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» RAILforum » Passenger Trains » Amtrak » New York to Guilford, CT

   
Author Topic: New York to Guilford, CT
Ira Slotkin
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How easy is it to get a train up to Guilford CT from NY Penn? I can fly from Denver and arrive at La Guardia at noon or Hartford around 7:45 (one stop w layover). The cost is virtually the same. But if I fly to NY I then have to get downtown and then get a train and don't know how long that would take me. This would be on Thanksgiving day, and I suspect that affects the schedules. Still its a chance for a train ride. 2 hour ride maybe? Worth it? Would my 7 year old and I enjoy the scenery? Sister can pick me up in Hartford.

Any suggestions? Tanner929 I know you live up that way.

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RussM
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If your sister doesn't mind driving 1 1/4 hours to Hartford, that would be a good solution, at the least cost. It would be slightly faster, but more expensive, to fly into New Haven Airport(HVN), which is only a few miles from Guilford. Service to New Haven is provided by US Airways Express from Philadelphia, or Delta Connection from Cincinnati. If you would rather ride the rails from New York, you could take either Metro North or Amtrak to New Haven. From New Haven, you could take ConnDot's Shore Line East to Guilford, or just get picked up in New Haven. Getting from the New York Airports to the rail stations would be time consuming, but I can give you more info on that if you want. As far a scenery goes, Connecticut is a pretty State, but you wouldn't know it from riding the train between New York and New Haven.
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notelvis
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quote:
Originally posted by Ira Slotkin:
How easy is it to get a train up to Guilford CT from NY Penn? I can fly from Denver and arrive at La Guardia at noon or Hartford around 7:45 (one stop w layover). The cost is virtually the same. But if I fly to NY I then have to get downtown and then get a train and don't know how long that would take me. This would be on Thanksgiving day, and I suspect that affects the schedules. Still its a chance for a train ride. 2 hour ride maybe? Worth it? Would my 7 year old and I enjoy the scenery? Sister can pick me up in Hartford.

Any suggestions? Tanner929 I know you live up that way.

I'm not Tanner and any information he might offer would be some you would want to consider.

I will make one suggestion though.....You may want to comparison shop airfares into Newark, NJ. That airport has a monorail (yes....a monorail) that can whisk you over to a recently opened rail station (Newark Airport) where you can catch Amtrak through the city up to New Haven. You're probably looking at a cross-platform transfer there to get on into Hartford.

This should be easier and less expensive than getting to Penn Station from LaGuardia. The monorail part might be the highlight of the entire trip for a 7 year old!

Have a great trip.

--------------------
David Pressley

Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!

Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes.

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RussM
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The suggestion from notelvis about going to Newark is a terrific idea if you want to include a train ride. I think I will try that myself sometime. Amtrak Regionals which stop at Newark Liberty Airport Station make it to New Haven in about 2 hours. That would be faster and easier than trying to get into Manhattan from LaGuardia or JFK. Here is a link for the Newark Air Train that takes you to your Amtrak connection:

http://www.portnynj.com/airtrainnewark

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sojourner
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Ira, I think the Newark idea is great too. It sounds like an excellent way to avoid the time-consuming hassle of going from any airport into Manhattan, which is likely to be even worse than usual around the holidays.

If that doesn't work out, airwise, then I think flying into the Hartford Airport is probably your best bet. If your sister cannot pick you up, look into the possibility of a bus/shuttle from Hartford Airport into New Haven; I'm pretty sure they have them, and the price wasn't all that terrible.

Just for your future info--NY's Penn(sylvania) Station is where the Amtrak goes. On the other hand, Metro North, the commuter rail that also goes to New Haven, goes out of Grand Central Station. The latter is cheaper but takes longer because of more stops; however, there may also be more trains, especially in rush hour (though dealing with luggage on a commuter line can also be a hassle in rush hour).

BTW, not to be snarky or anything, but in case you ever need to know this--the area in Manhattan where both train stations are located is called Midtown, not Downtown. In NYC, Downtown refers to Lower Manhattan--the Wall Street area. It is also used as a direction, i.e., in Manhattan, "I'm going downtown," means "I'm going south," and, similarly, any "downtown subway" in Manhattan heads south. However, "downtown" is never used generically simply to mean "the business district," the way it is in many smaller cities. For indeed, both Downtown and Midtown are business districts, by most city's standards.

