Preferred form of travel for a weekend in NYC

[Anonymous]

We live in Bethesda, would you take the bus (5 hours), the train (3+ hours) or fly?
My priorities are comfort and convenience, not cost.
Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Train, especially in the winter. Flying can be risky if weather turns bad.

[Anonymous]

We take the Acela. Quick, comfortable and gets you to the center of the city. When I go for work I am more likely to fly.

[Anonymous]

2nd Acela

[Anonymous]

Train, definitely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Train, definitely.

And adding to my previous answer, my second choice would be bus. Flying is a distant third. By the time you factor in travel time to and from airports, time for security screening, potential for delays, and limits on luggage-it's way too much of a hassle.

[Anonymous]

We also live in Bethesda and always take Vamoose (we go up several times a year). It takes 4 hours - and last time I went around New Years, it took 3 hrs. 40 minutes both ways.

The train is nice, but you have to get to Union Station. I just find the convenience of leaving from Bethesda, where you hop right on the Beltway, can't be beat. I always try to plan times when there won't be traffic, and we're usually lucky. Obviously, a busy holiday weekend at peak times may find you stuck in traffic a long time.

Good luck

[Anonymous]

If you leave at an off time the bus shouldn't take 5 hours unless you hit unforeseen traffic or something. I live in bethesda very close to the vamoose stop so it's much easier and quicker door to door to take the bus than train.

[Anonymous]

I like to drive. I pay a small fortune in parking but I would rather just drive and park in Manhattan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:2nd Acela

Acela is frequently oversold and really only saves you about 20-25 minutes.

I have started doing the metro liner and upgrading ($35 more) to business class. Typically very few people in the car with you and plenty of room to spread out. Not as "posh" as Acela, but Acela is not all that impressive to begin with.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We also live in Bethesda and always take Vamoose (we go up several times a year). It takes 4 hours - and last time I went around New Years, it took 3 hrs. 40 minutes both ways.

The train is nice, but you have to get to Union Station. I just find the convenience of leaving from Bethesda, where you hop right on the Beltway, can't be beat. I always try to plan times when there won't be traffic, and we're usually lucky. Obviously, a busy holiday weekend at peak times may find you stuck in traffic a long time.

Good luck

Thank you, this is an attractive option.

[Anonymous]

Train--not the Acela, not worth it.

[Anonymous]

In my 20's - bus.
Before kids - train
Now with or without kids - car

We always go at times when we wont be in a ton of traffic, and we have done the math and it is often cheaper to drive (gas/tolls/parking garage in city) than take train.

Never ever fly. By the time you leave for airport, get thru security, and get from NY airport to city, you might as well have driven or taken train.

Ps one of the buses leaves from the Bethesda metro.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We also live in Bethesda and always take Vamoose (we go up several times a year). It takes 4 hours - and last time I went around New Years, it took 3 hrs. 40 minutes both ways.

The train is nice, but you have to get to Union Station. I just find the convenience of leaving from Bethesda, where you hop right on the Beltway, can't be beat. I always try to plan times when there won't be traffic, and we're usually lucky. Obviously, a busy holiday weekend at peak times may find you stuck in traffic a long time.

Good luck

Thank you, this is an attractive option.

You can catch train at New Carrollton or BWI also

[Anonymous]

Acela