Photo by KentonNgo.

We like to take trips here at DCist. Usually, we find ourselves shuttling between destinations where we could either use Amtrak or an intercity bus service, like BoltBus or Megabus. So it was with great interest when we noticed City Paper editor Mike Madden and H Street advocate Margaret Holwell arguing about which mode of transportation was better this morning.

Holwell came down on the side of the bus, arguing that Amtrak’s lack of Wi-Fi and its questionable cost effectiveness was all the reason she needed to stay on the road. Madden said that Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor service would be much better if it was not required to operate unprofitable long-distance routes, but also argued that the extra cash spent on an Amtrak ticket is worth it for the added speed (no traffic) and comfort (extra legroom).

So, we were curious to see what the split was among our readers. Let’s say that on March 1, you want to travel to New York from Union Station and leave in the morning. It’ll take you a shade under three and a half hours for cost you $49 on Amtrak; it’ll take you four-and-a-half hours (assuming no major traffic issues) and cost you $17 on BoltBus, but you get Wi-Fi. Which do you choose? Feel free to explain your choices (or your preferred alternatives) in the comments.