The Northeast Corridor is home to some of the most densely populated cities in the United States. Spanning from Boston, Massachusetts to Washington DC, there are many ways to travel between the different cities. From Washington DC to New York there are three main options, take a flight from Washington Dulles (IAD) or Raegan National (DCA), take the Amtrak Acela or regional train or lastly take the bus. Flying out of Washington DC can be a headache with frequent delays and the overall hassle of the airport. Busses are usually the most affordable option but come with many drawbacks however, one bus operator looks to disrupt the market. The Jet is a luxury motorcoach operator providing a private jet like experience onboard a bus. The Jet currently operates 6 times a week, Wednesday through Monday with 2 departures from each city. Unlike traditional coach busses The Jet Prevost coach busses seat only 14 passengers as opposed to the standard 55 passenger configuration. Unique and exclusive to The Jet are the custom-made hover seats by Bose providing motion canceling technology which makes for a smooth ride. We will be reviewing the Jet from Washington DC to New York City, Hudson Yards to check out this first class bus.
Booking And Boarding
Prices range from $99 to $200 with the average ticket cost being around $137. Booking is accomplished right through The Jet’s website. Centrally located in Washington DC’s bustling Metro Center on the corner of 565 13th street NW and F street is the pickup location. The Jet motor coach is hard to miss with its dark grey matte paint and bold lettering. Upon reaching the bus the friendly bus driver provided a warm welcome and assisted with loading luggage in the cargo hold. Upon boarding Rob, the bus attendant welcomed everyone aboard and showed them to their seat. What stood out here was how personable both Rob and the driver were to each passenger. Both greeted passengers by name and recognized a few frequent travelers. About 75% of the passengers onboard were repeat travelers. There were a few first timers including us. Upon boarding passengers are greeted to a spacious 14 passenger cabin laid out in a 2 on 1 configuration with all first class seats in the bus. The dark black seats are complimented by faux wood flooring. Each seat is equipped with power ports, a tray table and the innovative ride canceling technology. The seat for tonight’s trip will be 2A sporting over 6 feet of legroom and 45 degrees of recline.
Onboard Experience
Prior to departure Rob did a pre-departure beverage service while also having personalized one on one conversations with each passenger. The bus driver performed a quick safety check ensuring everyone’s seatbelts were fastened. The seatbelts were like that of a typical automobile. The scheduled departure was at 6PM sharp. At around 6:02PM the bus departed from the parking spot and made its way to the highway. Immediately after departure Rob began his service, serving beverages and coming around to each seat with a complimentary snack selection. These options included pretzels, trail mix, popcorn, Stroop waffles, Kind bars and chips. Wi-Fi is available at no extra charge. Throughout the entire trip the Wi-Fi worked without difficulty. The connection operated at a high speed for the duration of the trip. Running a speed test, the Wi-Fi find performed exceptionally well. Wi-Fi on Amtrak has failed the same exact test with the network being so slow that the test was unable to be completed. Many aircraft Wi-Fi platforms require payment prior to use. The Jet proves to be the leader in the travel industry on Wi-Fi connectivity. The Jet offered uninterrupted Wi-Fi from the moment you boarded, until you the moment you exited the bus. The Jet has the Wi-Fi capability to allow streaming onboard for each passenger, The remainder of the trip was uneventful and quite relaxing. Putting the seat in the fully reclined position made for a relaxing remaining few hours and made pondering the thought of taking a nap a very strong proposition. The bus pulled into the drop off point at 565 W. 33rd Street in Hudson Yards at approximately 9:48PM, 22 minutes ahead of the scheduled arrival time.
Rob came by numerous times for additional snacks and beverages and was continuously checking on all the passengers. During the ride there were many parts of the highway that were in poor condition. The seats kept the bumps to a minimum, practically floating over the bumps. This made accomplishing emails an easy task. Many times, on aircraft and trains bumps make this simple task rather difficult. As the sun began to set the overhead lights turned to a darker blue hue. There are overhead reading lights should more light be required.
Final Thoughts
Overall, The Jet is a strong value for the money in terms of price point when compared to rail and flight. The coach bus was in clean pristine condition. The ride was comparable to a train in terms of time with the train only being marginally faster. The one-of-a-kind ride canceling seat provided superior comfort. With over 6 feet of legroom and generous recline, the seat was extremely comfortable for the 4 hour trip.
The customer orientated focus of all The Jet staff stood out on this trip. Both the driver and the attendant did an outstanding job at making each passenger feel the first class experience on the bus, welcoming back repeat customers and assisting them throughout the trip. On many airlines and the hospitality industry as a whole, this is something that seems to be going by the wayside. The pricing is competitive and at many times cheaper than Amtrak trains. Overall, The Jet provides a superior product when compared to trains and the regional jets that typically fly between Washington DC and New York.
