It pains me to give a low review of Eastern because I have been a patron of their services for many years. I know there are good people working hard here and I'm not trying to hurt anyone's reputation necessarily. I will continue to make use of their services, however today marked a low point in my opinion of them. I was on the bus from Richmond to DC. About 35 minutes after departure, the bus driver began slowing down on the highway. I'm talking like 25mph on i-95!!! Not long after that, I and the other passengers noticed a smell similar to burning tires and it became suffocating to be inside the bus. Not longer after the bus stopped on the side of the road did everyone inside get off (after having to plead the bus driver to open the doors!!!!!). We all had to camp on the swampy area on the side of the highway for a good 15 minutes, then re-boarded the burnt tire-smelling bus to wait for the next one for another 25 minutes. I was happy that the backup bus was able to arrive right on the spot. This was one incident out of the hundred times I've ridden their buses so I won't hold it against them entirely. These things happen and they are a business. But it's still something to be cautious and weary of in the future, because in a business involving transportation, it can mean life or death. read more

Oh I haven't taken a Chinatown bus in years... One of the few "Chinatown bus" companies that still remains. The business process has changed over the past few years. All tickets are sold electronically. On the ticket there is a QR code to scan. The process for the boarding in DC is go to their office on H street, check in (they enter the ticket number on the computer), then they sign it. Next you're instructed to walk two blocks to the bus parked on 9th street in front of the public parking entrance across the Renaissance Hotel. When you get there, there maybe a possibly that the bus isn't there yet (like in my case). When boarding, your ticket is checked again. This can be improved if they use the QR system to scan tickets once at boarding. I chose the 10am bus because it does not stop in Baltimore according to their website. The bus today stopped in Baltimore to pick up passengers, the weigh station, and then a Delaware rest stop. Not once did we experience traffic along the way, but with the time spent at the stops, we arrived at Penn Station just before 3pm (an hour later than expected). The joys of taking a Chinatown bus. read more

Took this RETURN bus from NYC to BMORE on a Wednesday Morning. Bus was clean and looked new, at least compared to a Rockledge bus. The seats were comfortable, had TV's but they weren't on. There were shades to pull down in case it was too bright in your seating area. Electrical socket is infront of, yet between the seats. I had to ask the operator where these were located. WIFI was great. You can watch Free movies using free wifi. I accidentally purchased the wrong day to return, the guy who was taking tickets realized my error and I just rescheduled my trip (for a $1) using the GoToBus app. Took me about 10 mins to figure this out. My only concern was that my 730AM bus from 7th Av /33rd should have dropped me off at Baltimore at 1030am. We stopped at some rest area for 15 minutes almost halfway thru our drive. Ended up getting back to Baltimore at 11AM which caused me to be late for a meeting. There was no designated parking at 1200 Ponca in Baltimore but you can park along the street for free. Just check the signs. I would def. take Eastern over Rockledge, but finding parking and being comfortable with it on a street for X amount of days is where I lean. Apparently with Eastern , if you book 10 rides you can get a Free ride. read more

NY bound on a late bus.. Wish there were more options that this place this late in the day.. Sigh! The people who run this place suck big time.. there is usually this HUGE Asian dude, who scowls at EVERYONE, smokes in your face and generally tries to pretend he is big shot. I have to deal with him if I buy my ticket at their location as opposed to online. There are other mean ass people too! If their buses are not on time (which is pretty often), they will NOT refund your money! If the bus breaks down, you will be forced to wait in the middle of nowhere (sometimes 4 hours at a stretch), because there will no one to come fix the buses. The only saving grace is, when there is not traffic and when (and if) the bus is on time, it will get you to your destination super fast! Usually the drivers are nice friendly people (undoubtedly underpaid, though). The bathrooms in the bus are NEVER cleaned I believe! I wish I could stick to Boltbus or Megabus, but sometimes, this is the only option! read more

I'm usually a Bolt or Mega Bus kinda girl. However, last Friday, I waited to the last minute to buy my ticket to NYC so this was my only option. I was nervous as hell to ride this bus especially because of the all the bad reviews and previous bad press I had heard about the Chinatown buses. So I prepared myself for any and everything that night. I brought my ticket on-line, which I suggest everyone does. However, you if you don't print out the ticket, you must know your ticket number in order for them to provide you with a paper ticket to get on the bus. I arrived an hour before the bus was scheduled to depart at 11:45 pm. The bus company has a small waiting room area right in front of the stop. This waiting room looks like it hasn't been cleaned in years. Its dirty and in disarray with the baggage of waiting customers. When I arrived, I went to the ticket table (yes, I said table as it literally is a table, not a booth), told the gentleman my ticket number and he proceeded to write me a ticket. He also informed me that an earlier bus was coming shortly, so I could get on that one if I wanted to. Of course, I wanted to get on an earlier bus. Right?! Well, those dreams were deferred after about 35 mins later (almost time for my original bus to arrive) the guy informed us that the driver of the "earlier" bus got lost and didn't know how to get to the station. WTF LOL. So long for getting to NYC earlier. At this point, I was scared that I wouldn't be leaving on-time and/or that something would happen to my 11:45 pm bus. However, to my surprised it arrived on time and was in much better condition then I expected. The process to board the bus was literally like a fight for my life. Folks were pushing and acting as if it was war. I managed to make a friend while standing in line. So, he helped me fight through the crowd to get a seat. Once on the bus, I relaxed a bit as I realized the bus was relatively clean (minus the used trash bag on the end of each row). There were even working outlets on the bus I rode. The ride to NYC was smooth with no complaints. Bottom line: Will you make to NYC? Yes. Do you need to be ready for any and everything? Yes. Will it leave on time? Maybe. If you aren't flexible and have high expectations then this isn't the bus trip for you. Be mindful that ALL kinds of people ride this bus. read more

