What bus do you usually take to travel to Baguio? Almost 20 years ago, I was able to reach Baguio for the first time with my boyfriend then, now my husband, via Dagupan Transit. Then when we got married and had kids, we had traveled to Baguio via Victory Liner. The last Baguio trip we had was seven years ago and this year, we decided to try another transit which will take us to Baguio without stop-overs. We found Joy Bus Executive Coach online and we’ve read how techie their buses are, with stewardess and comfort room inside the bus. Premier coach costs P740 per trip while Executive coach costs P720 and this rate is almost twice the ticket price in a regular aircon bus. Did our experience meet our expectations?
Where to find JoyBus in Cubao?
The station is located along EDSA on the right side coming from Alabang going to Monumento
From Google : Joy Bus, EDSA Cubao, Corner New York ST., Quezon City, 1109 Metro Manila Phone No. 709-0545
I’d rate the bus and bus service 90%. A high mark actually and here are the reasons why:
- No hassle booking in advance.
Photo from flickr
We got advanced booking using iWantSeats and paid thru Bank. Actually, since it was our first time, we made sure that the bus service and the ticketing service was true and working. We went to JoyBus in Cubao and confirmed that iWantSeats is legit. Take note that when you already booked in iWantSeats, you can’t book in JoyBus directly because their online systems are connected. Mobile version of iWantSeats is not functioning well that time so I had to check and book using my desktop computer. But in fairness, their website is fast and they accept different modes of payment (Paypal, credit card or you can pay via bank). We paid in the bank and after a couple of hours, your status in iWantSeats will change and you can download and print a temporary ticket that you need to show to the stewardess before boarding the bus. Note: Students have 20% discount so bring your child’s student ID so you can refund their discount if ever you got your tickets online.
E-ticket you need to print when you book your ticket online in iWantSeats, and the actual ticket that will be given to you before boarding.
- More available trips
Bus trips to Baguio are available every 2 hours throughout the day. You can choose the time that will perfectly fit for your itinerary. We chose the 4:30AM trip and we were in Baguio by 9:30 am.
At JoyBus terminal in Cubao, QC
- Non-stop trip
The trip has no stop-over. Though previously, we looked forward to these stop-overs, this time, we thought it will save us time and money since the kids won’t be seeing unnecessary snacks during stop overs. And also, it will be more safe if there will be less exposure to big crowds.
- Limited number of passengers.
The bus has very limited number of seats and thus more peaceful and less cluttered. The trip we got was also too early so the passengers were mostly asleep.
- Tablet and wi-fi
Premier coach costs P740 per trip while Executive coach costs P720. The difference daw is because of the tablet installed on each of the seats. The tablet has games, movies and music. In fairness, the wifi-speed was good and I was able to listen to music and watch movie. But the glare of sunshine from my window made it difficult to watch. The bus though has a big LCD tv inside so you can also watch. When we went to Baguio, there was no movie played in the big TV maybe because most passengers want to sleep that time.
You can play music, movies and games using the tablet. You can also charge your phone in the USB port.
A table for your laptop is available if you need to work.
- Toilet
The toilet looks a lot like the one in the airplane when you’ve tried traveling via plane. The toilet bowl is a bit elevated and higher for my height and it was a bit difficult to pee (for female).
- Free snacks, water and blanket
The stewardess gave us free bottled water, a Rebisco biscuit and earlier, a fleece blanket for each passenger.
Cons
Compared to traveling by car, JoyBus travel seemed to be more bumpy. However, I consider the fact that I haven’t traveled via bus for years already and I am not sure if I have just over-expected. However, compared to P2P buses where I ride when going to events in Makati, it’s more comfortable in P2P. I’ve tried working on my laptop with the mini-table available on each seat of JoyBus but I wasn’t able to work at all because of the bumpy ride.
This is the Executive Coach, ticket price rate is P20 lower than the Premier Executive Coach (main difference is that this bus doesn’t have tablets)
Executive coach in Baguio traveling to Cubao.
