Fung Wah Bus

Decent bus service. Too bad they serve the dregs of society at night. Watch your bags and valuables.
PLEASE COME BACK!!!

Although my personal experiences on Fung Wah Bus have generally been nothing to sneeze at, I wouldn’t ride them again because of all the news the Boston Globe and Metro have reported over the years about the dangers they pose: loose, cracked or broken structural frames, speeding violations, engine fires, rollovers and crashes (which took at least one life). In fact, Fung Wah made Metro’s last two front-​page headlines for being ordered by the Mass. Department of Transportation to pull more than two dozen buses from service because of failed inspections.
Given all this, I’m surprised Fung Wah is still in business and is still popular with college students (their $ 15 tickets are certainly an offer hard to refuse). Even once, when a bus caught fire and there was a delay until they could get a replacement, not one passenger demanded their money back! Admittedly I was annoyed once when my Fung Wah bus made a rest stop and then suddenly took off without us. A fellow passenger assured me he thought the bus only went to the gas station, which was true, but that unannounced change of plans was disrespectful on their part.
Bolt Bus, Megabus, and Lucky Star (Fung Wah’s immediate competitor) are better alternatives for discount trips to New York.

Probably the cheapest way to commit suicide. Some of their drivers don’t even have a valid Driver License.
I don’t understand how they are allowed to operate.
Quoted from the Boston Globe:
«…Fung Wah buses have been cited for 159 maintenance violations in the past two years, including 23 instances of cracked, loose, or broken frames, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Its drivers are ranked in the bottom 3 percent of drivers nationwide, based on experience and training.
Drivers have racked up a dozen speeding violations in the past two years and been cited six times for failure to speak English or operating without a commercial driver’s license, according to federal regulators. »

I’m from MA, so there are a few options for bus travel NYC-​Boston. But, I have to say you can’t hate on the Fung Wah. You can basically shuffle down to Chinatown whenever you want, and for the most part a bus leaves every half hour. It’s $ 15 no matter when you buy the ticket. Whenever I take it, my parents freak out and think I’m going to die, but I don’t have $ 60+ to take the Amtrak, and they aren’t giving me donations either.
Obviously NYC and CT are going to be jammed with traffic on certain times. I took it @2pm the day before Thanksgiving, and it took 6 – 7 hours. I took it again recently @4pm on a Friday and it was 6 hours. But, if you can go earlier or later than the traffic you should be in business. My last ride from Boston took 3 hours & 40 minutes, and we even stopped at a rest stop for 15 minutes.
Yeah a 4 hour ride is going to suck, but I’d rather pay $ 15 for it anytime!

I wanted to get down to NYC on the cheap, and the Fung Wah wasn’t near as bad as I heard. Got on at South Station; really long lines, but with those prices, what else can you expect? The bus seemed well maintained; cleanliness was lacking, but what else can you expect at these prices? We stopped at a rest stop off 95 in Connecticut and I had Cheeseboy. We got to NYC with no problems!
Coming back, I was yelled at by the Chinese lady with the radio for not checking in prior to getting on the bus. I was allowed on nevertheless, probably due to the deer-​in-​the-​headlights look I gave her. Traffic on 84 and the Pike aside, we still got back to Boston the following night.
Try it. What’s the worst that could happen?!

One trip. One accident. No more trips with this company for me.
Always the cheapest tickets to NYC, though.

I have taken this bus home almost every single time. I love the ease of walking up to the counter and buying a ticket as opposed to having to reserve a ticket in advance. Plus, the super convenient pickup and dropoff locations are great when I want to take advantage of their proximities to the Boston and NYC Chinatowns.
Fung Wah leaves very promptly and usually tries to pack the bus before departure so it can get very crowded.
I like waiting indoors at South Station in Boston. There’s more order there than in NYC where there is no official line, and people just gather on the sidewalk with little — no protection from the elements.
Other than that, I haven’t experienced any major problems except when passengers don’t follow the 10 minute rule at the rest stop.

