OT-New Jersey to NYC train?

[kpadalik]

Help!!! We are visiting my SIL in Egg Harbor/Atlantic City for Xmas this year and we are taking the train into NYC for a couple of days. My SIL was looking at fares and was coming up with $150 per person! I'm not sure where she's coming up with this at. She's never traveled into the city from where she lives and I don't think she's ever taken any sort of public transportation except maybe a couple times in Chicago. $150 seems very expensive to me. I went to the NJ Transit website and to Amtrak, but I don't know if I'm looking in the right places. I've never taken the train into NYC (except when I was younger and I didn't have to worry about the planning part of it ). Can someone familiar w/ this route please guide me in the right direction and give me some advice? We are leaving Atlantic City area 12/27/09 in the morning and returning 12/29/09 in the evening. There will be 4 adults and 4 children total. Thank you soooo much!

 

[badblackpug]

okay, here is the only train route I can think of. Train from the AC station to Lindenwold, NJ. Change to the PATCO train to Camden, NJ. Change to the River Line to Trenton, NJ change to the NJ transit train to NY Penn station. It's a lot of changing, and it is all public transport, but it will be less than $30 per person.

 

[disneymomof1]

Why not take a bus? I know it is not as quick, but it really isn't a long trip anyway, probably about two hours by bus. Check the NJ Transit website, I live in western South Jersey and we can get to NYC in two hours, we usually drive up to the area in NJ near Statue of Liberty then grab a train into the city from there. So you may want to think about that, not sure if you can park overnight there though. But I wouldn't pay 150 dollars for a train, there are so many more options.

 

[Peanut&Piglet'sMom]

I'm from NJ...but to be honest...we drive EVERYWHERE.

 

[disneyandme]

I believe there is a ferry /boat that now runs between the two.

 

[snoopy5386]

Here is a map of NJ Transit's rail line:
http://www.njtransit.com/pdf/rail/Rail_System_Map.pdf
I grew up in NJ and have taken NJ transit into NYC many times.
Your best bet is to drive to Bayhead and take the NJ Coast Line into NYC from there. The Atlantic City Station connects to the Camden/Philly side of things and it would make a ride really long and complicated. AC Station to the Riverline to Trenton to the Northeast Corridor Line to NYC. Either drive to Bayhead or take the Bus. You can take the bus from Atlantic City to the Port Authority Station for $28.50 and it takes about 2.5 hours
http://www.njtransit.com/sf/sf_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=BusSchedulesP2PFrom

 

[MM27]

I agree that your best bet would be to drive to Bay Head and take the train from there. You will change trains in Long Branch. Personally, I prefer the train to the bus.

 

[Abagpiper5]

Take the bus. I believe their is one that only stops at Toms River then right to Port Authority.

 

[DeckersLoveDisney]

so I agree with badblackpug...i live a few mins from the speedline and have driven to trenton and taken the train from there....had I known that the riverline lets you off across the street I def would have taken that. if you are looking at amtrack...its expensive and you still have to get to 30th st station...so again i say go for the first advice you got!

Laura

 

[tweedlemom]

I think kids ride free on NJ Transit on the weekends. You might want to try and check that out.

 

[LJRJR]

You could also drive from your locatation. It would be a very easy drive. You could take your car into Manhattan and park it there for the time you are in Manhattan. You would need to look into long term parking in the city, I would guess that it would cost you $100 or more (search for long term parking in Manhattan and see what you find), but the ride into the city would not cost too much. Also look into parking at the Hoboken ferry terminal in NJ , I dont know if they offer it, then you can take the ferry into Manhattan. I live in Staten Island and there is no long term parking here, unless you parked your car on the street and just left it. Your car would be safe, but I would not be comfortable doing that. Have you booked your hotel? I would look into that soon as well, things get busy in Manhattan around New Years Eve. Have fun!

 

[LisaNJ25]

There is a direct train now

www.acestrain.com.

 

[rangermom]

okay, here is the only train route I can think of. Train from the AC station to Lindenwold, NJ. Change to the PATCO train to Camden, NJ. Change to the River Line to Trenton, NJ change to the NJ transit train to NY Penn station. It's a lot of changing, and it is all public transport, but it will be less than $30 per person.

We did this last month. We took the PATCO from Collingswood to Camden then took the Riverline to Trenton then NJ TRansit to NY Penn Station. It was very easy and took about two hours. It was less than $30 RT each.

 

[badblackpug]

There is a direct train now

www.acestrain.com.

I didn't check the days of the week the OP plans to travel, but ACES only runs on weekends.

 

[kiddisney]

also check discounts - there are some that come up for the holiday season - also check out where you want to visit - i personally don't like the bus - but sometimes it brings me out to where i want to go - also you can check trains to hoboken & take a path (trans-hudson 'subway') or ferry (really nice ride)

 

[DaniellaBella]

Take the bus out of Atlantic City. It will drop you off at 42nd St. Right in the middle of the craziness of NYC. It is 28.50 for adults and 13 for kids.I have taken the bus so many times to NYC. Plus you will be near all of the outlet stores in Atlantic City.

 

[kpadalik]

OP here...Oh my goodness! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! I never realized how many options there would be! I think after reading all of this, that we may have narrowed it down. The bus from AC to NYC Port Authority or we will just drive. I did find some parking garages in the city for about $40/24 hr period. There will be 8 of us going, so if we drove, it would probably cost us around $100. Not too bad. The bus is a great option, but how are the buses? Is it like the Greyhound? I know the buses in some areas can be kind of "iffy" and I don't know if I would feel very comfortable bringing small children.

And as far as the ACES train, it does only run on weekends, and we are going during the week. I had already checked that out. My BIL is a Harrah's exec in AC and he had told me about it. Even though the train would be so much fun for the kids, I think we would spend too much time and money traveling for only a couple days in NYC.

Again, thank you all! You have given me fabulous advice!

 

[LJRJR]

Hi, I had previously recommended just driving in and parking in the city. $40 for 24 hours isnt too bad considering what you would pay to ride on the bus. I have 3 young children and it would drive me crazy for 2 hours telling them to not touch everything on that bus, let alone what the bathroom might look like. You might also get some strange characters riding between New York City and Atlantic City on the bus.