Is this recommended ? Is it safe ? have heard various conflicting stories.
would it be better by train ?

It's 100% safe, but it's cramped and slower than the train. My wife will never take Greyhound long distances because the bus bathrooms are awful. Amtrak has nice big handicapped bathrooms.

The train is definitely better. But the train is more expensive. It generally comes down to the old price vs comfort scenario. When I was younger I'd take the bus one way and the train the other to split the difference.

If you're coming from the UK, I believe our dollar is worth 5p now, so you shouldn't have a problem affording the train.

[www.railserve.com]

+
+
+
+
stay in NJ to visit NYC --> [www.broadwayfocus.com]

There are two types of trains between DC and NY: Regional Service and the Acela. The Acela isn't worth the price difference. It only saves you about 45 minutes and the Regional trains have gotten pretty reliable about their schedules. The Regional trains are also pretty nice, comparable to intercity trains in the UK or, dare I say it, on the continent (not the nicer ones, but I've been on lots of French and Swiss trains that aren't as nice as Amtrak's Northeast Regional trains).

Have you considered flying??

I looked into the same scenario a few weeks ago and in the end flying was cheaper than the train plus it gets me to washington much quicker!

i have a 7am flight from jfk which arrives at dulles @ 8.25am
then its a 7.20pm flight back to jfk arriving @ 8.53pm
Booked it through JetBlue for $130 return!! I was stoked!

Actually just checked amtrak and its not that much cheaper but the extra 3 hours i get in Washington makes it a no-brainer!

By watching Letterman recently, fingers crossed JetBlue is on time, cause they been the butt of a few of his jokes!

anyway, another option to train and bus for you

If you're coming to DC, it's going to cost $60 by cab from Dulles, or anywhere from one and a half to two hours by public transit, each way. Factor that along with the cost and time to JFK and the train gets a lot better.

If you want to fly, try one of the shuttles between LaGuardia (LGA) and Reagan National (DCA) (US, Delta, and American offer shuttles). At off hours (between 10 am and 3 pm, say), I've flown US for $128 recently.

We got a good flight/accommodation package through expedia 2 years ago but flew into Reagan, much closer than Dulles.

My daughter and I take the Greyhound to NYC from Washington DC almost once a month for the past year. We just went there this past weekend. We travel from the Greyhound Station in DC to NY Port Authority. We have never had any problems. The buses are clean, the drivers polite and safe and the passangers on the bus are okay. I have never had any complaints. One suggestion is that you get to the bus station at least 1 hour prior to your trip otherwise you will be waiting in a very long line!

Jacki,
How are the stations? Is the greyhound station actually inside Union Station? And the same for Port authority in NY. I've walked past it but never used it. Is it someplace you shouldn't be late? Would you be willing to take a late bus, or would you think that's unsafe?

My daughter takes Vanmoose bus from Rosslyn VA to Penn Station. Vanmoose is not a "Chinatown" operation, but run by a jewish family. Fare is less than Greyhound/Peter Pan.

There actually these chinese buses, that are like 10.00 each way. I will get

back to you. Be forewarned though, they don't always come to the most common

areas.


Anyway i will get back to you,

Nicky

Train is definitely the best option. However, it is expensive. It is as much as flying. Keep in mind that you don't really save a lot of time flying versus the train because the airports in New York are usually delayed and you have to get to the airport early to allow enough time to check in and get through security. Also, you must factor in the time it takes to get from the city out to the airports (at least 35-45 minutes). The train is very easy and you can arrive at Penn Station only 10-15 minutes before the train is scheduled to leave (no need to get there early). The Greyhound bus is cheap and safe but not reliable. When you buy a Greyhound bus ticket you are not guaranteed a seat on a particular bus. This means that unless you get to the bus station 1.5-2 hours early, you may not get on the bus if it fills up. Then you must wait until the next scheduled bus or if they have an extra bus they may use that. I have used the Greyhound bus several times and have had to wait leaving NYC every time (coming back from DC isn't as bad, but I've still had to wait sometimes there too). In addition, the bus makes several stops and is subject to traffic jams. My advice is to definitely take the Amtrak train. It is easy and fast (sometimes you can find discounts on the fares too). I would stay away from the Chinatown buses as I have heard many bad stories about buses breaking down, drivers getting lost and they don't stick to their schedule.