Any suggestions for the quickest means of travel? Flights seem very expensive, but will bite the bullet if necessary. Is there a super fast express train? Thanks!

My experience with Boston-NY travel is that beit bus, express train or car it will always take at least 4 to 4.5 hrs no matter what. Flights are generally under an hour plus the commute from LGA into Manhattan which runs around 30 to 45 mins.

Can you purchase a roundtrip flight and use just half of it?

Even planes will take around 4 hours considering 1 hour before flight for check in, wait for bags, etc. The fast train (Acela) is not much faster than the regular one. When are you going? Maybe you could rent a car and leave it just outside the city.

It will be a Friday in November. Renting a car and then ditching it seems like more trouble than it's worth, since I'll be doing this leg of our trip on my own.

I'll just figure a half day and try to work out which really takes longer door to door, considering wait time at the airport, drive into Manhattan, etc.

What's the deal with using half a round trip these days? Haven't done it in many years. Do you call the airline and cancel, or just not show up?

Whoa, can you believe Sidestep is showing $231 for the cheapest Boston-LGA round trip? My round trip airfare from the west coast is costing exactly $5 more. Crazy, isn't it?

$94 comes up as the one-way fare Boston to lga on Oct 30 or 31. Perhaps you need a 14 day advance ticket to get a decent fare, or maybe weekday is higher.

Shuttle fares vary tremendously by time - since mostly it is business travelers the early am flights are often more - somtimes it's less if you leave in the middle of the day - but then you waste a whole day on travel.

I always drive - for me its about 3.5 hours - but then I have my own car, am on the UWS - am generally a leadfoot.

What are the published times for the Limobus - still four hours?

tracy, I'm going Nov 12. What airline showed that $94 fare? Because Amtrak is $92 for the express (which saves about 50 min and only costs $13 more).

Marilyn, I read an article in Conde Nast Traveler several years ago about two writers that raced from NYC to Boston.

One flew on the shuttle and the other went Amtrak.

I can't remember who won because the times were so close (both airports are outside city center while both train stations are in the city center) but the writer that took the train had a much more pleasant experience.

I'll look for the article.

Thanks, GoTravel. I'm leaning toward the train also, since it doesn't seem as if the transit time will be that different by the time I figure in getting to the airport at least an hour ahead and having to taxi in to Manhattan.

there's also an inexpensive bus that leaves from chinatown, if you have time.
Marilyn, I live here , are you going to be on vacation?

cigale, click on my name and check out the posts I just put up on several boards. Phil Flash is having a retrospective of his 3D photo shows at the National Heritage Museum in Lexington, MA. We will be in town for that. I hope you can come! It would be so much fun to meet you, and any other fodorites who would like to attend.

There's a Robert Bloomberg who is having a show?

That's my own Phil Flash (a photo pun of a name). I guess his cover is blown on this forum.

Let me know if you'll be there, Mimi.

As of now I can say yes, unless something comes up of grave importance. My husband's office for the Boston Globe was there so he knows the place very well. We'll look forward to meeting you.

"There's life in the old Dame"" ...
Archy and Mehitabel by Don marquis

The chinatown busses are $15 one way and take four hours but not very plush www.chinatown-bus.com There is another bus service for $69 with reserved seating, internet connections, dvd, meals etc. called limoliner (also 4 hours) www.limoliner.com

It was easy to search <a href="http://www.ivymedia.com/chinatownbus/">Chinatown Bus</a> update-to-date schedules, price, pickup time and maps. The bus service is good and well worth money you paid.

FYI I'm going to train it. Easier to pick up the train near where I'll be staying (Rt 128 station) and the express is just over 3 hrs for $92. It's worth the money to me to have a couple of hours less travel time, plus the train amenities like a bathroom.

Thanks for all your help!

If you want a bathroom, meals, dvd, internet connection, try www.limoliner.com $69 one way.

Thanks for updating us, Marilyn. FYI, the buses have toilets and the Chinatown buses I've taken have averaged 4 hours despite making a quick rest-area stop ( for bathrooms and snacks) on the highway. Last week's Amtrak derailment was very unusual, hope you have a great trip.