bayonne cape liberty to amtrak

[pensi9]

We will be disembarking from the Summit in Bayonne on a Sunday and we plan on taking amtrak to upstate NY. Which amtrak station is closest to the piers and also would it be better to go into NY Penn station? I am not familiar with this area so any help is appreciated. Thanks

[njhorseman]

The closest station is Newark Penn Station. You can take a train from there into NY Penn Station to catch your Amtrak train (which I assume originates at NY Penn Station). A taxi from Cape Liberty to Newark Penn Station will probably cost between $50 and $60 (for the car, not per person) plus a few dollars in tolls, and tip (taxis are very expensive in this area). It would be better to take a NJ Transit train, rather than an Amtrak train from Newark Penn Station to NY Penn Station. They run more frequently and the fare will be less.

 

An alternative that you might find more appealing because you don't have to change from one train to another would be to book a car service from Cape Liberty to New York Penn Station. I did a test booking at http://www.dial7.com , the web site for one of New York's largest car services, Dial 7, and got a quote for a standard sedan from Bayonne to NY Penn Station of $50 (that's for the car, not per person) plus tolls and tip. Tolls to NY City will run $15 or a bit more, and with a $10 tip, the total would come to $75 (or a touch more). Not only is this a more convenient way to go, but it's not going to cost you any more than taking a taxi to Newark Penn Station and then paying for train tickets to travel from Newark to New York.

 

Note: If you want to use my second suggestion, it's imperative that you book a car service such the one I mentioned in advance. Do not try to take one of the taxis waiting to pick up passengers at Cape Liberty. They can charge you whatever fare they get you to agree to (if they even are willing to go into NY) and the amount they will want to charge will surely be more than what you will pay when booking a car service in advance.