# Driving to NYC



## SarahZ (Dec 30, 2013)

BF and I are planning a trip to NYC on an undetermined date. We have considered:

a) backtracking to CHI to pick up the LSL (not bad, but it wastes most of a day)

b) driving to TOL to board the LSL in the middle of the night (yuck, no)

c) driving to NYC (best option for travel time/schedule)

If we drive, I'm positive parking in NYC is akin to parking in Chicago, yes? So, I was wondering if there are any stations along the LSL or Pennsylvanian route that have free/cheap ($6-8/day) long-term parking. It can be a few hours from the city; we aren't picky. I'd like to take a train in, just not all the way from Michigan/Ohio.

New Jersey would be okay too, but I figured PA/NY would be "on the way" and more convenient.


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## greatcats (Dec 30, 2013)

Here is my two cents: I used to be the New Jersey Transit Ticket Agent at Convent Station, New Jersey, near Morristown, and a short way off Interstate 287. There is a large parking lot there which would fill up by the end of rush hour, but it is probably the best station parking on that line, and very reasonable. If you arrived late in the afternoon or in the evening, spots should readily be available. It is a one hour train ride from New York Penn. However, my further advice to you would be to call the Morris Township offices that are in charge of this parking lot and inquire as to what the current procedures are for parking. I left there at the end of 2001, so further research would be advisable.

This is a good and safe location, and from Ohio all you would need to do is drive east on Interstate 80 ( not my favorite highway ) across Pennsylvania into New Jersey and then take Interstate 287 south to the Rt. 124, Madison Ave. exit. Go east about two miles and turn left at the Madison Hotel, which is West Convent Road. Drive in one block and the station and parking lot is very obvious.


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## SarahZ (Dec 30, 2013)

Their website says Lots 1, 2, and 4 allow non-resident, overnight parking for $5/day.


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## greatcats (Dec 30, 2013)

Parking for multiple days used to be permitted, so please ask about that.


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## greatcats (Dec 30, 2013)

Oh, Hi Sarah - I did not see that it was you. I see you have been looking up the website. Good for you. I would still make a phone call. Eric Z


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## AmtrakBlue (Dec 30, 2013)

A lot of members use Metropark. I have no clue where this (other than in NJ) is or how much it costs.


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## greatcats (Dec 30, 2013)

Metropark would be further out of the way coming from Ohio, and that place is something of a zoo.


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## the_traveler (Dec 30, 2013)

Another option is that if your driving in on the NY Thruway (I-90), you could park at BUF, ROC, SYR, Utica, SDY, or ALB. All these stations are fairly close to I-90. West of ALB, there are numerous trains daily to NYP. From ALB south, there are many more.


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## AmtrakBlue (Dec 30, 2013)

Or go to KIN and park at the_traveler's place. He'd probably only charge you for a round trip ticket to NYC...via LAX. h34r: :giggle:


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## Bob Dylan (Dec 30, 2013)

I Sugggest ya'll Consider Dave's Suggestion to Park on the LSL/Empire Service Route in NY State,(All Daylight Stops) then Hop an Empire Service Train, the Maple Leaf or the LSL to NYP!!!! Looking forward to your ABQ Trip Report and any Pics! Happy New Year!!


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## Fan Railer (Jan 10, 2014)

Convent is definitely a good choice to park at (it's my home base station for fanning NJT-Amtrak). It's relatively isolated, cheap, and on your way compared to Metropark, which is about another 45 minutes or so drive out of the way of your travel. Not to mention the community is good, so you shouldn't have to worry about leaving your car overnight if that is part of your plan.


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## Ryan (Jan 10, 2014)

Another option would be to "home base" somewhere just outside the city, hopefully at a hotel with free parking.

Then just take the train into and out of the city to see the sights.


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## SarahZ (Jan 10, 2014)

RyanS said:


> Another option would be to "home base" somewhere just outside the city, hopefully at a hotel with free parking.
> 
> Then just take the train into and out of the city to see the sights.


That's also a possibility. I'll have to weigh commute time vs. hotel costs on my "pain in the backside" meter.  We found a really cool place called The Jane that isn't whopping-crazy expensive. The rooms are _tiny_, but we're only going to be there to sleep and shower. We don't require lots of amenities or square footage. If I can sit in a roomette for two days, I can handle sleeping in that room.


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## Ryan (Jan 10, 2014)

Very true, just wasn't sure if you had evaluated that as an option.


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## SarahZ (Jan 10, 2014)

Not yet, but I'll take it into consideration. Commuting into NYC by train might not be as tedious (and boring) as traveling from the hotels near O'Hare into the Loop via the Blue Line.


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## Bob Dylan (Jan 10, 2014)

SarahZ said:


> RyanS said:
> 
> 
> > Another option would be to "home base" somewhere just outside the city, hopefully at a hotel with free parking.
> ...


 Nice Find Sarah! Really looks like a Great Place and the Prices seem Reasonable for the Amenities and for New York! I've Lived in Places Smaller than That in the NE for Lots of $$$$  !


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## the_traveler (Jan 10, 2014)

While that sounds good, that hotel is in Manhattan - with high parking costs!


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## SarahZ (Jan 10, 2014)

the_traveler said:


> While that sounds good, that hotel is in Manhattan - with high parking costs!


We aren't going to park in NYC. We're going to park somewhere outside of the city and take the train in. That's why I asked about places to park along the LSL (or another NY state train) route.


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## chakk (Jan 10, 2014)

New York, NY: it's a wonderful town. The Bronx is up and the Battery's down. The people ride in a hole in the ground....


