# Google Transit fun



## DowneasterPassenger (Jul 30, 2009)

SEPTA has now been added to Google Transit.

I've been able to fulfill a longstanding dream, planning long distance NEC trips on local trains! On Google maps, select "Get Directions" and "By public transit".

Try "Washington DC Union Station to Aberdeen MD", "Newark DE to Trenton NJ", "Trenton NJ to New York NY", "New York NY to New Haven CT", "Providence RI to Boston MA". Google transit will put you on all the local trains of MARC, SEPTA, NJT, Metro North and MBTA! The longest trip I've been able to plan so far is "Newark DE to New Haven CT", complete with SEPTA rides, NJT, NYC subway and Metro North (time 7hrs). No fare info yet. On BART it has fares.

The only Amtrak-only segments on the NEC are Aberdeen to Newark, DE and New London to Providence, right? One day just for fun I'd like to make the actual journey using Amtrak as little as possible.

I wonder if Google will ever add Amtrak to transit?


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## jack615 (Jul 30, 2009)

And they also just added Boston as well!!!


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## DowneasterPassenger (Jul 30, 2009)

jack615 said:


> And they also just added Boston as well!!!


Yes! I just tried "Providence RI to Haverill MA", 3hrs by Train-Subway-Train.


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## Guest (Jul 30, 2009)

Google transit is quite handy.

Yes, I managed to get that New Haven-Newark, DE routing.

A few transit systems that would be helpful to add in the Northeast:

Shore Line East

SEAT Bus

CTTransit (data submitted already)

Bee-Line Bus

Suffolk County Transit

DART First State

WMATA

Believe it or not, Amtrak is already in the system for a few corridor trips.

These routes are included: Empire Service, Hiawatha, Capitol Corridor


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## DowneasterPassenger (Jul 30, 2009)

Guest said:


> Believe it or not, Amtrak is already in the system for a few corridor trips.These routes are included: Empire Service, Hiawatha, Capitol Corridor


Hold the presses! The San Joaquin line is in there too!


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## jackal (Jul 31, 2009)

SanJoaquinRider said:


> Guest said:
> 
> 
> > Believe it or not, Amtrak is already in the system for a few corridor trips.These routes are included: Empire Service, Hiawatha, Capitol Corridor
> ...


As is the Capitol Corridor and the Pacific Surfliner! Looks like Amtrak California is on the ball.

No long-distance trains, though.

Haven't been able to successfully plot out anything from L.A. to north of L.A. (i.e. LAX-SMF), so perhaps Thruway buses aren't included...


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## DowneasterPassenger (Jul 31, 2009)

jackal said:


> No long-distance trains, though.
> Haven't been able to successfully plot out anything from L.A. to north of L.A. (i.e. LAX-SMF), so perhaps Thruway buses aren't included...


Me either. I tried a few trips with Thruway connections and got "outside our current coverage area".

ACE trains do not seem to be in there.

This list of participating transit agencies includes an oddball set of Amtrak cities:



> Los Angeles Amtrak Stockton Amtrak
> 
> Chicago Amtrak
> 
> New York Amtrak


Stockton is blessed with *two* Amtrak stations and is a minor hub for Thruway connections and the ACE trains, but it's no Los Angeles or New York. And many of the Amtrak destinations we've found so far, are not on the list. For example the Capitol Corridor is in there, but the city of Sacremento is not listed.


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## AlanB (Jul 31, 2009)

SanJoaquinRider said:


> The only Amtrak-only segments on the NEC are Aberdeen to Newark, DE and New London to Providence, right? One day just for fun I'd like to make the actual journey using Amtrak as little as possible.


In that case you might wish to read this OTOL trip report.


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## Ryan (Jul 31, 2009)

AlanB said:


> SanJoaquinRider said:
> 
> 
> > The only Amtrak-only segments on the NEC are Aberdeen to Newark, DE and New London to Providence, right? One day just for fun I'd like to make the actual journey using Amtrak as little as possible.
> ...


That's a great trip report, thanks for sharing.


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## Guest (Jul 31, 2009)

HokieNav said:


> AlanB said:
> 
> 
> > SanJoaquinRider said:
> ...


I remember I read a report somewhere of one attempting to go from DC to NY without Amtrak via the NEC. It took him 12 hours or 24 hours, I dont' remember.

MARC to Perryville

THE Bus to Elkton (seniors bus)

DART First State to Newark

SEPTA to 30 St.

SEPTA to Trenton

NJT to New York

Just so you know, the gaps are closing. MARC plans service to Newark, DE within the next 2 years, and SLE has plans to extend more trains to New London and eventually Mystic and Providence.


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## Ryan (Jul 31, 2009)

Guest said:


> Just so you know, the gaps are closing. MARC plans service to Newark, DE within the next 2 years,


That's been in planning forever, and given Maryland's budget situation, I'll be surprised if we see this in the next 5 years.


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## DowneasterPassenger (Aug 1, 2009)

AlanB said:


> SanJoaquinRider said:
> 
> 
> > The only Amtrak-only segments on the NEC are Aberdeen to Newark, DE and New London to Providence, right? One day just for fun I'd like to make the actual journey using Amtrak as little as possible.
> ...


Thanks for the link! That was a fascinating trip report. It took a while to read through everything.

I like the author's general plan of dividing it into a "north-of-Philadelphia" trip and a "south-of-Philadelphia" one.

My first step is going to a trip from Philadelphia to Portland, Maine, taking local trains as much as possible and Amtrak as little as possible. According to Google transit, Amtrak, and the Shore Line timetable, I've been able to piece together a weekday trip that takes less than one day.

Segment,Agency,Train No.,Dep,Arr

PHL-TRE,	SEPTA,	4721,	8:52AM,	9:43AM

TRE-NYP,	NJT , NEC,	10:01AM,	11:36AM

NYP-GCT,	subway,	1-S,	11:48AM,	11:57AM

GCT-NHV,	Metro North, 12:07PM,	1:52PM

NHV-OSB,	Shore Line, 1632	3:20PM,	4:05PM

OSB-PVD,	Amtrak,	174,	4:07PM,	6:23PM

PVD-BBY,	MBTA,	1814,	7:05PM,	8:08PM

BBY-BON,	subway,	orange, 8:16PM,	8:23PM

BON-HHL,	MBTA,	1221,	8:40PM,	9:47PM

HHL-POR,	Amtrak,	699,	12:07AM,	1:43AM

If anyone along those local transit routes sees a flaw in that plan, please let me know! It looks like an awfully tight connection in New York and in also in Old Saybrook.


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## Guest (Aug 2, 2009)

SanJoaquinRider said:


> AlanB said:
> 
> 
> > SanJoaquinRider said:
> ...


30m for PSNY-GCT should be fine on a weekday as long as reduced walking speed due to crowding isn't an issue.

Regarding Shore Line East, if your plan is not for this summer, wait for a new schedule. Same for NJT. Amtrak NEC tie replacement is causing massive schedule shifts.


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