What Happened to BoltBus? Its History, Its Routes, and Who Runs Them Now
by Wanderu
BoltBus doesn’t run anymore, and if you miss it, you’re in good company: Wanderu travelers booked more than 785,000 seats on it. Greyhound, which owned it, shut the brand down on July 1, 2021, after months of empty seats during the pandemic. The good news is that its routes still have buses, usually from several companies, and this page links every one you can book on Wanderu.
Each route below says how many buses run it today and who runs them, which is the closest thing to a BoltBus schedule now. And boltbus.com redirects to FlixBus, which has owned Greyhound since 2021.
Is BoltBus still running?
No. BoltBus shut down on July 1, 2021. A month earlier it had handed most of its routes to Greyhound, saying it was undergoing renovations. Then a Greyhound spokesperson told The Seattle Times, “Currently there is not a timeline to return BoltBus operations,” as The New York Times reported. It never came back.
On the East Coast it ended sooner. The last East Coast BoltBus ticket was booked on Wanderu in early April 2020, as the pandemic took hold. In the Pacific Northwest, BoltBus kept selling until June 2021. In October 2021 Greyhound itself became part of Flix, the company behind FlixBus.
What BoltBus was
BoltBus started on March 27, 2008, with nonstop buses between New York and Washington, D.C. It was a cheaper Greyhound brand, run with Peter Pan Bus Lines, set up to compete with the cheap Chinatown buses on the Northeast corridor. New York to Philadelphia followed on April 10 and New York to Boston on April 24. BoltBus later added stops in Baltimore, Greenbelt, Newark, Cherry Hill and New Haven, and in 2019 Wilmington.
In 2012 Greyhound took the format west. Seattle to Portland opened on May 17, 2012, and Vancouver, B.C. and Bellingham two weeks later. Eugene and Albany, Ore. joined in October 2013, and California followed that fall and winter, with buses from Los Angeles to San Jose, Oakland, San Diego and Las Vegas. Peter Pan’s part ended on September 27, 2017, when Greyhound became BoltBus’s sole owner.
What BoltBus brought to bus travel
- $1 seats. Every bus had at least one seat sold for $1, plus a booking fee, and fares rose as the bus filled. At launch the top fare was $20 online, or $25 from the driver.
- WiFi and outlets. Free WiFi on every coach and power outlets at most seats, from the first trip. The free WiFi came with a data cap, 100MB, with paid upgrades for more.
- More legroom. BoltBus coaches carried five fewer seats than the industry standard, which gave every row more room.
- A guaranteed seat and boarding groups. A ticket held a place on that specific bus, but there were no assigned seats. Travelers boarded by group and took any open seat, with earlier groups for people who booked early or belonged to the loyalty program.
- Phone tickets. You boarded by showing the driver the confirmation on your phone, so there was nothing to print.
- Curbside stops. In New York, BoltBus boarded on the street, at marked stops in Midtown and downtown, rather than in a terminal.
Hardly anyone actually paid a dollar. About 2% of the BoltBus seats sold on Wanderu went for about $1. The typical ticket was $19, and it barely moved: $19 in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. So the $1 fare was real. You just had to book very early to see one.
BoltBus by the numbers
Wanderu sold BoltBus tickets from May 2016 until the brand stopped, and travelers booked more than 785,000 BoltBus seats through us in that time. Three routes out of New York carried more than half of them.
| Route (both directions) | Share of BoltBus seats | Typical fare | Middle 80% of fares |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York – Boston | 25% | $21 | $13–$35 |
| New York – Washington, D.C. | 17% | $19 | $14–$33 |
| New York – Philadelphia | 14% | $12 | $9–$18 |
| Seattle – Portland | 6% | $22 | $16–$31 |
| Seattle – Vancouver, B.C. | 5% | $24 | $18–$30 |
| New York – Baltimore | 4% | $21 | $14–$34 |
| Boston – New Haven | 4% | $17 | $10–$23 |
| Washington, D.C. – Newark | 3% | $25 | $17–$37 |
Travelers liked it. BoltBus holds a 4.57 out of 5 average across 695 approved Wanderu reviews of trips between April 2019 and May 2021, and 95% of those reviewers gave it four or five stars. WiFi, the feature BoltBus launched on, was its weak spot. Only 65% of reviewers who answered said it worked, and it came up in complaints more often than outlets, restrooms or delays.
Where BoltBus stopped in New York City
BoltBus’s main New York stop was 11th Avenue between 35th and 36th Streets, across from the Javits Center, from August 2017 until its East Coast service stopped in 2020. OurBus still boards there for Boston and Washington.
In the years Wanderu sold it, every BoltBus departure from New York left from the curb, not Port Authority, and the stops moved more than once. These are the ones our travelers used, busiest first:
- 11th Avenue between 35th and 36th Streets, across from the Javits Center: the main stop from August 2017, for Washington, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Greenbelt and Cherry Hill, and for Boston until mid-2018.