I had a hard on for Fung Wah because it got me to NY and back to Boston real quick and we even got a breather somewhere in Connecticut. The drive was quick, but never scary like many reviews claim — I guess that’s subjective — no matter the hour or traffic conditions. I didn’t care that toilet paper was scarce, that they lied about having Wi-​Fi and ignored me when I’ve asked about how to connect, or even that the seats leaned so far back that the person in front of me was laying their head on my lap. I liked the drop off location in Chinatown and that we got out of the city fast.
But this last experience — AND IT IS MY LAST — was absolutely horrendous. I left work early to catch the 4pm bus to NY, got to the station a quarter of and waited. I waited until a quarter after (4:15) after all of the other buses had already left and was pissed because I had to walk all the way back to the counter. The woman told me they cancelled the 4pm bus and that I could take the 5pm bus like it was no big thing. She claimed I received a phone call, but I didn’t. No missed call, no voice message, no email, NOTHING! She told me I probably put down the wrong email and phone number. No, asshole.
Every other bus line has their schedule posted by their door, EXCEPT FOR FUNG WAH, which is another reason I didn’t know my bus was cancelled. You think they’d at least post the cancelled run. Every other bus line had a customer service kiosk at the gates EXCEPT FOR FUNG WAH, so I had to lug my bag all the way back to the counters. And every other bus line that offers wifi actually has it EXCEPT FOR FUNG WAH.
Go to hell, Fung Wah.

Listen up folks… the Fung Wah Bus is no Bleepin’ joke, and it ain’t for you if you are some kinda wuss. Got it? OK then…
Mega Bus/​Bolt Bus/​Greyhound can kiss my butt.
Picture the Millennium Falcon from Star Wars with Han Solo as your pilot and you will have an accurate picture of a Fung Wah Bus trip…
The Fung Wah will get you from Boston to NYC in 3.5 to 4 hours, and yes, it will make the jump into «hyper space» (hold onto your seat). Evil Empire, Darth Vader and Storm Troopers beware, The Fung Wah will play «Jedi Mind Tricks» on you… «he doesn’t need any identification» should be the Fung Wah mantra.
Your Fung Wah pilot will bang on the control panel with his/​her fist every now and then when the control panel blinks and fades out (just like Han Solo did in Star Wars), but $ 15 bucks for a trip from Boston to NYC… tell me it ain’t worth it? It’s an adventure, and you’ll love the ride… believe me.
You get a chance to beat the «Evil Empire» courtesy of our heros at Fung Wah Bus! If you can beat the Fung Wah to NYC driving your own vehicle, you deserve an award… and believe me… the Amtrak train can’t touch the Fung Wah in terms of cost, adventure, speed, lack of delays and efficiency.
Hell… do you want to get from Boston to NYC (and Vice Versa) in 3.5 hours or what? Yes? OK, Then take the bleepin’ Fung Wah.
Enough said.

Fung Wah bus line. A name that strikes fear in the hearts of the weak. A name that means savings to the more cash strapped.
I caught this in the morning from Chinatown and they almost hit someone within the first street crossing of the journey. Made it back to Boston a half hour ahead of schedule. Truly as they advertise on their website: «Permitted by Federal Highway Administration.»
The seats are much more comfortable for sleeping on than the Peter Pan bus line.
Also on a side note for everyone that bitches about the bus. It’s what my field trips in middle school used to be on. I feel SO justified for bitching about them growing up.

I’ve been a Fung Wah fan for years. It’s by recognition of their competition that Greyhound and the others started lowering their prices in order to compete. And I can honestly say I prefer the Fung Wah to the Greyhound. If you can look past the urban legend of how the Chinatown bus system is only for people who like living dangerously then what you’ve got is a good company that’s all business and they do that business well if not better than their Greyhound counterparts.
Did you know that during the holiday season that the buses run every 15 minutes? So while South Station piles up with droves of people clogging the area waiting for the 1 Greyhound per hour you can just stroll down to the Fung Wah line where there’s never a wait longer than the mentioned time. Here’s a business that understands supply and demand. Usually I carry cash because in Chinatown in NYC it’s just easier and usually quicker with it. You don’t even need to speak to the people all you do is give them $ 15 bucks and they’ll give you a ticket. But they do accept credit cards and online orders. Not to mention if you’re doing the NYC to Boston stretch and want to grab a bite before your trip most of the neighboring stores in the area only take cash.
The ride itself might be longer or shorter depending on the time of day and traffic. I’ve taken the bus the day after Christmas and it be a 5 – 6 hr ride of course that’s with sitting in traffic for maybe an hour or two. But on average the trip generally takes 3.5 to 4hrs and that’s WITH their 10 – 15 min break. Also there’s no wi-​fi but really if you have a smart phone this shouldn’t be a deal breaker and if you don’t and can’t go 4 hours without internet then you might be in need of something more than what this bus has to offer.
So in short here’s a rough assessment of Fung Wah:
Are they cheap? YES
Are they efficient? YES
Do they have internet? NO
Are you going to need to double check your health insurance? There’s a good chance the person driving the bus doesn’t have health insurance. If they feel safe enough driving then so should you.
Is there a good amount of leg room? Probably not but if it’s an off peak hour ride you probably won’t have someone sitting next to you.
Should you ride Fung Wah, Lucky Star, Bolt or Megabus? If you don’t plan far enough in advance to get the $ 1 ticket price that Lucky Star advertises or just want to take an impromptu trip to NY then Fung Wah’s your best shot for the 3 Cs of cheap, consistent and casual.

