# Getting to West Point



## VentureForth (Jan 28, 2010)

Hey y'all. How would I get to West Point using amtrak/public transit?


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## DET63 (Jan 28, 2010)

To get to West Point, don't you have to have a recommendation from your Congressman or Senator?


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## AlanB (Jan 29, 2010)

It's not really all that easy to get to West Point by transit.

Perhaps the cheapest way is to come into NYP, walk or take an 8th Ave subway to 42nd Street and 8th Avenue and the Port Authority Bus Terminal. There you can catch a Short Line bus to the Acadamy. Should be $15.25 one way, RT is $30.50.

If you want still more rail travel, then make your way over to Grand Central and catch Metro North. Alternatively you could transfer to an Amtrak Empire Corridor train to Croton-Harmon and then catch Metro North, this would add cost though.

Either way, take Metro North to Peekskill. Get off at Peekskill and take a cab to West Point on the other side of the Hudson River. It's about a 20 minute cab ride from there to West Point. Generally there are cabs waiting at the Peekskill station. The Garrison station is technically closer to West Point, almost directly across the river from West Point. But Garrison doesn't always have cabs at the ready, and it's further from the bridge that crosses the river to the West Point side.

Or you can get off in either NY or NJ and rent a car.


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## George Harris (Jan 29, 2010)

VentureForth said:


> Hey y'all. How would I get to West Point using amtrak/public transit?


Are we to assume that this is West Point, *New York* and not West Point, *Georgia*?

Are there any other West Point s out there?


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## Green Maned Lion (Jan 29, 2010)

Yes. Unless the OP is stark raving mad enough to think public transit exists in Georgia.


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## Shanghai (Jan 29, 2010)

There used to be a ferry type boat that stopped at West Point, then sailed further up the river. It reversed direction and stopped

at West Point on the return to Manhattan. As I recall, we were in West Point for about 2 hours. It was an enjoyable excursion.


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## VentureForth (Jan 29, 2010)

Yes, West Point the Army Academy. My cousin's kid is graduating in May and I'd like an excuse to ride the train up there to see him.

Shanghai: I think that service ended while Robert E Lee was still a cadet... 

May bus up and taxi/metronorth/subway back to NYP. Lots o' time to plan


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## VentureForth (Jan 29, 2010)

Green Maned Lion said:


> Yes. Unless the OP is stark raving mad enough to think public transit exists in Georgia.


His name is Bubba, and he's got a pick up truck. That's public transit in Georgia. And Scott Brown's Massachusetts!


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## Bill Haithcoat (Jan 29, 2010)

George Harris said:


> VentureForth said:
> 
> 
> > Hey y'all. How would I get to West Point using amtrak/public transit?
> ...



George, you and I are two of the only ones who would have thought about that. Shades of the original Piedmont limited and Crescent.


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## VentureForth (Jan 29, 2010)

Now that I have a reference point...

Is Manitou taxi friendly? It seems like its between Garrison & Peekskill and only 7 miles to the campus. Any thoughts?


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## AlanB (Jan 29, 2010)

VentureForth said:


> Now that I have a reference point...
> Is Manitou taxi friendly? It seems like its between Garrison & Peekskill and only 7 miles to the campus. Any thoughts?


Absolutely not!

Manitou is barely even a stop. There is no station, no ticket machine, a platform big enough for only 1 door of 1 car, and it doesn't even have regular service. No trains at all stop there on a weekday; the only service is on select trains on the weekends. Manitou's sole purpose is to serve as a stop for hikers wishing to access the Appalachian Trail.

As such, getting off there leaves you standing in the middle of nowhere basically. There isn't even a pay phone to call for a taxi. Not sure how good cell service would be in that area, but even if you do have good coverage, I wouldn't want to bet that the dispatcher would even know where to send the cab to look for you at Manitou.


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## Bill Haithcoat (Jan 29, 2010)

In the early 70's I took a Gray Line Tour Bus from 8th Avenue in Manhattan to West Point, Hyde Park (FDR'S home) and the country side of Rip Van Winkle and also the headless horseman.

We had some time at West Point and I bought a small banner souvenir which I have to this day.Wish I could say I saw a great marching band or something but not so, just a brief drive around and a stop or two.


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## Tony (Jan 29, 2010)

AlanB said:


> Either way, take Metro North to Peekskill. Get off at Peekskill and take a cab to West Point on the other side of the Hudson River. It's about a 20 minute cab ride from there to West Point. Generally there are cabs waiting at the Peekskill station. The Garrison station is technically closer to West Point, almost directly across the river from West Point. But Garrison doesn't always have cabs at the ready, and it's further from the bridge that crosses the river to the West Point side.


