Dropping a hire car in NYC
Oct 27th, 2008, 03:01 PM
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Dropping a hire car in NYC
I'll be driving to NYC next September and will have a rental car to return when I get there. Just wondering whether it is reasonable to expect the rental company to drop me off at my hotel after I return the car; or whether they would come and pick it up from my hotel? Do different companies offer different levels of service?
Alternatively, are there any tips or tricks anyone can offer to returning a hire car in NYC, e.g. are some return points better located than others? or should I consider dropping the car somewhere else and transiting into Manahattan (I'll probably be coming from Philadelphia)? Don't know where I'm staying yet but it will probably be within a few blocks of Times Square.
Thanks,
P'chook
Alternatively, are there any tips or tricks anyone can offer to returning a hire car in NYC, e.g. are some return points better located than others? or should I consider dropping the car somewhere else and transiting into Manahattan (I'll probably be coming from Philadelphia)? Don't know where I'm staying yet but it will probably be within a few blocks of Times Square.
Thanks,
P'chook
Oct 27th, 2008, 03:12 PM
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Many rental agencies have offices in the city. I just looked at Hertz and they have an office at 323 W. 34th Street. I'm not very familiar with NY but if I'm not mistaken that's a fairly short taxi ride to Times Square. It looks like Avis has an office on West 31st Street which is also nearby. You might do some checking on Orbitz.com to see which rental agency works best for you.
Oct 27th, 2008, 03:52 PM
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Here's an idea for you:
Drop off your car in Philadelphia, at 30th Street Station. Car rental companies available there are: Avis, Hertz, Budget, National.
http://philadelphia.30thstreetstation.com/
Then take the Megabus direct from Philadelphia to NYC. The drop off spot is Penn Station, not far from Time Sq. You have to buy your Megabus ticket in advance, ticket price starts at $1. Yes, it's not a typo, $1 (plus a $0.50 booking fee).
http://www.megabus.com/us/index.php
Even if you can't score a $1 ticket, you can easily get a ticket for $10. That's still cheaper than gas + toll between Philadelphia & NYC.
Drop off your car in Philadelphia, at 30th Street Station. Car rental companies available there are: Avis, Hertz, Budget, National.
http://philadelphia.30thstreetstation.com/
Then take the Megabus direct from Philadelphia to NYC. The drop off spot is Penn Station, not far from Time Sq. You have to buy your Megabus ticket in advance, ticket price starts at $1. Yes, it's not a typo, $1 (plus a $0.50 booking fee).
http://www.megabus.com/us/index.php
Even if you can't score a $1 ticket, you can easily get a ticket for $10. That's still cheaper than gas + toll between Philadelphia & NYC.
Oct 27th, 2008, 05:20 PM
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No one will drop you off or pick you up. The best you can hope for is that there isn't a long line when you go to return it. (I've only seen this done if you rent some sort of specialty vehicle - ferrari or Rolls or something at several hundred $ per day - not a regular car.)
Most of the large car rental companies have offices in the west 40's. Head through the Lincoln tunnel, go to the hotel to drop off luggage (and hopefully your companion to guard it) then return the car and walk back.
Most of the large car rental companies have offices in the west 40's. Head through the Lincoln tunnel, go to the hotel to drop off luggage (and hopefully your companion to guard it) then return the car and walk back.
Oct 27th, 2008, 05:27 PM
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All the major companies have many offices in Manhattan - uptown, downtown, east and west side. Several of the offices are open 24 hours - it's simple enough to drop your luggage, drive a few blocks to the office, return the car and walk back to the hotel.
Oct 27th, 2008, 06:02 PM
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Megabus prices the tickets on a sliding scale. I don't know how many $1 tickets they sell per bus, but once those $1 seats are sold, the price goes up as demand goes up. I think the most expensive tickets go for around $18. I assume they do make a profit... but at least Megabus is a big company (based in UK), so it won't fold that easily.
Oct 28th, 2008, 05:12 AM
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Everyone should drive once in Manhattan to see what it's like - that's my probably not too agreed on opinion. I made it a point to drive in different countries and it was eye-opening.
Avoid Times Square/Broadway when shows start and finish. Very crowded and the rental agencies are located in the same garages where theater goers park.
