We have some friends who live near Allentown PA and would love to visit NYC while visiting them. Does anyone know how to take a train from that area to NYC? About what would the cost be, and is there a train schedule?

They will need to drive about an hour to Hackettstown, NJ and get NJ Transit train to NYC>

Visited a friend near Allentown from NYC once - and the only way to go was bus - and it took forever.

The train service listed above takes from 2 to 3 hours into Penn Station - in addition to getting to Hackettstown.

So - looks like 6/7 hours of travel RT - an awful lot for one day - but not bad if you stay for several days.

No train to Allentown. Hasn't been one since 1967 or so. You can take the Trans Bridge Bus from Allentown directly to NY Port Authority. Takes about 2 Hrs 15 min and fare is $34.15 RT
Here is their website
http://tinyurl.com/m794w
You can also drive about an hour east on Rt 22 to Somerville, NJ and board a NJ transit train that runs nearly hourly and takes you to Newark with connections to NYC or Hoboken.
See NJT schedule at
http://tinyurl.com/rs9gq
Or you can drive.

You can go to Trenton or Philadelphia and get Amtrak.

The Trans-Bridge Bus Lines run daily From Allentown/Bethlehem to NYC and the trip takes about 2 hours (not forever). I tried to post th l ink, but for some odd reason when I copy/paste or even type a link it shows twice and I can not edit it. Sorry. If you Google the bus company you will find fares and schedules.

I live in the Phildelphia suburb of Manyunk, a 40-minute drive from Allentown. You could take the PA Turnpike (476) down to 76 (Schuylkill Expressway) to the 30th Street Station and take the Amtrak to Penn Station in Manhattan. Or you could take 78 from Allentown to Newark Airport and take the train into Manhattan.