If you're taking this service, be prepared and be pretty flexible allowing some cushion time. Also, bring a self charger "thing" since the bus might not have a charger. Traffic is unpredictable and checking traffic apps before leaving may assist on predicting arrival time. The very early busses on weekends usually depart and arrive as promised. I've taken this bus both from NY and DC and back, as well as Peter Pan, Greyhound and Amtrak and opt this service if needing a cheap alternative when I have minimal baggage (Mark your baggage and keep an eye on it if you can). If you get your tickets online, arrive early - probably @ least 30-40 min to check in and get a place in line (BoA in NYC) or walk to the bus about 2 blocks away (across the Renaissance Hotel, 999 9th St) from check-in (near Gallery place metro stop in Chinatown DC) you won't have a problem. During the more popular times, the earlier you should arrive (as mentioned) and could just go right to the bus after check in DC. Overall, be prepared, do you your due diligence in picking the transportation of choice. This isn't number one in my list unless I'm in a pinch, but it's a cheap option. read more

For some reason, my original review was deleted. Restrooms were gross. Toilets did not flush, and lighting did not work. There was no soap and water. Customer service here is not too great here too. In particular, there is a heavy-set Chinese man (probably the owner) with power trip issues and who does not consider any complaints. Will go back to Megabus or maybe even try Bolt. read more

I would give negative stars if I could. DO NOT USE THIS BUS SERVICE. It is the Spirit airlines of bus services. They got me with the $29 deal. It will take you 7 hours+ to get to nyc, NOT even close to 4 hrs. First of all the bus does not show up at the address provided, that's where the office is located. Also, no where in the ticket does it say you need to do early check in, but the guy in the store yelled at me for not doing that. The bus itself picks you up 2 blocks away, which is advertised no where! The bus showed up 45 mins late. The lady who was checking me in was upset that I had an e-ticket and didn't print it out. Bus itself is so so. After we finally left DC, the bus driver made a stop for 2 random ppl to get off at a car rental place....don't know why. When we got to Baltimore (2 hrs later) the bus driver driver took a 30 min break and said he was going to take 2 more 30 min breaks in Philly and Jersey before stopping in NYC. I literally just got off the bus and took the train back to DC, I was over it. read more

Took them for the second time last night and I decided that this will be my usual way home for now on. Both times we left around time and got to NY early (last night 40 mins early!). The Penn Station dropoff is super convenient. The office in DC is kinda ghetto but there are power outlets and good food next door (even better food, Chinese food, a couple of blocks away). Bus picks up around the corner, I figured 45 mins was early to line up but there were already others waiting. Luckily the bus was across the street so when they called for us I ran and got on first! Yeah you get some shady characters on and around the bus, but it's $25 so what do you expect? Amazingly they have a bunch of brand new buses. 2014 MCIs and Van Hools. We were on the Van Hool and there are power outlets at every row. On the MCI D4505 (not the J4500) I took in April not every row had power outlets. Wi-Fi worked fine both times. By the way, print your ticket in advance if you can. Otherwise they can validate it at the office and give you a paper ticket slip. read more

Eastern Travel & Tour - Very new Van Hool CX45L - Transportation Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I've been taking Eastern Shuttle between New York and Richmond for over 3 years. Experiences have been varied, but I would not recommend this bus due to the customer service of the drivers. They are rude and could not care less about the passengers they are driving. I always board the bus at Penn Station, and it is always at least 20 minutes late. If you try to ask the for the status of the bus, you're always brushed off and just told, "it's coming." If you try to call the phone number they provide you with, they either 1) Don't answer, or 2) Say they can't help you. If your luggage shifts under the bus and you can't reach it, don't expect any help from the driver; I've always been told "that's too bad you have to get it yourself" and must crawl over other passengers luggage because the driver refuses to open the door on the other side of the bus. The drivers also do not make any announcements to the bus passengers, so there's often chaos with people talking on their phones for hours, leaving their trash on the floor and being disrespectful to each other. The last bus I took there was almost a fight with guys yelling profanities at each other and making threats- the driver didn't even flinch. Most annoying of all, after finally arriving in Richmond after over 7 hours of sitting on the bus, the driver decides to fill the gas tank!! He makes the passengers sit on the bus for even longer instead of dropping them off first. So rude!! On a recent ride, the bus didn't arrive to Richmond until after 12 AM (supposed to arrive at 11:30 PM). However, the driver drove an extra 15 minutes to a gas station, gets off the bus making no announcement to the passengers, and did not come back for a really long time. When I looked out the window to see what he was doing, the driver was running the gas meter but not even filling up the gas tank to the bus! It was just sitting on the ground while the meter ran. I've attached a photo of him below (won't let me attach the video). He's the meanest person in this company and never cares about anything or anyone. read more

