Bus Ride Observations - Onward Edition

After ten years living in the U.S., I finally did a city-to-city bus ride long distance. This was on Bolt Bus – from the same folks that run the Greyhound buses but a fancier version. The route was L.A to San Jose to meet some friends for the weekend. Here’s a quick rundown on a few thoughts on that journey!

1. Pick up point in Hollywood was off Hollywood Blvd. It was one of many stops since the bus originates from Anaheim I believe. They barely wait at the stop for 10 minutes so you better get there well ahead of time to get on the bus.
2. Our driver was a really courteous and professional lady who did a great job giving us a good idea of what to expect on the journey as first timers. I almost did not want to get off at San Jose so I could accompany her to the end!
3. While the tickets that you book online have numbers, the seats have no assigned numbers so once you get on the bus, you can sit anywhere you like. Recommend the seats up front and away from the restroom.
4. Yes, there is a restroom on the bus. I am not one for using pots while on the road so I did not check that out but as long as anyone using it doesn’t mess up the restroom too much, the bus ride can be pretty pleasant.
5. This is an air-conditioned ride so do carry a sweater or blanket if you feel cold easy. The seats don’t recline so you might want an inflatable pillow or some sort of cushion to cozy up on the seats.
6. The seats are pretty comfy otherwise. The armrests can be moved. If the bus is not too crowded, you can take on a row to yourself and comfortably settle in for the long ride.
7. There are bottle/cup holders but no tables so eating on the bus or trying to get any work done on your laptop might not be an easy endeavor. They do have Wi-Fi though and watching movies/listening to music is an option.
8. Almost all rows have plug points so charging phones or laptops is no issue. There are overhead bins for backpacks and carry-ons and if you have larger pieces, there is a baggage space the driver can open on the outside.
9. This journey was about six hours and we stopped at about three hours into the journey at a reasonably decent rest area that had fairly good restroom facilities and restaurants to pick up some food if you like.
10. They do have reading lights in the bus for when it goes dark out, but they don’t have blinds or shades for the windows if it gets too sunny – seemed odd wearing my sunnies inside the bus during the earlier part of the evening!
11. I don’t know if the roads are to blame or the vehicle suspension but the ride can get bumpy even on the highway. If you do have lower back issues like I do, getting some sturdy lumbar support is highly recommended.
12. I have an inflatable pillow I carry with me that sufficiently serves the purpose without adding too much to the luggage I carry. I actually found the bus ride pretty peaceful and slept through the majority of it. 

The bus drops you off at Diridon Station in San Jose, which is a pretty safe zone to have someone pick you up or get a cab. Restrooms are in here too. The station inside is actually quite nice – look up at the ceilings for some fancy architecture.
One piece of advice – Do announce to the driver where you are headed. One fella got on to the bus since he had the same ticket number as on another route – BUT - he was actually headed to Vegas!! Its when the driver began making the departing announcements that he realized he got on the wrong ride so, yeah, FYI…
Have you ever taken a Bolt Bus, Greyhound or any other long distance bus service in the U.S.? Would like to hear your thoughts/recommendations in comments below.