I tried a luxury bus startup on a trip from NYC to DC and compared it with Amtrak on the way back. Even though it was slower, I liked the bus more.

A matte black bus that reads
The Jet on a cold January morning.

Brittany Chang/Insider

  • In January, I took a $99 luxury bus trip from New York City to Washington, DC.
  • I then rode Amtrak’s Northeast Regional from Washington DC back to New York for $49.
  • My Amtrak ride may have been faster and cheaper, but it can’t compare to the Jet’s excessive luxury.
In early January, I took a $99 luxury bus trip with motion-canceling seats and free alcohol from New York City to Washington DC.

A matte black bus that reads
The Jet on a cold January morning.

Brittany Chang/Insider

My trip on the Jet’s luxury coach was so comfortable, I enjoyed it more than my $49 Amtrak Northeast Regional return trip.

A row of two leather sets. One chair has a laptop, purse, water bottle with bags on the floor.
My messy seat.

Brittany Chang/Insider

And that’s not an easy statement for me to say — some of my fondest travel memories have been with Amtrak, and I hold the railroad service close to my heart.

People disembarking the Northeast Regional Amtrak train.
The Northeast Regional Amtrak train.

Brittany Chang/Insider

But the Jet’s fast WiFi, palatial “Hoverseats,” and free snacks made the startup’s service the clear winner for travel between Manhattan and Washington, DC.

Rows of black leather seats, some topped with jackets, bags, pillows.
Inside the Jet.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Let me explain.

two seats, one with the tray table up
The seats in October 2021.

Brittany Chang/Insider

The Jet is an intercity bus startup with tickets that range from around $100 to up to almost $200.

A matte black bus that reads
The Jet on a cold January morning.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Source:

This price tag is much higher than the typical Greyhound or Megabus trip, but that’s because the Jet isn’t your typical intercity bus.

Two side-by-side Megabuses during a pitstop. Two people are standing besides the first bus parked further back.
Two Megabus buses in New York in 2012.

Hyungwon Kang/Reuters

The startup calls itself an “affordable first-class” bus service.

A matte black bus that reads
The Jet on a cold January morning.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Source:

While this isn’t a new concept, it’s the only service to pick up and drop off travelers in Manhattan (Hudson Yards) and Washington DC (Metro Center).

A view of tall buildings through bus windows. Someone wearing a beanie sits in the lower corner of the frame.
A view out the windows while we were still in Manhattan.

Brittany Chang/Insider

The Jet’s coaches are filled with luxury services and amenities that made my five-hour bus ride from New York to DC fly by.

A fridge with tinted windows and drinks inside.
The galley at the rear of the bus.

Brittany Chang/Insider

During my Friday afternoon trip on the Jet from New York to Washington DC, I noticed several amenities that Amtrak doesn’t have.

A drawer full of snacks.
The galley at the rear of the bus.

Brittany Chang/Insider

For starters, its coaches are lined with the most comfortable passenger seats I’ve ever sat on in any mode of transit, whether it be planes, trains, or personal cars.

two seats, one with the tray table up
The seats in October 2021.

Brittany Chang/Insider

The 45-degree reclinable seats are filled with gel and memory foam padding with adjustable seat backs.

a reclined single seat with the foot rest up
A reclined seat in October 2021.

Brittany Chang/Insider

And because there are only 14 seats inside the 45-foot-long Jet, each row is six feet apart, providing more than enough legroom.

rows of seats inside the bus
The seats at the front of the bus in October 2021.

Brittany Chang/Insider

I could have easily fallen asleep in full recline — like the passenger sitting next to me — if I wasn’t working.

A row of empty seats.
Inside the Jet.

Brittany Chang/Insider

The seats are also lined with Bose-developed suspension technology that blocks 90% of the freeway’s bumps.

rows of seats inside one of the Jet's buses
The seats in October 2021.

