Pros &Cons: Amstrak versus Megabolt/PeterPan

[bus man]

Thank you Bus man. I do not expect luxury but your description has worried me a little.

Can you clarify a few points for me please:

 

You mentioned about checking the luggage similar to how the airlines do it. Does it mean we have to allow extra time to do so before boarding the train? If so how much extra time needed?

 

Shall I assume that they keep the luggage at seperate compartment? and at the other end, we also have to wait for our luggage to be unloaded?

 

If the train is not full, could we keep the luggage with us? (but not store in the overhead bin)

 

Is there any metro station close to Penn station so I can use to get to Manhattan once return to NY.

 

Thank you.

 

 

Amtrak's regional trains are not luxurious, but they are quite comfortable and roomy; the equivalent of at least business class on most airlines.

 

Yes, you have to allow extra time for the baggage. Amtrak suggests a minimum of 30 minutes before departure, and more at larger stations. You can bring aboard two pieces of luggage, plus personal items, but no more than that. The rest has to be checked. Checked baggage will ride in its own car. At your destination, you'll have to wait for your baggage to be unloaded. I don't know how long it will take, as I've never done it. (I've always done carry-on.)

 

Penn Station is already in Manhattan. It's served by numerous subway lines. Nos. 1, 2, and 3 on the 7th Avenue side of the station, and the A, C, and E on the 8th Avenue side. In Washington, Union Station is served by the Red Line. Like the London Underground or the Paris Metro, New York's subway goes everywhere, all around the city. However, it's asthetically yucky. Washington's subway is much, much nicer, but its service area isn't as extensive. (But it will get you to most major tourist attractions.)

[camly]

Thank you for your prompt respond. It's very helpful. I ahve a few more questions for you, hope you can help.

 

In England, we can take our suitcases (one piece per passenger) to our carriage where there is an area to store it (not the overhead bin.) Does amstrak have this facility? We are travel light but I can't imagine how could the overhead bin is big enough to hold a medium size suitcase.

 

Is there a luggage storage where we can leave the suitcases for a few hours at Penn station? What's the charge.

 

From Penn station can we get to port authority by metro? If so which line and which number please?

 

I have tried to google the NY map but the print is too small to read and there is no zoom in/out faciliies.

 

Many thanks in advance.

[euro cruiser]

The subway isn't a good option from the cruise port. The closest station is at 50th Street & 8th Avenue, which is nearly a mile from the cruise port on 12th Avenue (aka the West Side Highway). You could take the M50 crosstown bus from 12th Avenue to the subway stop on 8th, then switch to the subway, but I really don't think this is a good idea (1) with luggage and (2) when you don't know where you are going.

 

You are much better off taking a taxi.

 

You can see the Manhattan bus map here: http://mta.info/nyct/maps/manbus.pdf (you can zoom in as much as you like)

 

The subway map is here: http://mta.info/nyct/maps/submap.htm

Edited March 2, 2012 by euro cruiser

[camly]

Thank you euro cruiser.

 

Just want to explore all options and if we have time after boarding, we might want to walk? around the port (if there is anything to see) or going around a bit to have a feel of the local area before returning to the ship by 3pm.

 

Most of the European ports are within walking distance from some amenities so dare I assume that it's the same as in the US?

[bus man]

Thank you for your prompt respond. It's very helpful. I ahve a few more questions for you, hope you can help.

 

In England, we can take our suitcases (one piece per passenger) to our carriage where there is an area to store it (not the overhead bin.) Does amstrak have this facility? We are travel light but I can't imagine how could the overhead bin is big enough to hold a medium size suitcase.

 

Is there a luggage storage where we can leave the suitcases for a few hours at Penn station? What's the charge.

 

From Penn station can we get to port authority by metro? If so which line and which number please?

 

I have tried to google the NY map but the print is too small to read and there is no zoom in/out faciliies.

 

Many thanks in advance.