Eastern Travel & Tour - Transportation Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Eastern Bus aka Eastern Tour and Travel aka Eastern has changed owners over the decade or so I've been using it; the booking procedures have also changed. What hasn't changed are the buses, the unorganized way to get on the bus and the basic service: to get from DC to NYC via Baltimore parking lot. If you read no further, please realize you are buying a ticket to get you from point A to point B. This is barebones bus. You get a seat. You may or may not have an electrical plug, wifi or working on bus toliet. You may or may not have a seatmate. Your trip may be as short as three hours from DC to NYC; it may be eight hours long-- any any amount of time in between. Honestly, once you realize that this is simply a way to get from one place to another and not the luxurious bus trip some people seem to think, it is fine. My latest roundtrip from DC to NY cost me $38; less than it would have cost me in tolls and gas. Booking is done entirely on gotobus.com; the days of walking up and paying cash for a salmon colored ticket are long gone. Go with minimal expectations; the only expectations you should have are to make a stop in the Baltimore parking lot and to arrive at your destination. The rest of the trip is never known. read more

Our bus to Richmond was 1 hour 15 minutes late today. We waited at the station for almost 2 hours since we got here early to check in, per the company's procedure. Disappointed by the service. read more

Eastern Travel & Tour - Transportation Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I wish it was possible to give negative stars!!!! First of all, the bus is THREE BLOCKS AWAY from what it says on the ticket!!! It says 715 H St. NW but it's actually on the corner of New York Ave. and 9th St. NW!!! When I told that to the guy at the office he just said, "its not a big deal" even though that meant I was now verging in being late!!! Second, they are extremely racist!!! I'm Asian and when I showed up exactly on time they shouted at me in Chinese which I didn't understand and frankly am glad I didn't understand. Then they shouted at me in English that the bus is leaving and that I am late even though I wasn't late (I arrive one minute before schedule departure) and even if I was late it's their fault for putting the wrong time down!!! But then a group of four white people showed up while we were arguing about me getting on the bus and the woman didn't say anything to them and let them on, no shouting at them!!! Then a block later some black people waved the bus down and we stopped to let them on but the lady shouted at them to hurry very rudely!!! This is an extremely horrible company and I will be reporting them to the Better Business Bureau and local officials, including local Asian business bureaus for being a visibly Asian-run business that discriminates against Asian customers!!! Finally, Megabus is actually five dollars cheaper than them!!! read more

Absolutely awful experience during my trip back home to NY from DC. There were multiple times I was scared for my life as the driver swerved between lanes and sped to our destination. If you want to see for yourself, get a front row seat like I did. (But really don't do this because there is a possibility you might actually die) At the beginning of the 11:45 PM bus ride I immediately wondered how long our driver had been working because he had been showing signs of fatigue. By the end of it there was no doubt he was overtired as he consistently bit himself on his arm, was rocking back and forth and singing to himself--to stay awake?? I wouldn't be surprised if he was also using drugs in order to stay awake, his mannerisms and habits were those one might see with someone on coke. After several occasions of the driver honking at others so that he can drive down the middle of two lanes on a more than large enough highway and several very close calls in tight tunnels, I was happy to have made it to my destination alive let alone in time. The driver literally could not stay within the lines of the lane. I was surprised he didn't get pulled over for erratic driving. Awful company. Only use if you don't value your own life because with practices like these it is only a matter of time that a tragedy will happen. read more

715 H street is a good location but @ 3am they are closed so u have 2 wait outside, it is bett we r to be at least 30min early because u will wait. read more

This is the absolute WORST transportation service I have ever taken to New York. You are definitely paying for what you get with them. So be prepared for the following things before booking your ticket with Eastern Travel. In DC, this bus stops near Chinatown on H street. The thing is, it drops you off in Chinatown by the Eastern office which is right near the Cava and &pizza. But then for pick up, you have to walk around and behind the building a couple blocks which can be miserable when you have a heavy ass luggage like I did, or when it's extremely cold or hot as hell. We were actually early hoping to be able to wait in line and grab seats upfront away from the bathrooms and together. We were told to wait inside the Eastern travel office and that they would take us to the bus stop when it was time to board. But when it was time to board, they just told us where to go. Not even clear or real directions just pointed the direction we needed to go. We only knew where to go because we were following the regulars. And upon arrival to the stop, there was already a long line that formed so we had to sit near the bathrooms after all. A bummer. We wouldn't have minded standing in line early since we intentionally arrived more than an hour earlier than our departure time. They also stop in Baltimore, and the Baltimore stop is a deserted parking lot. So it doesn't look to be close to any transportation. Not sure about their parking policy either. SERVICE: The Eastern employees are not nice AT ALL. Most of the employees talk to you like you are an idiot, especially if you are a woman or if English isn't your first language. Their service is not consistent at all. Sometimes they stop at a rest stop, sometimes they don't. They don't even tell you if they will or not, we had to ask. The arrival time isn't ever accurate. Our first trip, we were about an hour early. Our trip home, we were an hour late. Also, more inconsistency... our first trip we had to put our luggage in ourselves. The second trip, they required that they do it for us. The employee just threw our bags in on top of one another, and we had wine bottles packed. Ugh. Interestingly enough... Our first driver was a decent driver even though he was speeding like crazy and refused to stop at the rest stop. He got us to our destination safely, without making us sick and an hour or so earlier than expected. Our second driver was driving slow, stopped at a rest stop but was so bad that he made us nauseous after getting off the bus. CLEANLINESS: Our buses were disgusting both ways. However our first bus was older and didn't have outlets while the other one did. The bathroom has no light. So avoid using it at night, really at all. It is just plain disgusting and the way Eastern drives, using the bathroom won't be pretty. PRICE: Prices are about $25 per person, for two you can get a coupon code for it to be $45. I personally would never use them again. read more

