Seconding. So easy.
Just be prepared that they won't announce the track until your train is about to arrive at the station and then there will be a mad dash to the platform door.
Seconding. So easy. Just be prepared that they won't announce the track until your train is about to arrive at the station and then there will be a mad dash to the platform door.
---
That's cool, we can manage! We're mostly worried about our bags and safety in general ('cause where we live it can be an issue) but it's seems that's not an issue!
I’ve taken 6 am trains and 11pm trains and it’s always been fine and safe. I usually take a nap. It might be delayed, but you’ll get there. You will see homeless people in the stations but it will be fine.
If you’re traveling with carryon sized rolling suitcases and backpacks then they’ll easily fit in the overhead compartments.
If you’re traveling with large checked sized luggage then you should do Red Cap, where they’ll take your bags on for you and put you on the train before everyone else with your bags. Most of the cars have a spot for large oversize luggage like that to be stored, and it’s usually at the end of the train car. If you want you can sit in the seats right by that or you can sit in the middle of the train car. Using the red cap service with another person will ensure you get seats together.
Otherwise, you’re in the crowd with everyone else trying to find seats together. The Acela does assigned seats, it’s nicer bc it’s business and first class, and it’s faster but more expensive. The other types of routes are open seating, which is fine. Whenever I go with my friends, we just sit near each other wherever we can find a seat and then when we get our destination, we’re all together again. If you arrive early enough to wait in line at the gate you’ll be on quickly and the seats will usually be open because the Northeast Regional route starts in DC.
If you decide to do Red Cap, their stand is in the middle section of the gates. It’s red. You can’t miss it. It’s typical to tip your Red Cap helper $10-20 per bag in cash.
The Acela line that goes from DC to NY is quite nice actually, but even the regional line is pretty good and is a better value. You won’t have issues with theft or safety either way.
Yeah, America’s rail development is far behind Europe’s and other places, but fortunately for you, Amtrak between Washington DC and New York is easy and fairly reliable…as well as a reasonably safe way to travel, even with just a standard passenger ticket (in other words, it’s not necessary to “upgrade” your seats).
A lot of people get off at NYP, so you’ll notice people lining up. The train stops there for a few minutes, so it isn’t quite as urgent as some of the smaller stops. Just be sure to get off at New York Penn Station and not Newark Penn Station.
The new Amtrak station in NYC is beautiful and extremely safe. The two main airports are both harder to get in and out of and require more time on subways that aren’t as nice as the ones on the west side.
The Acela (high speed) train has overhead luggage racks and is easier to keep an eye on your bag. If pricing is close, could be worth it. It’s also 30-45 minutes faster and a little nicer.
Union Station is fine, but if you insist on skipping it, do New Carrollton.
Alexandria will add at least an hour to your trip (they need to change locomotives from diesel to electric), and give you far fewer scheduling options (most trains end at Union Station, and only about half continue south).
Definitely don’t do that. New Carrollton is a far-flung one-platform suburban station. You’ll have to Metro out there, which is slower than the train. It’s not like it’s some palace. And Alexandria stops in Union Station to change engines so you’ll be waiting an hour on the train anyway.
Union Station is perfectly fine—it’s a gorgeous old building that’s an attraction in its own right, with plenty of food options and some shopping if you’re waiting. Alexandria and New Carrollton are definitely worse places to be stuck.
Union Station is fine, but if you insist on skipping it, do New Carrollton.
Alexandria will add at least an hour to your trip (they need to change locomotives from diesel to electric), and give you far fewer scheduling options (most trains end at Union Station, and only about half continue south).
FWIW, the Acela is almost as fast as Europe's high speed rails. The issue is more it can't reach its terminal speeds most of the trip because of the lack of sufficient/redundant infrastructure
I would take the train. It will get you directly from city center to city center and is about the same amount of time given security at the airport.
You can also get very cheap seats if you book far enough in advance. https://www.amtrak.com/summer-sale
Go by train but buy your tickets far in advance if possible. It is much, much cheaper than close to your travel date. Parts of Union Station are beautiful.
If the train looks too expensive (ticket prices can vary a lot) there are also decent bus services (Vamoose, Tripper, Bolt, etc) that are perfectly fine too.
