Help: CT to NYC via train

[orbaya]

Hubby and I need to go the Honduran Consulate in NYC for our adoption. We are not familiar with NYC and do not want to drive in the city, so we are going to drive down to CT and take a train in. I really don't know the best way to go about this. It seems like we have a couple choices and obviously we want the quickest, easiest way possible. We will only be there for one day so time is important.

The address we need to get to is 255W 36th St if that helps.

 

[decodelighted]

That's very close to Penn Station .... so I'd check out Amtrak routes. I'm not familiar with CT transport really but commute to midtown from the Hudson Valley of NY very easily via Amtrak. (Comfy too!) NY Stations you might consider: Albany. Hudson. Rhinecliff.

 

[jstarfireb]

Try Metro North? That will get you to Grand Central Station on E 42nd St, and then you'd have to take a cross-town bus or walk to the west side.

http://www.mta.info/mnr/html/mnrmap.htm

ETA: As Deco mentioned, Penn Station is much closer to your destination, so Amtrak may be better for you. It's typically more expensive and with fewer trips per day than Metro North though.

 

[davi_el_mejor]

http://as0.mta.info/mnr/schedules/sched_form.cfm

I'd get on in New Haven if you have a choice - First stop so it's easier to get seats It takes about 1 hour 45 minutes one way. We used to day trips when we lived in New Haven.

It takes you to Grand Central Terminal - get out of Grand Central on 42nd street make your way to Madison ave (half a block west) walk south to 36th then walk west until you hit the consulate

Let me know if you need more help on how to get to the train station in New Haven or other train stations in CT

 

[orbaya]

Thanks so much for the replies! As far as taking a train from a place in New York outside the city, we will be traveling down from Maine so I'm not sure if that changes things.

I was looking at Amtrak. Do we need to buy roundtrip tickets ahead of time, or can we get tickets same day? We have no idea what our departure time from the city will be yet. It depends on how long we are at the Consulate.

 

[Loves Vintage]

Orbaya - Just a note about the New Haven station, since you will be going during the week, expect the garage at the station to be completely full by 8 or so in the morning. There is another garage that is walking distance, not too far, but since you'd be driving in to New Haven, this might be helpful for planning purposes.

Stamford is another option. Less time on the train, but a longer drive. The station is newer, so they may have sufficient parking, though I'd google for confirmation. Forget about any stations in between during the week. They don't have sufficient parking for every day commuters. Lots of people have to be dropped off to take the train as there is no place to park!

Congratulations on your adoption? Does visiting the consulate mean you are in the final stages?

Jstarfireb, Are you in CT too?

ETA: Oops, we were posting at the same time. Are you driving in the same day? I wonder if it might make sense to take a train from somewhere in New York, as Deco mentioned. I suppose it all depends on driving times from where you are located. Also, if you decide on Amtrak, you might want to pick up the train farther up north to save more driving time.

 

[orbaya]

Orbaya - Just a note about the New Haven station, since you will be going during the week, expect the garage at the station to be completely full by 8 or so in the morning. There is another garage that is walking distance, not too far, but since you'd be driving in to New Haven, this might be helpful for planning purposes.

Stamford is another option. Less time on the train, but a longer drive. The station is newer, so they may have sufficient parking, though I'd google for confirmation. Forget about any stations in between during the week. They don't have sufficient parking for every day commuters. Lots of people have to be dropped off to take the train as there is no place to park!

Congratulations on your adoption? Does visiting the consulate mean you are in the final stages?

Jstarfireb, Are you in CT too?

ETA: Oops, we were posting at the same time. Are you driving in the same day? I wonder if it might make sense to take a train from somewhere in New York, as Deco mentioned. I suppose it all depends on driving times from where you are located. Also, if you decide on Amtrak, you might want to pick up the train farther up north to save more driving time.

Thanks for the heads up on parking!

We are driving from Maine and will be staying overnight on Monday somewhere south of Boston. We will be in NYC during the day on Tuesday, so we want to be there by 9ish, but we don't know what time we'll be able to take our transportation out of the city. Then we have to drive back to Maine Tuesday evening. So needless to say, it's a whirlwind trip! And a pain the the butt.

Honduras requires a letter from a Consulate which is the final document that goes with our dossier. Once we get the letter, we send our dossier to our agency in Texas and they submit it to Honduras. So, our paperwork chase is over for now, until they request additional information, which they have done with every family so far, so we don't expect to be any different.

 

[iheartscience]

Thanks so much for the replies! As far as taking a train from a place in New York outside the city, we will be traveling down from Maine so I'm not sure if that changes things.

