Italophile

Hi fellow Fodorites,

I would like to hear any recommendations for travelling from Washington DC to Williamsburg, plus any hotel suggestions. Neither I nor my travelling companion drive, so would be either train (first choice) or plane (second choice). I don't suppose there is a coastal vessel option!

Also, the Amtrak website seems to restrict baggage to carry on only for the daytime connections - we will be travelling with a small daypack each and suitcases on wheels, not overly large ones. In 2009 we rode the Amtrak from Boston to NYC with these bags, so not sure if the rules have changed since then....

Ackislander

The train is a reasonable, though not quick, option.

Your bags will be fine. I think the site is referring to there not being either a baggage car or porters on this run. Ask the conductor about quiet cars and try to get on one, though people o cheat and use mobile phones, rare in the northeast.

I would check for an intercity bus option, and under the circumstances, might even look for a tour that would take you to the Big Three: Yorktown, Williamsburg, and Jamestown. I would want a full day in Williamsburg. A tour that included one of the James River plantations would be terrific.

I would not do this trip in mid-summer on a bet.

emalloy

This might be a bit pricey but you could take the train to Baltimore then do the cruise.

http://www.sunstonetours.com/east-co...apeake-Bay.asp

Italophile

Thank you both - I will be doing this trip mid September.

obxgirl

The train is an excellent option. There are two trains a day from DC to Williamsburg, one in the morning and one in the evening. Depending on where you are staying in DC it may be easier (and will save you a couple of dollars) to pick up the train in Alexandria. The baggage situation is exactly as you remember it from 2009. There should be plenty of room either above your seat or one end of the train car.

The duration is about 3.5 hours. Timeliness is not brilliant -- late trains normally arrive with 45 minutes of schedule, usually less. The car traffic between DC and most of the trip to Wmbg can be horrendous. A 3 hour trip can easily turn into 5 hours. You are missing nothing by staying off the highway.

It's a very pleasant ride and the wifi connection is quite decent. I haven't noticed the "cheaters" in the quiet car that Ack mentioned. I routinely take this train and find the people in the quiet cars to be quite capable of policing themselves. Sometimes to the extreme. Last week a woman told me that I wasn't allowed to use my iPhone to text (yes, it was muted). Snort.

The train station in Williamsburg is walking distance to the restored area. The train station also serves as the town's transportation center where you can find cabs timed for train arrivals as well as the small city bus service.

If you are only interested in seeing Williamsburg, most hotels are walkable to or have shuttle services to the restored area. Or you can stay on at one of Colonial Williamsburg's properties within the historic area.

If you want to visit Jamestown, there is a city bus which will take you to the Jamestown-Scotland ferry which is immediately adjacent to Jamestown Island, an easy walk. The ferry ride itself (about 20 minutes each way) is a pleasant trip across the James River and very pretty at sunset. The ferry ride is free.

Unfortunately, the larger shuttle service between Williamsburg, Jamestown, the theme park Busch Gardens, and Yorktown was discontinued this year, a very unfortunate and IMO foolish budget decision. Your hotel may have shuttle services for these places.

nytraveler

If you are going to Williamsburg I definitely would not miss either Jamestown or the Yorktown battlefield. I would google to see if you can get a tour that will cover those areas.

I hate to say it - but that train is notoriously late - and since there are only 2 a day I would look at bus options that might be more convenient.

obxgirl

The bus options are not more covenient -- they are milk runs.

When was the last time you took that train?

Italophile

Thanks obxgirl and nytraveler.

Given the trains tend to run late, I'm rethinking training it back to NYC at the end; maybe flying is the best option for that leg.

obxgirl

Italophile, We might be of more help if you can share generally where you need to be in NYC and what time of day.

Direct flights from DC into NY airports are easy to get. Direct flights out of the Williamsburg area are not that frequent and are pricey (blame Southwest Airlines for absorbing Air Tran). It's also compounded by the fact that you don't have a car and will have to pay a shuttle ($40-$110 depending on the airport).

You don't really want a flight with an intermediate stop b/c you'll have at least as much risk of a delay as the train -- whose "lateness" I think has been overstated here.

