Vamoose Bus

Vamoose is always reliable. The pick-​up location in Arlington is very convenient — about a block from the Rosslyn metro stop. It leaves on-​time, and is almost always packed.
Every time I’ve ridden with Vamoose, there have been outlets at every seat and good, free WiFi. It’s a bus, so it’s pretty cramped and you don’t have much leg room; but that’s why it’s $ 40. It doesn’t make any rest stops along the way, so make sure that you have water and/​or snacks for the road. The pick-​up location in Arlington is right outside of Cosi, which makes it easy to grab a sandwich before boarding.
One time, I missed my DC-​bound Vamoose bus by about 5 minutes and was in a panic, and the Vamoose attendant (the guy who stands on the street and checks you in) was so nice — he put my ticket on hold and sent me an email with the ticket information/​instructions, allowing me to redeem its value for a future Vamoose trip. He told me that I could use my ticket for the next Vamoose bus, but that bus wasn’t scheduled to leave for another 2 hours, and I was in a hurry. So, I had to sprint to find another bus that was heading to DC soon. As I was sprinting, the Vamoose attendant made sure to call me on my cellphone to confirm that he had put my ticket on hold, which was so sweet — he was so helpful. He could see how stressed I was about missing the bus and potentially having to forfeit the value of my ticket.
I love Vamoose — highly recommend.

I rode with Vamoose for the first time this past weekend as a cheaper alternative to the train to get to New York City. I chose Vamoose over other companies because they have a pick up/​drop off location in Rosslyn (and it also skipped other stops) which is much more convenient for me. The bus was clean and it did not take long to get to and from New York, even with hitting some traffic leaving DC. What I was disappointed in was the fact that when we left Rosslyn to go to NYC, the driver did not announce an estimated time, the wifi, the fact that you could charge up your devices, etc. It would have been nice to be informed of these things, especially for people like me who have never ridden. They did explain all of this on the way home, however. The WiFi is pretty terrible, too, so that was a let down. It would not let me connect to Spotify or YouTube/​videos.
I was going to give three stars, but the Rosslyn location makes taking the bus very easy, and the price was great.

I took Vamoose Gold up to NYC, and took the normal Vamoose bus back to Arlington. I typically try to take Amtrak, but I wanted to save some money. TIP: purchase at least 2 weeks in advance and you might get a deal! Day of gold and regular was $ 75 and $ 40… When I purchased I got it for $ 60 and $ 20.
Gold: Personally, I think it’s worth the money. We ended up with a Georgetown Hoyas bus, but it was still the same concept (2 seats on one side, 1 on the other, folding trays, etc). The seats were nice and comfortable and have plenty of width, as well as leg room (for those «big and tall» folk). Most people boarded in Arlington and we were completely full when we picked up in Bethesda. Everyone was offered water and newspapers, a nice touch! My only complaint would be a strange urine like smell. But judging from the fact that I was sitting in the front, it was probably just a smelly person, not the bus itself.
Regular bus: It’s a bus. Nothing special. I could be imagining things, but it seemed like there was less width and legroom than other buses (PeterPan, possibly megabus). However, it was not terribly crowded (I left NY at 10AM on a Sunday) and it was very clean! We stopped in Delaware, but stayed on time. My complaint is that there were NO outlets anywhere close to me in the back of the bus, the driver even checked!
Overall, GREAT staff, in all 3 cities! The pick up and drop off locations can’t be beat! Especially in NY, no one likes to deal with the penn station mess! I’ll definitely book again, but probably gold only.

The Vamoose bus is a great way to get between DC and NYC. They did a great job during the Pope’s visit getting the buses in and out of midtown in the crowds. The buses are clean and comfortable. They always leave on time. I left something on the bus once and I was able to pick it up later. And they let you check two bags, and have overhead storage, which is great.

