Septa9739
Lead Service Attendant
August 5th began a short jaunt up to Montréal, a “Europe in the Americas” and a place where the dollar is quite potent. The trip was a rail/bus hybrid, and seeing as this forum has relatively little about the bus alternatives to the Adirondack, I think it may be particularly relevant in lieu of the operation of the Adirondack.
The evening began with a punctual departure (the only one on the board) from PHL, aboard 654 en route to NYP via Trenton and Newark Penn. Just a typical jaunt up the ex-PRR that tens of thousands of people make every day. The only slightly interesting detail is we passed a 4-hour late Crescent en route to New Orleans, going westbound on the eastbound local track.
The real interesting bit began with punctual arrival into New York. I chose to swelter and walk up Eighth Avenue to the Port Authority Bus Terminal, whence my Adirondack Trailways service to Montréal would depart. Trailways was a little more expensive than Greyhound, and Greyhound left from Penn Station, but I chose to ride with them because their reputation (at least around here) is much better than that of Greyhound. My departure was a 22:30, running with only a stop off the Thruway for rest/refreshment. It operates an an extra section of the 21:30 local. PABT did not impress me. There was much panhandling, a little crime, no benches, and much to be desired re cleanliness. The desk agent at the Trailways counter offered excellent assistance to me, but in a way that someone not from a big city in the Northeast might find rude.
Departure was punctual. The route was Lincoln Tunnel to Turnpike to 80 to 17 to 87 and up into Canada. Traffic at 23:00 was wonderfully light. My seat mate was some sort of giant, so that was a little difficult, but my seat was otherwise very comfortable. There would have been no trouble on Amtrak. It wasn’t the newest bus and could have been a bit cleaner, but was by no means unacceptable. The ride was smooth and the driver excellent. Announcements were made in English and French. Customs required alighting, passing through a building, and reboarding. We were delayed as the Canadians took their sweet time (their country, their right). It seems busses from Flix, Greyhound, and Trailways all arrived about the same time. I arrived into Longueuil, a suburb, only a touch late, and made an efficient subway connection downtown. It was on the whole a decent trip. I would do it again, but I’d rather an overnight train, or at least the Adirondack.
The evening began with a punctual departure (the only one on the board) from PHL, aboard 654 en route to NYP via Trenton and Newark Penn. Just a typical jaunt up the ex-PRR that tens of thousands of people make every day. The only slightly interesting detail is we passed a 4-hour late Crescent en route to New Orleans, going westbound on the eastbound local track.
The real interesting bit began with punctual arrival into New York. I chose to swelter and walk up Eighth Avenue to the Port Authority Bus Terminal, whence my Adirondack Trailways service to Montréal would depart. Trailways was a little more expensive than Greyhound, and Greyhound left from Penn Station, but I chose to ride with them because their reputation (at least around here) is much better than that of Greyhound. My departure was a 22:30, running with only a stop off the Thruway for rest/refreshment. It operates an an extra section of the 21:30 local. PABT did not impress me. There was much panhandling, a little crime, no benches, and much to be desired re cleanliness. The desk agent at the Trailways counter offered excellent assistance to me, but in a way that someone not from a big city in the Northeast might find rude.
Departure was punctual. The route was Lincoln Tunnel to Turnpike to 80 to 17 to 87 and up into Canada. Traffic at 23:00 was wonderfully light. My seat mate was some sort of giant, so that was a little difficult, but my seat was otherwise very comfortable. There would have been no trouble on Amtrak. It wasn’t the newest bus and could have been a bit cleaner, but was by no means unacceptable. The ride was smooth and the driver excellent. Announcements were made in English and French. Customs required alighting, passing through a building, and reboarding. We were delayed as the Canadians took their sweet time (their country, their right). It seems busses from Flix, Greyhound, and Trailways all arrived about the same time. I arrived into Longueuil, a suburb, only a touch late, and made an efficient subway connection downtown. It was on the whole a decent trip. I would do it again, but I’d rather an overnight train, or at least the Adirondack.