 

Glad to help. I don't believe that there are any storage bins of the sort you're describing on the train carriages; but the overhead bins are pretty generous in size. According to Amtrak's website, the maximum allowable size of a carry-on bag is 28" (inches) x 22" x 14". In practical terms, you could probably fit one a little bit larger up there. Also, there is enough leg room that, if you wanted, you could place a larger bag next to your feet. As long as you're not blocking the aisle, or impinging on your seatmate's space, you shouldn't have any problem.

 

Penn Station used to have self-serve lockers, but I don't know if they still do. According to the website, you can leave your luggage with Amtrak personnel, though I don't know if this applies only to checked luggage. It says that it's equivalent to "left luggage" in Europe, so perhaps that helps.

 

From the Port Authority Bus Terminal to Penn Station, use the A, C, or E lines under 8th Avenue. The platform for trains heading in that direction are labelled "Downtown and Brooklyn." Heading the other way (from Penn Station to Port Authority), the platform is labelled "Uptown and The Bronx."

[euro cruiser]

Just want to explore all options and if we have time after boarding, we might want to walk? around the port (if there is anything to see) or going around a bit to have a feel of the local area before returning to the ship by 3pm.

 

Most of the European ports are within walking distance from some amenities so dare I assume that it's the same as in the US?

In the immediate area, not so much other than the Intrepid (intrepidmuseum.org). If you're up for a bit of a walk I think I'd do one of two things, either head over to Rockefeller Center (between 49th & 50th Streets and 5th & 6th Avenues) and see some of that area (about a mile and a quarter from the cruise port), including St. Patrick's cathedral, or else I'd go down to Times Square (7th Avenue, between 42nd & 45th Streets, about the same distance from the cruise port).

[gymbomb]

Thank you for your prompt respond. It's very helpful. I ahve a few more questions for you, hope you can help.

 

In England, we can take our suitcases (one piece per passenger) to our carriage where there is an area to store it (not the overhead bin.) Does amstrak have this facility? We are travel light but I can't imagine how could the overhead bin is big enough to hold a medium size suitcase.

 

 

Many thanks in advance.

 

Amtrak trains (at least the ones I've been on) do have areas for luggage storage, typically at one/both ends of each car. There's not a whole lot of space, and sometimes it fills up, but there is also some open floor space where I've seen suitcases stored when the storage areas were full.

[camly]

Thank you gymbomb and bus man for the clear explanation. It's good to know what we can and can't in case time is not on our side, we can have an alternative option.

 

Thank euro cruiser for pointing us to the right direction. That's really what we need.

Very grateful for your help and advice.

[bus man]

I don't believe that there are any storage bins of the sort you're describing on the train carriages

 

Amtrak trains (at least the ones I've been on) do have areas for luggage storage, typically at one/both ends of each car.

 

I'll amend my previous statement. I don't recall specifically seeing storage bins, but I do know that there is some "empty" space at the ends of the cars. I've never paid attention to it, as I've never needed to know what it was (I've only taken Amtrak with carry-on luggage). So I'll defer to gymbomb's comment.

[RoofingPrincess]

Penn Station used to have self-serve lockers, but I don't know if they still do. According to the website, you can leave your luggage with Amtrak personnel, though I don't know if this applies only to checked luggage. It says that it's equivalent to "left luggage" in Europe, so perhaps that helps.

My son just traveled to Philly and back by bus; in Philly, the bus stops outside of 30th St Station, where Amtrak also stops. He needed to use the rest room, which was rather small, so he didn't want to try to cram his suitcase (a rolling duffle) and laptop bag into the stall with him. He was actually able to short-term check his baggage with the Amtrak personnel even though he was not even an Amtrak customer that day.

[camly]

My son just traveled to Philly and back by bus; in Philly, the bus stops outside of 30th St Station, where Amtrak also stops. He needed to use the rest room, which was rather small, so he didn't want to try to cram his suitcase (a rolling duffle) and laptop bag into the stall with him. He was actually able to short-term check his baggage with the Amtrak personnel even though he was not even an Amtrak customer that day.