I take the bus to DC pretty often, and at this point, I’ve had enough experiences to be able to distinguish a regular terrible bus ride from an exceptionally terrible bus ride. For me, regular terrible means all the things I hate about riding the bus, but nothing that is the bus company’s direct fault. Let’s be honest’ the bus isn’t ever pleasant… there isn’t enough leg room, and someone always eats something that doesn’t smell good. Your seat mate always uses your arm rest, and someone always, without fail, misses their stop and freaks out. 5 hours in a confined space with a bunch of strangers isn’t anyone’s cup of tea!
Luckily for me, Vamoose was just regular terrible, which given the choice, I would do again.
PROS:
1. The bus was clean when I got on and didn’t smell (already better than my MegaBus experiences)
2. I love the location where they drop off/​pick up. 7^th Ave is waaaay easier to get to than 11^th!
3. The employees who assist with boarding and taking baggage are super nice and move quickly. I like that they know that you want to get moving and get on the bus quickly.
4. They can look up your reservation with just your name (they have iPads) so you don’t need to worry about printing a boarding pass.
5. I made a change to my reservation the day of my trip (decided to leave NY 2 hours earlier for my trip) and they didn’t charge me anything. That’s a nice perk.
CONS:
1. I have no idea what way we came home, but it took FOREVER and way longer than it took to get there.
2. They say they have free WiFi, but it’s the WORST WiFi ever and so slow. I meant to work on the bus to DC, but I couldn’t even refresh my e-​mail. Not the end of the world for me, but I definitely panicked for 2 hours because I told my boss I was reachable and I definitely was not.
3. There were no outlets to charge devices on the bus home, which was weird considering they said all their buses had power outlets. I hate getting on the subway with a dead cell phone, so I wasn’t pleased about that at all.
4. On the way home, they made no announcements about how long the trip was meant to take, or what time we might arrive in NY — they did on the way to DC, so I found those inconsistencies weird.
All in all, this was a positive experience. I would use Vamoose again.
EDIT: I just remembered — one thing I really like about Bolt Bus is that they make a stop in Maryland (I think) to take a bathroom break. It adds a little extra to the trip, but I got to a point where I REALLY wanted to stand up and stretch my legs for a few minutes. Both times, my seat mate was fast asleep and I am not enough of a jerk to make someone wake up so I can stand for a minute and sit back down. I think a pit stop would be a good addition!

The worst customer service you can possibly imagine. I call the number because the DC metro was late and I was trying to reach the dispatcher to tell I’d be running late by five minutes. Rude lady on the phone tells me to just try to make it and that she has no way of reaching the bus driver or dispatcher. What’s the goddamn point of having a customer service line, then?
So I miss the bus by exactly 3 minutes. Count it, 3 minutes. I was angry at this point, but I wanted to reschedule so I got my moneys worth. But no. Apparently, I can only take the bus the next morning. Apparently vamoose can’t prove that I was at the bus stop 3 minutes late because all their vamoose ppl had left already (last bus of the day). Can you believe that crap? I was there 3 minutes late and called customer sitting in front of the bus stop but since everyone was gone at the stop, I lost all ability to reschedule to a time I want. So there goes my pricey ticket. At this point I got pretty nasty with the «customer service» on the phone.
Anyway, if you value customer service at all, don’t spend money at this shit service.

On our return from NY to Bethesda Maryland. Bus arrived from Bethesda on time and departed at 5:30 Sharp. We ran into NY rush hour traffic adding 1 hour to our trip. That made the trip even more miserable. As traffic moved driver stops abruptly without any announcement to use the rest room. Then all seat lights were turned on thru out the trip, 3.5 hours. No passenger was able to turn them off. Worst of all — bus was hot towards the end of the trip my daughter in shorts was fanning herself. It felt like the bus driver was alone driving the bus and everything ran as he preferred.
Top that with broken chair that did not recline and WiFi that didn’t work ditto Electrical out let between our seat.
One more thing we contacted customer service to inquire about arrival time and possible delay. Customer service was not helpful on supplying basic information regarding bus arrival and departure time. We were told they have no idea. My husband thought they were joking. Finally he was told a manager would know. When asked to speak to manager he was told no one is available.
This will be my families last bus trip ever.