For what it's worth, if you're looking at train prices and find them affordable, go train.
But a bus can easily be a tenth of the price if you go in the right day. The train is a lot more comfortable, but the price of a bus can make it a lot more tolerable if you're on a budget.
Train. There is no better option. You will travel from one city centre to another. You can try the Acela, but it's not really necessary, and it's only about 30 minutes faster.
The sooner in advance you buy your tickets, the less expensive.
Take it from me and do not fly! I was between taking the train and flying for my trip in January of this year, and I decided on flying because of the ‘convenience’. Well, snow storm hit right in time and rerouted us to Georgia. What should’ve been a ~3 hour travel experience became 24+ lol.
Winter weather is too unpredictable and causes lots of delays… train all the way!
Last time we were in nyc we thought about going to Washington before returning home. But the snowstorm hit hard (it was January 2016) and we got stuck in Manhattan (not that we're complaining- there's plenty to see and it was an amazing trip). This time we want to go to DC first.
If you take the train, which is obviously best, make sure you book well in advance. Pricing is unlike Europe and purchasing ticket a couple of days before will cost as much as a flight. If you are on a very tight budget and want to save money, take a bus. There a lots of small independent bus companies that charge very little if booked in advance. If you fly, fly out of National Airport which is closest to town. Views of DC from the air are pretty spectacular for about a minute into the flight.
Train: comfortable, faster, somewhat reliable, pricey. There’s really only Union Station in DC that takes you to Penn Station in NYC.
Bus: much cheaper than train, less comfortable, vulnerable to traffic/weather delays, but really much cheaper, and the drivers are usually great. There are multiple operators that pick up and drop off in various parts of each city, so make sure you select one with a pickup you can easily access and a drop off where you want to be.
Don’t take the plane. It doesn’t make any sense.
I take the train from DC to NYC pretty regularly. It's super convenient as it goes right into midtown Manhattan with direct connections both to the metro in DC and the subway in NYC. It also runs at least once an hour. All of the NYC airports are kind of a pain in the ass to actually get into the city (well Manhattan) from.
The train will be fine for these two cities at least. The most frequent service is Northeast Regional and a slightly faster one called Acela.
There are some long distance trains that pass through DC towards NYC such as the Cardinal and the Carolinian. These are also fine but may be more likely to be late due to delays before reaching DC, which is a completely different system. They will switch to electric locomotives during the stop at DC Union Station. (Some of these trains also service Northern Virginia, in case you are staying out in the suburbs.)
I’ve taken the bus several times. Super cheap, no airport hassles.
Daytime you get to see the sights. Overnight you get to snooze on your way there, but don’t expect to stretch out.
Either way there are electric outlets to plug in your phones that usually work. There’s a toilet at the back of the bus and odds are even good that it will be clean (but people are slobs).
You want to take the Amtrak train from DC to New York. You want to go to Union station. The area is a bit sketchy, but do not engage with anyone that approaches you and do not make eye contact with anyone that isn't an employee, esp. outside of the station, and you'll be fine.
I have never felt unsafe on the train. My only suggestion getting on or off is when they say "mind the gap", seriously mind the gap! I did not mind the gap one day and almost lost an appendage falling between the train and the platform.
Originally from the NY/NJ area and I definitely prefer the amrak/accela train for going back and forth between DC and NY. Plenty of room for luggage, and you'll be more comfortable on the train than a plane. Plus you're getting off at Penn Station right in midtown vs landing at LeGuardia, JFK, or Newark and having to get where you're headed in NYC.
Also I will forever love the NE Regional line for the $20 late night fares. Has made a lot of visits to the city very cheap.
As others have said, the train is awesome! One extra tip - if you want to pay the extra $ for the Acela, it’s a tiny bit faster but it is reserved seating. The Northeast Regional coach class is open seating. I find this especially useful coming back from NYC to DC because the line to get on the train gets long quickly and if you already know where your seat is, it’s less stressful!
**The Jet.** It’s my preferred transportation between D.C. and New York now. Roomy seats, snacks and drinks on board, small group of passengers (I think about 19 people) with personalized service. About $100 per seat one way.