Thank you. I am sure your info will coming handy one day.

[camly]

Bus man,

Is there any advice you can give me once I get to Union station in DC?

I am planning to store the luggage at the station then get a metro to see a couple of landmarks such as the white house...Can it be done that way? Is the metro station inside Union station? Thank you.

[bob brown]

There haven't been self-serve storage lockers in any NYC station or terminal since 9-11. Besides the security risk, most of these lockers were taken up by the homeless, so they were hard to obtain. You can pay to store bags at Penn Station with Amtrak, or at the Port Authority Bus Terminal with Greyhound (you must have a bus ticket for that).

 

As for using the subway....I believe the four block walk from the eigth avenue and fiftieth street 'C' train station is closer to a half-mile, rather than a mile. If you have a wheeled bag, it is not too bad a walk. To the pier mostly downhill, up the other way. I always see a lot of people doing it when ships arrive.

 

Another tourist attraction besides (and beside) the Intrepid museum is the Circle Line sightseeing boats for a tour around Manhattan.....

[camly]

Thank you for the info.

Can you tell me a bit more about this Circle Line sightseeing boat please? What can we see? Is it worth to do that if sail out from Manhattan anyway?

Also, which way should we head to if we want to get to intrepid museum from the pier?

Am I understand correctly that we can walk from the pier to Port authority terminal? What's the distance between the two places?

 

Thank you in advance.

[bob brown]

Here's the link to Circle Line for details http://www.circleline42.com/new-york-cruises.aspx. The Intrepid museum is immediately south of the cruse terminal, see http://www.intrepidmuseum.org/getdoc/c175244a-aeb1-4ee8-9024-9bb15e3dd11f/Live-Webcams.aspx.

 

The Port Authority Bus Terminal is between 8th and 9th avenues, and 40th to 42nd streets. About a full mile away. You could walk it if you have a wheeled bag in about 20 minutes or so, if you are reasonably fit...

 

As for the boat...if you can take the time to do the full three hour circumnavigation of Manhattan Island, you will only duplicate about 20 minutes of the Hudson that you will see on your cruise.

[bus man]

Bus man,

Is there any advice you can give me once I get to Union station in DC?

I am planning to store the luggage at the station then get a metro to see a couple of landmarks such as the white house...Can it be done that way? Is the metro station inside Union station? Thank you.

 

Yes, there is a Metro station in Union Station, and it too is called Union Station, on the Red Line. The White House is about 3 blocks from the McPherson Square station on the Orange and Blue lines; transfer at Metro Center. I highly, highly recommend a visit to the National Air and Space Museum, located at the L'Enfant Plaza station (Yellow, Green, Orange, and Blue lines). It's a 2 block walk from the station (via the 7th & Maryland exit) to the museum, and you'll get a fine view of the Capitol Building as you walk up Maryland Avenue.

 

Metro lines are designated by color, and each train is identified by the last stop on the line. So for example, from Union Station to McPherson Square, you would board the Red Line in the direction of Shady Grove. Then you would transfer at Metro Center to the Orange and Blue lines, in the direction of Vienna and Franconia-Springfield. (The Orange and Blue lines operate on the same track and stop at the same platforms within downtown Washington, so you simply take whichever one comes first.)

 

Check out www.wmata.com for system maps, fare information, and more. The web address is the acronym for the system's operator, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.

[camly]

Very helpful info. Thank you very much Bus Man. I feel more comfortable travelling around DC than in NY, probably because the transport system here is similar to London.

 

Can you tell me what's the different in term of what are there to see (I have visited both websites but want to hear from real opinions) between National Air and Space museum in DC and the Intrepid in NY. Why should I choose one but not the other?

 

Also, we are thinking of visiting the Kenedy Space Centre so we can only do one out of those three. Which one is the best to go for?

Thank you.