I was looking at Amtrak. Do we need to buy roundtrip tickets ahead of time, or can we get tickets same day? We have no idea what our departure time from the city will be yet. It depends on how long we are at the Consulate.

I would buy the round trip tickets ahead of time-it's typically less expensive than getting them closer to the date. I've taken the train to NYC from Philly and it's a very pleasant ride. Much better than dealing with driving yourself.

Best of luck with your adoption-I hope everything goes smoothly!

 

[Maria D]

Hi there, I'm from Maine too. I absolutely hate driving so I would take a Concord Trailways bus from Portland ME to South Station in Boston and then get on the Acela Express Amtrak to NYC from South Station. Alternately, you could take the Downeaster Amtrak from Portland to Boston but then you end up in North Station and have to take the T (Boston subway) to South Station.

The bus is fairly comfortable and if you take an early morning one you won't hit traffic. There are also more busses per day than trains.

Good luck with the adoption!

 

[jstarfireb]

Jstarfireb, Are you in CT too?

Nope, just have a husband from NYC! We recently took Metro North to Mohegan Sun last time we were out there.

While we're on the subject of CT, can I ask for a mini-threadjack? My friend is getting married in Brookfield in March. She lives in Bridgeport, so I naturally assumed Brookfield is close by...but it turns out it's very much not. The closest Metro North station is Danbury. Is it realistic to take a cab between the Danbury Metro North station and Brookfield, or is there a better/cheaper way? Maybe it's worth renting a car for a day. We'll be coming from NYC without a car, and flying back to CA the next day.

 

[iLander]

Didn't read all the posts, so I don't know if someone else already suggested this.

Go to google maps website. http://maps.google.com/

Put in the address of where you are going.

Click on Directions, just under the address box.

Put in the address of where you are coming from.

Click the second icon which is a bus.

It stands for all public transport and includes Metro North and all the Path trains, etc.

You can put in the time and date to leave to see alternate routes.

You can also click and drag the line that marks the route to make changes to it, like a different spot in Connecticut. You can find a place for pizza by clicking on "search nearby" and typing "pizza".

To come back (sometimes it's a different train!) just click on the arrows next to the addresses and it will switch the to and from points.

It's really remarkable technology, and also available on iPhone maps with a GPS tracker to be sure you're headed the right way. I have a terrible sense of direction, and this has saved me many times.

 

[jstarfireb]

iLander, I agree that it's an awesome piece of technology (and integrates very smoothly with my Droid phone), but I just put in NYC to Brookfield and it didn't work. The search "appears to be outside our current coverage area." I didn't try any other searches but I suspect orbaya's will be the same. Bummer!

 

[AGBF]

Hi, orbaya-

If you'd like, wou could spend the night before the consulate meeting in a motel or hotel in Stamford or Greenwich, Connecticut and then take Metro North into New York City. Or, perhaps you would prefer to spend the night in a hotel in New York City. But I thought maybe I could take you and your husband out to dinner. My daughter has some emotional problems (developed in her middle school years), so she might not be a great dinner companion if we were discussing adoption, but you could meet her (she is 19).

I'd be glad to drive you to the train or the big hotels (like the Marriott in Stamford or the Hyatt in Riverside) have shuttles to the railroad stations. You could leave a car in the hotel parking lot.

Big, adoption hugs,
Deb/AGBF

 

[AGBF]

While we're on the subject of CT, can I ask for a mini-threadjack? My friend is getting married in Brookfield in March. She lives in Bridgeport, so I naturally assumed Brookfield is close by...but it turns out it's very much not. The closest Metro North station is Danbury. Is it realistic to take a cab between the Danbury Metro North station and Brookfield, or is there a better/cheaper way? Maybe it's worth renting a car for a day. We'll be coming from NYC without a car, and flying back to CA the next day.

Brookfield and Danbury are not very far from each other, but they are not in an area where people generally get around by cab! It really depends on what kind of person you are, I guess. I would rent a car in a heartbeat, because I am a driver. But then, I'd probably drive from New York City if I was bothering to rent a car at all! Taking a cab for a long (even a relatively long) distance seems silly to me because, as I said, I'm a driver! It's just personal preference. Good luck. (BTW, I have a wedding in that area-my godson's-in a couple of weeks, too! At Candlewood Lake.)

Deb/AGBF

 

[Jeff0093]

I would stay in Stamford.