This was the WORST bus experience of my life!!! I am NEVER giving them my business again. First, the owner tried to jip me! I bought tickets online for the 12:00 bus, but I was late. I called them to see if I could get on the next bus, and he told me they charge a $5 fee to take the later bus. When I got there around 12:10, he charges me and my boyfriend $5 each, and then we wait for the 1:00 bus. Outside there is a line of people, and I find out they have a 12:30 bus. I tell the owner I'd rather take the 12:30 bus, and wait outside. THEN, I overhear people talking about how the 12:00 bus NEVER CAME!!! I could not believe the bastard owner charged me a fee for missing the noon bus when it never even got there! So I marched right back inside and demanded my $10 back, which they reluctantly gave back (the nerve!) It turns out that neither the 12:00 or the 12:30 bus ever showed up. We all ended up waiting until nearly 2pm for the 1pm bus!!!! It gets worse: once in the bus, one of the passengers handed a wet "ticket" to the bus driver (the ticket is really just a receipt). Since it was wet, it was not legible. The owner comes in the bus and begins to argue LOUDLY with the lady back and forth, who claims it got wet when she washed her hands in the bathroom. He then proceeds to yell at the entire bus, "Everybody, does this look like a ticket to you? Huh??? Does this look like a ticket??? Everybody, let's assemble!!! If she don't pay, nobody goes!" O-M-G! I'm thinking, is he really asking us to assemble together and kick the woman out of the bus? WTF kind of business is this? Finally, another passenger offers to pay for the lady so we can get moving to NYC. I'm thinking we're good to go, right? WRONG. Not only is the bus old and small, but the freakin bus driver was EATING FRENCH FRIES AND A BURGER WHILE DRIVING!!!! And DIPPING the french fries into his little ketchup container WHILE ON THE ROAD!!!! I was sitting in the front, and I saw him SWERVE several times as he was dipping his fucking fries into the sauce. WTF?????? NOT safe, NOT professional, NOT clean. And the owner tried to RIP ME OFF!!! HORRIBLE! I would never recommend this bus company to anyone, unless I truly hate somebody and want that person to jeopardize their lives. Please, use Bolt Bus or Vamoose, or even walk! This bus company is WACK TO THE MAX! read more

Extremely displeased with this bus service !!! Cost: thirty bucks per ticket..one way to dc to NYC or NYC to dc... Area: Chinatown dc....extremely getto... There is a lot of shady people and bums...the inside is unclean and unsantized...looks run down... There is about twelve chairs for people to wait for the bus... If chairs are full go outside and wait... There's a desk...which is actually the ticket booth... Ohhhhh seems so perfectional you would think...wrong! Service: there is two people selling tickets...and they are rude as hell... They have no time to actually listen to people...for some reason making them repeat themselves or asking more then one question bugs them...and they really don't they crap.. They yell and scream at people to back off and sit down... It's insane... What kind of place has this kind of rude disgusting service.... I bet the only reason this place is still here and still ruing is the cheap prices for transportation other then that why even take this bus...never again!!!! read more

Completely horrible experience with this company. I arrived 30 minutes early at the spot it said on the website and waited and no bus came. When I found their office after a near-non-english speaking phone support person, they resorted to calling me names and for some reason saying that I was "stupid" and "uneducated?" When I entered all I wanted was to have my ticket rescheduled or refunded because I had waited at the location and no bus came! After being insulted and yelled at because I was... bold enough to ask why the bus had not come? I had had enough and left. Just bought another $20 ticket on washington delux. Would HIGHLY recommend going with that company or another, not Eastern travel & tour. Horrible customer service and it seems like a company that is okay with scamming customers unfortunately. Someone should report them to the city government. read more

Don't waste your time with this mess. Spend the extra $5 and take another carrier. This company is a sinking ship. My partner lives in NY, so I travel there every other week. Last week, I went three unfortunate times. Two months ago, I would have told you that this was the single most reliable Chinatown bus. However, they were recently bought out by Coach USA, which is also the company that operates Megabus in the United States, and merged with former competitors Todays and Apex, which are both fairly terrible. Since this transition, they have also moved their Baltimore stop from the travel center to downtown, which is somewhat less convenient. They also switched half of their NYC stops from 34th street to Chinatown. They also stopped accepting Eastern's tickets, even though they are supposed to be good for one year. AND apparently made Philadelphia one of their stops on the way to NYC (Although, like Apex, this is probably not true for all buses. Historically, Apex only made the Philly stop on off-peak times.) Since this transition, I have ridden this company three times. Two times the bus mysteriously stopped at a hotel in NJ and both times all passengers were off-loaded and made to gather all their luggage and change to different buses. WTF?! In retrospect, this seems a minor problem unless you are asleep and being harassed by the driver. The third trip was a far larger shit storm. At the time, I was unaware that Eastern was also merged with Apex, which uses Philly as one of their stops. I took off work early, so I could make a 3pm Friday bus. The bus was a bit late, which was not a big deal. However, after getting onto the bus, I discovered that bus was going DC-Baltimore-Philadelphia-NYC. (Having ridden Apex before, I know that the addition of a stop in Philadelphia can add an extra 2 hours to a trip) They, of course, said this after the bus was moving, so I could not even forfeit my $20 and take a different company. The trip took SEVEN hours. The driver picked the slowest lane in every situation, and it meant that we hit the beginning of DC rush hour, Baltimore rush hour, Wilmington rush hour, and the tail end of Philly's rush hour. It was insane. This used to be my go-to bus company, but now it is dead to me. read more