Another thing that I didn’t like about Joy Bus is that they don’t have their own terminal in Baguio (by terminal I mean an establishment or a roofed building for the passengers). I remember we got down from the bus along the street and on the day we went home (we took the Executive Coach this time), their ticketing office was too small and located within a busy market. Unlike their terminal in Cubao which is big, comfortable and has many seats for waiting passengers, their terminal in Baguio was the opposite. Coming from Baguio to Cubao, since their nice terminal is on the opposite side, JoyBus will disembark you on Dagupan bus terminal which you should also consider.
The cons I mentioned though are easy to ignore as we’ve arrived in Cubao safe and earlier than scheduled. The bumpy ride thing and the small ticketing office may not that be as important as being able to arrive on time or earlier, arriving safe and having wifi while you travel. The advantages outweigh the cons if I’ll be asked.
Thanks for sharing this, Mommy Lanie. At least may iba pang options although Victory Liner is always our first choice when going North especially their special buses kasi hindi bumpy at smooth ang ride talaga. Sana maayos ng Joy Bus ang issue na ‘yan kasi ang sarap ng feeling na pagdating mo sa Baguio, hindi ka nahihilo. 😊
Hi SJ, in fairness to Joy, hindi naman ako nahilo sa biyahe. Medyo di lang talaga ako siguro sanay na kasi years na hindi ako nagbibiyahe via bus. Thanks for reading!
Hello! Question…how early can i book/buy the tickets online? I’m wondering kasi if they’re already accepting bookings/selling tickets online for December 2018 traveldate, kasi diba peak season ang december.
Nice blog, btw! Very helpful.
Hi Jay, if you will be booking your ticket in iWantSeats, I tried their calendar, the earliest tickets you can get will be within 1st week of September 2018 (which means they have 4 months early booking). You can maybe try booking your tickets on September.
Oo nga, i also tried their calendar thru online booking. 4 months advance is the earliest. Also, how’s the commute around baguio? I mean, di ba mahirap? I was thinking kung meron ba Grab/Taxi, or did you rent a car while you were there?
We heard na may Grab there but we did not use one kasi no need, taxis are everywhere and ok naman sila. They are unlike taxis here in manila. I think renting a car will be more practical if you are going to further places, pero since sa city lang naman kami, ok na ang magcommute.
Thanks for sharing your Baguio trip via JOY bus. Actually i plan to go there this December 26 to 28. So nag search talaga ako and i read your tweet. Its such a nice and interesting travel.
Hi Lani, ang saya siguro magpunta sa Baguio on Christmas season, siguro ang lamig lalo! We haven’t tried going there pag December pero siguro sometime soon. Take care and enjoy your trip!
how many seats per bus
I’ll try this bus next. The security guards at the Victory Bus Station parking lot are SOB. They are arrogant and expect some tips if you want to park at their small parking space, sort of an illegal parking fee.
It was better before they renovated the parking area, where customers can park on a first come basis. Now they are very arbitrary in the cars they allow inside and are discourteous even to senior citizens.
Hi Ian, it’s a 28 seater executive coach.
Hi there, thanks for the information here. I tried to check the booking online (iwantseats), and apparently I’m only seeing 2 options —– premier and executive.
Is the Executive the same as the Deluxe bus?
Thank you! 🙂
Hi Angelica, I believe it is!
Hi Mommy Lanie,
I stumbled upon your blog as me and my family are planning to go to Baguio next month!
Grabe, mabilis pala maubos yung slots sa best time at bus.
Your honest review made me think twice about booking at JoyBus but with the limited slots I might reconsider.
How bumpy is it? I’ll be bringing along a 6 and 3 years old. 🙂
I have tried Genesis P2P Bus (their parent company) to Clark yet the ride is smooth.