Go on hotwire get a 3.5 star in Stamford/ old Greenwich area. Really inexpensive $63 a night great hotels free parking, free shuttle ( tip for driver) to the train take the train in to Grand Central Station about a 53 min ride. Have a nice dinner in the city then back on the train. very easy and a lot better then $350 a night room in the city. I live in Brookfield and I do this all the time.

 

[jstarfireb]

Thanks, Deb! The wedding is in March, so we have plenty of time to decide. I'm a good driver and I like driving, so I wouldn't mind renting a car. I too would rent from somewhere in the city and avoid the train ride altogether, but I'm concerned about the price. We do have a friend who lives in Queens and is also a friend of the bride, so he might be able to drive us there and back if he's invited.

 

[iLander]

iLander, I agree that it's an awesome piece of technology (and integrates very smoothly with my Droid phone), but I just put in NYC to Brookfield and it didn't work. The search "appears to be outside our current coverage area." I didn't try any other searches but I suspect orbaya's will be the same. Bummer!

That's because the train doesn't reach there. She'll have to move the little ending marker to a nearby town to find one that the train reaches.

 

[orbaya]

Hi, orbaya-

If you'd like, wou could spend the night before the consulate meeting in a motel or hotel in Stamford or Greenwich, Connecticut and then take Metro North into New York City. Or, perhaps you would prefer to spend the night in a hotel in New York City. But I thought maybe I could take you and your husband out to dinner. My daughter has some emotional problems (developed in her middle school years), so she might not be a great dinner companion if we were discussing adoption, but you could meet her (she is 19).

I'd be glad to drive you to the train or the big hotels (like the Marriott in Stamford or the Hyatt in Riverside) have shuttles to the railroad stations. You could leave a car in the hotel parking lot.

Big, adoption hugs,
Deb/AGBF

Deb -

How so generous of you!!!! Thank you so much for the offer!!! I don't think our schedule will allow for dinner though. We are leaving Maine on Monday evening about 7ish after hubby gets out of work. We aren't sure if we will drive all the way to CT, or stop partway and continue in the morning. We want to try to be at the Consulate by 10ish. We're not sure how long we will be there, hopefully not long. Depending on that, we may walk around for an hour and then drive back to Maine Tuesday afternoon/evening.

I think we will buy a one way ticket on Amtrak from New Haven into Penn Station and then buy another one way back to New Haven because we don't know when we will be able to leave the city until that day, and then drive back home.

 

[Munchkin]

Why don't you just plan to pick up Amtrak in Providence, then?

Finding parking in New Haven garages mid morning can be tricky and I wouldn't suggest parking on the street if you aren't familiar with the area. A lot of the stops North of NH aren't stops on Acela, and you aren't sure which kind of train you might land on on the return trip. Also, I may be VERY wrong, but I thought you could simply buy a ticket for a specific day on Amtrak but not a particular train unless you were buying a reserve coach seat.

 

[jstarfireb]

iLander, I agree that it's an awesome piece of technology (and integrates very smoothly with my Droid phone), but I just put in NYC to Brookfield and it didn't work. The search "appears to be outside our current coverage area." I didn't try any other searches but I suspect orbaya's will be the same. Bummer!

That's because the train doesn't reach there. She'll have to move the little ending marker to a nearby town to find one that the train reaches.

Yup. Sorry I wasn't clear...I put in my own search, not orbaya's. I didn't try looking for her directions. This is why I shouldn't threadjack! Bad Jstar!

 

[orbaya]

Why don't you just plan to pick up Amtrak in Providence, then?

Finding parking in New Haven garages mid morning can be tricky and I wouldn't suggest parking on the street if you aren't familiar with the area. A lot of the stops North of NH aren't stops on Acela, and you aren't sure which kind of train you might land on on the return trip. Also, I may be VERY wrong, but I thought you could simply buy a ticket for a specific day on Amtrak but not a particular train unless you were buying a reserve coach seat.

We're looking at the 7:38AM train out of New Haven, so should that get us into New Haven early enough to find decent parking? I checked out Amtrak's unreserved seat option but it's first come, first serve and I don't think we can risk not being able to get on a train out of NYC.

I didn't even think of Providence. I just looked and the price is $116 vs. $72 from New Haven, and I don't know if I want to sit on a train for 3 hours!

 

[AGBF]

Re: I would stay in Stamford.

Go on hotwire get a 3.5 star in Stamford/ old Greenwich area. Really inexpensive $63 a night great hotels free parking, free shuttle ( tip for driver) to the train take the train in to Grand Central Station about a 53 min ride. Have a nice dinner in the city then back on the train. very easy and a lot better then $350 a night room in the city. I live in Brookfield and I do this all the time.