- West 34th Street at 12th Avenue: the main stop until mid-2017.
- 270 West 36th Street, between Seventh and Eighth Avenues: Boston and New Haven buses from mid-2018.
- First Avenue between 38th and 39th Streets, just south of the United Nations: Boston buses.
- Sixth Avenue between Grand and Watts Streets, downtown: Washington and Philadelphia buses.
Most other buses to Boston and Washington now leave from Port Authority or from curbside stops on Eighth Avenue around 31st Street. Outside New York, BoltBus used the main stations: South Station in Boston, Union Station in Washington and 30th Street Station in Philadelphia.
BoltBus routes you can book on Wanderu, and today’s lowest fares
| Destination | Travel time | From |
|---|---|---|
| New York to Boston | about 4 to 5 hours | $13 Bus$13 Bus |
| New York to Washington, D.C. | about 4 to 5 hours | $14 Bus$12 Bus |
| New York to Philadelphia | about 2 hours | $8 Bus$8 Bus |
| New York to Baltimore | about 4 hours | $15 Bus$15 Bus |
| Boston to New Haven | about 2 and a half to 4 hours | $24 Bus$24 Bus |
| Washington to Newark | about 3 and a half to 5 hours | $20 Bus$18 Bus |
| Boston to Philadelphia | about 6 and a half to 8 hours | $37 Bus$33 Bus |
| New York to Cherry Hill | about 2 hours | $16 Bus$15 Bus |
| Seattle to Portland | about 3 to 4 hours | $24 Bus$24 Bus |
| Seattle to Vancouver, B.C. | about 3 and a half to 4 hours | $22 Bus$22 Bus |
| Portland to Eugene | about 2 to 3 and a half hours | $18 Bus$18 Bus |
| Bellingham to Seattle | about 2 hours | $11 Bus$18 Bus |
| Los Angeles to Las Vegas | about 5 to 5 and a half hours | $30 Bus$35 Bus |
| Los Angeles to San Francisco | about 7 to 9 and a half hours | $47 Bus$44 Bus |
Who runs BoltBus’s East Coast routes now
Each Northeast route below still runs, most of them with several bus companies on them. The “from” fares below are live, the same prices the route pages show.
New York to Boston
about 4 to 5 hours
- New York to Boston busesfrom $13
- Boston to New York busesfrom $13
BoltBus’s biggest route by a distance: a quarter of every BoltBus seat sold on Wanderu, with tickets usually about $21. FlixBus, Greyhound, Peter Pan, OurBus, CoachRun and TransportAzumah run it now, with about 110 departures a day in each direction. Most Boston buses arrive at South Station, where BoltBus did.
New York to Washington, D.C.
about 4 to 5 hours
- New York to Washington busesfrom $14
- Washington to New York busesfrom $12
The route BoltBus opened with in 2008, and its second-busiest on Wanderu at about $19 a ticket. Thirteen bus brands run it today, with more than 100 departures a day each way. Greyhound, FlixBus and Peter Pan run the most, and OurBus, Washington Deluxe, BestBus, Tripper Bus, Wanda Coach and BBBus fill in. The three biggest arrive at Union Station, where BoltBus did.
New York to Philadelphia
about 2 hours
The cheap one, then and now: a typical BoltBus ticket here was $12 on Wanderu. OurBus, Greyhound, FlixBus, Peter Pan, PhillyBus, BBBus and PandaNY Bus share it today, about 175 departures a day.
New York to Baltimore
about 4 hours
- New York to Baltimore busesfrom $15
- Baltimore to New York busesfrom $15
BoltBus added Baltimore in 2009, and the New York route made up 4% of its seats on Wanderu, usually about $21 a ticket. Greyhound and FlixBus run most of its 80 to 90 departures a day each way, with BBBus, Peter Pan, OurBus, Wanda Coach and CoachRun as well.
Boston to New Haven
about 2 and a half to 4 hours
- Boston to New Haven busesfrom $24
- New Haven to Boston busesfrom $24
Easy to forget BoltBus ran this one, but it was 4% of its Wanderu seats, at a typical $17. It has 20 to 25 departures a day each way now, Peter Pan with the most, followed by Greyhound, FlixBus, OurBus and TransportAzumah.
Washington to Newark
about 3 and a half to 5 hours
- Washington to Newark busesfrom $20
- Newark to Washington busesfrom $18
BoltBus added its Newark stop in March 2011. Washington to Newark became 3% of its seats on Wanderu, with tickets usually about $25. Greyhound and FlixBus run most of today’s 25 or so departures a day each way, with Peter Pan and TransportAzumah too.
Boston to Philadelphia
about 6 and a half to 8 hours
- Boston to Philadelphia busesfrom $37
- Philadelphia to Boston busesfrom $33
The long one, at six and a half hours or more. It was a typical $31 on BoltBus, and Greyhound, FlixBus, Peter Pan and OurBus share about 35 departures a day each way now.
