eeyann

My teenage daughter, who's never been in NYC, is flying alone to LGA and then taking a bus to Grand Central to catch a train to Poughkeepsie. She hasn't travelled much alone--any advice to keep her safe? Any advice on getting thru Grand Central and on the right train? Thanks in advance from anxious mother!

Gekko

Metro North travels from Grand Central to Poughkeepsie. Upon arrival to GC, she should go follow the signs to Metro North and then find an information booth. The people there will direct her to the proper ticket window, and from that point on it's just following signs to the right track.

MFNYC

If she is at all confused, she should just ask at the info booth or anyone who is around. Most NYers are quite helpful.

GoTravel

I'd have a car service meet her or have her take a cab to Grand Central.

I'd skip the bus to Grand Central.

My 51 year old husband got on the wrong shuttle at Newark and ended up in cracktown.

wantsomesun

The bus to Grand Central stops litterally across the stree from the station, so she should not have a problem finding it.

As she walks into the main station the ticket windows will be on her left and she just needs to tell the agent where she is going. The agent will tell her the next train and the track number. All the tracks are easy to find and each is numbered.

If she has ANY questions, there is an information booth right in the CENTER of the station again clearly marked.

Hope she has a great time.

rb_travelerxATyahoo

Her biggest challenge may be making sure she gets on the right bus. Have her look at the pictures at http://www.nyairportservice.com/ (I assume that's what she's riding on). Find the correct waiting area on the curb outside baggage pickup.

It's not very difficult, but so many different buses/shuttles go by she might wonder if she's missed it. Perhaps you can find some drawings/floorplans of what Grand Central looks like, so she can familiarize herself with things.

Remember she must not get rattled. Unless her arrival is VERY late, there's always another bus or another train that can be boarded should she miss one.

How much luggage will she have? And what time of day? If not much (eg: one carryone) it might be easier to board a MTA #M60 bus that will drop her off right outside the 125th St station where there is only one track - much smaller than GC.

eeyann

TTT

eeyann

Thank you all, this has been really helpful and reassuring!

nytraveler

In addition to the directions I hope you've prepared her for dealing with travel basics:

Keep all her valuables secured

Never EVER let go of any of her belongings in a public place (including the ladies room - take everything into the stall with her)

Do not listen to strangers who approach her at the airport - esp with limo "deals"

Do not talk to anyone who may approach her with questions or comments (no matter who they may be). It is NOT rude to walk right past them without looking or talking - it is just a normal precaution in an airport or train station.

If she has questions she should go to either someone in the info booth or someone in official uniform only

These may all seem obvious to us - but to an inexperienced teen who hasn;t traveled much and has been taught to be "nice" or "polite" to people it may not be obvious.

(When I was 14 or 15 I met a naive friend for a movie at the Music Hall [when they were showing "spectacular" movies there]. She was waiting for me across the street and had fallen into conversation with a well-dressed man who claimed she should be a model and wanted her to go back to his "studio" for head shots. He even had a portfolio of samples with him. And she was actualy falling for it until I came along. He thought he was going to get two instead of one until I told him I was going to call a cop.)

mclaurie

When you walk into Grand Central, head for the big main area and look for the clock. Under the clock is info about trains and what tracks they're on.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ntral_test.jpg

See if she can purchase the ticket in advance online.
http://as0.mta.info/mnr/tickets/show...fm?rt_switch=1

eeyann

nytraveler, I appreciate the reminders about being in stations, and mclaurie, thanks for the links for Grand Central and ticket purchases. It looks as though for her return, she'll need to be at LGA on Sun. at 6:45 AM. How long would a taxi from Grand Central take to get to LGA at that hour? (Can't believe my teen is getting up that early!) Thanks for all the great advice.

PamSF

Have Carmel(gggogle them to arrange p/u) hire car pick her up at LGA and drive her to Grand Central. Once inside Grand Central she can easily find the ticket booth and purchase tix for Poughkeepsie. It's really pretty easy and the station in Poughkeepsie is SMALL and readily used.

J62

If she needs to get to LGA by 6:45am Sunday, there is no way she can do that by train from POK. Earliest train is 4:30am departure, getting into Grand Central about 6:30. It's a 2hr train ride since it'll stop at every station. She will need to spend Saturday night in NYC, either Manhattan, or near the airport.

On the way to POK she should take an express train (ask at the booth) - it'll skip many of the stations at the beginning of the trek. POK is the last stop, and all trains stop there.

nytraveler

I'm not sure you will want her to stay by herself in a hotel in Manhattan. I would instead consider getting an early am shuttle direct from Poughkeepsie to LGA. This will be expensive - but not more than a night in a decent hotel.

I don;t know shuttles in that area - but would go to the LGA website and see which companies have servies to Westchester.

MFNYC

Can whoever she is visiting in Poughkeepsie advise on how to get her back to LGA? I agree that a service that can take her directly from Poughkeepsie to LGA for that early flight would be best. Early in the morning it should be a fairly quick trip by car. I would call one of the usual NYC airport car service companies (Carmel, Tel Aviv) ask them. They do pickups out of the metro area, I've done it.

eeyann

Thanks for the new replies. I don't think staying in a hotel in NYC isa good idea. I should have said that her flt out of LGA leaves at 8:30 AM, so maybe she does have time to do train to Grand Centrl, bus or taxi to LGA. That early on Sunday, how long is the taxi ride?

MFNYC

From GC at abotu 6:30am on a Sunday, it could be 20 minutes (more if some unusual roadwork or event).

mclaurie

Still sounds like a stressful situation to me to stay in Poughkeepsie and have to make an 8:30 flight from LGA. If she misses that 4:30 train she's sunk. No way to take a later flight? Will she have a computer to be able to preprint a boarding pass? Does she realize she needs a photo ID (driver's license etc.)?

J62

With 8:30 flight I think she does have enough time to catch the 4:30am train, then cab from GC to LGA. She would be at LGA by about 7am - plenty early.

From Poughkeepsie there are no shuttle or other shared ride services. A private car service is an option. I would not use a NYC car service, as they would not know the area. I can dig up a local service I've used in that area before if you want. One way fare to LGA is about $150, maybe more with higher gas prices.

It'll take about 90min from Poughkeepsie to LGA on a Sunday morning, so a 5:30 pickup, maybe a bit earlier would be fine.

A later flight would certainly make options easier - is that possible?

GoTravel

How old is this teen eeyan?

She's a teen, hasn't traveled much, and is traveling by herself?