I’ve been a frequent passenger on Vamoose for the past several years. I am also very familiar with Megabus, Best Bus, and Bolt. I like Vamoose because:
a) it’s pick-​up location in Rosslyn is very convenient and it’s drop-​off in NY near Penn Station is also convenient (unlike with Mega or Bolt),
b) it’s easy to re-​schedule a trip with no additional cost (unlike with Bolt which charges you a fee every time)
c) you earn a free ride after 4 trips (Bolt offers free ride after 8 rides, I think
d) there are no additional service charges (unlike with Mega and Bolt)
In general, the bus drivers and ground crew are pleasant and friendly. The Bolt and Mega drivers are both quite funny though Bolt drivers tend to be funnier. For the most part, the drivers seem to drive safely though there have been a few occasions when they drove a bit too aggressively. That said, I appreciate when they take an alternate route to avoid sitting in traffic too long.
I used to be much happier with the customer service and the quality of the service but I have noticed a decline over the last year or two. I am mostly dissatisfied with the horrible WiFi. I have found the WiFi on Bolt to be much better. In addition, when I submitted feedback about this, the company didn’t even acknowledge it. Previously, they were far more attentive to customer feedback.
The other cons about Vamoose are:
1) Buses seem to be older
2) Seats don’t have tables if you want to do work on the bus (Bolt and Mega have them)
3) There seems to be less leg room on these buses compared to Bolt
4) Price is often comparable to Bolt or Mega although level of service offerings (i.e,. Wifi) is not
5) In general, it often seems like the Bolt buses arrive at their destination faster than the Vamoose buses do.

I used this operator to commute from NYC to DC. I agreed to pay the relatively high fare because of the positive feedback this operator gets here and in other sites. What a disappointment!
The ground staff was pushy; the bus was not clean; the worst — at some point mid-​way the engine began making very loud noises. A few passengers began feeling very disconcerted. When I approached the driver with the problem he rudely dismissed me, even though the racket clearly called for a safety stop and inspection. In addition to this serious safety issue, the noise made over a third of the ride simply terrible.
After this unpleasant experience, I contacted their customer service center and complained. Once again I was impatiently dismissed with no remedy offered.
This is the first and last time I will be using this operator. I strongly recommend you do the same.

Wow! Yes! Wifi was spotty but even amtrak can’t get the wifi right. Now, all I want is for them to offer late night busses so we can put megabus out of business in the northeast corridor.
Kind drivers and staff, clean, comfy, good-​smelling bus, and no passengers made me concerned for my safety.

After some terrible and traumatizing experiences with Bolt and Greyhound (don’t even mention Megabus and the Chinatown buses), I decided to give Vamoose a try. I’ve taken a total of 3 rides with them so far.
Positives:
1) Great customer service
2) I love the guys who manage the boarding process and handle the bags; always friendly and courteous
3) The drop-​off and pick-​up location is much more convenient than Bolt’s and Megabus’ which is all the way over by the West Side Highway.
Cons:
1) Limited schedule
2) On all 3 of my rides, the drivers took strange routes out of DC and into DC. What should be a 4.5 to 5-​hour long ride took 5.5 to 6 hours.
3) The wi-​fi didn’t work on any of the buses I took.

More like 3.5 star
Pros — Very well organized with 2 – 3 staff at the stops placing people in orderly lines and checking luggage and ppl in. Power outlet every seat. Clean bathroom and relatively comfy seats.
Cons — Price: we paid $ 80 round trip per person from Rosalyn to Penn station. Wifi: too weak even to check email.
Tip — Get there at least 30 min early if you want to sit with your friend.

My first time traveling with VA Moose. I was greeted by their staff at stop. Juan was courteous and polite. He checked me in for the trip and provided me with great information on the VA Moose service. I will definitely become a member and recommend this company to others who travel to NY area… Thanks Juan and VA Moose!!!

We had a great experience!
We splurged and spent an extra $ 20/​person for the Gold Vamoose bus. We totally don’t regret it! The bus is nice and comfortable, the seats are great. Our bus was less than half full, which made for a nice quiet ride.
The wifi worked as well as could be expected. Sometimes it was spotty, but I don’t expect blazing fast speeds on a bus. Good enough to read emails. The bathroom is also what you’d expect– small. But it works and since they typically don’t make a stop, it’s helpful on the four hour ride.
We thought the service was very nice and friendly. Everyone we encountered through Vamoose was excellent, especially Jeremiah.
We also enjoyed how organized the line was compared to other bus services to NY. We also liked the pickup in Bethesda vs. DC or Baltimore. Makes a difference to us since we are coming from Frederick.
We also liked how the pick up/​drop off was covered, so you’re not waiting in rain/​snow/​wind. That’s huge on a chilly 31 degree morning.
We will definitely use them again to get to/​from NYC.

This is the most logical location for us to take the bus to NYC. If you are driving to the stop there are a couple of garages where you can park your car overnight. We opted to take the megabus and it was a wise decision. We were provided with bottled water and newspapers. The bus is also equipped with power outlets, free wifi access as well. The driver was professional and provided updates all throughout the trip.
On the trip back we took the regular bus just for comparison. There were no free newspaper and water, There was still power outlets and wifi, the wifi however disconnected a lot bec it was slow and unstable. We never had that issue on the Megabus.
Overall, its good value.