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Ira Slotkin
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Ahhhhh. New Haven is closer! So much for my knowledge of geography w/o looking at a map. I'll take poetry for $200 Alex.

And Newark - I have seen that cool airport monorail when going from NYC to Princeton on New Jersey Transit. Just train to the train, and train to the sister. Skip NYPenn/GC altogether.

Meanwhile - I'll check the airlines again. I was hoping to go United for the mileage but I'll do some more research. See what comes up for Newark and New Haven.

And thanks for the 411 on up/mid/down-town Sojourner. It's all rock and roll to me, but since I am going to be traveling there it helps to know the lingo.

As always, this is a great source for train/travel ideas as well as baseball trivia...

Ira

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sbalax
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Ira--

Check out Continental. They have a code share with Amtrak to New Haven. I have no idea how the fares would compare with what you've researched. I do know that New Jersey Transit is MUCH cheaper to Penn Station than Amtrak. I've not done this trip so don't know how they compare in service, etc.

Frank in SBA where it's finally cooling off after a 90 degree day!

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George Harris
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If you catch a NJT train at the Newark Airport station it will cost a premium, but it is unavoidable, but the NJT plus Metro North may still be cheaper than Amtrak. However, for sure you will be changing trains, AND STATIONS from Penn to Grand Central that way. If you go Amtrak, you may have to change trains but at least it will all be in Penn Station. If you come in with a Continental ticket, you can get a discount on your Amtrak ticket at the same station. there is an agent there. Don't know whether for all hours or not. There is also a ticket machine, but to get the discount you have to buy it from the agent. If your travel agent knows what he is doing, or if you buy it dirrectly from Continental, you may be able to get your rail ticket with your air ticket. Blundered through this the way I first described once.

George

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sojourner
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If you catch an Amtrak in Newark, you should not have to change trains in NYC--most of the Regional trains stop in Newark and continue through NYC Penn Station to Boston, stopping in New Haven. The only change you may have to make would be in Newark itself, from the airport thingie to the Amtrak--I'm not familiar with that, exactly, and it could involve going from the Newark airport stop (where only some Amtraks stop) to the main Newark train station (where more Amtraks stop).

But even if you do have to change trains at NY Penn Station for some reason, that is not a problem. However, if you have to start with going crosstown to Grand Central Station to catch Metro North to New Haven, that would not be convenient at all, no matter how much cheaper . . . and, remember, if you have to take a taxi from Penn Station to Grand Central, that would make it less cheap. Of course, I walk from many blocks in Manhattan all the time, even with a small suitcase with wheels--but then, I'm a walker. But this is not the time of year I'd advise a West Coast denizen to try it, especially with luggage. What if the ground has snow on it? No . . . you will need a taxi . . . there will be a long line at Penn Station to get one . . . it's not a good idea, methinks.

Now, if you fly into La Guardia or JFK and there is a shuttle to Grand Central, that's another matter. Then you can take Metro North to New Haven. A bit of a hassle with luggage but you will save money doing that. I'm not sure if there IS a shuttle to Grand Central, though. You'll have to check with someone who flies!

But I'm pretty sure there is a minivan shuttle from some of these airports right to New Haven. At least, there used to be one from JFK, and I think La Guardia. And I'm pretty sure there is one from Hartford airport because someone I know in California got to Yale University last year (Yale is in New Haven) by flying to Hartford and taking a shuttle--I think she found it the quickest and cheapest way at the time. However, these shuttle services do go in and out of business (esp with rising fuel costs), so you'll have to check.

Now, if you do any of the latter and still want to see Grand Central Station on your trip and go to NYC for a day around Christmas (a very nice thing to do), you can just take Metro North in and out from New Haven for the day.

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Tanner929
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Ira,

To me if often comes down to best fare plus transportation. New Haven does have USAIR connecting service through Philly. Delta is discontinuing its service to Cinn. on Jan 1. USAIR flights are prop planes so are more suceptable to weather. landing in New Haven Airport would be probably be cheaper to take a cab to Guilford and much much quicker. Don't think Amtrak stops at Guilford except in evening when it is a Shore Line East train. Shore Line east does not run east between 9am to 2pm. Bradley-Hartford would mean a bus two buses (or a eight block walk to get to Hartford Union Station then Amtrak to New Haven and connect to Shore Line East. The trip from Hartford to Guilford would be longer then comming from Denver.

