These are the public transit options for NYC-BOS commuting nowadays:
(all buses about 4.5 hours all-in)
Bolt / MegaBus: $10-25 with free WiFi from Penn Station
Fung Wah / Lucky Star: $15 every half hour from Chinatown
Limo Liner: $70-100 WiFi, comfy seats, bus attendant, free snacks
Airplane: $60-100, 1 hour flight, 2.5h all-in time
Amtrak regional train: $60-70, 4.25 hours
Amtrak Acela: $90-110, 3.75 hours
Acela to me is the least attractive option, and free WiFi + a fleet upgrade won't change that. Of course some people hate buses and planes, have special travel circumstances, want to be able to stroll the aisles, etc, but Acela's target market seems quite niche, especially when compared to the standard Amtrak regional service.
There are also cheaper options for the shorter legs. There are much cheaper trains or buses for NYC to New Haven, Boston to Providence, NYC to DC, for example.
There are also cheaper options for the shorter legs. There are much cheaper trains or buses for NYC to New Haven, Boston to Providence, NYC to DC, for example.