Karen Baldwin

please can anyone advise me the best way to travel between Boston, New Jersey, Delaware, Rochester NY. I will be in the US, from mid august to mid september, and want to travel on a badget of sorts, and would want to enjoy the view, so what would you choose, greyhound or amtrak.
Many thanks,
Karen

Dayle

I would not wish a bus on my worst enemy. The train is better. I don't know where you live, but don't expect US trains to be anything like Europe. Ours are mostly late and not that cheap. Check out rental cars instead.

karen Baldwin

Thanks Dalye for the tips, I am coming over from the UK, and love traveling by train, but if they are as bad as they sound maybe I shall hire a car or fly.
Shame about the bus though I have always wanted to travel on the greyhound....maybe next time.
Karen

Paul Rabe

My wife and I have traveled all over America as well as in fifteen countries in Europe, and I must respectively disagree with the thought that a car would be the best way to travel in the Northeast. In California, there's no question that a car is better; but in the area's Karen noted, bus or train would be fine. While trains are pretty skimpy outside the Northeast, they travel regularly to all of the places she noted. There are ten direct trains from Boston to Wilmington, for instance; with stops (no extra charge) at Newark, New Brunswick, Princeton, and Trenton. There are eleven bus routes between those two cities; again, a stop along the way in New Jersey would be no extra charge. The round trip bus fare would cost $80 -- does anyone want to tell me you can rent a car in Boston, drive to Wilmington and back, and spend less than $80??!!?

I usually recommend rental cars for visitors to America. But for a single traveler in the Northeast, like Karen, you'd be crazy to use a rental car.

Check www.amtrak.com; www.greyhound.com; and www.travelocity.com (you'll need to do free registration at the latter) for online comparision of costs between trains, busses, and rentals.

Louis Dameson

Follow the prior advice on trains and buses and ignore the other postings. We are not quite a 3rd world nation yet and our public transportation is not that bad. Rent a car only where you want to explore an area for a day or two that does not have good public transportation. Check the buses and trains from England, they may have special deals on passes or fares.

Karen Baldwin

Dear Paul,
thanks for your advice, is was most interesting to have an honest opinion. Looking forward to going by train
Karen.

Debbie Hilliard

Karen, 2 more bits of advice; Amtrak, between cities is the way to go from my perspective; I think it is safer especially if you are departing at night. Buses around a given city in the day time are as safe as yours. If you get as far South as Delaware, you are only 2 hours via interstate to Washington, D.C. worth a days site seeing if you can manage it. Keep your fanny-pack in front of you!

Happy trails!

helpful

Karen,

I think you should rent a car and drive up I-95.

x

s

A train will get you city to city but doesn't provide an opportunity to explore what is in between. I would go the rental car route if cost feasible. You won't need a car in Boston but once leaving Boston it will certainly provide an opportunity to see the northeast close up.. I would head to Rochester from Boston. There are a number of interesting places to stop in between. I would take a side trip to NIagara FAlls. THen I would head for NJ driving through central NY state and the Catskill mountains.THere are interesting places to visit going from NJ to DElaware. If you decide to get a rental car indicate your itinerary and you will get information on interesting places to visit.