I consider myself a Boston-​NYC bus connoisseur. My biggest peeve is when I’m waiting on a Greyhound or BoltBus line and overhear people drawl on and on about how they’d never take Fung Wah because they value their life. On the contrary, the most unpleasant thing about the trip is watching your neighbor eat 5 Big Macs, courtesy of their rest stop somewhere in Connecticut. I believe one of the most publicized *accidents* that involved Fung Wah was when a truck lost control of its brakes and ran into a PARKED Fung Wah.
Pros:
Ticket Prices: $ 15 (no matter what. It’ll be $ 15 on the night before Thanksgiving and $ 15 at 2pm on a Tuesday).
Also, you can buy it whenever you feel like it. Just show up at their booth and buy the ticket for the next bus (every 30 minutes on weekends usually, every hour otherwise. They don’t have late night buses but have a 2am one at $ 21). Missed the 5:00pm? WHATEVER. You can take the 5:30pm. No more weeping and clinging on to the legs of bus drivers who won’t let you on their bus because you missed the last one by 2 minutes.
Speed: One time I took a 5pm Greyhound bus from NYC and my roommate was taking the 5pm Fung wah. She got to South Station 45 minutes before I did. This isn’t entirely because of speeding (although I have a sneaking suspicious it breaks 80 on the I-​95. But then again, who doesn’t? Even my ultra speed-​limit-​religious dad got a speeding ticket on it.)… the drivers also know the ins-​and-​outs of local roads around the highway to avoid traffic if you ever hit it.
Traffic: I find that Fungwah (and its rival bro, Lucky Star) encounters less traffic. Why? Mainly because it doesn’t have to weave through the local streets of Manhattan (looking at you Greyhound/​Megabus/​Bolt!) to get to its station. Instead, it loops through Brooklyn/​Queens on a highway and back into Manhattan via the Manhattan Bridge.
Rest Stop: Yes. I have rest stop preferences. The rest stop they stop at is this welcome center in Connecticut, with a nice store with magazines and snacks, McDonalds, vending machines, and CLEAN BATHROOMS! The bathroom is also fairly big. They almost always stop here, unless there’s been traffic in which case the driver will forgo it. Unless he’s hungry.
Cons:
People: Fung Wah is all loving and will take any person who gives them money. That said, you might be on the bus with (1) vagrants, (2) families with many many children in tow, (3) awkward tourists who don’t speak a dime of English and probably don’t even know where they are. But the bus is usually pretty quiet, and the crowd is fairly similar to those that you find on Mega and BoltBus.
Fungwah Meanies: Obviously something I will look over given the pros. The people who work for Fung wah aren’t here to please you and make you happy. They want you to get on the bus. No one is there to put your luggage into the bus, or take it out for that matter. They’ll also speak really loudly at you and wave their enormous walkie-​talkies. The only foul experiences I’ve had with Fung Wah was when our bus got in a fender bender in the Bronx with a car and we waited eons in the bus. We called their office and tried to get them to send another bus. They promptly hung up on all of us.
Wi-​Fi/​Outlets: None. But since when did Megabus’ work?
Leg room: Minimal.
Line: You are subject to all forces of nature while waiting in NYC, as their «station» is a sidewalk. They’ll herd you around like sheep to wherever the buses find parking. They do have seats and a nice bakery nearby for the hungry and weak. Of course, the Boston location is at South Station, nestled between Lucky Star and Megabus.
In conclusion, Fung wah is one of the best options you have if you’re on a budget and in a rush to go from BOS to NYC or vice versa.
PS If you buy your ticket online, remember to check in with the Fung Wah booth first! Or you can talk to the walkie talkie ladies and they’ll confirm it.