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## benjibear (Jan 20, 2014)

Elizabethtown (E-town), PA has free parking. The Keystone will take you into New York in about 3 hours with multiple trains per day. I don't know the availability of parking and cost west of Harrisburg on the Pennsylvanian. East of Harrisburg, E-town is one of the best because all Keystone trains stop which is not true for some other stations.

I believe E-town has finished it's new long term lot but I haven't parked there in a while. It is a small town and very safe for keeping your car parked for multiple days.


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## SarahZ (Jan 20, 2014)

Thanks, Benji!


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## Meat Puppet (Jan 31, 2014)

Denville NJ Train station $3 per 24 hours overnight allowed, the best parking deal around. Then a 60 minute ride on new jersey transit to NYC Penn Station.


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## the_traveler (Jan 31, 2014)

AmtrakBlue said:


> Or go to KIN and park at the_traveler's place. :giggle:


That's not as weird as it sounds. But not Kingston, RI (KIN) - there is also a Kingston, NY on the drive on the Thruway!  But the Amtrak station is right across the Hudson River in Rhinecliff!


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## AmtrakBlue (Jan 31, 2014)

the_traveler said:


> AmtrakBlue said:
> 
> 
> > Or go to KIN and park at the_traveler's place. :giggle:
> ...


Maybe that's where the TPS is hiding.


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## Devil's Advocate (Jan 31, 2014)

Interesting suggestions. In the past I flew into LGA or JFK and took a taxi or shuttle or black car service to my hotel. From that point on it was mostly subways and walking. One time I decided to shake things up and drive from San Antonio into Manhattan. Everyone said it was a crazy idea that would never work, which only made it more appealing. Once we got to Manhattan we looked at the absurdly expensive parking and decided to just park illegally wherever we went. Eventually on the very last day we got caught. Even though the parking ticket was expensive it was still much cheaper than parking legally would have been.


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## benjibear (Feb 7, 2014)

Devil's Advocate said:


> Interesting suggestions. In the past I flew into LGA or JFK and took a taxi or shuttle or black car service to my hotel. From that point on it was mostly subways and walking. One time I decided to shake things up and drive from San Antonio into Manhattan. Everyone said it was a crazy idea that would never work, which only made it more appealing. Once we got to Manhattan we looked at the absurdly expensive parking and decided to just park illegally wherever we went. Eventually on the very last day we got caught. Even though the parking ticket was expensive it was still much cheaper than parking legally would have been.



You are crazy driving into New York.


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## Ryan (Feb 7, 2014)

Driving in New York is AWESOME!!!

Scared the crap out of my mother one night cutting through town - just blend in and use the horn liberally.


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## AlanB (Feb 7, 2014)

benjibear said:


> You are crazy driving into New York.


I live in NYC, so of course I have driven here and continue to do so. And I can think of a few other cities that I have driven in that I would prefer not to repeat the experience. Not saying driving in NYC is a picnic; but there are worse places!


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## SarahZ (Feb 7, 2014)

I've driven in Chicago. Many times. Nothing scares me.

One of these days, I want to drive through Boston.  I've heard their streets and traffic are a nightmare.


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## GG-1 (Feb 7, 2014)

Aloha

I have driven in NYC and it is nothing compared to Las Vegas Driving!


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## trainman74 (Feb 8, 2014)

SarahZ said:


> One of these days, I want to drive through Boston.  I've heard their streets and traffic are a nightmare.


I drove through Boston once on a road trip and was a little disappointed -- it didn't seem much worse than any other city in which I'd driven.

Although I stayed at a motel west of downtown along Commonwealth Ave., and was amused in the morning when I asked at the front desk "how do I get to the turnpike from here?", and they handed me a sheet of directions from a big stack they had printed up. (This was a couple years before GPS units and smartphones became relatively widespread.)


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## SarahZ (Feb 8, 2014)

trainman74 said:


> SarahZ said:
> 
> 
> > One of these days, I want to drive through Boston.  I've heard their streets and traffic are a nightmare.
> ...


That's awesome.


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## Dan O (Feb 8, 2014)

benjibear said:


> You are crazy driving into New York.


Spent a week outside NYC and drove in every day to see the city. My wife doesn't do subways, tunnels or elevators. I loved driving in New York. It was nice to have lookouts for the crazy maneuvers we had to do occasionally--namely cutting across 3 lanes of stopped traffic right before an entrance to a tunnel so we'd avoid the tunnel. Parking was pricey, ranging from $15 (Saturday in the general area of Wall St) to $50 near Saks 5th Avenue/St Patrick's Cathedral on a Sunday AM. I didn't think the traffic was any worse than any major city. Impossible to find street parking spot in Manhattan.


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## reppin_the_847 (Aug 4, 2014)

benjibear said:


> Elizabethtown (E-town), PA has free parking. The Keystone will take you into New York in about 3 hours with multiple trains per day. I don't know the availability of parking and cost west of Harrisburg on the Pennsylvanian. East of Harrisburg, E-town is one of the best because all Keystone trains stop which is not true for some other stations.
> 
> I believe E-town has finished it's new long term lot but I haven't parked there in a while. It is a small town and very safe for keeping your car parked for multiple days.


In addition to Elizabethtown, I'd also consider the Middletown, PA station just after Harrisburg (along the Keystone). It is the preceding station to Elizabethtown, and I believe it also has free parking. Also another tip if you have your passport or passport card in order is to cut through Ontario (Canada) during your drive from Michigan to get to Buffalo or another upstate NY Amtrak station.


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