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G4ME · Aug 10, 2004, 11:33 PM

K, I am planing a little trip to visit my sister in NYC in about 2 weeks, the weekend of the 20th and be back that monday or so. I am originating out of Portland and have no problem driving to boston or south. But, I have been doing research and my best guess is that it would be impractical to drive all the way down to NYC cause of parking. So I have been looking at Amtrak. I haven't really considered flying down there cause of the cost of the cab from the air port to the city will be considerable.

So what i have come up with so far is drive down to either Back Bay Mass and pick up a train to Pen Station. But that will run me about 128 bucks. Another option is to drive even further down the coast and pick up the train in Stamford CT and then take the train the rest of the way into Pen Station. that would only run me 56 bucks. The drive down to CT is about 300 miles so i am looking at 40-50 bucks in gas and that would bring my total trip to about 100 bucks.

You guys know of any other options that are open to me, I haven't looked into Bus either. I might do that tomorrow.

Weezer · Aug 10, 2004, 11:36 PM

China Town Bus. It's like $10 each way.

d4nth3m4n · Aug 10, 2004, 11:37 PM

park in brooklyn and take the train from there. or check craigs list and see what kind of ride share you can find.

parking in NYC is tough, but not impossible.

Krusty · Aug 10, 2004, 11:43 PM

Originally posted by Weezer:
China Town Bus. It's like $10 each way.

Good trip -- faster and more comfy than a train. When I took it BOS->NYC they even had a movie playing inside the 10-12 person van that we took.

G4ME · Aug 10, 2004, 11:44 PM

http://www.fungwahbus.com/ticket/

Looks very promising

Now i am curious about parking in Boston

Krusty · Aug 10, 2004, 11:56 PM

Well, it may be a hassle, but couldn't you park out in the burbs somewhere and take the T to China Town. Alternately, if you absolutely can't find anything online, I have a friend in Cambridge who I could ask for you (umm ... where to find cheap parking ... not if you could park at her house

)

OSX Abuser · Aug 11, 2004, 12:49 AM

Originally posted by G4ME:
K, I am planing a little trip to visit my sister in NYC in about 2 weeks...

Start walking now, you should be there with a few days to spare.

andi*pandi · Aug 11, 2004, 12:53 AM

If you take 95 to Riverside MBTA, you can park for $3 and take the Green Line ($3) in for the Chinatown bus. Of course I doubt the MBTA allows overnight parking... so hmm. Best check with them on that since you'll be gone a few days. I tried checking the web for ya, but found nothing concrete. Best bet: call Central Parking at (617) 695-6356.

you could park near my house, but by the time you paid commuter rail tix back and forth, that's $10 there.

Hrm.

maxintosh · Aug 11, 2004, 01:41 AM

The Fung Wah is definately cheaper than the Acela ($10 vs 70-99), but it's neither as fast nor as comfy. My biggest gripe with the Fung Wah, besides the lack of legroom, is that the bus leaves from NYC in a part that is quite far from the subway stop (especially considering this is CHINATOWN where the streets are completely mobbed and you're trying to haul your luggage through). If you need to travel cheap tho, there ain't no better (nor sketchier) way.

I don't particularily suggest taking normal (non-Acela) Amtraks though. My experience with those old crapboxes has been extremely negative.

Axo1ot1 · Aug 11, 2004, 01:55 AM

Fung Wah is dope. I use it several times a year. Bring something to listen to music with and something to read and you're set. Bring some water and snacks if you're not hip to eating at McDonalds or some similar outfit, as that's where they stop, if they stop.

gumby5647 · Aug 11, 2004, 02:09 AM

Take the train! I love Amtrak, it's thee best and most enjoyable way of traveling IMO.

wdlove · Aug 11, 2004, 11:49 AM

I have heard from a few that have taken the Fung Wah bus. They said it's great. My only qualification would be that if you are tall, meaning over 6' 4".

AB^2=BCxAC · Aug 11, 2004, 11:54 AM

I was nearly run off 684 by the Fung Wah bus when it cut me off in a lane merge last year. My fiance and I had to stop and collect ourselves, and I called to report the driver. They drive fast, and from what I can tell, not very safely. Do what you must, but I'd never do it on principal of my bad experience. I would imagine they normally take i-95, but maybe he was on a short cut.

Axo1ot1 · Aug 11, 2004, 12:25 PM

Originally posted by AB^2=BCxAC:
I was nearly run off 684 by the Fung Wah bus when it cut me off in a lane merge last year. My fiance and I had to stop and collect ourselves, and I called to report the driver. They drive fast, and from what I can tell, not very safely. Do what you must, but I'd never do it on principal of my bad experience. I would imagine they normally take i-95, but maybe he was on a short cut.

That's a worthless anecdote. That's like saying you'll never call the cops because one gave you a ticket for DUI. I've taken it many times and I have many friends who do it all the time and I've never heard a report of not feeling safe with how they drive.

Fyre4ce · Aug 11, 2004, 12:45 PM

Certainly not the cheapest, but you could take Amtrak's Acela high-speed train. 150 mph!

dreilly1 · Aug 11, 2004, 01:12 PM

Originally posted by G4ME:
I haven't really considered flying down there cause of the cost of the cab from the air port to the city will be considerable.

Isn't the AirTrain running from JFK now? You can take that to the A train and that's a straight shot downtown, or to the E train and have a straight shot to midtown.

killer_735 · Aug 11, 2004, 02:16 PM

Coming from Portland, you should be able to find some hippies heading to the city...they're always looking for people to share gas money, and if you're lucky, they'll give you free drugs and sex. Woo hoo!

SOLIDAge · Aug 11, 2004, 02:21 PM

Originally posted by Fyre4ce:
Certainly not the cheapest, but you could take Amtrak's Acela high-speed train. 150 mph!

did that once! because i was going to drive from NYC to Boston, my father payed for my $160 ticket.

maxintosh · Aug 11, 2004, 02:58 PM

Originally posted by Fyre4ce:
Certainly not the cheapest, but you could take Amtrak's Acela high-speed train. 150 mph!

Yep, the Acela's nice. But it only hits 160 for about 18 miles. Sometimes it actually goes infuriatingly slowly. That's a problem with the tracks, not the train, because the train itself really is gorgeous.

Still I find it the best way to go between NYC and Boston. Very quiet, tons of leg room, comfy seats, power outlets, decent cafe car... and none of the hassles of an airport.

chris v · Aug 11, 2004, 03:03 PM

Originally posted by Axo1ot1:
Fung Wah is dope. I use it several times a year. Bring something to listen to music with and something to read and you're set. Bring some water and snacks if you're not hip to eating at McDonalds or some similar outfit, as that's where they stop, if they stop.

What. you're not going to offer him a ride?