It’s $ 15 and it’s fast.
Leaving at 3pm, I got stuck sitting in the back by the bathroom in front of two very loud, explicit women. That sucked. We got stuck in traffic and we landed in NY around 7:45pm.
BUUUT
going BACK from NY to Boston, we left at 7pm and arrived by 10:40pm. I slept the whole way and the bus was pretty empty.
So I guess it just matters what time you go.
Make sure you CHECK IN.
ALSOOOO
I bought a ticket early on for Thanksgiving weekend. Then I kept changing the dates. Fung Wah was relatively prompt (like within a day or two) of replying to my emails and changing the times for me… so that when I brought a print out of the confirmation e-​mail, I was able to check-​in smoothly.
It was great that they were SO flexible about changing the date of my ticket even AFTER I missed it.
Here’s the breakdown
Bought a ticket for Thanksgiving
Prior to Thanksgiving, realized I couldn’t go so changed the date to the following weekend.
That weekend, I just didn’t go and opted to lose the $ 15.
A few weeks ago, I realized i could go to NY and randomly decided to email Fungwah and ask if I could just use that unused ticket for this past weekend. (I didn’t expect them to say yes, because a past date is a past date)
But they changed the time and date for me right away and gave me that ticket! It was AWESOME.
Surprising customer service is always a bonus.
Also, on the NY side, the pastry stop right next to the fungwah bus station gives you 10% off on its offerings if you have a boarding pass.

I’ve taken the Megabus twice before and Fung Wah thrice — Boston to NY and back and YES, I’m giving 4 stars NOT because I’m Asian.
Seems like the biggest gripe most people have is that you’re «in for an adventure» aka maniac driving when you sign up for the Fung.
Honestly, the drivers do not get into any more accidents or drive any faster than the drivers for the Greyhound, Megabus, you name it. Bottom line is, they stick to a strict schedule and they’ll get you from point A to B in the shortest amount of time possible. If you can’t handle that, you should get a plane ticket for 10x the price.
Of all my rides, there has been heat during the winter and AC during the summer. I’ve always been able to sleep comfortably. Never been robbed or harassed or sold drugs to, so I’d say that’s pretty darn good for $ 15.
Is this a luxury vehicle? No! And don’t expect it. Is this an averagely decked out bus with comfy seats, barf bags and reclining chairs that are sometimes broken? Yes.
It is often fully packed so you can bet your money someone will be sitting beside you if you come alone. Bring your ipod, mind your own business and you’ll be fine.
Of all the times I’ve taken the Fung, I’ve always come 15 minutes before scheduled departure and gotten on the bus I wanted to take. Being on time is BIG for me and I appreciate that the Fung sticks to the program. With that being said, I’d avoid taking 1^st row seats unless you like joy rides. This applies to ALL bus companies.
If you’re still not convinced, my friend (a new yorker) takes this bus multiple times a month and she has never strayed from this company.

Fung Wah Bus, you so craaazy!
One trip down, many more to go. It’s ‘A-​OK’ for 15 bucks.
For your own sake, Don’t sit behind the driver. I was in the first row, and holy shit, if I wasn’t drunk and falling asleep I would have had a panic attack. When I came to from unconsciousness, I was checking his mirrors and shit as he merged lanes, gripping the bar in front of me as we cruised towards stopped traffic.
The guy drives like I do when I’m high– smooth for the most part, but randomly brakes and nervously looks around once in a while.
So yes, I recommend it. But if you value your life, you might want to seek alternative services.

