Acela train or plane to NYC

[fozzy]

Have a cruise booked in Oct 2024 out of Manhattan. Coming from Boston area the day before. Can't decide between the Acela train and flying. It's considerably less expensive going by train but I'm nervous about catching a taxi from Penn station nyc. Any advice is appreciated. 

[lx200gps]

1 hour ago, fozzy said:

Have a cruise booked in Oct 2024 out of Manhattan. Coming from Boston area the day before. Can't decide between the Acela train and flying. It's considerably less expensive going by train but I'm nervous about catching a taxi from Penn station nyc. Any advice is appreciated. 

AFAIK, that's only 200 miles, a very easy drive. Is there a reason why you wouldn't want to simply drive the few hours between Boston and the MCT?  I would consider it FAR easier to drive over taking a train, and certainly preferable over enduring the hell of modern air travel.

[fozzy]

I'd be too nervous to drive. Plus the parking is double the cost of flying and triple of the train. It's a ten night cruise.

 

Edited December 7, 2023 by fozzy

[princeton123211]

7 minutes ago, lx200gps said:

I would consider it FAR easier to drive over taking a train, and certainly preferable over enduring the hell of modern air travel.

It's easily one of the worst drives you can do-- the traffic and roadwork on 95 is legendary. This is not sound advice. I work a week a month in Boston right now and you couldn't pay me to drive-- I nearly always take the train. 

 

The Acela is extremely fast, comfortable, and efficient-- easily the best ways to get between Boston and Midtown Manhattan. Driving can be 5 hours+. You go city center to city center on the Acela in under 4 hours. Taxis or Uber/Lyft to the MCT are very easy outside New York Penn Station. 

[lx200gps]

I guess we'll all have to agree to disagree. As Canadians, we're necessarily very attuned to the costs due to our weak dollar, and for us, the ease of driving down to Manhattan or Brooklyn will ALWAYS override the complexity, cost and impracticality of taking public transport, be it rail or air.  Have a great trip...

[njhorseman]

6 minutes ago, lx200gps said:

I guess we'll all have to agree to disagree. As Canadians, we're necessarily very attuned to the costs due to our weak dollar, and for us, the ease of driving down to Manhattan or Brooklyn will ALWAYS override the complexity, cost and impracticality of taking public transport, be it rail or air.  Have a great trip...

You're not driving on I 95 from Boston to Manhattan.

 

It's a horrible trip, as @princeton123211 has stated. I'd take Acela any day over making that drive.

[fozzy]

Thanks so much. I've been leaning towards the Acela. I'll just have to get over my trepidation over getting a taxi at the station. 

[mskaufman]

Taxis are all over the place outside Penn Station and it is a much shorter ride into the city that from any of the airports.

[navybankerteacher]

5 hours ago, lx200gps said:

AFAIK, that's only 200 miles, a very easy drive. Is there a reason why you wouldn't want to simply drive the few hours between Boston and the MCT?  I would consider it FAR easier to drive over taking a train, and certainly preferable over enduring the hell of modern air travel.

Boston to New York is a truly horrible drive. It also involves the expense of parking at the cruise terminal - which might exceed the train fare. While Acela is a bit quicker than regular Amtrak, it is significantly more expensive than the quite comfortable Northeast Regional.  Very few who have actually experienced both driving and taking the train from Boston to New York and were aware of the costs of both modes would seriously prefer driving.   
 

There is unlikely to be any difficulty in getting a taxi at Penn Station.

Edited December 8, 2023 by navybankerteacher

[navybankerteacher]

2 hours ago, mskaufman said:

Taxis are all over the place outside Penn Station and it is a much shorter ride into the city that from any of the airports.

You do not take a taxi from Penn Station “…into the city…”, Penn Station is in the middle of the city.   And, if one is travelling light in good weather, walking from Penn Station to the cruise terminal is a reasonable alternative.

[mskaufman]

According to Google Maps it's 1.8 miles.  With luggage, I'm grabbing that taxi.

[GTJ]

10 hours ago, fozzy said:

Coming from Boston area the day before. Can't decide between the Acela train and flying.

While between those two choices Acela train service provides a more comfortable trip. That said, if going by railroad I would likely chose Amtrak's ordinary northeast regional train service. While not quite as fast, it is usually much less expensive. Acela might be a good choice if time is at a premium, but otherwise, and particularly for a leisure trip, it is overkill. For a typical weekday in October 2024, Acela business class service is $57, while northeast region coach service is $30 daytime, $20 late night or early morning

 

10 hours ago, fozzy said:

I'm nervous about catching a taxi from Penn station nyc.

What type of concern do you have with taxis? Too cramped? Too dirty? Too expensive? Too dangerous?

[GTJ]

8 hours ago, lx200gps said:

As Canadians * * * the ease of driving down to Manhattan or Brooklyn will ALWAYS override the complexity, cost and impracticality of taking public transport, be it rail or air.

