I rode two very different buses between New York City and Washington, DC.
Elizabeth Blasi
I rode on a $180 luxury bus and a $46 standard coach bus between New York City and DC.
The regular bus got me from point A to point B, but there weren't many amenities.
I was super impressed by the comfortable seats and the onboard attendants on The Jet.
As somebody who frequently travels between New York City and Washington, DC, I'm thankful for the many different transportation options available.
Traditionally, flying is the time saver, trains are the most comfortable, and buses are the most cost-effective. But there's another luxury option: The Jet.
As a true travel nerd, I had to see just how different this $180 bus service was from a traditional $46 FlixBus coach offering. Eleven hours of travel later and a notebook full of pros and cons, here's how the buses stacked up.
The coach bus was set up pretty much exactly as I expected it to be.
There were four seats per row with an aisle in the middle.
Elizabeth Blasi
Both buses had a similar seat configuration, with two seats on either side of the aisle.
But on the FlixBus, there were a lot more seats, leaving less room in between each row.
There was really no comparison when it came to comfort and space.
The seats on The Jet were very comfortable.
Elizabeth Blasi
Even though there were still four seats per row with an aisle in the middle, The Jet had significantly fewer seats.
Everything was spread out, giving every rider a lot of space.
I had just enough room for my things on the regular coach bus.
I could fit my purse and backpack under the seat in front of me.
Elizabeth Blasi
The seats on the standard coach bus were moderately sized.
I couldn't believe how great the seats were on The Jet.
I could totally recline on The Jet.
Elizabeth Blasi
The Jet provided a 45-degree seat recliner and pop-up leg rest. I had enough room to extend my legs without even being close to the chair in front of me, putting some first-class airline seats to shame.
On top of the comfortable cushioning and lumbar support, the seat itself was designed with technology to help mask any uneasiness on the road. Subtle up-and-down motions gave the illusion of an incredibly smooth ride.
I wish airplane seats would adopt this feature to reduce the movement of unwanted turbulence.
The coach bus didn't have many amenities.
There were trash bags hanging on the end of each aisle.
Elizabeth Blasi
The coach bus provided straightforward service, getting you from point A to B.
Although there weren't many onboard amenities, there were at least convenient trash bags hanging on every aisle seat.
When paying over $100 for a bus ticket, you hope for a few added perks, and The Jet delivered.
They passed out hot towels at the beginning of the ride, served drinks, and cleaned up after us. One attendant even brought around Jet blankets to make my journey more comfortable.
The bathroom on the regular bus wasn't fancy, but it was functional.
It was nice to have a bathroom on the bus.
Elizabeth Blasi
I appreciated that there was a small restroom on the FlixBus.
The Jet's amenities were truly exceptional for a bus.
The bathroom was spacious and well-lit.
Elizabeth Blasi
The restroom had a sink, counter space, backlit mirror lights, a full-length mirror, and enough space to change into something cozy for the ride.
We made a rest stop on the regular bus to stretch our legs and refuel.
There wasn't food on the bus, but I picked up an iced coffee at the rest stop.
Elizabeth Blasi
Although there wasn't food on the FlixBus, we got a 15-minute rest-stop break where I picked up a bottle of water and a Dunkin' iced coffee to fuel me for the last three hours on the road.
I was able to get drinks and snacks on The Jet.
The snacks on the bus were very affordable.
Elizabeth Blasi
Each Jet ticket came with two complimentary alcoholic beverages (beer, wine, or seltzer) and a list of food items on sale for as little as $1.
Although both services promised Wi-Fi, only one worked for me.
The FlixBus Wi-Fi was unfortunately not working during my ride.
Elizabeth Blasi
As a remote worker who enjoys traveling, a mode of transportation with full internet access is essential.
Both buses were supposed to provide Wi-Fi, but FlixBus' service was down during my ride. Thankfully, the power plugs on board worked, and I was able to get my phone's hot spot to cooperate.
I was able to comfortably get some work done on The Jet.
I worked and my partner streamed movies during the ride.
Elizabeth Blasi
The Jet's Wi-Fi worked, and the service speed was fast enough for my fiancé to stream movies while I uploaded and downloaded significant file-size assets to my computer.
Trains and planes are still probably the better option for most, but if I'm riding the bus, I'm splurging on The Jet.
I was blown away by the amenities on The Jet.
Elizabeth Blasi
When comparing two bus services, traffic is the great equalizer. Even though both departed right on time (A+ for punctuality), the 4 1/2-hour trip took over 5 1/2 hours in each direction.
If time is your biggest concern, I'd stick with a train or plane. But if you're a remote worker traveling during the day like me, The Jet may actually be the best option.
I think it was definitely worth the price tag. The fantastic service, luxurious seats, and strong internet connection made it the clear travel winner.
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