Depending on when you drop off and the company, if you have to settle up, some of the wait/queue times can be horrible.
Megabus and it's ilk saves money by not using physical ticket counters, picking up at the sidewalk, not the terminal, avoiding extra fees that way. Check the NYT - there was a writeup.
Avoid Times Square/Broadway when shows start and finish. Very crowded and the rental agencies are located in the same garages where theater goers park.
Depending on when you drop off and the company, if you have to settle up, some of the wait/queue times can be horrible.
Megabus and it's ilk saves money by not using physical ticket counters, picking up at the sidewalk, not the terminal, avoiding extra fees that way. Check the NYT - there was a writeup.
Oct 28th, 2008, 05:16 AM
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Just a thought. It costs about $12 in tolls to come into the city from the direction of Philadelphia. Plus, you may pay a higher drop-off fee to leave your car in Manhattan. For that kind of money, you can take Megabus or a combo of Septa and NJ Transit from 30th Street Station. Plus, the trip will probably take less time than driving.
No rental car company will pick you up or drop you off at your hotel, but there are literally dozens of offices for the car-rental companies, so that won't be an issue. There's bound to be one within a 10-minute walk from any Midtown hotel.
No rental car company will pick you up or drop you off at your hotel, but there are literally dozens of offices for the car-rental companies, so that won't be an issue. There's bound to be one within a 10-minute walk from any Midtown hotel.
Oct 28th, 2008, 07:22 AM
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Unless there are loads of you or you were planning on stopping somewhere on the way, I'd take either megabus.com or boltbus.com or the train and forget driving.
If you drive, mp's advice is right on. Drop your luggage and the rest of the group at the hotel, drive to car drop off and then walk or taxi to hotel.
Your only other option is returning the car to another location if you'd be saving a lot of money vs. dropping in Manhattan. Newark airport is one option and taking transportation from there, but it's usually not any cheaper. Avis has a desk at the Doubletree Club hotel in Jersey City and from there you can catch a PATH train (like a subway) into Manhattan, but what a hassle unless it's a huge savings.
If you drive, mp's advice is right on. Drop your luggage and the rest of the group at the hotel, drive to car drop off and then walk or taxi to hotel.
Your only other option is returning the car to another location if you'd be saving a lot of money vs. dropping in Manhattan. Newark airport is one option and taking transportation from there, but it's usually not any cheaper. Avis has a desk at the Doubletree Club hotel in Jersey City and from there you can catch a PATH train (like a subway) into Manhattan, but what a hassle unless it's a huge savings.
Oct 28th, 2008, 01:57 PM
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Thanks again everyone, the Megabus option is sounding good to me. If I do come straight from Philadelphia I'll do it that way. But I'm also thinking of coming via the Jersey Shore which would probably make it more likely that I'll drive all the way to Manhattan.
Picking up nstevey's point that everyone should drive in NYC at least once - I agree, and I have actually done it once before. Back in 1994, on my first visit to the USA, my wife and I drove down through New York state from Niagara Falls. I can't remember the name of the road we took to get onto Manhattan but basically as we came onto the island we could either turn left or right. We turned left, thinking we were lower on the island than we actually were and that the road would take us to the mid-town area. We finished up in Harlem.
It was our first time in NYC, we had no idea where we were, we're dealing with all the traffic (including driving on the "wrong" side of the road) and getting quietly freaked out. But we came across a sort of street market (it was a Sunday) and stopped and asked for directions and once the people stopped laughing they were really nice to us - gave us something to eat and drink and sent us off in the right direction. A really memorable introduction to the Big Apple.
Picking up nstevey's point that everyone should drive in NYC at least once - I agree, and I have actually done it once before. Back in 1994, on my first visit to the USA, my wife and I drove down through New York state from Niagara Falls. I can't remember the name of the road we took to get onto Manhattan but basically as we came onto the island we could either turn left or right. We turned left, thinking we were lower on the island than we actually were and that the road would take us to the mid-town area. We finished up in Harlem.
It was our first time in NYC, we had no idea where we were, we're dealing with all the traffic (including driving on the "wrong" side of the road) and getting quietly freaked out. But we came across a sort of street market (it was a Sunday) and stopped and asked for directions and once the people stopped laughing they were really nice to us - gave us something to eat and drink and sent us off in the right direction. A really memorable introduction to the Big Apple.