I took Eastern Bus for a weekend trip from Washington DC to NYC and I thought that it was well worth the price. Round trip tickets online are usually $50, but they were running a promotion so we got reserved seat tickets for $40, which is an amazing deal. When you arrive at Chinatown DC, look for the Eastern sign, which will lead you to a small room where you can check in. Make sure you print out your ticket beforehand if you pre-purchased, or bring CASH if you need to buy tickets there. There was one gentleman at the desk who was particularly nice and helped us out since it was our first time. The other gentlemen were more brusque and would sometimes tease customers, but you should just try not to be offended or take it personally. Also, try not to ask any questions because that seemed to irritate them. Just hand them your ticket and ID, wait for them to write on it, take it back, and sit down in the waiting area quietly. The bus itself was great. It's your typical coach bus, but it has fast and free WIFI, and power outlets for every seat! The bus drivers were fine. Our driver on the way back had a loud phone conversation for hours, but it didn't really bother me. We sat near the front so that we could get out quicker and also be farther from the restroom. The restroom is super tiny and kind of smelly, so I did not attempt to use it on the way back after I made the mistake of using it on the way there. I would recommend you use the restroom in the office before getting on the bus, since it is much cleaner. On the way back, we got on at Chinatown NYC, where you can buy snacks for relatively cheap before you go (cash only) like chips, soda, candy, etc. Then they make a stop at Union Station, and then another stop in Baltimore before you finally make it back to DC. Get in line early because seats are first come first serve! Each trip took around 5 hours. Overall, I would take Eastern Bus again, and I would also recommend it to friends. If you go in with low expectations, you will be pleasantly surprised. read more

I've (only) been using Eastern Bus services for over a decade now. I travel from Washington DC to Chinatown, NY. I remember having to call their office to find out if they had any available seats left for a particular bus, but now I order my tickets online at ilikebus.com & if you sign up for an account, you get points for each dollar spent that can be redeemed for free bus tickets! I've already earned 3 free tickets! Because this is a Chinese owned & operated bus company, it may appear daunting if you don't speak Chinese but now they've hired bilingual (English & Chinese) workers at the office in DC! There's also outlets at every pair of seats on the bus! There's free wifi advertised as well, but sometimes it works & sometimes it doesn't. This bus company offers cheap tickets & so many convenient time slots & drop-off/pick-up locations for DC/MD to NYC (vice versa) routes. **Also, please go to the office with your ticket (especially if you ordered online & printed it out) & have one of the receptionist at the desk sign/validate your online ticket before going to board the bus. The person taking tickets at the bus will ask you validate your ticket if it's not signed by the office. read more

My buddy bought us tix on this bus line because they were a whopping $12 cheaper than Bolt, Mega or DC2NY. Well that was wasted because the bus was so late on our return trip to DC that we had to spring for a cab because the metro had closed. The experience was abhorrent. We left NY on time at 7:00 pm and hit some traffic getting out of the city. Things were going smoothly once we hit the highway so we nodded off for a quick nap. We awoke in Delaware and noticed that traffic was whizzing by us. The bus couldn't have been going faster than 30 MPH. The driver pulled off at the Delaware rest stop. He stood up, yelled something in Chinese at us and made a cutting motion across his throat. Thankfully a passenger spoke Chinese and liaised for everyone. The driver opened up the engine and fiddled and poured tons of coolant in. Apparently the bus had been overheating. Before we hit the road again and the driver went to eat dinner at Roy Rogers. When we did finally leave, he turned off the AC to keep the engine cooler. The windows were completely fogged up and a fowl stench kept us company for the final two hours. The most minute point was that the advertised wi-fi didn't work on either of our buses. I told my friend to ask for a refund because the whole experience was completely unacceptable. read more

We got stuck in a ditch for three hours. Need I say more? My experience goes something like this: My friend and I arrived to take the 1:30 bus, but the 12:30 bus was late and got there beforehand, so we were able to get a few leftover seats after paying the cute asian woman with pink hair our fares. Stop- Word of advice: always order your tickets online, especially if you're traveling with another person-- or else there won't be any seats available for you to sit together. Also, remember to check the bathroom for toilet paper, or you might accidently leave without any. Continuing, we were less than an hour into the trip when we hit traffic ...at 2am. There was an accident, and everyone was at a standstill. Many of the cars were cutting over into the left lane to go across the grass median/ditch and find a detour elsewhere. Our bus driver got the brilliant idea to do so as well. Unfortunately, the dip in the median was exactly as wide as the distance from our front and back tires, and so, we were trapped. Frantic, our bus driver begins flooring it frontwards- if we would have gotten out, we would have flown into oncoming traffic and into the woods. And then he tries backwards, where we would have created a second accident. But I guess panic makes you ignorant to the laws of common sense. Long story short, we're sitting there....stuck in the ditch...for three hours. The bus driver ended up with something like 10 tickets from various cops that drive by, and the tow guy finally shows up after an eternity of waiting, finally giving us clearance to board another bus and continue on our way. The (un)funniest part about it was that a half an hour after we get stuck, the traffic we were trying to escape is completely cleared up. F our lives. I'm actually surprised that there wasn't more reviews about this incident. I could have sworn I saw a few angry people blogging about their frustrations during the long wait for help to arrive. But once we made it out of that situation, we made it to NYC in three hours (plus we got better seats on this bus). So the trip there was worth it. The way back was terrible. The air conditioning was broken. And though we didn't run into any ditches, it was hot and sticky, and so the stench of the toilet lingered in the air and made the whole ride torture. $20 is a good deal. And if you get the right bus driver, you're going to get there fast. But your best bet is to take an over night trip, where its nice and cool and hopefully your bus driver has learned a thing or two about going across the medians. Hope you come out in one piece. read more

