Dartmouth Coach

My point of reference is Best Bus on their NY to DC route. This review is for the Dartmouth Coach to Dartmouth NH. Here’s what I’m impressed by.
Leather (or pleather; but comfy) seats that remind me of an executive office chair, and a sinful amount of leg room. Each seat has its own drop down tray (a la an airplane) and two outlets. Configuration is 2 rows — aisle — 1 row.
The rear has two tables for, presumably, people who’d like to work and need more table space. Then a tiny corner pantry with complimentary water and Keurig coffee.
Absolutely lovely.

I actually started a Unilocal account just to review this company because I was so shocked by my customer service experience with them.
I was stuck behind horrible construction in an Über on 2^nd Avenue in NYC at about 1:10pm on my way to take a 1:30pm coach. I immediately got on the phone with the customer service and told them it looked like I was going to be getting to the bus about three-​five minutes late and if they could contact the driver and let him know. Not only did I receive a firm, rigid no without explanation, but there was zero conversation. I said I understood company policies and that I’m sure people were always late, but that I was literally around the corner and that there must be something they could do. The woman just said «No, sorry.» I even called back when I was one block away (I’d gotten out of the über to try and run) at 1:29pm and was met with nothing but contempt. I ended up arriving at 1:32pm and the bus was gone. Okay, fine, but then when I called back and asked what the next option was, they said they couldn’t book me again for two days. Okay, fine, but then they also said they were going to charge me twice. This shocked me. Even if you are late for a flight, they simply rebook you.
Beyond all this, it’s truly just how uncool and unkind they were when I was trying to work it out. I get that a policy is a policy, but this customer service was astonishingly bad. Be good to your customers. Talk to them like humans. If a customer is clearly doing everything in the world she can to get to her bus and misses it, work with her a little.
Take Amtrak. It’s worth it. And they will rebook you without charge if you call them with a legitimate reason.

It’s pricy but this is the fastest and most direct way to get to Dartmouth from New York. I haven’t taken the Boston route, where I heard they use different buses. This review is only for the New York — Dartmouth route!
First of all, you book tickets online and are guaranteed a seat. Don’t think this is the case with the Boston route. The buses are spacious and it’s arranged in a 2-​seat and 1-​seat configuration so you may have a seat with no one beside you, which is nice. In addition, there is a two-​person table and a four person table in the back next to the kitchenette area and bathroom. The kitchenette has soft drinks, coffee, and baskets of snacks. It’s very nice! Each seat has multiple cup holders, a small tray table, outlets, etc.
The ride is direct and relaxing. They enforced the no cell phone rule so it’s quiet. People on my trip were respectful and silent. There’s technically wifi, but I couldn’t access it.
Overall, I highly recommend this coach. The 5 hour trip goes quickly and you can extend your legs.

