ilovetotravel29

If I stayed at this location, how long would it take via public transport to get to NYC?

460 Route 33 E
East Windsor, NJ 08520

Can you recommend a website where I can input addressed and get an idea of the distance to NYC via public transport? I am trying to find reasonably priced hotels in NJ that would still be close enough for me to get to NYC in 30 minutes or less and help me to NOT feel like I am toooo far away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

wantsomesun

Why don't you stay IN the city? What is your budget for hotel and to be really honest the commuting cost back and forth would eat up and difference in hotel costs. Also public transit does not run late in the evening, or you could get stuck and have to take a cab.

Try www.hotels.com and priceline.com and any of the other travel websites for suggestions on hotels, but really you should think about staying IN Manhattan.

ilovetotravel29

Budget is under 80 bucks per night w/ a private bath. Wanting to go in early december.

rkkwan

The only reasonable way to get from East Windsor, NJ to NYC by public transport is to take the New Jersey Transit trains from Princeton Junction.

Very frequent on the Northeast Corrior line, especially during rush hour, and fastest train takes an hour. $10.75 each way. Ask the hotel how to get to Princeton Junction, which is about 4 miles from that hotel.

ilovetotravel29

Thank you for the info.....I will start planning my trip in earnest around the first of september, since it is too far in advance to plan now (at least for my schedule, it is!).

I am hoping, with fingers crossed, that I can get a hotel and airfare for around 600-800 bucks and I don't mind staying in nj if it saves me some dough.

I miss NYC and want to visit it again!

ilovetotravel29

How does this property sound?

144-02 135th Avenue
Jamaica, New York 11436

I also found a couple of hotels all in jamaica, ny

would that be a big commute public transit wise? most of the hotels are near jfk.

rkkwan

It's fairly easy to get from JFK to Manhattan. $5 for Airtrain to Jamaica, and then $2 for subway or slightly more on the Long Island Railroad. It'll still take longer than 30 minutes, though.

And you need to ask the hotel how to get to the Jamaica Station. There may be public bus nearby, then you can save the $5 on the AirTrain; or they may have a shuttle back to JFK - but you need to ask them how often.

Also, if you're going to Manhattan every day for several days, you'll hate the commute starting the 2nd day, wondering what the heck you were doing staying by JFK.

Lois_L

I understand your desire to stay within budget limitations, but I agree with the previous poster that these options--staying in a scuzzy setting, with nothing appealing around it, and paying even as little as $20+ to get into Manhattan, then transit costs while there--well, I'd rather wait and save up a bit more money, than go at all. No one needs to stay at "expense account" hotels and eat at fancy restaurants to have a great time in NYC. But why bother going, if you can't experience the positives the city has to offer? I think the commute/hotel part of your plans sounds so bad, that you would end up with negative impressions of NYC.

MelissaBeckoff

Living near and knowing the area, you will not want to commute every day.
It will not feel like a vacation .
It is not fun
You can have power failures- like a week or so ago that can make you miss a whole day in NYC and possibly theater tickets, etc that have been paid for.
You want to stay closer.The train is not cheap.
Melissa

GoTravel

This just isn't a good idea because you aren't familiar with the area and the commute is time consuming and will get expensive real quick. You should stay in the city.

Instead of flying to NYC, can you take the bus or train and put that money towards your hotel?

Did you check rates at The Milford Plaza? What about the Applecore Group?

What about inviting a friend and splitting the cost?

ilovetotravel29

thanks, everybody!!

I am going to be searching and searching to find a hotel for under 100 bucks if possible within NYC. I know it may be difficult, but perhaps I will find something? Or there is always craigslist as well......

I am keeping my eyes open for good deals!!

GoTravel

ilove, why don't you postpone the trip to early January? Decorations are up but city is much less crowded and less expensive.

nytraveler

To stay in a hotel outside of NYC that will allow you to be in Manhattan reliably within 30 minutes is practically impossible. The only way I know of doing it is to take the ferry back and forth to Jersey. There are a couple of hotels within walking distance of the ferry landings - but I very much doubt you will find any for $80. And then you will be paying RT ferry fares every day.

If you really want to see Manhattan and that is your budget I suggest you look into a room at a Y or a hostel. The 92St Y seems to have rooms near that budget and there is a hostel at 103rd/Amsterdam that many younger europeans seem to like. A bed in a dorm room with locker is about $35 - but they may also have smaller or private rooms - I'm not sure.

travelbuff

December is PRIME hotel time here in the city, so you won't find anything in Manhattan for under $100. Also if you stay outside the city and commute in you are going to end up paying more for your trip with transportation costs. If you stay in Manhattan you can get a Metro card with unlimited rides for $21 for 7 days and it will save you alot of hassle finding change and you can get on and off the bus as often as you would like, so it would keep your costs down.

Check priceline.com and see if you can find anything in your price range there or bid and see if it's accepted, almost anything in Manhattan will be fine.

J62

she finished this trip at least few months ago if not more, travelbuff. This thread is over a year old.