[camly]

Here's the link to Circle Line for details http://www.circleline42.com/new-york-cruises.aspx. The Intrepid museum is immediately south of the cruse terminal, see http://www.intrepidmuseum.org/getdoc/c175244a-aeb1-4ee8-9024-9bb15e3dd11f/Live-Webcams.aspx.

 

The Port Authority Bus Terminal is between 8th and 9th avenues, and 40th to 42nd streets. About a full mile away. You could walk it if you have a wheeled bag in about 20 minutes or so, if you are reasonably fit...

 

As for the boat...if you can take the time to do the full three hour circumnavigation of Manhattan Island, you will only duplicate about 20 minutes of the Hudson that you will see on your cruise.

 

 

Thank you Bob Brown for taking time to anwer my questions. I have checked the timetable for the circleline and it doesn't fit in with our schedule. However, can you give me your views regards to touring around the city of NY. Which is a better choice: day time vs evening time? I believe that HOHO finishes the trip in early evening. What's the other options?

 

I am in the stage of gathering information before decice what's best for us when we are in the cities. So I might come back with some more questions. I am really grateful for all of you who takes time to read and reply to my questions.

 

I hope I will be in the position to offer help and advice one day to you if you ever come to visit my home town or England.

[bob brown]

Thank you Bob Brown for taking time to anwer my questions. I have checked the timetable for the circleline and it doesn't fit in with our schedule. However, can you give me your views regards to touring around the city of NY. Which is a better choice: day time vs evening time? I believe that HOHO finishes the trip in early evening. What's the other options?

 

I am in the stage of gathering information before decice what's best for us when we are in the cities. So I might come back with some more questions. I am really grateful for all of you who takes time to read and reply to my questions.

 

I hope I will be in the position to offer help and advice one day to you if you ever come to visit my home town or England.

The HoHo survice is a good choice for new tourists, as it provides transportation and a lectured tour, while offering flexibility to suit personal interests.

I would take in as much as possible during the day, and then attend some show or concert in the eveninig, to experience some of the best the city has to offer.

As far as the Intrepid Museum goes....it is unique in that it is located on an historically important vessel, to begin with. It has a connection to 'space' in that it was used to recover early NASA spacecraft on 'splashdown'. And it has a British Airways Concorde on display (I flew on that particular Speedbird--GBOAD:cool:).

I haven't been to the National Air and Space Museum at the Smithsonian in Washington for a long time, but it has a much more extensive exhibit, and it has an 'annex' located at Dulles airport. Would require a lot of time to see all....

[crzycick]

I haven't been to NYC but we've lived a mile from the District for the last 2 years. My husband has probably gone to the Air and Space Museum and least a dozen times and would gladly go more often if he had the time. He loves that place and it helps that it is free. You can easily walk to the White House from the Air and Space Museum as well as the National Monument, Lincoln Memorial, etc. The zoo is also pretty good and best of all, FREE. You can get there from the Cleveland Park or Woodley Park/Zoo exits on the red line.

[bus man]

Very helpful info. Thank you very much Bus Man. I feel more comfortable travelling around DC than in NY, probably because the transport system here is similar to London.

 

Can you tell me what's the different in term of what are there to see (I have visited both websites but want to hear from real opinions) between National Air and Space museum in DC and the Intrepid in NY. Why should I choose one but not the other?

 

Also, we are thinking of visiting the Kenedy Space Centre so we can only do one out of those three. Which one is the best to go for?

Thank you.

 

The Intrepid Museum is housed on a World War II aircraft carrier of that name. I've never been on it, though I've been on two other aircraft carrier museums, and found them both to be very interesting.

 

I've been to the Air & Space Museum many, many times and I'm never bored there. They have an impressive collection of airplanes. There's also an IMAX theater there showing several aviation-related movies. ("To Fly" is a must-see.) There is a charge for the movie theater, but entrance to the museum itself is free.