Note: Dartmouth Coach has 3 different Unilocal pages. For readers’ benefit, I’m copy/​pasting the same review across all of the pages.
TL;DR: the most convenient and comfortable way to get from Boston or NYC to Hanover and Lebanon, NH. Worth the price. Don’t even bother flying.
I was planning a campus visit to Dartmouth College and wasn’t sure of which transportation option to pick. I initially only found the NYC Unilocal page for Dartmouth Coach; because it had just two reviews, I decided to fly instead, as I believed that to be a more reliable option.
I was gravely mistaken. My itinerary had me flying from LaGuardia to Boston and then to Lebanon/​Hanover airport (just 10 miles from Dartmouth). It took me an hour to get to LGA from Grand Central via subway and bus. My flight from LGA was delayed, meaning I missed my connection from BOS-​LEB. Upon reaching BOS, I had to transfer terminals by taking a shuttle bus and go through TSA security once more, only to discover that my flight was delayed and ultimately cancelled. I thought I was stranded in Boston when I realized that Dartmouth coach had a bus leaving in about an hour to Hanover, with stops in South Boston and Lebanon.
It took me 10 hours to get from NYC to Hanover. I would have been able to avoid the most stressful travel situation I’ve ever had and decrease my travel time in half if I had just taken the bus to begin with.
Pros: I’ve taken MegaBus and Vamoose from DC to NYC and back multiple times. Though Dartmouth Coach is probably twice as expensive, it’s also twice as enjoyable.
The seats are even more comfortable than those in Amtrak. They’re made of leather with a very comfortable head rest.
The bus from Hanover to NYC (making no stops) had twice as much leg room as the Boston route, and the row configuration was 2:1.
There are movie screens that play a film at a time (in my trips I saw a documentary about an obscure folk artist called Rodriguez, a documentary about Muhammad Ali, and Arnold Schwarzenegger classic «Jingle all the way.»)
And there are also free snacks you can help yourself to (my Boston route had just water and pretzels, but the NYC route offered granola bars and fruit, plus had a coffee machine as well!).
Cons: For some odd reason, Dartmouth Coach makes you hand in print tickets. When I was traveling from Boston to Hanover, I had the receipt on my phone. The driver politely asked me to step off the bus into the terminal, where a ticket counter employee would print me out a pass. I don’t really see why it’s so necessary, and after my grueling travel day I just wanted to sit back and not move.
The wifi is better than that I’ve experienced in other bus routes, but I wouldn’t count on it being reliable enough to do any serious work with. You can probably check some updates or email here and there, but that’s about it.
If you’re going to Dartmouth, this is really the best way to travel.

I am completely shocked by how I was treated today at the NY pickup. Took a cab to the stop, was feeling relaxed and on time, got out across the street and walked over. As I was approaching I was surprised to see the bus already pulling away even though I was on time. Still, it was three cars back at a red light and no sign of moving, so I knocked on the door. Knocked and knocked and the two snooty men in the front, driver and assistant I’m assuming, refused to open the door for me. According to my cell phone at the point I surrendered it was STILL 1:30. Why would you purposely ruin a customers trip!!! It would have been no time cost to anyone to open the door. Instead, they mocked me and pointed to the side as though there were an office, a human to talk to, or another bus.
I was left marooned with all my baggage at the side of the street, staring at a non-​moving bus that refused to open the door for me.
I went into the Wells Fargo where the bus drivers had pointed me to find no one affiliated with Dartmouth Coach. The security people were super nice to me and shocked by what had happened.
I regret not standing in front of the bus and refusing to move until they let me on.
It is very rare for me to feel the victim of an actual injustice. I am appalled, and out a lot of money and time for a now ruined trip.
Also, when I called to ask for a refund the woman spoke to me as though it were my fault, saying «the buses load 10 minutes before so I won’t refund you next time” – nowhere on the website does it say the buses leave before their scheduled time.
The refund was not enough for all the money I am out for my ruined weekend, nor being marooned with all my baggage, when I was ready at the bus door at the scheduled time.
I am so appalled.

If you’ve got to get to middle-​of-​nowhere, NH and don’t have a car, the Dartmouth Coach is a decent & efficient way to travel.
You can make reservations if you’re traveling between NYC and NH, and the pick-​up spots are incredibly convenient at both ends: just a few blocks from Grand Central in midtown NYC, and the center of Darmouth’s campus in Hanover, NH. The seats are spacious, and depending on what time/​day you travel, it’s possible to get 2 seats to yourself (great for naps). The bus has WiFi, and there are power outlets at every seat — critical for a long bus trip, especially if you want to do work or watch movies. They usually screen a movie, although probably better to rely on your Netflix queue. They stock snacks (granola bars, apples, muffins if it’s a morning trip) and coffee/​tea, which feels really luxurious after 4 hours sitting in traffic. No real food though, so definitely bring lunch.
It’s not like there are many public transit options between NYC and NH… Amtrak is an alternative, but the closest it will get you is White River Junction, VT, or Claremont, NH. The train takes over 7 hours, the bus takes approx 5 hours. The bus does cost more — Dartmouth Coach charges $ 150, while it’s only $ 100 for a round-​trip train ticket. I guess it depends on whether or not your time is worth money!