Italophile

Thanks obxgirl. Would need to be back in NYC in the evening of Tuesday 16 September.

nytraveler

No - the trains re late SOUTH of DC - that's where the problem is. The NE corridor trains - from DC to Philly, NYC and Boston are generally on time (within 10 minutes or so) - and I have take then a lot. The problem occurs - I do;t know why - south of DC - where trains seems to run hours late. We were once very worried about an elderly uncle we didn't hear from - his train was 7 hours late - and he always took the bus after that.

HKP

Trains south of DC have to compete with freight lines, which have right of way. It's not so bad to Williamsburg but can be bad from Richmond south.

HKP

That wasn't clear since you get to Wmsburg via Richmond - but the rail lines diverge between those heading due south and the line out toward Norfolk.

How are you doing re: motels in W'burg? Not sure re: your price range, but we did well at Governor's Inn -- inexpensive, walkable to/from train and all else.

Ackislander

JetBlue flies from Richmond to JFK several times a day non-stop. The Richmond airport is on the Williamsburg side of the city, and prices are very cheap if you book well in advance. My wife regularly flies Richmond-Boston for $59 plus tax.

obxgirl

Ack, I am pretty sure all JetBlue flights from Richmond to NYC fly through Boston. If you take an early morning JB or Delta flight you certainly reduce the risk of delays that accumulate up the NE corridor throughout the day. Direct flights run about $400 and no one would be happier than I to see a lower cost option. Shuttle service from Wmbg to the Richmond airport is $110.

The closest airport to Wmbg is Newport News. There are a number of morning flights to NYC connecting through Charlotte or Philadelphia. None direct. Shuttle service from Wmbg to that airport is about $40.

For the OP, if you've got some sort of time critical event the evening of the 16th (theater tickets, dinner res, flight) I would be hesitant to take any form of transportation on the 16th that didn't have me in the NYC area by 3pm. You're traveling 400 miles in one of the most heavily trafficked corridors of the US. Afternoon thunderstorms are prevalent in September and weather in the south or Midwest can impact flights in and out of NY.

If it were me since you are paying for a hotel regardless of where it is, I would take the evening train from Wmbg to DC (or Alexandria) on the 15th and catch a direct flight from Reagan airport to NYC the morning of the 16th. Numerous flights routinely running under $100.

I have spent the better part of the last five years commuting from Wmbg to DC much of it by train. I have no stakeholder in trains other than I find them pretty reliable.

You do have two bus options. One arrives in NYC at 12:30am. The other is an overnight ride arriving at the crack of dawn. Both require transfers. That might be nytraveler's idea of a holiday for her elderly uncle but it isn't my idea of a good time. It's cheap though.

HKP

obxgirl's rec re: train to Alexandria/DC and flight from there sounds like best bet.

Ackislander

Sorry about the JetBlue mistake! They are so great that it just seemed logical!

Failing that, your Williamsburg to Alexandria to Reagan to JFK is the best idea.

Italophile

It's sounding like Williamsburg is going to be problematic with unreliable trains. Any suggestions for places to visit between Washington DC and Philadelphia, besides Baltimore? We are interested in historical buildings and museums and as advised, do not drive. Thanks in anticipation.

Annasteeve2014

In Williamsburg I recommend a show at the Kimball Theater. It's right outside the historic area so if you don't have a Historic Williamsburg ticket, you can still get in. The tickets for the theater are cheap, like a movie ticket. I saw an 18th century comedy. The plays here are interactive, so you have a really fun time. They're not too long, either.

Christina

The only place I can think of that might be a possible is Wilmington, DE. It's right on the Amtrak line. Actually, that's not a terrible idea, although it doesn't have as much as some other cities, of course, but you could go visit Winterthur, that would be a pleasant day.
http://www.winterthur.org/

And the city itself does have some historic areas.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nationa...gton,_Delaware

Winterthur isn't that far, you could take a taxi. This page gives transportation ideas http://www.winterthur.org/?p=754

They did an article on visiting it recently in the W Post as they have some special historic clothing exhibit on now http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifest...ery.html#item0