Thanks for sharing Roxane :)
How long does it take to fly from Philadelphia to Chicago?
Usually around 2h 25m.
FYI Bus tickets are always sold out for around 5 PM. If you’re willing too catch early AM buses (like 5am) you’ll have a lot of extra space as it’s a lot less crowded.
Thanks for the insight Racheal. I’m generally not a morning person, but I can definitely sleep on a bus if I have the space!
I have been taking Boltbus once or twice a month for the last 3 months to travel between NY and Philly and have had acceptable experiences and also very poor experiences. What both experiences have in common are very poor communication and poorly maintained buses. The last roundtrip from Philly to NY I took, the bus broke down in Cherry Hill, and we waited almost 2 hours for another bus. These things happen, but the most upsetting part was the lack of communication and truthfulness about the situation. We were told another bus would come in 30 minutes– not true. A bus with 2 mechanics came after an hour to look at the bus and then disappeared. The next scheduled BoltBus came and picked up 6-8 random passengers, again with no explanation as to what was happening. After 2 hours another bus finally came. Though a refund was issued for the trip, no apology was ever made. On my way back, there was no air conditioning on the bus, which made for an extremely uncomfortable ride.
In my acceptable experiences, often times the smell from the bathroom was putrid and could me smelled at the front of the bus; even though there is a system for boarding, the attendants don’t always use this system, which sometimes results in confusion and chaos. Sometimes the bus driver doesn’t say a single word on the whole trip. Again, poor communication and poor care of the vehicle is a constant.
I guess the only thing I can say is, you get what you pay for? It is convenient and cheap, but at what cost?
Yikes sorry to hear about your experiences Kira. To be honest your acceptable experiences really don’t sound that acceptable. There are definitely other costs to consider beyond the financial price of a ticket! ie what you’re willing to put up with for the cheapest fares!!
I hope your future trips will be smoother experiences.