I've relied on them multiple times to get to DC and back. Truly, this is your quintessential quick and dirty Chinatown bus company. Like its predecessor Fung Wah, Eastern is no frills, but you get to your location on time at a fraction of the price of Greyhound. The buses vary, but some have more legroom than others and outlets. Honestly, the ride and the seats aren't bad at all. They have two convenient locations for pickup/drop off in NYC - one on 28 Allen St and another at 33rd and 6th Ave (Penn Station), and 715 H Street in DC, all three wonderful places to connect to the rest of the city. Service is on par with other companies, but the only gripe is probably the rats race to get on board - same with any other company, since there are unassignment seats. Lastly, they have "lounges" in their lobby waiting area should you need to sit and use the bathroom. Truly, this is cheap and simple, it's a no brainer if you don't want to pay the high cost of Greyhound or Amtrak. read more

Wow. This trip was interesting. Yeah, it's really cheap- like $20 one way from DC to NYC. Well, we were able to catch an earlier bus too! We just had to get there earlier...So I was on a bus by 5:15 rather than 6:00. Well, we also made a stop in Baltimore, which was NOWHERE near anything else. Some guy tried to get on this 6:45 bus (I guess it was already an hour late) but had missed his 4:45 bus(oh no refunds by the way) he yelled a bit, and then did what anybody else would do...throw a rock at the window I'm sitting at. It shattered the outside panel and well, we told the driver and just kept driving. All I can say is wow. At least I made it to NYC in one piece, got dropped off 2 blocks away from the stop and got me all confused. But hey, I love NY read more

This company is low budget, it reminds me a lot of the bus companies I used to travel around Latin America on the cheap. I took the Saturday 8AM bus to DC. It was comfortable but full. On my way back I caught the Tuesday 6PM. It was empty, but smelled like someone tipped over a portable toilet. A terrible blend of chemicals and urine. For five hours. read more

I was on the 1:30 am bus from Washington DC to NYC on Sept. 11. On that ride there was an incident where two passengers accused another passenger of stealing from them. When the bus stopped at the Baltimore stop and the accused passenger tried to get off, the bus driver refused to let him off and the passenger got very angry even pushing on the door. At this point the driver yells "someone call 911", and I am thinking just let him off the bus! I felt that this endangered the safety of all the passengers on board. We had to stay trapped in the bus for over 10 minutes until police arrived. I have to say that other than that life endangering experience, the rest of the ride there and the ride back from New York were pretty pleasant. However, I have to say that I would go with another bus company. read more

Had to take my kids up for a quick trip to see a band in NYC last week and decided to try the bus. I had one another bus for a trip up there once before and found it to be pretty pleasant. Let's start with the good and bad: Good: Cheap, it would cost me more in tolls to go to/from NYC myself. so for three of us it was $141/RT total or $47/RT each. You can't beat that for getting to and from the city without mileage, gas, tolls, or the aggravation. Buses were clean, both ways. They had little plastic grocery store bags attached to each seat for people to store their trash. Bad The office. This is not what you think of as a bus stop, it is a little tiny hole in the wall step down off of H Street. There is no pre-reserved parking for the buses or anything. You walk down into a shady looking room, with about 10 folding chairs. Some pretty sketchy people for our trip. The bus actually shows up around the block so when you go to board everyone just leaves and walks around the corner to the bus. Schedule and communications. So in our case, we had a 1145PM bus. Nothing was said by the one rep working the desk as the time approached with no bus. Finally at departure time he yells to the room that the bus is late, but then people are asking and he can't give them an idea of exactly when it will be in, he says 20-30 mins. You'd think that they'd be keeping track of inbound buses better and could let the crowd know in advance if the departure was going to be late. Surprised they don't have some standard call in at like 30 mins out or something and subsequent calls if there are delays. I noticed it was cheaper to get a fare on site than online. I overheard a walk up get a RT for $35 when we paid $47 booking in advance online. Buses. On the trip out of DC, we got on the bus 30 mins late due to the late arrival. They were pretty quick turning the bus around and actually despite the delay the bus arrived into NYC on time at 415am. The bus going up to NYC seriously needed some suspension work. It was impossible to sleep because the bus rattled and vibrated over every single bump in the road, it was terrible. Luckily the bus back was much better and not nearly as noisy. The seats were miserably uncomfortable but again, it was a bus, not a 1st class seat in an airplane. I could not get comfortable no matter how I stretched out and attempted to adjust myself. I was surprised that the bus going up had NO charging outlets so no ability to charge phones (bus back to DC did so they at least redeemed themselves there). There are TV screens but nothing ever played either way. The internet was pretty slow but at least there was wireless available. I didn't attempt to use the bathroom but didn't smell it from my seat either so that's a positive. NYC location. So the bus drops and picks up in front of a Bank of America. No signs or markings or anything to elude that this is a bus station. There is absolutely no way to know where to stand or how to get organized for the return at all. When we showed up, people were just standing against the building with suitcases. We had no idea where they were going, some said Richmond, some said DC. Finally a guy with a red eastern shirt came over and he helped us get sorted out. Same issue with the other end, there seems to be zero communication as to when the buses are going to come. Luckily on the return, the bus was pretty close to on time so we weren't stuck standing around wondering when the bus may show up. Overall, I guess for the cheap cost and the fact they got us there safely, I guess I shouldn't expect perfection. I must say that my previous trip with another company was much more like what I expected (picked up/drop at union station, same cheap fares, wireless/plugs that worked, quiet non-rattly buses, and good communications). read more

