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A day trip and left the car home. Took a trip from New Haven, CT to Newport RI. took the early 8:38 a.m Regional, the first saturday following the first London bombing. A Amtrak Officer followed the conducter, thats ok with me. Anyway I took the Train along the Connecticut Shore Line a great scenic trip along Long Island Sound. Kingston has a beautifully restored turn of the century (20th) quiant train station with small rail museum. Had a 30 minute wait for the RI Transit Bus for the hour and 15 min trip to Newport. It would be 20 minutes by car but it was a scencic trip through Naraganset and Jamestown into Newport. Spent the day at the Hall of Fame Tennis Tournament then took another RI Bus along the Water from Newport to Providence trip was about an hour and 20 minutes. Hey what the heck total costs $3.00 Providence was having their Waterfire celebration in which they light torches along the cities canals. Had a nice dinner in the old train station in downtown the trains don't run here anymore but the city did a great job of reusing the space. After I walked up the hill to the new train station (its nice just below the capitol building) but its to modern to have much charm. Anyhow the 10:35 pm which was about 10 min late but thats ok. Got back after midnight to New Haven. I had to plan the trip to the schedules of buses and trains but you know it wasn't a problem Got to see things I would have missed if I had been driving. The train was 3/4 full with people going to New London, Providence and Boston, On the way back the train became full at New London which was having a tall ship festival. Well that was how I spent my summer vacation.
sojourner Member # 3134
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I would like to take a trip something like this (including seeing NEwport again; haven't been there since childhood). But I'd like to comine it with a take a train trip to the North Fork of Long Island and then take that ferry to New London as part of it. Or even maybe Block Island too . . . Where does the nice coastal scenery on the Connecticut shoreline begin and end, do you remember? Do you know if all the DC/NYC to Boston trains go this way, or are there two different branches, one through Providence and one more on the interior?
dmwnc1959 Member # 2803
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All I can say is WOW! It was like reading a mini-adventure novel. Sounds like a extraordinary trip. Beats how I spent my Summer vaction. I am quite jealous.
I love the coastal areas of New England, but only seen through these eyes from a cruise ship.
I'll have to print this out and save it for my 'Ideas' folder for the next time I am up in New England on Amtrak, hopefully mid-October...
THANKS for sharing! :-)
20th Century Member # 2196
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The New York - Boston journey is more scenic than the New York - Wash. D.C. journey. The Connecticut shoreline is a panorama of coastal scenery along Long Island Sound. Also in Queens,NY along the viaduct in Astoria one gets a great view of Manhattan.
Tanner929 Member # 3720
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The train out to Greenpoint at the end of the LIRR branch is a long trip 3 hours plus on those hideous plastic seats. An alternative might be to take the LIRR Port Jefferson Station terminus. From there you could take a bus or a short cab ride down to the Port Jefferson Ferry across the sound to Bridgeport CT about a hour plus. Port Jeff is a nice little town with shops and restraunts. If you can time it the Ferry docks a short walk from the Bridgeport Train Station. The trip from Bridgeport to to Providence will give you the best views of the shoreline and the sound Bridgeport to New Haven is a bit industrial but past New Haven you will see some of the best scenic areas along any Amtrak route. To get to Newport you could either get off at Kingston and bus it to Newport as I did or go to Providence. Another option,, there is Ferry service from Providence to Newport. All the NY to Boston takes this route. From New York by Train and Boat we're talking along day but well worth it. The Block Island ferry dock is walking distance to the train station as well. Anyother info I'd be glad to look into it.
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