Take the train to New York City

Gary Jacobsen
Published: July 29, 2008

From time to time my wife and I like to spend a “long weekend” at one of the better hotels in New York City. While there, we make it a point to dine at popular restaurants and to take in at least one
Broadway show. In the past we’ve traveled by air, but no more. From now on, we will be taking the train.

Travel by train makes good sense: it is cheaper than traveling by air and it is actually faster, overall. A third travel option is the Chinatown bus, which is excellent for students and for others on limited
budgets.

Let’s assume your trip will cover three days, Saturday through Monday. The costs and times associated with the three travel options would be as follows:

Air travel from Washington National Airport to JFK Airport on a weekend will cost $221 round-trip. The cheapest parking for 3 days will be $36. The luggage fee will be $30 ($15 each way). Once you arrive
at JFK, you will have to take a cab to Manhattan and pay a flat rate of $45. Add another $45 for the later return ride to JFK and you have a total cost of $377.

Amtrak’s 150-mph Acela Express train will cost $302 round-trip from Union Station in Washington D. C. to Penn Station in Manhattan, plus $48 for 3 days of indoor parking. Total cost: $350.

The Chinatown bus is by far the cheapest at $35 for a round-trip ticket from Washington, D.C. to Manhattan. Local parking for 3 days will cost an estimated $36. Thus the total cost will be $71.

Of course, cost is not everything. The total travel time is also an important consideration, but here again the train comes out on top. Consider:

Actual flying time from Washington, D. C. to New York City is about 90 minutes, but that does not tell the entire story. You must arrive at the terminal at least 90 minutes prior to departure to check
baggage, get a boarding pass and get through the security checks. Also, you should allow 30 minutes to take your car to an outlying economy parking area and return to the terminal. After you arrive at
JFK you must wait 20 minutes at the baggage carousel for your suitcase, and then take a 30-minute cab ride to Manhattan. Total travel time: 4 hours and 20 minutes.

If you take the Acela Express your travel time to Penn Station will be 2 hours and 48 minutes. Allow an additional 30 minutes for parking and checking in. Your luggage will travel with you in the same rail
car. Total travel time: 3 hours and 18 minutes.

The Chinatown bus takes approximately 4 hours to get to Penn Station, but students usually don’t mind. The buses are now Wi-Fi equipped, and therefore the students can work on their computers the
entire time. Also, if you are comparing the Chinatown bus with air travel, you will see a savings of $306 while your overall travel time will be about the same.

Well, I hope to see you in New York. Also, I hope to see you on the train!

Gary Jacobsen lives in Woodbridge. He can be reached at .