Normally a bus that catches on fire gets one star. BUT the joy of sharing a packed bus catching fire with loud chinese people and college students earns that 2^nd coveted star.
For adventure, choose Fung Wah

Really people? Why do you get your panties all in a bunch when I tell you I’m a big fan of the Fung Wah. I think I’m the only one of my friends who has the balls enough to hold my breath and pray for the best as I hop on this third world country on wheels for four (maybe 6) hours to NYC. I even sit in the front seat from time to time just to live life on the edge.
You can’t beat the price. $ 15 each way from South Station, Boston, to Chinatown, Manhattan. The schedule is anyone’s guess… generally every hour. I have gotten there at 5 of the hour as the bus is peeling out, leaving me in the dust. Or, more realistically, thick cloud of exhaust. Other times, I have been 10 minutes past the hour in Manhattan to find two busses waiting for me. Crapshoot, really.
Dogs…so apparently they aren’t allowed. My first time on it, it was fine to bring my dog in a carrier on the bus to NYC, but against the rules on the bus going back to Boston. Had to smuggle him on. At 20 pounds, it was pretty much hoping he’d stay still as I disguised myself as a deformed pregnant woman and stretched my shirt over him as I walked on.
The ride itself. Okay so once in a while you see one of their busses on fire as it goes 90 mph down the Mass Pike with one tire missing, but let’s be real-​it just puts the fun back in fung wah. You never know what’s in store for you.
Be warned… HURRY THE HELL UP at the rest stop at the half way point in Connecticut. They will leave your ass there and not look back.

Screw your Boltbus, Megabus, and Greyhound – they’re all crap. If I’m going to spend 4.5 hours on a bus, there better be an adventure somewhere along the way, not some boring uneventful ride, and Fung Wah is always there to deliver. I’ve been on Fung Wah’s that have caught fire, had wheels pop off, left people behind, picked people up, had people kicked off for bringing live animals on the bus after they were explicitly told it was okay, hell – I wouldn’t be surprised if it ripped a hole in the space-​time continuum and mythical unicorns ran out. Come on, who wouldn’t want to ride a unicorn? Now I’m not saying its bound to happen, but riding Fung Wah is your best shot at meeting a fantastical creature. All for the low low price of $ 15 each way.
The adventure continues with Fung Wah, even though you get picked up at south station where all the other carriers are located, Fung Wah drops you off in NYC’s Chinatown, a whole hell of a lot cooler than Penn Station or Union. While the Canal Street stop is close to the subway, you should really take a moment and go explore. You’re bound to find something awesome and off the beaten path. And if Chinatown has you a little worried, walk up a couple blocks and take a right and you’re in Little Italy. Feel better now? Frankly, if you can’t deal with walking through Chinatown on your way to the Olive Garden in Time Square, you suck.
Officially the buses depart every 30 minutes, but they run on «Chinatown rules» so they leave when they leave; maybe 15 minutes early, maybe they add another bus, you just show up and poke around until something happens. If you’re particularly bored and in NYC, there is a street cobbler right next to the station who can clean your shoes like whoa. Does Boltbus do that? Yeah, I didn’t think so.
Bottom Line: My 200^th review because its just so goddamn special.

I have mad love for the Fung Wah. Right price ($ 15), right attitude, and you always have stories to tell by the time you arrive home.
The one time I didn’t take the Fung Wah to go to and from NYC, I took the Bolt and spent the entire time wishing I was on the Fung Wah instead.
I love the democratic way of assigning seats (first come, first served, no silly numbers or letters to let people cut you in line!), the way it (almost always) stops somewhere for a bathroom and food break, and how it lets me off in Chinatown in NYC so I don’t have to waste another hour slogging through Manhattan traffic, as some of the other buses do.
Sure, there have been times when the people around me were talking a little too loudly or seemed a little sketchy. But that’s public transportation for you. For every weird incident that’s happened on the Fung Wah, there’s also the time that they picked up someone at the rest stop because she missed the last bus, let someone off half an hour early because we were right outside his house, or generally got me from A to B without any hassle.
I know there are a lot of FW haters out there (I’ve been interviewed by the media about a «fatal Fung Wah accident» when in fact an out-​of-​control dump truck hit four cars and then the bus and the bus then hit a person but the FW got all the blame) but I highly suggest not knocking it until you’ve tried it. And generally stay out of the way of out-​of-​control dump trucks.

Where are all the chickens?
Do you KNOW how many times I’ve ridden Fung Wah to New York with promise of crazy Chinese people and live chickens and, yet… no chickens.
I just don’t want you to be disappointed. In the day, Fung Wah was 5 stars. Sure, you were risking your life but you didn’t have to deal with going through South Station and you only had to pay $ 10 each way. (Now it’s $ 15 and the crowds are ridiculous and the bus station reeks of diesel fumes).
These days, I’d rather shell out for the Acela or drive closer and take a commuter train.
Plus, the chicken stories are all LIES. Very disappointing.