Okay, so for $20 each way ($35 r/t) this is an okay deal. For $25 you can take a nicer bus (DC2NY or Bolt, neither of which I have taken.) Eastern takes you to Penn Station, which is way better than getting dropped off in Chinatown (unless you actually want to go to Chinatown.) This bus company - like many of the other bus companies, will sell you a ticket when they don't have an actual seat and it is a total mob scene when it's busy, so get there early on busy days! They do have internet on the bus, which is pretty cool. The seats are moderately comfortable and the bus doesn't smell like urine. Overall - 3 stars! read more

The one thing Eastern has going for it is that it's a cheap way to get to NYC. Also, I think the buses have always departed on time (or close to it) when I took them, and the delays have generally been just due to traffic (and slow drivers) the handful of times I've taken them. My stuff has always made it in the compartment fine and it's taken me to my destination. During the last trip, however, the buses were disgusting. On the way there, the bathroom 1) did not lock/ fully close, so the door had to be held; and 2) had no toilet paper (or wet wipes to clean one's hands, etc). On the way back, there was apparently no light in the bathroom working and lots of men missed the toilet and the stink was apparently vile in the bathroom itself. The smell also began to seep out into the back half of the bus. Worse yet, once we arrived in DC, other people were waiting to board the bus, meaning it was driving for hours longer with the filthy, unlit bathroom. The internet worked for most of the ride up (but not all) and I didn't try it on the way back. Initially the driver didn't have the reading lights turned on, but after I asked he flipped a switch so folks could turn on their lights. On the first ride up, the compartments were broken. Tips if you take the bus: -- It's recommended that you arrive 20 minutes early, and sometimes they board early. If you are not waiting super early (especially for return trips on Sundays), you may end up not getting to sit together if there are two of you. -- Sometime they make a short stop at a gas station, but sometimes they don't. So, you should bring food, water, etc. They also sometimes pick up and/or drop folks off in Philly. One thing I'd note is that I think the passengers seemed fine. I saw reviews of Bolt buses about people hogging empty seats despite a packed bus and talking on their cell phones. There were a few short cell phone conversations nearby on the night trip back, and one guy spent what must've been over an hour on the phone, but generally I haven't noticed any issues with passengers not being courteous. That said, due to their vile bathrooms and other grunginess and disrepair, next time I'm trying Bolt ... read more

Yea so I read the reviews before changing tickets from dc to nyc. Let me just say this- just say no. I got to the address 45 min early and my bf and I were waiting for the bus at the address. There is even a big sign saying that where we were, was where the bus picked up. We were among the last people on, bc someone in the seating area who ran the indescript office said it picked up around the corner. That is misleading and messed up. I couldnt sit with my bf bc it's every man for himself. If your over 6 foot, don't even think your gonna get you knees behind these damn seats. Yes the bus is kept clean but it is really cramped. My bus has no outlets although promised. I will be lucky if I have enough space between me and the next seat to open my laptop. So the moral of this story is to just pay a little more for the Washington deluxe. read more

I don't know the price comparison of this bus to other service providers though other reviewers have said it's relatively cheaper. I decided to book this bus because it was the only one I knew of leaving from Rockville, which is much closer to my house than union station. We had round trip tickets from Rockville to NYC. The trip to NYC could not have been a better experience; the bus left at 7 am on the dot ... it's 7 o'clock on the dot, I'm in my drop top cruisin' the streets... wait what? Anyway, it stopped in Baltimore, chinatown and made a 10 min rest stop in Delaware. The bus driver (we got the same guy both ways) was very regimented and stuck to the clock ... to the exact minute. We made it to NYC in about 4 hours. Wouldn't change a thing. On the way back, there was a delay probably due to NYC traffic and we were picked up half an hour late. Otherwise the experience was still excellent, he still managed to get us back at the same time we were supposed to be back. I guess it's as the saying goes, all's well that ends well. Miscellaneous notes: there wasn't TP in the bathroom on both routes but they had small trash bags at each row of seats which was convenient. They have outlets so you can charge your electronics but the WiFi is shit (I have unlimited data... you should look into it). read more

Terrible!! Search the web for other bus companies that offer low fares (like Bolt! I heart Bolt!) and go with pretty much any other company. I've had two separate experiences and both were abysmal. On the way home from NYC (second trip), my mother and I sat in seats that weren't bolted to the floor, causing our knees to smash into the seats in front of us every time the driver braked. On the way up, the driver talked on the phone very, very loudly the entire trip. On my first trip, none of the employees bothered to tell the 5:30 and 6:30 bus riders where to stand, so it was completely chaotic. Avoid Eastern at all costs. read more

