Well, since I cannot go on any big train trips for a couple of months, I'm thinking about maybe a small one in a couple of weeks. I am interested in visiting Harrisburg, PA, to see the capitol--anything else anyone recommends there? Any hotel to stay in, if I do an overnight?
Does anyone know if there is a way to get to Reading or Wyomissing from Harrisburg without a car? I gather there is no train, not even light rail or something? I always wanted to go to Reading and have a friend in that area.
Also, if I want to stop in Trenton on this trip, and don't have luggage, do you advie I take NJ Transit part of the way? I'd be coming via NYC. . .
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
If your objective is to "save a buck", Ms. Sojourner, I would consider NJT.
If NJT has same or similar fare structure to Chicago area METRA, then the Senior discount is far deeper (50% here) than is Amtrak's 15% of rail only. Not certain what identification documentation NJT requires to establish Senior eligibility, but METRA requires a Medicare card and a Driver's License (to establish you belong to the Medicare card).
But if you are convalescing as noted, then I would think personal comfort would be a far greater factor; you won't find much of that in NJT cars - and you may even ride backwards (50-50 chance of that on LIRR or MNR).
Who am I to tell you what to do, but if it were me, I'd "pay the piper' and enjoy the ride.
Posted by 20th Century (Member # 2196) on :
I think the trip on NJ Transit is approximately 1.5 hrs. Or as Mr.Norman suggests use Amtrak if you can splurge. As for myself I haven't used NJ Transit yet. So I don't know what the comfort level is. There might be a bus service from Harrisburg to Reading. Do a Google research. You might find something.
Posted by dilly (Member # 1427) on :
New Jersey Transit trains make far more local stops than Amtrak does along the Northeast Corridor, but the fares are considerably less.
NJT offers a standard commuter train experience: bright fluorescent lighting, plus reasonably comfortable, non-reclining/no armrest "bench" seats upholstered with naugahyde or something similar (two passengers on one side of the aisle, three passengers on the other). No carpeting. No curtains.
Then again, most cars on NJT trains don't have a restroom either (although most Northeast Corridor trains do have at least one car equipped with toilet facilities for commuter "emergencies"). And though I suppose it's fairly obvious from the above description, there's no lounge or cafe car of any kind.
Think of it simply as no-frills rail transportation that will get you where you want to go.
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Posted by graynt (Member # 17) on :
The Harrisburg station is downtown and there are several hotels and an enclosed downtown mall two blocks from the station. Amtrak shares the transportation building with Greyhound and there are frequent daily bussesto Reading and almost anywhere in that area.
There are 15 Keystone trains originating in Harrisburg that go to Philly and New York. Once you get to Philly you can get the Septa trains or NJ Transit. Interesting, there are 15 daily trains from Harrisburg East, but only ONE West that will connect with the Capital Limited in Pittsburgh..The Pennsylvanian.
I usually use the Elizabethtown or Lewistown stations when I begin my Amtrak journeys. Both are on either side f Harrisburg and the parking is free. Harrisburg charges $18 a day in the city parking garage.
Posted by abefroman329 (Member # 3986) on :
Depending on the nature of your injury and the time of day you're planning to travel from NYC to Trenton, you may find your comfort level is greater on Jersey Transit than Amtrak. Seating is two across and three across, and like the Metra cars (or, more accurately, the Metra cars I remember riding as a child), the seat backs can be moved to create a set of four or six seats facing each other. If you're riding during an off-peak time (say, a train heading to Trenton at 10 am on a weekday) and the train is relatively empty, you can generally get a set for yourself. Whereas almost any Amtrak train is going to be too full for that sort of thing, and the Amtrak conductors are much quicker to crack down on taking a set of four seats for yourself than the NJT conductors.
Posted by sojourner (Member # 3134) on :
My surgery should no longer be bothering me too much; I just have to be careful not to carry anything heavy (like luggage). Given my investigations of Harrisburg, my friend and I have decided to stay in Philadelphia instead! The plan is: Amtrak Empire service down to NYC, then NJ Transit (and SEPTA I think?) to Philadelphia, then go to Harrisburg next morning, visit the Pennsylvania capitol, then Amtrak back to NYC, then Amtrak Empire Service back upstate. The use of NJ Transit is a tad exciting because I've never been on it before, that I remember; the times I went to Hoboken and Jersey City I used PATH trains (and ferries).
Does anyone know what changing in Trenton is like? I gather we have to take a SEPTA train, not NJ Transit, from Trenton into Philly. (And that will be a first for me too.) Are the trains close to one another? Where will we get our tickets, in Trenton itself? We cannot buy them at Penn Station when we buy the NJ Transit tickets there, can we?
Posted by abefroman329 (Member # 3986) on :
quote:Originally posted by sojourner: Does anyone know what changing in Trenton is like? I gather we have to take a SEPTA train, not NJ Transit, from Trenton into Philly. (And that will be a first for me too.) Are the trains close to one another? Where will we get our tickets, in Trenton itself? We cannot buy them at Penn Station when we buy the NJ Transit tickets there, can we?
Yes, it's a SEPTA train from Trenton to Philly. There are only maybe 3 or 4 island platforms at Trenton, so at most you'll have to walk upstairs, 50 feet to the other platform, and back downstairs. Most of the time I've lucked out and had one train depart and another arrive on the same island platform. You can buy one through ticket from Penn Station to Philly at Penn Station at the Jersey Transit ticket machines; the machine will spit out one ticket from Penn Station to Trenton and one from Trenton to Philly.
Posted by sojourner (Member # 3134) on :
Thanks for the info.
Does anyone have any suggestions on where to lunch near the train station and capitol in Harrisburg? Thanks!
Posted by graynt (Member # 17) on :
There is a cute diner right across the street from the train station, and there is a downtown shopping mall a few blocks away. You'll find a few restaraunts inside the mall. There are other restaraunts close by as well.
An interesting walk, if you have the time, especially when the weather gets warmer is to City Island across a pedestrian bridge. It does make for a nice hour long walk.
Posted by sojourner (Member # 3134) on :
Well, we had to change trip plans because of all the snow--only got to Philadelphia. We'd have canceled all together for a better time, but we already had tickets to the King Tut exhibit, and they were costly and nonchangeable; plus we'd made up to meet friends in Philly for dinner. And we had much fun! The King Tut exhibit was really something, and I like visiting Philly a lot.
Took Amtrak only down to NYC, where I met a friend. Then we took NJ Transit to Trenton, then SEPTA into Philly. It definitely took longer, but also was quite a bit cheaper, and we could get out at Suburban Station, closer to the Franklin Institute where the King Tut exhibit is (we didn't have much luggage for such a short trip). The friends we met for dinner had another idea about how to get back the next day, which sounded like fun too, more variety--we took the Patco (sp?) train from further downtown across into Camden, getting off at Broadway, then crossed the street to the Walter Rand Transportation Center and caught the light rail river line up to Trenton. We then took the NJ Transit back. That way was even cheaper! And the light rail was really cool, a nice river crossing, and allowing us to see some attractive little towns, like Burlington, NJ. Both ways were of course a lot longer than Amtrak all the way, but the connections on the return were all pretty good. So the trip down took about 2 1/2 hours from the time our train left Penn Station to the time we got out at Suburban station--there was a wait at Trenton. The trip back took under 3 hours from the time we left our hotel downtown to the time I got off at Penn Station in NYC (if you add the time you spend getting to 30th St Station and waiting there to the Amtrak time, it's probably not more than 2 hrs). From Penn Station I spent an hour or so shopping at Macys before catching an Amtrak back upstate, getting home ahead of the snow.