Oct 28th, 2008, 07:46 PM
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If you are going to be at the Jersey Shore, there are still several options you could have to drop off the car in New Jersey and avoid having to drive into Manhattan:
1. Metropark NJ (i.e., Edison/New Brunswick area) which is an Amtrak station and a regular NJ Transit station with frequent trains to NYC. This train station is right on the Garden State Parkway (exit 131), which is the main highway from Jersey shore points. The station is also about one exit off the Turnpike (Exit 11, take the GS Parkway exit from the Turnpike, go North for about 1-2 exits to Exit 131). Check Amtrak schedules at Amtrak.com and the NJtransit.com . Trains take about 45 minutes and require no changes. Amtrak trains are slightly faster but more expensive. Check car rental drop off locations for Metropark or Edison.
2. Train from shore towns. If you are in some northern New Jersey shore towns, several of those have train service to New York (albeit slowish service). Bay Head is the end of the train line, and towns from Bay Head north have train service, check NJtransit.com, you want the North Jersey Coast Line.
3. Bus from shore towns. Take a look at NJ Transit for schedule. This may not be a bad option, as the bus puts you right into midtown and should be faster than going by train. If you will be in Atlantic City, you should be able to find several fast bus options, others may require a change.
4. Newark Airport. That is easy to reach from most major highways in NJ. From there you could then take the AirTrain to Newark and then a train into NYC. (Or just take a taxi into Manhattan if you don’t mind paying more.)
5. For a really unique experience, drop off the car in Atlantic Highlands and take the ferry to Manhattan. (This would be spectacular on a clear Fall day.) This is at Exit 105 on the Garden State Parkway. There is a high-speed ferry service that goes to the South Street Seaport area in lower Manhattan or to 34th Street on the east side in midtown. Take a look at http://www.seastreak.com or call 732-872-2628. With luggage I can see that this may not be quite as convenient, but certainly memorable. (Another option is a drop off in Jersey City and taking the ferry across to mid-town, see www.nywaterway.com, but finding the ferry piers in Jersey City can be confusing to someone not familiar with the area, and the drive is through some un-salubrious neighborhoods.)
1. Metropark NJ (i.e., Edison/New Brunswick area) which is an Amtrak station and a regular NJ Transit station with frequent trains to NYC. This train station is right on the Garden State Parkway (exit 131), which is the main highway from Jersey shore points. The station is also about one exit off the Turnpike (Exit 11, take the GS Parkway exit from the Turnpike, go North for about 1-2 exits to Exit 131). Check Amtrak schedules at Amtrak.com and the NJtransit.com . Trains take about 45 minutes and require no changes. Amtrak trains are slightly faster but more expensive. Check car rental drop off locations for Metropark or Edison.
2. Train from shore towns. If you are in some northern New Jersey shore towns, several of those have train service to New York (albeit slowish service). Bay Head is the end of the train line, and towns from Bay Head north have train service, check NJtransit.com, you want the North Jersey Coast Line.
3. Bus from shore towns. Take a look at NJ Transit for schedule. This may not be a bad option, as the bus puts you right into midtown and should be faster than going by train. If you will be in Atlantic City, you should be able to find several fast bus options, others may require a change.
4. Newark Airport. That is easy to reach from most major highways in NJ. From there you could then take the AirTrain to Newark and then a train into NYC. (Or just take a taxi into Manhattan if you don’t mind paying more.)
5. For a really unique experience, drop off the car in Atlantic Highlands and take the ferry to Manhattan. (This would be spectacular on a clear Fall day.) This is at Exit 105 on the Garden State Parkway. There is a high-speed ferry service that goes to the South Street Seaport area in lower Manhattan or to 34th Street on the east side in midtown. Take a look at http://www.seastreak.com or call 732-872-2628. With luggage I can see that this may not be quite as convenient, but certainly memorable. (Another option is a drop off in Jersey City and taking the ferry across to mid-town, see www.nywaterway.com, but finding the ferry piers in Jersey City can be confusing to someone not familiar with the area, and the drive is through some un-salubrious neighborhoods.)
