Rockabus

It just doesn’t get any more convenient than the Rockabus. I feel like most NYC’ers have some horror story of trying to take the subway to the beach, loaded down with stuff, and having it take hours. The Rockabus fixes all of that. My only gripe is that the school buses they use have terrible shocks, so if you’re in the back of the bus (which I DO NOT recommend) get ready to jump three feet in the air when they hit a pothole.

This is hands down the best way to get to the beach aside from teleportation, and I don’t have access to that because i’m not Richard Branson or which ever rich guy invented that stuff. Why spend time underground on a subway when you can be steady chillin’ on a bus in the summer sunshine catchin’ some good vibes? Also, if you use Rockabus, they give you some crazy deals on local businesses when you show your wristband, it’s like damn, I never been treated that good wearing $ 5k worth of ice on my wrists, now you can get treated like royalty even if you play ball for the Denver Nuggets! That’s what i’m talkin’ about.

You know what sucks? Taking the A train to get to the beach.
You know what’s better? Taking Rockabus!
It’s easy to reserve your bus day and time online (
).
Everyone I’ve spoken to has been super friendly and helpful.
I’m not one for colorful boozy ice drinks – but if you like them – you’re in luck!
You get a free frozen lemonade at Connolly’s if you show them your wristband.
Who doesn’t like free things?
Enjoy while the weather is still nice!

Oh my gosh, Rockabus is the dopest bus to get to Rockaway beach, especially on weekends when you know the A train is going to take forever and a half. Don’t hesitate, this bus will get you there much faster and for a decent price.

The ORIGINAL Rockaway beach bus — do not be fooled by fakes out there. It’s a yellow school bus that leaves from under the BQE just one block West of Kellogg’s Diner and drops you off at Rockaway Beach. They have a deal with Beer Boutique where you get 10% off if you show your wristband, which is right by where the bus leaves. Also I’ve heard you get a free first Soul Cycle class with your wristband!
Definitely the most fun way to get to the beach, lots of times and options, easy online interface, friendly staff who play good music in the bus. It’s faster than the train and it drops you right at the beach. Rockabus rules! Anytime I get to ride in a school bus, I’m happy.

Rockabus. A convenient and affordable way to get to Rockaway Beach & Jacob Riis Beach this summer. IF YOU CAN ACTUALLY FIND THE BUS TO TAKE YOU THERE.
My friend and I made reservations for the one-​way shuttle from their LES pick up location to Rockaway beach last sunday. Even though one way ticket is a ripoff at $ 10 (considering the round trip price is $ 15), we sucked it up as we wanted the flexibility of returning home via train as opposed to a set departure time dictated by Rockabus.
On their website, Rockabus lists their designated pickup location on the Lower East Side as the intersection of E. Houston and 1^st Ave. My friend and I didn’t think much of it — we figure we’d get to the intersection and see a bus in the vicinity, or perhaps a sign saying «Rockabus». The email confirmation didn’t list an exact address or contact to call if there were any issues.
Well, the problem is that the intersection of E. Houston Street and 1^st ave is an incredibly large intersection. No exact address or even a landmark was listed on either their website or in the confirmation email we received, and my friend and I were never able to find the bus after scouting each of the 4 corners of the intersection for 15 minutes before the scheduled departure time. At the very least I thought they’d have a number listed so we could contact them if we had trouble finding the bus, but no, nothing, just an email was listed. As a last resort, I went into several bars right at the intersection they listed and no one even knew what the heck Rockabus was!
Needless to say, my friend and I never found the bus and were stuck taking the A train all the way to the beach, which wasted an hour and a half of our precious sunday beachtime. For a business that makes it’s money by transporting customers, you’d think it would be in their best interest to make it absolutely clear where the bus is meeting. But no. And my friend and I are both native new yorkers, so you can’t say it’s because we don’t know the city well enough!
Also, my friend and I both sent Rockabus emails mentioning that we couldn’t find the bus and asked for refunds to our cards since the pickup location was vague. Rockabus never bothered to respond to either or our emails. After the second day, I posted a note on their facebook page in which someone (or a robot) finally responded «we have received your email and will be getting back to you shortly.» Which was a lie because they never ended up writing back to us, or granting us refunds we had requested. So my friend and I both resorted to contacting our banks and disputing the charges for the service that was never provided to us.
Honestly, what’s most upsetting to me here is not the issue of missing the bus, but rather the absence of any customer service contact committed to responding to concerns about service issues and inquires regarding payment issues and refunds. Businesses have an obligation to respond to their customers concerns but this one just seems like they’re more about making money than running an honest business.
I highly recommend their competitor, NYC Beach Bus instead. As my friend and I were taking the A train to the beach, another friend said how delighted she was with the unlimited free beer and toys provided to them on their ride to the beach. I took the return tip back with them and had a very pleasant experience. Also, at $ 12 round trip, NYC Beach bus is 3 dollars cheaper than rockabus (and rockabus states their service is BYOB). I plan on recommending them to my friends as well, you should too.

Rockabus is the best way to go from Williamsburg to the Rockaways — especially for me since I live an eight-​minute walk away from the departure area. It’s really seamless, and it makes the beach seem like a part of my neighborhood. As a transplanted Floridian, that’s a dream come true.
I’ve been on the bus now seven times, and I can say all but one of the trips was totally worth paying for, even when I have an unlimited Metrocard and the subway is sort of «free.» When I spoke up about the long ride back one afternoon, Rockabus delivered with great customer service and compensated for my woes.
Although it seems to have some competition with the new «Beach Bus» departing from the same location, go with Rockabus. I know the owners are local (one’s dog is a friend of my dog’s) and the deals that come along with it, although I haven’t tried them, are pretty cool. I’m still planning to use the $ 10 off to finally get a surf lesson with Locals.
Finally, if that long-​ass ride, two or three transfers, and the subway crowds are what’s keeping you from enjoying the beach — once you take the Rockabus you’ll be wanting to go every weekend.