Hi Ladies,
I am shamelessly a NYC Virgin... along with my husband. I'm hoping to convince him to go in November with me! (Wish me luck!)
So anyway, I was wondering what the best way to get to NYC from Boston is. He really hates traffic and I really don't want to drive into that city... I was thinking maybe a bus? I looked at Greyhound quickly and it looks like it would be $80 total for the both of us non-stop and roundtrip. Is that a good deal? I know I always hear of these $1 and $20 deals from Chinatown and whatnot... but I do want to get there timely and easily:)
Any ideas, thoughts and advice would be greatly appreciated ![]()
Re: NYC Virgin...
I was looking at MegaBus and Boltbus - free wifi, very affordable.
We were planning to go the 1st weekend of November and figured out its the ING Marathon and the hotel prices are jacked up. at least in comparison to the 2nd weekend or even some in October.
I lived in NYC for 4 years, so I've taken every sort of transportation option available during the zillion trips I took between here and there. Fung Wah, while not the most comfortable trip, is an awesome deal at $15 per trip. Great deals can be found on Bolt & Mega if you book in advance and they're a more comfortable ride. Greyhound is expensive and drops you off at Port Authority which is gross and inconvenient. Amtrak is my favorite way to go, but can be pricey.
ETA: I need to respectfully disagree with mfmenchi's suggestion to drive yourself. So much hassle and expense to have your car if you plan on staying in Manhattan.
Yes it is a hassle, unless you stay at a hotel where they allow free parking. I drove in once and had to pay for 4 nights and it was ridiculous!! I don't mind Port Authority (I know I'm weird) but it's right close to Times Square and Broadway that I think I prefer coming in that way. Plus I am a HUGE Renthead so I liked getting to see the Nederlander Theater when I got into town. Anyway, I always wanted to try the Amtrak, but I was worried about the price. Glad to hear it is a good ride though.
I'd vote for Amtrak. It's pricier, sure, but I find the bus unbearable.
You could also drive to somewhere outside of the city and then take the train in. We used to park in New Haven and head in from there, but there are definitely closer stations that would cut down on the price of a train ticket.
Throwing in my two cents too.
I have driven to NYC, but only when I had friends living in Brooklyn who knew where we could park our car overnight for free on the street. I wouldn't drive if you are planning to go to Manhattan.
I have taken a Chinatown bus (forget which company) and the Bolt bus. Do the Bolt bus or Megabus. They are reasonably priced and reasonably comfortable, for a bus.
I took the Amtrak a long time ago and my husband took the Amtrak just recently. Both times we encountered lengthy delays. It's still a comfortable way to travel, but I just wanted to point out that just because you are skipping traffic it doesn't mean you will get from point A to B on schedule.
NYC is a fun weekend trip. It's so different from Boston, and there is so much to do.