Wouldn't taking the Port Jervis line, and getting off at Salisbury Mills/Cornwall station, be better? At least you will be on the correct side of the Hudson and only few miles from West Point.


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## AlanB (Jan 29, 2010)

Tony said:


> AlanB said:
> 
> 
> > Either way, take Metro North to Peekskill. Get off at Peekskill and take a cab to West Point on the other side of the Hudson River. It's about a 20 minute cab ride from there to West Point. Generally there are cabs waiting at the Peekskill station. The Garrison station is technically closer to West Point, almost directly across the river from West Point. But Garrison doesn't always have cabs at the ready, and it's further from the bridge that crosses the river to the West Point side.
> ...


Actually, no. At least not in terms of it being closer. Salisbury Mills is 12.8 miles from West Point, while Peekskill is 11.5 miles to West Point.

I actually never looked at Salisbury Mills, or thought about it. I was simply going by what West Point itself advises on their site here.


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## Bob Dylan (Jan 29, 2010)

Hope it doesn't get me banned for life but from what Alan posted looks like the BUS! might be the best way to get there!

Cabs are pretty pricey even in rural New York, so $15 to/from NYC isn't a bad price! I like the disclaimer about "light traffic" in Manhattan, is that @ 4AM on Sunday night? :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## GG-1 (Jan 29, 2010)

jimhudson said:


> Hope it doesn't get me banned for life but from what Alan posted looks like the BUS! might be the best way to get there!Cabs are pretty pricey even in rural New York, so $15 to/from NYC isn't a bad price! I like the disclaimer about "light traffic" in Manhattan, is that @ 4AM on Sunday night? :lol: :lol: :lol:


Aloha

A question Jim, How do you have 4:AM on Sunday night? My Sides hurt from laughing.

Mahalo

Eric


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## Tony (Jan 29, 2010)

AlanB said:


> Actually, no. At least not in terms of it being closer. Salisbury Mills is 12.8 miles from West Point, while Peekskill is 11.5 miles to West Point.


Is Salisbury Mills 12.8 miles away? Cornwall 12.8 miles away? Or the station itself 12.8 miles away?

I'll admit, it has been decades since I tried to drive from from "here" to "there", so my memory might be skipping stuff. I also might be thinking of back road distance, and not main road distance.


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## Bob Dylan (Jan 29, 2010)

GG-1 said:


> jimhudson said:
> 
> 
> > Hope it doesn't get me banned for life but from what Alan posted looks like the BUS! might be the best way to get there!Cabs are pretty pricey even in rural New York, so $15 to/from NYC isn't a bad price! I like the disclaimer about "light traffic" in Manhattan, is that @ 4AM on Sunday night? :lol: :lol: :lol:
> ...


Well Eric, technically I guess it's 4AM on Sunday morning, or 4 AM Monday morning but since it's in the Eastern Time Zone, and the bars stay open so late in the Apple guess I'm a little confused! (not that thats anything new!) :lol: Friend just returned from the Islands, made us all envious with trip and weather reports! :lol:


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## had8ley (Jan 29, 2010)

Bill Haithcoat said:


> In the early 70's I took a Gray Line Tour Bus from 8th Avenue in Manhattan to West Point, Hyde Park (FDR'S home) and the country side of Rip Van Winkle and also the headless horseman.
> We had some time at West Point and I bought a small banner souvenir which I have to this day.Wish I could say I saw a great marching band or something but not so, just a brief drive around and a stop or two.


Bill;

I can remember taking a Dayliner Steamer up the Hudson probably in the late '50's; it stopped at Yonkers to pick up pax and stopped at Bear Mountain and turned back to NYC at West Point after stopping for a while. It was an all day trip; was quite a large boat and even had quite a nice sized dining room on the main deck. I don't remember if they served dinosaur though...


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## jis (Jan 29, 2010)

AlanB said:


> Actually, no. At least not in terms of it being closer. Salisbury Mills is 12.8 miles from West Point, while Peekskill is 11.5 miles to West Point.
> I actually never looked at Salisbury Mills, or thought about it. I was simply going by what West Point itself advises on their site here.


Good thing too. The reason that a railfan goes to Salisbury Mills/Cornwall is to see Moodna Viaduct. Other than that there is absolutely nothing there other than a huge parking lot in the middle of nowhere, and you would have to call a cab to come and meet you there.

This is what it is like around the station!


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## AlanB (Jan 29, 2010)

Tony said:


> AlanB said:
> 
> 
> > Actually, no. At least not in terms of it being closer. Salisbury Mills is 12.8 miles from West Point, while Peekskill is 11.5 miles to West Point.
> ...


That was from the train station to the center of West Point, according to Microsoft Streets & Trips. Not really that big a deal since we're not talking about all that much of a difference.

But as pointed out by Jishnu, there is nothing at that train station.


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