cfc

We had thought about taking a daytrip to NYC from the BWI (Baltimore Airport) area via Amtrak but find that the lowest round-trip fare for same-day travel is $144!

What alternative would you recommend? Driving north to Phila? Trenton? Newark? and then hopping the train (if so, where can you safely leave the car?). Or is there a reasonable bus that doesn't stop so often that it takes all day to get there?

suzanne

My friend who lives in Baltimore found that there is a $40 round trip bus for same day travel. You can even leave your stuff on the bus while you wander around the NYC! It drops you off in the Theater District. There are no intermediate stops. I'll have to ask her the bus company's name.

rb_travelerxATyahoo

Try the "Chinatown Buses"

http://www.ivymedia.com/bus/

Anonymous

Yikes, that fare is more than we usually pay for Boston-DC! Have you checked the "Rail Sale" offerings (see the link at the top of Amtrak's first Reservations screen).

cfc

Yep, checked all their specials -- all have blackout dates around Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Would be interested to know, Suzanne, whether your friend tells you it's Chinatown buses, or what.... thanks!

cfc

PS: Just checked Chinatown buses -- they don't appear to pick-up near Baltimore (or anywhere in Maryland - service is DC to NYC)), although they will drop off on request at "Baltimore Plaza" (I assume a highway service area?), and they don't appear to have any northbound buses between 3:30 AM and 1 PM on Fridays or Saturdays!

Much better service to/from Philly, but I'm wondering about parking near their terminal on Race Street.

uhoh_busted

Washington Deluxe has a bus that leaves DC Union Station (about a half hour jaunt from BWI) and ends at Madison Square Garden. The round trip fare is $35. You make your reservation over the website, and then pay cash when you get on the bus. My daughter takes it back and forth to get home from NYC. Can't beat it.

uhoh_busted

sorry -- website is www.washingtondeluxe.com

uhoh_busted

I really wish I could edit previous posts -- you can take the train from BWI station to Union Station in DC. Or from New Carrollton,MD (Or Glenmont, or Rockville, etc.) you could take the Metro to Union Station.

soccr

uhoh, hard to believe you could do a reasonable day-trip by taking train to DC and 6-hr. bus ride to NYC, no matter how much $ you save.

There used to be a bus Balt-Wash on Dahlia (same as Chinatown?), but I think that's been discontinued.

puddy

If you are not opposed to driving, I would drive up to one of the following:

NJ Metropark Station - 100 Middlesex Tpk. off the GSP exit 131A. (1 blk east of Rt 27 Edison). You would take the NJ Turnpike to Exit 11 and get on the Garden State Parkway North for a couple miles to Exit 131A. Park there and take the NJ Transit train. Check the NJ Transit website for more info and train schedules.

NY Waterway Ferry in Weehawken, NJ - Drive all the way up to the Lincoln Tunnel and take the last exit before the tunnel. Ferry drops you off in midtown and should have shuttle busses to take you to a more central location than the pier. Check the website for more details and better directions.

With that said, if I had a car to use for this, I would probably just drive all the way into the city and find a lot to park. But that's easy for me to say since I am comfortable driving in NY. If you decide to take this route, go to iconparking.com to find lots and parking rates.

suzanne

cfc,
I am waiting to hear from my friend.

No, it's definitely not one of the Chinatown buses. It's a big, comfortable bus (I've seen it). Her other Baltimore friends are always using this bus to do daytrips to NYC. It's quite a deal. The bus is ONLY for daytrippers.

suzanne

CFC-

I heard back from her! Here is a website with the info:

http://www.huntvalleymotorcoach.com/nyc.cfm