It is surprising to hear that view because Canada has a higher--nearly double--per capita use of public transport than the United States. Moreover, STM-Exo-REM in Montréal has, in my opinion, the best and most used per capita public transport systems in all of Canada (yes, better than TTC-GO in Toronto or TransLink in Vancouver). The STM base fare, CAD 3.75, is slightly less than the base fare here in New York City, USD 2.90. True, for longer distances, Via Rail Canada is less than entirely satisfactory, but when I travel long-distance to or from Montréal it is almost always Amtrak's Adirondack that that easiest and most pleasant way to travel there and back. For those persons who are able to drive, New York City does provide some additional challenges and high costs not typically found in most other American cities (not to mention that driving is inherently the least safe means of travel).

 

From Boston to New York, I generally find the train to be the most comfortable and convenient travel, often at a reasonable fare, with bus also worthy of consideration if the bus stops are more convenient or the fare considerably less. There are only a very few people who find driving on interstate highway 95, from Boston to New York, to be very pleasant.

[fozzy]

I'm fine taking the taxi. It's catching one at Penn station that gives me pause. I understand there's a taxi stand though which helps. 

[mjkacmom]

We live 10 miles west of Manhattan in NJ, train is my favorite way to and from Boston (have driven, trained, and flew). One daughter is at grad school at Boston university, she always takes Amtrak. Even the regular trains (non Acela) are much nicer than driving or flying. Taking a taxi from Penn station is much easier and faster than a taxi from LGA or JFK.

[spirit rev]

2 hours ago, fozzy said:

I'm fine taking the taxi. It's catching one at Penn station that gives me pause. I understand there's a taxi stand though which helps. 

We regularly catch a taxi at Penn Station. We arrive into Moynahan Train Hall. Exit at the doors to Eighth Ave. and 33rd. Then we cross 8th Ave (actually in front of Penn Station) and on the right is a well-organized taxi stand. 

Note: If you plan on using a yellow taxi, we find we often have to ignore and liberally use the word "NO" to folks who approach us asking if we want a taxi. 

 

[fozzy]

1 minute ago, spirit rev said:

We regularly catch a taxi at Penn Station. We arrive into Moynahan Train Hall. Exit at the doors to Eighth Ave. and 33rd. Then we cross 8th Ave (actually in front of Penn Station) and on the right is a well-organized taxi stand. 

Note: If you plan on using a yellow taxi, we find we often have to ignore and liberally use the word "NO" to folks who approach us asking if we want a taxi. 

 

Thanks. I always say no to those who solicit saying they are taxi's. I actually had someone at an airport once do that to me. As someone who travels alone it's a no thank you!

[Nitemare]

Train is easy and you can take all your bags along with no extra charge.  They don't "check" luggage on Acela, and there is plenty of room at the end of each car to store your bags.

 

Finding a cab at Penn Station is easy.  You could also use an uber, they cost about the same amount

[navybankerteacher]

One thing to help in deciding between driving and Acela from Boston to New York is the $45 daily parking charge: $315 for 7 days, while Acela tickets bought now for October 2024 travel would be about $115 per round trip ticket. 

[Turtles06]

On 12/7/2023 at 2:54 PM, fozzy said:

It's considerably less expensive going by train but I'm nervous about catching a taxi from Penn station nyc.

As stated in comments above, no need to be nervous about getting a cab. And if you want to make it even easier, get a Red Cap to help you with your luggage (even if you don’t need the help).  They’ll bring you up from the platform to the street and put you into a cab. Give them a nice tip! 😊

 

(Tell the conductor on the train that you’ll need a Red Cap on arrival and they will call ahead and arrange one.) 

[Turtles06]

On 12/7/2023 at 9:30 PM, navybankerteacher said:

Boston to New York is a truly horrible drive.

Agreed. One of the worst drives in the U.S.  

[fozzy]

2 minutes ago, Turtles06 said:

As stated in comments above, no need to be nervous about getting a cab. And if you want to make it even easier, get a Red Cap to help you with your luggage (even if you don’t need the help).  They’ll bring you up from the platform to the street and put you into a cab. Give them a nice tip! 😊

 

(Tell the conductor on the train that you’ll need a Red Cap on arrival and they will call ahead and arrange one.) 

Good idea!

[navybankerteacher]

40 minutes ago, Turtles06 said:

Agreed. One of the worst drives in the U.S.  

Matched only by I - 95 in northern New Jersey and that incredible I-95/ I-495/ I-395/ Va-644 mixing bowl in Springfield, Va.

Edited December 10, 2023 by navybankerteacher

[Turtles06]

18 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

Matched only by I - 95 in northern New Jersey and that incredible I-95/ I-495/ I-395/ Va-644 mixing bowl in Springfield, Va.

No doubt about it. In fact, drive from VA to Boston on I-95 and you just want to slit your wrists. 

[navybankerteacher]

29 minutes ago, Turtles06 said:

No doubt about it. In fact, drive from VA to Boston on I-95 and you just want to slit your wrists. 

Indeed - when we drive from CT to Florida we  take the Cuomo bridge across the Hudson to avoid NYC area, then I 287 across north Jersey to I 78, joining I-81 in mid-Pennsylvania down through Virginia then I 77 southeast to get back on I 95.  It is perhaps 100 miles longer — but being an easy 70 mph run all the way,  with none of the NYC, Jersey, Baltimore, DC and Richmond traffic it takes a bit less time - while going through some of the most beautiful country in the East.

Edited December 10, 2023 by navybankerteacher