Quick trip to NYC
May 31st, 2012, 09:39 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Quick trip to NYC
We will be visiting a friend in Bryn Mywr, PA and will be leaving there on the 21st of June to spend the next night in Shelton, CT. I was hoping we could somehow have a few hours in NYC, if for nothing else than to say we have been there. Not sure how to travel from there to NYC, it will be public transportation - train or bus. What could we see in that short time?
May 31st, 2012, 11:26 PM
#2
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 26,710
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
There may be a better route but
Take the PAO in 30th Street Philly.
Take AMTRAK to Penn Station Manhattan.
Take a cab, bus, or walk to Grand Central Station
Take Metro North to Bridgeport.
I am not sure the best route to Shelton from there.
In other words rent a car.
Take the PAO in 30th Street Philly.
Take AMTRAK to Penn Station Manhattan.
Take a cab, bus, or walk to Grand Central Station
Take Metro North to Bridgeport.
I am not sure the best route to Shelton from there.
In other words rent a car.
Jun 1st, 2012, 02:35 AM
#4
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 7,067
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
How much time will you have? I don't know how long it takes to get from PA to NYC (less than a couple hours I would think) but it's only a hour or so from NY to Bridgeport so if you left PA early and didn't have to be in CT till evening you'd have most of the day. The other issue though is luggage. If you only have small backpacks/bags that you can carry around with you that's one thing but if you have actual luggage you'd need to find storage for it. So if you answer those two questions we can give more suggestions as to what to do while you are there.
Jun 1st, 2012, 03:20 AM
#5
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 228
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Amtrak stops in Ardmore on certain trains to New York, which may or may not be more time and cost effective.
Septa's regional rail on the Main Line isn't typically referred to as the PAO by users, so if you tell your friend you are taking "the PAO" you will get confused looks. We call it "the train", or use its previous names (eg, the R5, though for some of us it will always be "the Paoli Local").
What you can see in New York depends on your time and interests.
Septa's regional rail on the Main Line isn't typically referred to as the PAO by users, so if you tell your friend you are taking "the PAO" you will get confused looks. We call it "the train", or use its previous names (eg, the R5, though for some of us it will always be "the Paoli Local").
What you can see in New York depends on your time and interests.
Jun 1st, 2012, 07:42 AM
#8
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 2,552
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Aduchamp's public transportation route - with MLTimes's additions - is absolutely correct. It's 1/2 hour from Bryn Mawr to 30th Street Station; another 1 1/2 to 2 hours on Amtrak to NYC Penn Station (much longer if you take the less expensive commuter rail route SEPTA to NJ Transit). From Grand Central to Bridgeport is another 1 to 1 1/2 hours. And I too have no idea how you'd manage public transportation to your final destination.
http://www.septa.org/schedules/rail/index.html
http://as0.mta.info/mnr/schedules/sched_form.cfm
That said, the two pieces PA-NYC and NYC-CT are really not complicated. And if you are really keen to see a slice of NYC, you certainly could do it like isabel said.
There is a checked luggage counter at NY Penn Station near track 5 for Amtrak riders (you have to show your ticket). The last time I used it I think it was about $7 a bag. However, leaving luggage means you'd have to return to Penn for it (of course), limiting a bit of the scope of what you could see.
http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/Conten..._Page&code=NYP
// Assuming you don't have to return for your luggage, here's a short suggested itinerary. You don't say whether or not there will be kids along, or what you might be interested in seeing, so I'll make some further assumptions here to start...
- From Penn Station, you could take the uptown A train two stops to 59th Street.* This will put you on Columbus Circle on the southwest corner of Central Park. Walk into the park, heading a little north and definitely east so that you cross town inside the park to the other side at 5th Avenue.
- This will put you at the southeast corner of Central Park, adjacent to the famed Plaza Hotel (even if it's no longer one), the Apple Store "cube" and FAO Schwartz.
- Walk south on 5th Avenue. This stretch is filled with high-end and famous shops. You'll cross 57th Street - Bergdorf Goodman and Tiffany's on opposite corners - pass Trump Tower, Henri Bendel, the NBA store... Note that the Museum of Modern Art is on 53rd Street between 5th and 6th Aves. St. Patrick's Cathedral is at 50th Street adjacent to Saks Fifth Avenue and across from Rockefeller Center.
- Grand Central Terminal is between 45th and 42nd Streets, and between Vanderbilt and Park Aves (two blocks east of 5th Ave). If you've reached this area and still have some time, while on 5th Ave you could cross 42nd Street to the front of the New York Public Library, behind which is pretty Bryant Park with both a sit-down restaurant and casual eatery kiosks.
- If you want to head straight to the train station, there's plenty to do there, too. Take a tour - or at least admire the ceiling - or browse the shops. Head to the lower level dining concourse for counter service from outposts of NYC restaurants. (I always recommend the margaritas and guacamole at Zocalo!)
http://www.grandcentralterminal.com/
20 city blocks equals a mile, so this loop will be a little less than 2 miles and without stopping would take you 30-45 minutes - plenty of time to take it slowly and see as much as you'd like!