I'd say if you would like to take a scenic train trip, arrive at Newark, Amtrak stops at the airport and you could get off in Branford which is not far from Branford.

Best Idea!!

Going in another direction, You could fly into Providence, RI and take Amtrak west to Branford. Not sure how to get from Providence Green Airport to Providence Station but its not to far. This Train route will be much prettier riding along New England Shore Line, especially between Westerly past New London to Branford you'll really enjoy the trip.

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Tanner929
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Ira,

If you land at LGA or JFK in NYC best deal for convinience is to take the New York Bus Service its an express bus that stops first at Grand Central (Metro North commuter train 1:50 to New Haven but runs more often can connect with Shore Line East if times are right at New Haven Shore Line East stops at Guilford.

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Tanner929
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MY BAD MY BAD

Ira, Made a mistake Amtrak does not stop at Branford, The two stops you could use would be New Haven Union Station 14 mi west of Guilford or
Old Saybrook 18 miles east of Guilford. Lets all know how things work out.

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sojourner
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I think Tanner's idea about Providence is great too. BUT just make sure air fares to Providence and train fares from Providence back to New Haven or Old Saybrook aren't heaps higher.

BTW, Old Saybrook is a very nice little town on the Sound; there used to be a fine Old Saybrook Inn to lunch in. It was where Katherine Hepburn lived (in addition to Turtle Bay in NYC I mean)

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Tanner929
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The section of the NEC between New Haven Union Station has some of Amtrak's best scenerie along the Connecticut Shore Line along Long Island Sound. An early morning train with the sun rising is a wonderfull trip. Historic Mystic and New London are excellent stops as well as Old Saybrook. The restored historic train station at Kingston RI is the place to stop The RIPTA Bus takes longer then the 15 minute drive but meanders through Cranston and Jamestown.

Here is some transportation info for getting from the Providence RI TG Green Airport to the Providence Amtrak Station it seems reasonably priced.

http://www.pvdairport.com/ground_transport/taxi_train.htm

http://www.airporttaxiri.com/schedule.html

The bus trip up to Providence is not bad either.

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sojourner
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Thanks for this info, Tanner; I'd like to do this some time (and go all the way to Boston); it's been years since I've been on this part of the NE corridor. I'm a little confused about what you mean in a few spots, though. Does the train stop in Mystic and New London, or do you have to get off at Kingston to get to them? Where does the RIPTA bus start and where does go? What is the bus trip to Providence you are talking about--from where to where? Sorry to be so confused.
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Tanner929
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Sorry I was rushing and clicked send before I finished.

The Bus I was mentioning from Kingston goes into Newport RI former Hot Spot for the Rich and Famous at the turn of the 20th century its still a big summer destination. Trains don't go into Newport but the Kingston bus runs till around 4 pm the problem with Kingston is the rail station is a bit isolated so when I take that trip I take another bus up to Providence and catch the train there, theres alot more to do in Providence, while waiting for the train. There is also a Ferry between Providence and Newport. I'll have to link the Rhode Island Visitors Bureau link. Amtrak does stop at Mystic, and New London.

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sojourner
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Thanks, Tanner! I hope some time to take the Long Island Railroad and then a ferry to New London and catch the Amtrak there to Providence&Newport and then circle back on the train through Connecticut. I was trying to go out a few weeks ago but the rain prevented it so I stayed in NYC instead. Will have to do it next summer some time!
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Ira Slotkin
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Well as it turns out the thing to do given family and connections and costs etc is to just fly into Hartford. Sis will send a car for us from there. But I have printed out the various suggestions - wow trains and ferries!! - as I may hop train(s) down to Princeton NJ to visit friends and all your comments will be helpful.

Thanks again all!!

Ira

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Tanner929
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Well Ira yup here in America you really have to go the extra mile and the extra hours to travel by train outside the major city's. I've looked into taking a train to Bradley Airport in Hartford without having to foot $70 on the CT Limo Shuttles. There is a Amtrak station in both Hartford and Windsor Locks (town BDL is) but there is no direct bus to the airport.

If you visit in the summer a day or weekend excursion is great but again you travel at the liesure of the train schedule.

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