Brittany Chang/Insider

If you’ve never heard of this in-seat technology before, you’re not alone. It’s more commonly used in the long-haul trucking industry, and the Jet says its passenger buses are the first to use such tech.

A row of two leather sets. One chair has a laptop, purse, water bottle with a backpack on the floor.
My messy seat.

Brittany Chang/Insider

These “hoverseats” don’t block the sways of the bus, but it does make a noticeable difference in smoothing out what could otherwise be a turbulent bus ride.

The back of the bus looking towards the front and rows of seats.
Inside the Jet.

Brittany Chang/Insider

But if you’re prone to motion sickness like I am, this suspension tech won’t be your savior.

Large windows show snow falling down the side of the window.
A view out the windows while we were still in Manhattan.

Brittany Chang/Insider

I still felt carsick-induced nausea and headaches after about two hours on the road, likely because I was staring at my laptop screen and working for most of the bus ride.

A laptop with a map of Manhattan. Bus seats and large windows are behind it.
Working on the Jet.

Brittany Chang/Insider

While this wasn’t the brightest idea, it wouldn’t have been possible without the Jet’s robust WiFi, which is the same system available on Google and Facebook’s employee shuttles, Chad Scarborough, the Jet’s founder and CEO, previously told Insider.

A laptop with a map of Manhattan. Bus seats and large windows are behind it.
Working on the Jet.

Brittany Chang/Insider

I could stream videos and music, peruse social media, and use Slack without any delays even as other passengers were using their devices.

A matte black bus that reads
The Jet on a cold January morning.

Brittany Chang/Insider

And because the seats had plenty of working outlets, I never had to worry about draining my phone or laptop’s batteries.

two seats, one with the tray table up
The seats in October 2021.

Brittany Chang/Insider

The Jet also has a friendly attendant that checks on the passengers and provides a wide selection of complimentary snacks and beverages, which include water, wine, beer, coffee, and sodas.

The attendant holding a tray of snacks and napkins
Snacks on the Jet.

Brittany Chang/Insider

The fast WiFi, complimentary snacks, and comfortable seats made the Jet the most comfortable travel experience I’ve ever had, minus the carsickness.

A matte black bus that reads
The Jet on a cold January morning.

Brittany Chang/Insider

And while I’ve never had a bad Amtrak experience, the railroad service just can’t compare to the comforts of the Jet.

The galley at the rear of the bus. There's a coffee maker and a mini fridge.
The galley at the rear of the bus.

Brittany Chang/Insider

I’ve traveled on the Northeast Regional, Acela, and Coast Starlight, and am a big fan of the passenger railroad company.

People disembarking the Northeast Regional Amtrak train.
The Northeast Regional Amtrak train.

Brittany Chang/Insider

But when I took the Northeast Regional from DC back to New York, I found myself missing some of the luxuries the Jet had.

A coffee maker and milk frother next to cups.
The galley at the rear of the bus.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Amtrak and the Jet only share two major similarities: the option for intercity travel and onboard bathrooms.

A toilet and toilet paper.
The bathroom.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Amtrak’s bathroom is a bit bigger, albeit not by much.

The sink with soap and a trash can in a bathroom.
Inside my Northeast Regional Amtrak train ride.

Brittany Chang/Insider

And it’s definitely not as bright and modern as the Jet’s.

Me taking a picture of myself in the bathroom.
Inside my Northeast Regional Amtrak train ride.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Amtrak’s seats also aren’t nearly as plush as the Jet’s, although the startup did set the bar unreasonably high.

Rows of passenger seats with one passenger.
Inside my Northeast Regional Amtrak train ride.

Brittany Chang/Insider

But the most frustrating part of my Amtrak ride was the free WiFi, which was pretty much nonexistent.

A Mac disconnected from WiFi.
Inside my Northeast Regional Amtrak train ride.

Brittany Chang/Insider

I’m used to bad WiFi on different modes of transportation, but the one on my Northeast Regional ride disconnected me every few minutes.