// If you do leave luggage at Penn Station, I'd recommend at Rockefeller Center, continue west to 6th Avenue. Take the downtown B, D, F or M train two stops to 34th Street/Herald Square. Walk west one block and south two blocks to return to Penn Station. From Penn, take a taxi to Grand Central. Or hop back on the subway: take the 1, 2 or 3 line uptown one stop to 42nd Street and transfer to the 7 train towards Queens. Take the 7 train two stops to Grand Central.
* My itinerary skips Times Square. If you want to see it, you could walk from Penn to Central Park - but know that that adds a mile of walking to get to the starting point of my itinerary - and IMO, it's not at a scenic walk. You would exit Penn Station on the 7th Ave side. Turn left on 7th Ave (walking opposite direction as traffic), passing the back entrance to Macy's. Times Square starts at 42nd Street, where 7th Ave and Broadway cross. Continue on Broadway and it will take you to Columbus Circle at 59th Street...
The fare for each subway ride is $2.25. Each swipe also entitles you to one transfer between city bus and subway (or vice versa) for two hours from initial swipe.
http://mta.info/metrocard/mcgtreng.htm
http://www.septa.org/schedules/rail/index.html
http://as0.mta.info/mnr/schedules/sched_form.cfm
That said, the two pieces PA-NYC and NYC-CT are really not complicated. And if you are really keen to see a slice of NYC, you certainly could do it like isabel said.
There is a checked luggage counter at NY Penn Station near track 5 for Amtrak riders (you have to show your ticket). The last time I used it I think it was about $7 a bag. However, leaving luggage means you'd have to return to Penn for it (of course), limiting a bit of the scope of what you could see.
http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/Conten..._Page&code=NYP
// Assuming you don't have to return for your luggage, here's a short suggested itinerary. You don't say whether or not there will be kids along, or what you might be interested in seeing, so I'll make some further assumptions here to start...
- From Penn Station, you could take the uptown A train two stops to 59th Street.* This will put you on Columbus Circle on the southwest corner of Central Park. Walk into the park, heading a little north and definitely east so that you cross town inside the park to the other side at 5th Avenue.
- This will put you at the southeast corner of Central Park, adjacent to the famed Plaza Hotel (even if it's no longer one), the Apple Store "cube" and FAO Schwartz.
- Walk south on 5th Avenue. This stretch is filled with high-end and famous shops. You'll cross 57th Street - Bergdorf Goodman and Tiffany's on opposite corners - pass Trump Tower, Henri Bendel, the NBA store... Note that the Museum of Modern Art is on 53rd Street between 5th and 6th Aves. St. Patrick's Cathedral is at 50th Street adjacent to Saks Fifth Avenue and across from Rockefeller Center.
- Grand Central Terminal is between 45th and 42nd Streets, and between Vanderbilt and Park Aves (two blocks east of 5th Ave). If you've reached this area and still have some time, while on 5th Ave you could cross 42nd Street to the front of the New York Public Library, behind which is pretty Bryant Park with both a sit-down restaurant and casual eatery kiosks.
- If you want to head straight to the train station, there's plenty to do there, too. Take a tour - or at least admire the ceiling - or browse the shops. Head to the lower level dining concourse for counter service from outposts of NYC restaurants. (I always recommend the margaritas and guacamole at Zocalo!)
http://www.grandcentralterminal.com/
20 city blocks equals a mile, so this loop will be a little less than 2 miles and without stopping would take you 30-45 minutes - plenty of time to take it slowly and see as much as you'd like!
// If you do leave luggage at Penn Station, I'd recommend at Rockefeller Center, continue west to 6th Avenue. Take the downtown B, D, F or M train two stops to 34th Street/Herald Square. Walk west one block and south two blocks to return to Penn Station. From Penn, take a taxi to Grand Central. Or hop back on the subway: take the 1, 2 or 3 line uptown one stop to 42nd Street and transfer to the 7 train towards Queens. Take the 7 train two stops to Grand Central.
* My itinerary skips Times Square. If you want to see it, you could walk from Penn to Central Park - but know that that adds a mile of walking to get to the starting point of my itinerary - and IMO, it's not at a scenic walk. You would exit Penn Station on the 7th Ave side. Turn left on 7th Ave (walking opposite direction as traffic), passing the back entrance to Macy's. Times Square starts at 42nd Street, where 7th Ave and Broadway cross. Continue on Broadway and it will take you to Columbus Circle at 59th Street...
The fare for each subway ride is $2.25. Each swipe also entitles you to one transfer between city bus and subway (or vice versa) for two hours from initial swipe.
http://mta.info/metrocard/mcgtreng.htm