Cheers,
Redge
Hi Redge, nice to see your comment 🙂 Actually, my husband and daughters said, hindi naman talaga bumpy, medyo mas sensitive lang siguro ako kasi I work while I travel. I use a laptop habang nagbibiyahe which I don’t think hindi naman advisable kasi straining sa mata. And siguro, mas sanay ako sa car travel kesa sa bus, medyo matagal na rin kasi akong di nagtatravel via bus. Haha, pero in all fairness to JoyBus, ok talaga yung bus lalo na yung early Executive bus trip.
Hi Miss Lanie. Is it true na I can refund my 20% student discount sa terminal when I booked online? Pano po ung steps if yes? Thank you so much. Your blog is really helpful.
hi, yes, ganun din kasi kami, just bring your student id dun sa terminal and they should be able to refund your discount dun sa cashier nila.
Hi Ms. Lanie,
Pwede ba magdirect nalang sa terminal ng Joybus to buy ticket or need talaga thru online? Thanks in advance
Hi Cyndie, yes, pwede ka naman dumiretso sa Joy Bus, but the reason why I suggest to buy tickets online is kung gusto mo na makuha yung gusto mong seats and schedule. Kasi pag dun sa terminal ka na, kung ano lang ang available 🙂
Hi, ano difference ng premiere sa exec bukod sa nakainstall something? same hours ba for the trip? 6hrs ba talaga sila?
Hi, I think for me, syempre mas maganda pa din ang mas mahal na bus, mas bago and mas comfortable and mas konti ang passengers. Much shorter trip pag Joy Bus since non-stop ang travel, mga 4-4.5 hours trip nalang to Baguio.
i paid the reservation already via iwantseats but i dont know how to forward the reciept so that may reservation is safe. can u help me pls
thank you
Hi Susan, from our experience, we just brought a print out of our reservation on the day we traveled. If you want to make sure, iWantSeats has a website where you can send your inquiries
one more thing is i dont have any dscount for senior citizen can i refund?
Hi Susan, my daughter’s student discounts were refunded at Joy Bus terminal on the day we traveled, I guess you can also refund your senior citizen discount there. If you want to make sure, you can also contact JoyBus beforehand.
Hi, ask ko lang nkapag book na kmi for two going to Baguio. Kasama namin yung 2 year old son ko. Wala pa naman siya bayad diba? Thanks in advance
Hi Julie, as far as I know, as long as hindi siya magti-take ng seat, wala syang bayad. You need to carry your son (kandong:-) If you are taking Joy Bus though, in the photos you’ll see in my blog, medyo masikip, walang space para isingit sa upuan. Pero kung kakayanin naman ang kandungan and hindi masyadong puno ang bus, pwede na siyang ipakisuyo iupo sa empty seats.
Hi ask ko lang po theres no need na po ba magbook online ng return ticket (baguio-manila) pagdating ng baguio dun n dn kmi bbili ng return tiket.thank u
Hi Malou, kung gusto mo maka choose ng seats sa bus and to be sure you’ll have seats on the day that you are going home, mas preferable mag book in advance. You can choose your seats sa iWantSeats kasi, unlike kung dun ka bibili ng return tickets, kung ano nalang ang seats na available. And yung JoyBus ticketing space in Baguio (last time na nandun kami) was so masikip kaya medyo hassle ang magtransact. If may booking ka na, you’ll have your tickets in a few minutes, makakasakay ka na kaagad.
Thank you so much for the info ☺️
Hi ate, may I know if Marcos highway or Kennon road ang daan ng bus? Thanks a lot! 🙂
Hi! Marcos Highway
Hi! May table for laptop po ba ang Joy Bus Executive gaya ng sa Premiere? Thank you..
Hi Regina, as per our last trip, wala syang table for the laptop 🙂
Hi,
I will be arriving to Ninoy Aquino International Airport 1600 hr..
How best for me to get to Joy bus to travel to Baguio?
How long will it take to get to Joy bus station from the airport?
Not sure how long it will take to clear immigration at airport so can i call to joy bus to book a ticket?
Thanks in advance
John
Hi John, you need to book a ticket online, in advance. I don’t think calling them will do 🙂 You have to book in iWantSeats, link in the blog mentioned. Thanks!