 

There is also an annex out by Dulles Airport which is also very interesting. There is a bus service that links the two, but you're looking at nearly an hour ride each way, so unless you have lots of time to kill in Washington, I would just stick with the one there downtown.

 

I honestly can't say which one you should do, insofar as I've never been to the Intrepid. But comparing the Air & Space Museum with the two carriers that I have visited . . . well, there's really no way to compare them. They are very different experiences. If your interest is more inclined towards aviation, go to the museum. If you're more interested in naval vessels, then go to the Intrepid. If you can find a way to do both, then by all means do so. Remember, admittance to the Air & Space Museum is free.

 

I'm not sure how the Kennedy Space Center figures into this. You are aware, are you not, that it is located in Florida? You didn't mention that you are going there. I've visited it a number of times, and definitely recommend it if you are interested in the manned space program.

[bus man]

Which is a better choice: day time vs evening time? I believe that HOHO finishes the trip in early evening. What's the other options?

 

 

I hope I will be in the position to offer help and advice one day to you if you ever come to visit my home town or England.

 

I recommend going up to the observation deck in the Empire State Building at night; the view of the city lights is breathtaking. There are actually 2 observation levels: one on the 86th floor, the other on the 102nd floor. Contrary to what you might think, the one on the 86th floor is actually far superior.

 

I've never been to England, but I would very much like to rectify that omission at some point in my life. If I do, I'll remember your kind offer! :)

[camly]

I haven't been to NYC but we've lived a mile from the District for the last 2 years. My husband has probably gone to the Air and Space Museum and least a dozen times and would gladly go more often if he had the time. He loves that place and it helps that it is free. You can easily walk to the White House from the Air and Space Museum as well as the National Monument, Lincoln Memorial, etc. The zoo is also pretty good and best of all, FREE. You can get there from the Cleveland Park or Woodley Park/Zoo exits on the red line.

 

Thank you for your input. The Air and Space museum sounds great and it has an added bonus that it's free. It's on the top of our list right now to what we must see in DC.

[camly]

Amtrak's regional trains are not luxurious, but they are quite comfortable and roomy; the equivalent of at least business class on most airlines.

 

Yes, you have to allow extra time for the baggage. Amtrak suggests a minimum of 30 minutes before departure, and more at larger stations.

 

 

Hi Bus man,

 

I've just re read your info and wonder that if we take the luggage on board with us, do we still have to be at the station 30mins earlier than the departure time?

 

Also, do they sell train tickets from the machine or at the kiosk only?

 

Do they have any shops or any cafeteria at the station for people to browse/stop by in case it is a long wait.

 

Hope you can help. Thanks.

[bus man]

Amtrak's regional trains are not luxurious, but they are quite comfortable and roomy; the equivalent of at least business class on most airlines.

 

Yes, you have to allow extra time for the baggage. Amtrak suggests a minimum of 30 minutes before departure, and more at larger stations.

 

 

Hi Bus man,

 

I've just re read your info and wonder that if we take the luggage on board with us, do we still have to be at the station 30mins earlier than the departure time?

 

Also, do they sell train tickets from the machine or at the kiosk only?

 

Do they have any shops or any cafeteria at the station for people to browse/stop by in case it is a long wait.

 

Hope you can help. Thanks.

 

 

If you're carrying on your luggage, you don't have to be there any earlier than the train departure time. (They typically let you gain access to the platform starting about 10 minutes before departure.) However, be sure and allow some time to buy your tickets. There are automated machines and also ticket agents available from which to buy your tickets; as far as I know, there's no advantage to using either one. (You might want to buy from an agent, so that if your first-choice train is sold out, the agent can quickly advise you of your options.) Be sure and buy your tickets before boarding the train. Given that all trains between New York and Washington require reservations, I believe you have to show a ticket before they'll let you down to the platform, IIRC.

 

There are many, many shops and eateries in both Penn Station (New York) and Union Station (Washington). Many (not all) of the food places in Union Station are located downstairs from the main level, so be sure and don't overlook them.