New York to Cherry Hill
about 2 hours
- New York to Cherry Hill busesfrom $16
- Cherry Hill to New York busesfrom $15
Still a short hop. BoltBus tickets usually ran about $13, and Greyhound, FlixBus and OurBus now run nearly 40 departures a day each way, stopping at Cherry Hill Mall like BoltBus did.
Who runs BoltBus’s West Coast routes now
The West Coast was about a fifth of BoltBus’s seats on Wanderu, most of them in the Pacific Northwest. Each route below still runs.
Seattle to Portland
about 3 to 4 hours
- Seattle to Portland busesfrom $24
- Portland to Seattle busesfrom $24
BoltBus’s first West Coast route, from May 2012, and its busiest one on Wanderu at a typical $22. FlixBus and Greyhound run it now, nine or ten departures a day each way.
Seattle to Vancouver, B.C.
about 3 and a half to 4 hours
- Seattle to Vancouver busesfrom $22
- Vancouver to Seattle busesfrom $22
Added two weeks after Portland, and 5% of BoltBus’s Wanderu seats at a about $24 a ticket. Greyhound, FlixBus and Amtrak Thruway buses run it now, about 20 departures a day each way, into Pacific Central Station, the same Vancouver station BoltBus used.
Portland to Eugene
about 2 to 3 and a half hours
- Portland to Eugene busesfrom $18
- Eugene to Portland busesfrom $18
BoltBus reached Eugene in October 2013, where tickets usually ran about $15. Amtrak Thruway, Pacific Crest Bus Lines, Greyhound and FlixBus cover it now, 15 to 19 departures a day each way.
Bellingham to Seattle
about 2 hours
- Bellingham to Seattle busesfrom $11
- Seattle to Bellingham busesfrom $18
Bellingham has twice as many buses to Seattle as back, 12 departures a day against 6, from Greyhound, FlixBus, Amtrak Thruway and the Dungeness Line. On BoltBus it was a typical $14.
Los Angeles to Las Vegas
about 5 to 5 and a half hours
- Los Angeles to Las Vegas busesfrom $30
- Las Vegas to Los Angeles busesfrom $35
BoltBus’s California network was smaller than its Pacific Northwest one, and Los Angeles to Las Vegas, from December 2013, was its biggest piece on Wanderu, at a typical $23. FlixBus, Greyhound, Las Vegas Shuttles, Tufesa and Amtrak Thruway run it now, 13 or 14 departures a day each way.
Los Angeles to San Francisco
about 7 to 9 and a half hours
FlixBus and Greyhound split this one now, 23 to 29 departures a day each way. BoltBus tickets usually ran about $31.
Frequently asked questions
Is BoltBus still running?
No. BoltBus shut down on July 1, 2021. Its East Coast buses had stopped in spring 2020, and in June 2021 most of its routes passed to Greyhound. Its main routes are still served by other bus companies, including FlixBus, Greyhound and Peter Pan.
What happened to BoltBus?
Greyhound, which owned BoltBus, suspended it during the pandemic, after months of empty seats. In June 2021 it moved most BoltBus routes to Greyhound, and on July 1, 2021 BoltBus shut down for good. Greyhound became part of Flix, the company behind FlixBus, in October 2021.
Who owned BoltBus?
Greyhound. BoltBus launched on March 27, 2008 as a Greyhound brand run with Peter Pan Bus Lines, and Greyhound became its sole owner on September 27, 2017.
Where was the BoltBus stop in New York City?
In the years Wanderu sold it, BoltBus boarded at the curb in Manhattan rather than at Port Authority. Its main stop from 2017 was on 11th Avenue between 35th and 36th Streets, across from the Javits Center. Before that it used West 34th Street at 12th Avenue, and Boston buses also left from First Avenue near the United Nations and from West 36th Street.
Did BoltBus really sell $1 tickets?
Yes. Every bus had at least one seat sold for $1, plus a booking fee. They were rare: about 2% of the BoltBus seats sold on Wanderu went for about $1, and the typical ticket was $19.
Can I still buy BoltBus tickets?
No, there are no BoltBus buses left to book. The same routes are sold on Wanderu under the companies that run them now, such as FlixBus, Greyhound, Peter Pan and OurBus between New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Washington, and FlixBus and Greyhound between Seattle and Portland.
The BoltBus figures on this page come from Wanderu’s own records: every BoltBus seat booked on Wanderu from May 2016 to June 2021. “Typical” is the median price per seat, and the middle 80% runs from the 10th to the 90th percentile. Review figures are from approved Wanderu reviews of BoltBus trips. The “from” prices refresh from Wanderu’s route data: each is the cheapest fare recently available on that route, the same figure its route page shows. Who runs each route today, departures per day and travel times come from Wanderu’s current listings. BoltBus’s history is from contemporary coverage: ABC News and Metro Magazine on its 2008 launch, The New York Times on its 2021 shutdown, and Wikipedia for its route timeline. Its seating, WiFi and ticket details are from Wanderu’s own 2019 guide to BoltBus tickets.
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