Commuting Newark to New York City on Amtrak?

[Manny T]

Has anyone ever done this? I have to be in Newark and NYC for 5 days and wonder if Amtrak is a travel option or not.

It seems rather pricey to travel from Newark NJ to NYP ranging from $25-$100 on Regionals (forget Acela for the moment). There appears to be a ten-ride ticket for $310 and I imagine each journey would have to be reserved--you can't just jump on and off trains. Also there seems to be no Senior discount for the 10 ride ticket.

So I guess one week of daily commutes to NYC from Newark on Amtrak appears to be a pipe dream. Or is it?

 

[StriderGDM]

My understanding is that no, the ten-ride tickets do not have to be reserved.

If the money is good enough though, $25 isn't so bad.

 

[GaSteve]

Is there a reason you wouldn't use New Jersey Transit or PATH?

 

[pennyk]

New Jersey Transit is quite reasonably priced - especially if you are over 62.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

I agree with GaSteve. Plus with NJT and PATH you have many many more trains to chose from.

 

[jis]

Has anyone ever done this? I have to be in Newark and NYC for 5 days and wonder if Amtrak is a travel option or not.

It seems rather pricey to travel from Newark NJ to NYP ranging from $25-$100 on Regionals (forget Acela for the moment). There appears to be a ten-ride ticket for $310 and I imagine each journey would have to be reserved--you can't just jump on and off trains. Also there seems to be no Senior discount for the 10 ride ticket.

So I guess one week of daily commutes to NYC from Newark on Amtrak appears to be a pipe dream. Or is it?

If you have money to burn you can of course do it. You don't need to get reservation, but you don't have dibs on a seat if the train is full, which it very well might be at Newark heading towards New York. In the past I have had difficulty getting a seat even at Metropark, specially during rush hours, even with a reserved seat.
So if you have to stand or run up and down the train looking for a seat for a 25 minute ride, might as well save the money and stand in an NJT train. As penny said, it is hard to beat the Senior fare on NJT for value for money.

 

[Manny T]

Thanks all it was just an idea since I'm (somewhat) loyal to Amtrak--but that was before I saw the price points. No reason not to use public transport given the price differential.

 

[neroden]

Commuting by Amtrak is expensive. Even commuting by NJT is expensive. From Newark to NYC, why not take PATH?

 

[Palmetto]

Commuting by Amtrak is expensive. Even commuting by NJT is expensive. From Newark to NYC, why not take PATH?

It's expensive?

 

[peconicstation]

You also have to watch which trains you would want to take.

A good number (but not all), of Amtrak trains are Discharge only at Newark Penn (heading to New York Penn), and Receive passengers only, heading from New York Penn.

Ken

 

[jis]

In general, trains that terminate in New York are discharge only at Newark.

 

[Manny T]

That is true of Acela's but not always true of NE Regionals--hard to discern a pattern there, some are D and some are not, even if they terminate at NYP, at least according to the way I read the timetable.

 

[fairviewroad]

You also have to watch which trains you would want to take.

A good number (but not all), of Amtrak trains are Discharge only at Newark Penn (heading to New York Penn), and Receive passengers only, heading from New York Penn.

Ken

Does that matter if you're using a ten-ride ticket, though? It's not as though those trains aren't going to stop at Newark.

 

[peconicstation]

You also have to watch which trains you would want to take.

A good number (but not all), of Amtrak trains are Discharge only at Newark Penn (heading to New York Penn), and Receive passengers only, heading from New York Penn.

Ken

Does that matter if you're using a ten-ride ticket, though? It's not as though those trains aren't going to stop at Newark.

I would check with Amtrak on this.

Back when I lived in NJ, Amtrak trains heading to NY Penn, that were discharge only, made the point very clear with the conductors barking out NO PASSENGERS.

Sometimes, and I mean just that sometimes, Amtrak trains that were discharge only would call at Newark Penn on Track A, and thus avoid the masses waiting for NJT trains

to NY Penn.

Just look at the Amtrak TT, and you'll see which trains are D, or R, at Newark Penn.

Ken

 

[Thirdrail7]

You also have to watch which trains you would want to take.

A good number (but not all), of Amtrak trains are Discharge only at Newark Penn (heading to New York Penn), and Receive passengers only, heading from New York Penn.

Ken

Does that matter if you're using a ten-ride ticket, though? It's not as though those trains aren't going to stop at Newark.

I would check with Amtrak on this.

Back when I lived in NJ, Amtrak trains heading to NY Penn, that were discharge only, made the point very clear with the conductors barking out NO PASSENGERS.

Sometimes, and I mean just that sometimes, Amtrak trains that were discharge only would call at Newark Penn on Track A, and thus avoid the masses waiting for NJT trains

to NY Penn.

Just look at the Amtrak TT, and you'll see which trains are D, or R, at Newark Penn.

Ken

You are correct, Penconicstation. A discharge train is a discharge train, There are no passengers accepted. Additionally, 10 trips are not allowed on all trains that operate between the two points.

 

[BCL]

You are correct, Penconicstation. A discharge train is a discharge train, There are no passengers accepted. Additionally, 10 trips are not allowed on all trains that operate between the two points.

I was under the impression that multi-rides aren't usually accepted on long-distance routes. I know they can be used on some regional routes which are theoretically all-reserved, but not long-distance routes.