Jet vs. Amtrak: What’s the best way to travel between New York City and Washington, DC?

Jet reservations

I started by booking The Jet directly on the company’s website. During my search, a one-way ticket from Hudson Yards in New York City to Metro Center in downtown DC cost $169 on peak travel days and $149 on off-peak days. There were two departure time options on the Friday I traveled: 3:30pm and 6:30pm. I chose the earlier of the two available times, at a cost of $169.

Jet experience

Walking onto The Jet bus at Hudson Yards, I could immediately tell it was going to be a great experience. The bus was parked between Hudson Avenue and 11th Avenue on West 33rd Street. Just half a block from the 34 St-Hudson Yards subway station and surrounded by multiple city bus stops, this is an easily accessible destination.

From the outside, the Jet bus is about the same size as a regular coach or Greyhound bus. However, the comparisons stop as soon as you look inside.

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There are only 19 passenger seats on The Jet, and those seats are not typical. Each passenger has 4 1/2 feet of legroom and can recline their seats up to 45 degrees. That’s not even the best part.

Jet’s “HoverSeats” claim to be the most advanced passenger seats in the world, using motion cancellation technology to make bumps and traffic feel less noticeable. In addition, the car also has gel foam seats with memory foam backrests, electric footrests and lumbar support to help you stay comfortable during long trips.

During my four-hour trip, I definitely noticed the HoverSeat made a difference. I could still feel the general rumble of the road beneath the tires and the shifting as we went over bumps, but it felt more like a gentle jolt than a car rushing over a bump. shock.

In addition to modern technology, each seat also has a small tray table the size of my 13-inch MacBook Pro. There are seat back pockets on the seat in front of me. The only downside to the 4 1/2 feet of legroom is that those pockets are difficult to reach, making them quite outdated.

Because of the HoverSeat, there is no storage compartment under the seat. There are overhead compartments, but they’re small and can only fit a jacket, purse, or small backpack. I had to leave my larger backpack on the ground in front of me because I needed to reach it periodically and didn’t want to put it under the bus. While this isn’t a big deal, I would have liked larger overhead compartments to fit all my personal items.

In single rows of seats there is a power strip against the wall on each seat; In row two, the power strip is located between the seats. These strips have three standard plugs and two USB ports.

Bus windows are tinted to ensure the sunlight is not too harsh; There are also curtains I can pull down if needed.

The Wi-Fi on the bus was quite reliable, with fast download speeds for most of the trip – although it was intermittent a few times throughout the journey. Most of the passengers around me seemed to have downloaded shows or movies to watch, but I was still able to work with minimal interruptions.

Like the elevated seating experience, the service is also enhanced. There is a flight attendant on board who brings passengers hot towels upon departure and continues to provide on-site service throughout the trip. She was friendly and knowledgeable, letting us know about any traffic delays along our route and updating arrival times.

There are snacks and beverages on board for purchase, although they are limited in quantity compared to what Amtrak offers. The best part is that two free alcoholic drinks are provided to each customer.

Each passenger also receives a small bottle of water and Biscoff cookies upon boarding. I tried Stacy’s hummus and pita chips for $6 and the salted caramel shared popcorn for $8; Both are great snack options with generous portions for the journey.

The bathroom on board is spacious and clean. I even noticed the attendant coming in to clean up between passengers to keep it looking nice.

Overall, the bus feels spacious and luxurious. The main disadvantage is that, unlike trains and planes, buses are prone to traffic jams. So when the accident happened on the New Jersey Turnpike, our entire trip was delayed by 30 minutes.

Experience Amtrak

My Amtrak experience began at DC’s beautiful Union Station. It offers a wide selection of food that you can take with you if you don’t want to buy anything on the plane.

Before starting my journey, I was reminded of one of my least favorite parts of the train station experience: waiting for the platform announcement and frantically rushing down the platform to ensure a seat.

I was catching the Sunday afternoon train back to New York City; Despite my best efforts to get on the train early, I still had to walk three-quarters of the way down to the platform before finding a car with an empty seat.

The seats themselves are quite comfortable, although legroom is limited, especially compared to The Jet.

Overall the trip was very smooth and I rarely felt the train moving (except when it was stopping and starting at various stations along the route).

There are drainage outlets on the side of the train; however, if you sit in an aisle seat, it can be annoying to ask the person next to you to plug in your device. When I used the plug to charge my laptop, the plug got stuck in my footrest and I kept it that way. bumping into it when I move, which is annoying.

The dining car has a lot of options, beating The Jet in this department. I bought fresh crudite for $6 and a great Sandy’s cookie for $3.50. Both were okay but nothing memorable.

Although Amtrak’s bathroom is spacious, it feels more sterile than inviting, and it never looked particularly clean the few times I passed by it.

The most frustrating part of the Amtrak experience is the constant flow of people up and down the aisles; or they are getting ready to exit the train, get on the train and try to find a seat, get up to go to the bathroom or walk to the dining car. It’s hard to rest with all the noise and movement. If you’re in the aisle, you often have to watch out for someone else’s bag hitting your shoulder or arm as they pass by.

Bottom line

There’s only a $43 price difference between the two, but The Jet bus is much more luxurious and relaxing than Amtrak. In my opinion, the only downside to The Jet is that it took 50 minutes longer than the Amtrak journey because we had to deal with traffic and the route was a bit longer. The other potential downside will be for those prone to motion sickness – Jet rides are a bit bumpier than Amtrak rides.