A laptop loading the Google search homepage.
Inside my Northeast Regional Amtrak train ride.

Brittany Chang/Insider

I could keep up with Slacks instantly on the Jet, but I couldn’t even respond to my emails on my Amtrak ride without the WiFi disconnecting. I ultimately gave up and decided to work offline because the alternative was too frustrating.

Rows of empty passenger seats. Many are empty.
Inside my Northeast Regional Amtrak train ride.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Yes, these are minor gripes, but none that I had on the Jet.

A matte black bus that reads
The Jet on a cold January morning.

Brittany Chang/Insider

But in defense of the train system, Amtrak has two big benefits that the Jet doesn’t: speed and the railway system.

Rows of empty passenger seats. Many are empty.
Inside my Northeast Regional Amtrak train ride.

Brittany Chang/Insider

My Northeast Regional journey was physically smoother than the bus ride on the freeway, so getting up to stretch didn’t feel as precarious as it did on the Jet. Plus, no motion sickness.

The exterior of the coach class on the Northeast Regional Amtrak train.
The Northeast Regional Amtrak train.

Brittany Chang/Insider

And because Amtrak doesn’t travel over the freeway, I had no concerns with delays on the estimated time of arrival.

An Amtrak train pulls out of Union Station on Wednesday, April 7, 2021.
An Amtrak train pulls out of Union Station on Wednesday, April 7, 2021.

Photo By Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

My Amtrak trip back to New York was also almost three-and-a-half hours, about one-and-a-half hours shorter than my Jet ride.

People walking past the Northeast Regional Amtrak train.
The Northeast Regional Amtrak train.

Brittany Chang/Insider

If your priority is speed, the Jet just can’t compare. The extra one-and-a-half hours can make a big difference when you’re traveling.

A matte black bus that reads
The Jet on a cold January morning.

Brittany Chang/Insider

But based on amenities and luxuries alone, to me, the Jet is a pretty great form of intercity travel.

A matte black bus that reads
The Jet on a cold January morning during our bathroom stop.

Brittany Chang/Insider

I’ve yet to see the same efficient WiFi, comfortable seats, spacious rows, and selection of complimentary snacks and beverages on any other mode of transportation.

A napkin that reads
Snacks on the Jet.

Brittany Chang/Insider

These are just excessive luxuries, but they definitely made my journey more pleasant. And I found traveling on the Jet a highlight of my weekend DC trip.

A fridge with tinted windows and drinks inside.
The galley at the rear of the bus.

Brittany Chang/Insider

My Jet trip was $50 more expensive than my Amtrak journey, but it should be noted that January is often a slow travel month, which may explain my cheaper Amtrak ticket.

Rows of empty passenger seats. Many are empty.
Inside my Northeast Regional Amtrak train ride.

Brittany Chang/Insider

According to the startup, the Jet’s prices are “comparable” to Amtrak’s regional routes and less expensive than Acela. And the startup knows this is a major part of its appeal.

The galley at the rear of the bus. A hand sanitizer bottle is mounted on the right.
The galley at the rear of the bus.

Brittany Chang/Insider

In late October 2021, Scarborough predicted its passengers would be the top roughly 2% of leisure budget bus riders, or “people who want a nicer option” but don’t want to pay for an Amtrak, he told Insider.

Two buttons to adjust the lumbar support of each seat.
Buttons to adjust the seating.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Source:

At this point, I’m comparing the plushest travel experience I’ve ever had (the Jet) with the more efficient but less comfortable option (Amtrak).

The Northeast Regional Amtrak train.
The Northeast Regional Amtrak train.

Brittany Chang/Insider

But ultimately, the Jet’s unnecessarily plush amenities have convinced me that I’d rather take the startup to and from DC instead of Amtrak, just as long as I’m not in a rush.

The refrigerator with cans of beer.
The galley at the rear of the bus.

Brittany Chang/Insider

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