This is hands-down the worst bus company. Going from DC to NY: I arrived with my confirmation number of my pre-paid ticket in hand. The gentleman behind the desk practically bit my head off and told me that if I didn't have a print out of the email confirmation he didn't have to honor my ticket. We got into it, I called his comment ridiculous and unacceptable - given that I'd already paid his company money and there was no notice on the website informing customers of the danger of not having that ticket honored unless it was printed out. In the end, I got my ticket and I suggested they put a warning on their website from now on instead of yelling at their customers. The man followed me outside, thrust a finger in my face and told me that I should be grateful because he just helped me. When I stood my ground and told him not to yell at me, he went apes**t -- so much so that I dialed 911 on my cell and had my finger hovering over the call button. Meanwhile, other customers were telling me that the man had exploded at them as well. I informed another woman with Apex about her employee's anger issues and she shrugged. Going from NY to DC: Against my better judgement I bought a return ticket -- mostly because the good companies like Bolt Bus were sold out. Well, I wound up in that Seinfeld episode -- you know, the one where he rents a car? ("So you can take a reservation, you just can't keep it?"). Bought a ticket for 6:30, arrived at 6 p.m. and waited in line. The 6:30 bus arrives -- almost completely full. About 10 people are able to get on before the bus left. Our crowd of ticket-holders were shocked, then furious. The woman and man from the company scowled, acted like they were annoyed with US. That was before they disappeared entirely. When they spoke (and please forgive me, I hate to be an ugly american, but frankly we also just could barely understand what they were saying) they basically just repeated the phrase "it's very busy today." Which...should not have been our problem, since we booked and paid for a ticket to leave at a particular time. They obviously overbook and they let people buy tickets on the bus without first making sure that ticketholders get on. Because of their greediness, several unfortunate riders returned back to DC after midnight, which means they were unable to take the metro and had to shell out more money for cabs or arrange rides once home. NEVER AGAIN! read more

What a trip! The dispatcher in DC was nice, the bus to NYC was clean and the driver made only one short stop. I should mention that it was a very democratic ride. When I asked the driver to turn the temperature up because I and the people around me were freezing, he said we will have democracy on his bus so the majority can decide. Passengers, who were still trying to remember the rules he set before we departed DC (no eating and drinking unless one really has to, no talking in the four rows behind him - otherwise he will stop the bus), quickly and unanimously voted they are not cold. I apologized to the whole bus for being the only one freezing so we all kept on shivering until we arrived to NYC. The same day, on the way back to DC: the dispatcher in NYC was a very very angry man who was literally throwing a tantrum in front of the bus. He was yelling at us, passengers with legally purchased tickets in our hands, while we were waiting to board the bus he had oversold for cash on the spot. I didn't let him intimidate me. The bus to DC was smelly (from the toilet in the back) but who cares, the ride was fast and I was so happy that I was on that bus after all that fuss in NYC... Now, I am still deciding whether I should like or dislike this company because, looking back, this was a really fun trip, with a touch of suspense. It was an adventure with good and bad elements. All that yelling, voting, not knowing where I would end up even though I had ticket in my hand are all good enough reasons why I will laugh whenever I think of this trip. read more

If have options, I absolutely sure not choose eastern bus, and no more take eastern bus any more. it made me lost my stuff that was value $200 dollars. Moreover I called uber to back D.C. And picked up my luggage. People work at there are impolite, their work attitudes I do not like it. they are they make me feeling they are arrogant and keeping distance with them. The service is not very good. read more

Sooo, this was my second adventure taking the Eastern Bus from DC to NYC and as expected, the adventures continued. The drive up wasn't that bad, despite being deadlock at a toll booth for an hour somewhere in Baltimore. Here is where the real adventure began. I bought tickets for my friend and I to take the 8:30 pm bus back to DC, however we decided to call it a day after walking around collecting our treasures from Chinatown *wink, wink*, Macy's, ... We were told, after calling the after hours number, that it would be ok to take the earlier bus. Once at the crowded bus stop, we knew that 7:30 would no longer be an option...I seemed to have underestimated the holiday weekend factor. After my friend hustled her way to the front of the line, to obtain our numbers 3 and 4 spots, we were good to go for the 8:30 bus. *Flash, flash* a fact that is important to know about this bus company: apparently a new method is used to get on the bus. Regardless of purchasing a ticket online or in person, you better get to the Madison Square Garden pick-up early, as you need to get a number to get on the bus and if you're traveling as a duo or more and want to sit next to each other, it's even more pertinent that you get the numbers. Fast forward, we're at our one and ony break in the 4.5 hour bus ride and the driver tells us "10 minute break!" Now I, having taken this bus before and knowing they will leave our butt if you take longer than 10.2 mintues, made sure to follow these directions to a T, however a few people didn't and got left behind. The driver's response after being told that he left a few people behind, "F---, it!" and sped off. Now one passenger, I didn't feel sorry for as she decide to wait 6 minutes after the announcement before getting off the bus to do whatever it is she couldn't do 6 minutes earlier. For the other folks left behind, sowree *in my saddest, sincere voice*. In sum, this bus is "an" option for people like me who want to take a quick trip to NYC, however, I wouldn't advise it for those who: a- expect to make reservations and get on the bus at the designated time, b- those who want to take more than 10 minutes at a rest stop and dont mind being left behind if you take longer c-have no other options. In other words, I will be finding alternate transportation for my next one day trip to NYC. read more

There is only one saving grace for this crappy service. It is cheap, but at $25 one way, you are better of spending a bit more and going Bolt or Mega as you'll get there with the same speed. It used to be fast and cheap, and that made it worth it, but as I write this - on an Eastern bus - it has taken us two hours to get from DC to Baltimore, and not because of traffic, but because of poor route selection, and because at the Baltimore stop, the bus driver hung around to make calls and wait for people that were 30 minutes late. If you're late, get on the next bus, don't make us late. read more

First rime on a bus in over 21 years it's rather nice and clean, staff is very pleasant. Ready to take a nap now read more

Eastern Travel & Tour - Driver giving instructions - Transportation Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia