Inside the LimoLiner

By Emily Johnson

[Editors Note. Limo Liner went out of business in 2019.]

Luxury shuttle service LimoLiner offered trips to Midtown Manhattan, Boston’s Back Bay and Framingham, Massachusetts, for travelers who were tired of cramped buses and long car rides.

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This is not your father’s Greyhound bus. It’s part of a new trend that has made bus travel much nicer and more comfortable as fewer and fewer travelers are opting to drive their own cars.

Attendants serve drinks and meals, as well as offer different means of entertainment like movies, television, and Sirius radio. LimoLiner provides travelers with comfortable and spacious accommodations for the long journey that trump any other bus service.

During my trip from Framingham to New York City, I was served a delicious pesto tortellini meal. On the ride from New York City to Boston, I ate eggplant parmesan. Attendants offer a hot meal, cold meal, vegetarian meal, or salad with meat, as well as a selection of drinks like soda, coffee, water, or wine after 6 p.m.

Both attendants were hospitable, friendly and helpful, creating a comfortable space for all of the travelers, who were a range of ages from young children to elderly people.

The bus was reliable and arrived on time at all three locations. There is a group of attendants on the bus to help with any of the passengers’ needs. The bus also includes a bathroom for its travelers.

Aside from the professional staff and great food options, Julie from Boston described the many accommodations of the bus. “I can work at a table in back with free Wifi or just relax and watch whatever movie they’re showing,” she said.

Ken from Uxbridge, Massachusetts, said that “there are not enough stars to give this company.”

Indeed the bus was ideal for the four hours-long trip. With the comfortable reclining chairs, I was able to sleep before reaching my destination.

Other Traveler’s Reviews

We went to TripAdvisor to see what other travelers have said about LimoLiner. A mom from Tampa Florida complained that the company doesn’t offer any discounts for kids—“even on a 3/4 empty bus a few hours before departure. Even Amtrak discounts kids seats!” she said.

A man from Reading, Mass raved about the service. “I fly a lot and the service and staff were far away above and beyond what I experience regularly on planes.” In my experience, the staff really took care of the passengers, which is rare in this day and age.

But a London-based traveler had another beef. She wanted a table seat but the layout of the bus has some tables and some seats without. Apparently, there are different busses used, and they’re not all as swank as the model that I took, pictured on the website.

Food is What Makes Happy

Again and again, the food on the LimoLiner is what makes the travelers happy. “We were served lasagna and some snacks. This was so much better than the train, not even comparable!”

“The stuffed capsicum with zucchini and Mexican rice was delicious.”

The downside, again and again, in reviews, is that traffic jams slow down the bus unlike a plane or a train. The company sends out text messages when the buses are going to be late, and despite the comforts, as a traveler, you’re still at the mercy of the road.

Another reviewer said, “the major downside is the motion. Not just from rough roads (though that contributes), but from swaying, lurching, etc., even on the open highway. This also means that dinner slides all over the place, and you have to hold on to your glass/bottle/can if you don’t use the cup holder. The ride is too unstable for working or reading comfortably; it made me nauseous after working on my laptop for a while. Amtrak is much better in this way.”

A one-way trip was $89, and a roundtrip was $178. Consider skipping out on crowded buses and treating yourself on your next venture to the city!

If you want a similar experience to the now-gone Limo Liner, listen to our podcast about Cabin and Jet, that offer luxury service between SF and LA and NYC and DC.

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