I have taken the Vamoose from Rosslyn a couple of times heading for NY. A co-​worker recommended it to me. By far it is the best of all of the options out there. I have been on Greyhound and Mega bus but Vamoose is my favorite. I will do reviews on the others also. My first time I was nervous and uncertain about the pickup drop off but there are folks with the famous vamoose bright yellow jackets who stood out. The gold bus is my FAV! The other bus is just your standard bus. The buses to date have always left on time and everyone is polite. Fro the gold they provide you with a bottle of water and a copy of the NY Times at the Bethesda stop. I would have given this review a 5 but I HATE THE BATHROOMS ON BUSES… it’s not their fault its just me :-)
I have passed on the good news of Vamoose! Ride on Citizens!

I have big expectations in using Vamoose Bus, so I ordered using the gold Vamoose from DC to NYC with a group of 6 people.
I am so disappointed for three reasons:
1. No wifi as promised.
2. Calling support to the hq, and no definite answer.
3. Very dirty tray (upload the photo)

Let me start by telling you why I try to avoid all forms of public transportation like the plague! I have the WORST MOTION SICKNESS ever which is why I am typically driving or always in the front passenger seat getting dirty stares from my friends who are taller than 4’10 and wonder why I always get the good seat…
Jolly’s parents generously invited us on a 7day cruise which took off from NYC and they are huge planners so had already bought everyone a bus ticket for the trip. I didn’t want to be ‘that girl’ who would have to drive to NYC by myself just to avoid a puking disaster.
I am happy to say that I survived the Vamoose! Both trips to and from NYC took exactly 4 hours and the drive was not as bumpy as I thought it would be. The bus departed on time too! I love that each seat had its own outlet, the bus had a bathroom for my tiny bladder, AND you can bring food/​drink onto the bus! You better believe I brought the biggest bottle of ginger ale that I could find!
Our bus going to NYC was pretty empty so each person could take over a row of 2 seats. woohoo! Unfortunately one incredibly annoying guy on the bus took the liberty of sprawling his legs across the bus aisle and fell asleep. Then he got annoyed at ME for my frequent bathroom trips… how rude.
The Wifi didn’t work for me so I wasn’t able to catch up on my Netflix :/​
Before the bus took off, one of the vamoose workers came on the bus to explain bus rules and he REAKED of cigarettes… which made me even more nauseous. I shouldn’t have sat in the first row…
A-​OK in my book!

Vamoose has been my go-​to bus company for all my NY trips for about a year now. I’ve tried various bus companies including Megabus and Tripper Bus, but they’re currently my favorite because of the following reasons:
1. Reasonable pricing. They’re more expensive, but I’ve used coupon codes for discount off tickets, and each trip earns you points, which you can apply towards a free ticket.
2. Pick-​up in Rosslyn, which is great because I lives in Falls Church. They also pick up in Bethesda. I found this convenient when my siblings (who live in Silver Spring) and I were planning a family trip.
3. You can sometimes pick a route that skips Bethesda, which saves you 30 minutes off your trip.
4. The staff are organized and arrivals/​departures are on time.
5. The buses are clean and comfortable. Wifi is iffy but it works.
6. They’ve concerned about your safety. They play a safety DVD as they leave the stop. My boyfriend set his backpack on the floor behind the seat, and the staff requested he put it in the overhead bin because someone may trip over the straps.
Pro-​tip: Arrive early to get a good seat, especially if you’re a party of two. I would recommend at least 30 minutes, as it’s first-​come, first-​serve to line up. They really leave on time! We narrowly missed our bus last week.
If you’re traveling from NY to VA/​MD, there is a Panera Bread (330 7^th Avenue) that’s a couple of blocks from the Bagel Maven stop with clean bathrooms and you can pick up a sandwich or salad to eat on the bus.

I love that they pickup in Rosslyn which saves VA people the trip downtown.
On time, professional, reasonably priced.
My only advice is that you arrive early if you are not traveling alone as seat pairs go fast. Lots of solo travelers that love to sit in the aisle seat and have their bag on the window seat, all while impressively refusing eye contact with you.
Also good advice is to pee before you get on the bus. Only sanitizing gel and a bumpy ride await you.