The Megabus from Knoxville to Washington DC

I wasn't sure what to expect on Megabus from Knoxville to Washington, D.C. Two days after the route began in mid-December, I got my first ride. Glitches are expected with any brand new service. My trip wasn't the exception but it was positive. Look for articles to come about my future trips with this bus line.

My first contact with Megabus is the reservation. This is discussed in a previous article. My price for two round-trip tickets on the Megabus Knoxville to D.C. route was only $19.50 including a .50 booking fee. They are a low cost bus service that advertises $1.00 tickets for some seats on every trip I was able to snag one of these for my daughter's return trip after winter break. According to the company the highest price you'll pay is around $15.00.

Megabus picks up in front of the Knoxville Transit Center on Church Street. This is a new state-of-the-art facility with two levels. Customers pick up the KAT buses on the top level. Megabus picks up in front of the center on the lower level in front of the main entrance. Restrooms, vending and a small deli are also on the lower level.

Travelers riding Megabus from Knoxville to D.C. will catch the bus on the street in front of the transit center. The company suggests arriving 15 minutes early. This allowed me to arrive just in time to see the bus pull away for what was to be my first trip.

Megabus rebooked my ticket and everything worked out ok. I learned the value of showing up 45 minutes early. Seats are first come, first served. Arriving early also helped me get the seat I wanted.

When boarding, all you need to do is give the driver your reservation number. A few people had written theirs on scrap paper. Most of us had printed reservations for the Megabus from Knoxville to D.C. straight from the computer. Either way was fine with the driver.

Be prepared to put your own suitcase onto the bus. The driver will open the bays on the bottom of the bus. He or she may or may not help load or unload bags. Small storage bins are inside the bus above the seats. I took one look at the size and decided to hold my backpack on my lap.
Right now, they use 56 passenger buses with standard coach seats on the Megabus from Knoxville to D.C. route. That's not a surprise but the type seats may change if they start using double-decker buses. If you are comfortable in a coach seat then you should be fine on the trip.

Both times that I rode the bus I was able to get the front passenger seat. By sitting here, you get a good view, you're away from the bathroom at the rear of the bus and an electrical outlet is in front of the window seat.

As advertised, the Megabus from Knoxville to D.C. route has electrical outlets at all seats and free WI-FI. Don't expect it to always work in the mountains where it's hard to get a cell signal. Just like the internet at my favorite coffee house, the connection can be slow if a lot of people are using it.

There are two stops along the route. A very brief stop is made at Christiansburg, Virginia to pick up other passengers. The stop is in the parking lot across from a school. It's a pretty but rural area with no services of any kind. Our stop only lasted about 15 minutes.

The Megabus from Knoxville to D.C. route pauses at a truck stop outside of Christiansburg for about 30 minutes. There is a convenience store and a Subway and Church's Chicken. The restaurants have small combined seating area.

Your driver will say how long you'll be stopped. Pay attention because the driver may not count heads before leaving.

The Megabus from Knoxville to D.C. route ends in a large parking lot in Washington. It is directly downtown across the street from Embassy Suites and Starbucks. The lot is also the stop for Circular and Bolt buses. There are stops for Washington Metro Buses on the outside perimeter of the lot and a row of cabs.

Cab fare to Union Station cost me $5.00. That's more than I paid for my daughter's return ticket on Megabus from Knoxville to D.C. but well worth it.

Sources:
Personal Experience
Megabus