lcuy

I piggybacked this question on another thread, and it sank with no answers. Please forgive me if it sounds familiar.

We'll be going into NYC from Philadelphia just for one day. At her request, we'll be taking a new Swarthmore graduate to a matinee of Wicked and out for dinner at the Oyster Bar in Grand Central Station. Amtrak tickets are currently $70 RT. With three of us, would it make sense to drive into Manhattan? We're thinking to arrive in NYC around 11 AM and leave ~ 9 PM.

I've taken the train from Boston to Phil in the past and it was a pleasant trip. With tolls, gas, parking for the day, and the hassle of driving, will we regret not paying $210 for train tickets? I'm also a bit concerned we may not be able to agree on a time and end up with even higher ticket prices.

Any suggestions?

nytraveler

If you're going center city to center city I would do the train - and look for discounts.

If you're going from suburbs a car may make sense.

the train is less subject to delays/traffic (it's very rarely more than 15 minutes late) so you won;t be fighting traffic - but without knowing exactly where you are we don;t know our local traffic in the am.

As far as costs, assume you will pay $40 to park your car for the day (I would put it in a garage near where you will have dinner so you don;t have a trek to get to it going home), plus gas, tolls etc. So obviously much cheaper than the train.

How long has it take when you've driven to the city in this time frame?

doug_stallings

I wouldn't drive into Manhattan, but it's really up to your tolerance for traffic and need for flexibility.

You can easily take a bus (very cheap ... significantly cheaper than driving) or simply the combo of SEPTA plus NJ Transit, which costs somewhat less than the price of Amtrak. It takes a little longer than Amtrak, but not long enough that it's not a very useful and attractive alternative. Try to plan your travel into Manhattan to avoid the rush-hour prices on NJ Transit. I suspect it will be about 2/3 of the price.

Spending $150 on transportation may seem like a lot, but when you consider that parking is going to cost about $25, gas perhaps $20 or $30, and tolls at least $20 more, it's not taht bad (to me, at least). I'd pay $75 not to have to drive into Manhattan. Whether you want to do that is a different question entirely.

Bolbus (or similar bus service), by the way, costs about $12 each way. So that cuts your costs in half again if you choose this option.

Aduchamp1

It is between ninety minutes and 2 hour drive depending on traffic. And you can stop at the Vince Lombardi rest stop before they change the name.

MikeT

Nothing says graduation celebration than a long trip on NJ Transit or sitting in traffic on the BoltBus.

Take Amtrak. Consider the cost part of the celebration.

mclaurie

boltbus.com megabus.com are options that are much cheaper with relatively new buses. People say as buses go, they're mostly fine. But before you drop the Amtrak idea, are you sure you can't get the price down by using some discounts? If the Swathmore graduate has a student ID card, she may be able to get a student discount. If you're a member of AAA, that's another possibility and there may be other discounts floating around online. Here are some to check. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amtra...discounts.html

sf7307

>>

This cracks me up

MikeT

Glad I could make you laugh, sf.

lcuy

Thanks everyone! The theater/Oyster Bar trip will be 3 days after graduation and the "clearing out of the dorm" traumas.

Looks like we'll go with the train.

Suki

I would never spend that much on Amtrak when NJ Transit is just sitting a short car ride away and costs more like $26 round trip. Mapquest the directions, but it is a very easy drive on 95N, and 1N to either the Hamilton or Princeton stations where you get the train into Penn Station.

Also, my daughter has taken the Bolt Bus, Amtrak, and NJ Transit train into NYC quite a few times recently. She was delayed the longest on Amtrak.

yk

I've taken the NJT/SEPTA combo dozens of times in the early 2000s; before the arrival of Megabus or Boltbus. Given the choices NOW, there's no way I'd do the NJT/SEPTA combo again. Boltbus or Megabus is the way to go.

All 3 of you can get R/T bus tickets to NYC for the price of one Amtrak ticket.

Ryan

Train and it isn't even close. Why deal with the hassle of traffic and crossing bridges when you can go from Mid-town to Center City Philadelphia directly?

As stated, if you're looking for the lowest price you can avoid Amtrak by using NJ Transit and Septa.

Suki

I'd agree, yk, except that lcuy will have a car so it would not be a Septa/NJTransit combo. Just a drive up 95 and then the train.

MikeT

"All 3 of you can get R/T bus tickets to NYC for the price of one Amtrak ticket."

If you don't mind sitting in a cramped bus on the Jersey Turnpike. I don't think cost is the main concern here.

yk

Gosh, unless one is a linebacker, I'd hardly call BoltBus being a "cramped" bus. We just took BoltBus R/T between Boston & NYC this past week, which is 2x longer a trip than Philadelphia/NYC. There is extra legroom on BoltBus, foot rests, recline, and free wi-fi.

Sure, if money is no object, then take Amtrak. But the OP appears to be a bit concerned about the $210 price tag for Amtrak, and is worried that the price may go up.

Just my 2 cents.

go_laura

I'm in complete agreement with Suki, I learned here and have now confirmed by doing many times (after trying several different ways), that for me the easiest/cheapest/most pleasant combination way to go is to drive to the Hamilton, NJ train station, and then take just one train in to NYC. There is plenty of spacious, safe parking, and I really enjoy just getting on the train until I arrive, rather than having to make any switches.

BarryK

I agree with Suki, too. Drive to Trenton or Hamilton, park, and take the train to Penn Station.

twina49

I second (or third) the advice to take the train from Trenton. There is a parking garage across the street from the station, the price is affordable and you can relax while you head for Penn Station. If you want to spend more but get there faster, you might also consider the Acela from Philadelphia, but to me it wasn't worth the additional cost.

go_laura

I like the Hamilton train station much better than Trenton, tho'. Cleaner, nicer.