This is basically the same advice I gave, except that I named two hotels that would cost more than $63.00 per night unless you got some super deal. The Hyatt is in Old Greenwich (technically) and the Marriott is in Stamford. The train ride, depending on if you get an express or a local, takes about 40 minutes to an hour. You can leave with the commuters in the morning and make a 9:00 appointment. If you don't mind rising earlier than you would have to if you spent the night in Manhattan, it would be comfortable. You could have a wake-up call at the hotel and get a shuttle to the Old Greenwich or Riverside station (if you were at the Hyatt...otherwise get one to Stamford Station). (OG and Riverside Stations are very small and manageable.) Then you would take a Metro-North train (less than an hour) to Grand Central Station; then take a cab from a taxi stand to the consulate.

Deb

 

[AGBF]

Where are you coming from in Maine, orbaya? We have driven to and from Bar Harbor and Boothbay Harbor many, many times from the Stamford/Greenwich area. We have done it in one day. In fact, on one awful day, we made a round trip between Boothbay Harbor and Greenwich! When we were going to Maine and we wanted to relax, however, we broke the trip at the Portsmouth, New Hampshire/Maine border. For a family vacation (as opposed to a trip to the consulate), that was enough pushing for us!

So, from my point of view, how far into Connecticut (or Rhode Island) you drive depends on where you start from. If it's Jackman, Maine, then stop before you get to Connecticut! I remember Jackman, Maine from coming back from Canada once! It seems so far away!!! (After I post this I am going to have to go find a map and refresh my memory as to where the heck it is!)

Unlike some posters, I don't see the need to jump on a train! (Until you get to my area, I mean. You don't want to drive into New York City. No one does.) I drive the northeast corridor constantly. I have had a house in Virginia since 2004 with my husband, and I grew up in Connecticut, where I am now staying again. We vacationed in Maine throughout most of my marriage. Recently my daughter and I started to drive to Charleston and Savannah for spring vacations together. I am just used to driving around on the coast!

I'm sorry dinner won't work. I thik the Hyatt in Old Greenwich, although pricey, for one or two nights might be worth the peace of mind of a quiet spot to sleep and keep your car, though!

Deb/AGBF

 

[orbaya]

Where are you coming from in Maine, orbaya? We have driven to and from Bar Harbor and Boothbay Harbor many, many times from the Stamford/Greenwich area. We have done it in one day. In fact, on one awful day, we made a round trip between Boothbay Harbor and Greenwich! When we were going to Maine and we wanted to relax, however, we broke the trip at the Portsmouth, New Hampshire/Maine border. For a family vacation (as opposed to a trip to the consulate), that was enough pushing for us!

So, from my point of view, how far into Connecticut (or Rhode Island) you drive depends on where you start from. If it's Jackman, Maine, then stop before you get to Connecticut! I remember Jackman, Maine from coming back from Canada once! It seems so far away!!! (After I post this I am going to have to go find a map and refresh my memory as to where the heck it is!)

Unlike some posters, I don't see the need to jump on a train! (Until you get to my area, I mean. You don't want to drive into New York City. No one does.) I drive the northeast corridor constantly. I have had a house in Virginia since 2004 with my husband, and I grew up in Connecticut, where I am now staying again. We vacationed in Maine throughout most of my marriage. Recently my daughter and I started to drive to Charleston and Savannah for spring vacations together. I am just used to driving around on the coast!

I'm sorry dinner won't work. I thik the Hyatt in Old Greenwich, although pricey, for one or two nights might be worth the peace of mind of a quiet spot to sleep and keep your car, though!

Deb/AGBF

We live in the Portland area. Driving to CT or NY in a day is not a problem usually. It's that we'll be driving overnight after hubby gets out of work, so we probably won't make advance hotel reservations because we will drive until he gets tired. Hubby says he would prefer to take Amtrak from New Haven into Penn Station. I looked at the schedule and we will take the 7:38AM train, and hopefully that will be early enough to get decent parking at the station.

I've never been to Jackman. It's waaaaaay up there!

 

[wildcat03]

I take the train from New Haven, CT to NY frequently. I take MetroNorth, which is somewhere around $18 each way (peak time). I walk to the train station, so don't have much comment on parking other than to say there are at least 2 satellite lots within a 10 minute walk of the train station. MetroNorth trains run frequently (every 1/2 hour during busy times, every hour during the rest of the week).

Amtrak is, of course, more comfortable and you could take it from Providence or Boston all the way to NY. There are electrical outlets and the seats are much more comfortable. It's significantly more expensive, though.