glenninma

My wife and I are set to spend a week in Manhattan in October. I'm debating on taking the train from Boston or driving to CT and taking a commuter train. Any suggestions on where to catch a train into the city where I can safely and economically leave my car for a week.

Anonymous

I don't know anything about NYC-area commuter trains. But in the Boston area, the Amtrak station at Route 128 has lots of parking for $10 a day in the long-term area.

doug_stallings

Metro North goes as far as New Haven, but I'm not sure you'd save any money by paying to park there for a week and taking Metro North into the city. I'd suggest you actually look into flying. It's usually cheaper to take Jet Blue from Boston to JFK than to take the train, though the train is infinitely more convenient. Another option would be the Limo Liner bus, which deposits you at the New York Hilton. If it were me, I'd take the train.

stellablue

Parking in the garage at New Haven's Union Station (gated, well-lit, and patrolled) has a $10/day max (just parked there for 2 nights). One-way adult fares on Metro North (goes to Grand Central) range from $14 -$18.50, depending on time of day. If you end up taking Metro North try to get an express train or you will stop at every station on the way.

AES

Easiest place to catch the Metro North commuter train is New Haven. Parking is $8/day. RT fare to NYC will run approx. $30-35 each (depending upon whether you're on a peak or off-peak train). It's about a 1.5 hr ride into Grand Central from New Haven.

QC

If you book enough in advance (3-4 weeks), you can get a roundtrip jetBlue ticket for $100-$120 per person. It's a 30 minute flight.

I checked the same mid-October dummy dates on Amtrak. It costs about the same. It's a 5 hour ride. Switching to Metro-North at New Haven is not a bargain or time-saver.

Leave your car at home or in the Logan lots. You can get to midtown easily from JFK via the AirTrain and Long Island Rail Road.

Anonymous

You haven't been to Logan Airport in Boston lately, have you QC? It's a zoo. The OP would have to park at the airport or arrange ground transit at this end, too. Sure, the flight might be 30 minutes, but once you add in airport arrrivals, ground transit, etc., you're saving little if any time in exchange for some mighty hassles. The schedule for Amtrak to NYPenn averages under 4 hours, even for the regionals.

lcuy

In the last year, I have made the trek between NYC and Boston 5 times...twice on Amtrak, once driving, and twice flying. Although the drive was fun, and the air tix cheap, the train was the easiest and fastest overall.

I loved the Acela quiet car. Very comfortable seats with electric outlets for your computer. Pleasant views, although I slept most of the way both times!

The Limoliner seems really nice too, but the schedule is limited and it hasn't worked for me yet.

nytraveler

Have done the NYC - boston route numerous times. Flying was never faster - even before the mess at Logan.

Actually the fastest way is driving - but then I have a monthly garage in the city so that saves on paying parking.

For 2 people driving to New Haven, then training is probably cheaper than parking here. For 3 or more driving to the city and parking is probably the best choice.

I would take limoliner versus Amtrak - and anything vs flying with the mess at Logan.

QC

You haven't been to Logan Airport in Boston lately, have you QC? It's a zoo.

I have. Show me the airport that is not.

The OP would have to park at the airport or arrange ground transit at this end, too.

If they have easy access to the Silver Line, or are coming from the East or North, it should be a breeze.

Sure, the flight might be 30 minutes, but once you add in airport arrrivals, ground transit, etc., you're saving little if any time in exchange for some mighty hassles.

Have you rode Amtrak lately? I had to stand the entire way from NYC to Philadelphia three weeks ago on an all reserved train waiting for a seat to continue to DC. My traveling companion had to sit three cars away since there wasn't adequate standing room or a seat even remotely near me when some seats became available. They make you reserve a spot for this.

All for the low, low price of exactly the same as flying. It takes me just as long to get to LGA as Penn Station.

The schedule for Amtrak to NYPenn averages under 4 hours, even for the regionals.

My last BOS-JFK jetBlue flight was twenty three minutes. It doesn't take 2 hours to get from JFK to Midtown.