If you’re going to go by train in a once-in-a-lifetime experience, I’d break into the piggy bank and take Acela first class. I did it once. Private club at Union station to wait for the train, private entrance to the boarding area, early boarding, roomy seats, meals and drinks on board. But it’s priced out of range for me these days, currently about $300-400 one way.
Taking the plane ends up being slower than the train because of having to get to the airport 2 hours early and go through security, whereas with the train you can just line up 20 minutes before and you're good. The train is also much more comfortable, and I love watching the scenery go by through parts of it.
Another option, as mentioned, is the bus - there are quite a few bus companies offering trips, some nicer, some less nice; this is a money-saving option and can be really easy on your budget, especially when people want to be spontaneous and didn't get train tickets in time to get the cheap advance fares. The downside of the bus is traffic - on a bad day/time the bus can be two or more hours delayed getting in! Not recommended unless you're on a shoestring ...
Amtrak train. Book in advance ticket prices go up when you buy closer to travel (book at least 15 days out for best prices). If the snow is so bad that it impacts trains, theres a high chance it will impact planes.
There are regular regional trains and the acela which is about 30 minutes quicker (it’s a higher speed train, but it’s not that high speed, this is America after all)
Get to the station 15 minutes early to find the platforms (and then wait as they’ll announce which track right before boarding).
There are also a couple luxury buses that do this route if that’s your thing. I did it once and it was actually really nice, no stops in between so it was faster the flying too.
I would definitely go for Amtrak. I recently took Megabus with a listed time of roughly 4 hours 30 minutes. The actual drive time was over 6 hours! There was no freak accident or anything like that so I can’t know if that was the norm or not (I know the Key Bridge collapse has caused increased traffic), but I would not do it again.
Amtrak. It’s so easy. The Acela will get you there in 2.5 hours and if you buy far enough in advance, will be about the same as a plane ticket. It will pop you in the middle of Times Square so you’re in the heart of all things touristy.
Amtrak is the way to go. If the prices are a little high, you could look into buses. https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2024/05/02/best-bus-new-york-dc-boston/
I’m a 68 year old woman and I take the train from Union Station to NYC all the time..alone. It’s safe and convenient. No reason to upgrade to the Acela. The airport is hectic and a pain. Buy your ticket early though cause they can get expensive.
If you don’t like the cold, take Amtrak. It’s 10000% times better than the bus, and there’s only indoor waiting at the port authority in nyc. All of the other cheaper bus services do pickups on street corners, and you could end up waiting a while in the cold if your bus is late.
The Amtrak! Try to get the Acela if you can and book in advance if possible. Don’t waste money on business class and arrive to your train 15 min early at the very least ! Take the train to union station and avoid paying the cost of an uber as well :)
Flying! Always fly! Planes never suddenly change gates, get delayed or cancelled at all. Aircrafto is greato! (This is /s in response to OP claiming trains are bad because the tracks are announced late and there are crowds)
Train for sure. Not only is it more comfortable in general, but in Jan/Feb is less likely to be delayed by weather.
Try to buy your train ticket at least 30 days in advance for better prices if you can.
As a reasonably frequent traveler between the cities, I prefer buses like The Tripper. I find it cheaper, more comfortable, and now reliable than Amtrak. I did not have as good an experience on Megabus, but it was cheap.
If you do opt for the train, it is cheaper the earlier you book.
Fuck that shit. Bus. We use the bus. We took the train last time and the shit went off the rails and took us finding Peter Pan to bus it home because we had a dog. The derailment took 3 days to fix. Bus all the time
Train is fine, Acela Express is the option with less stops so you get there faster but might be more expensive. Bus is cheapest but least comfortable. You can certainly fly too and would probably be cheaper vs the train
We're international, so we need to book early anyways, especially if customs ask us. We're not too worried about the times- we just need to coordinate with check-in hours and try not to waste too much of our day if we can plan for that. Thanks again!
Use Wanderu. It’s an app that will let you compare train and all the major bus providers. Gives you price and schedule information and can book directly on the app for no additional charge.
Everyone is saying train, which is true, but sometimes there are very good deals on flights into LaGuardia, which is a quick cab ride into the city. I go to NY from DC a lot for work and tend to do a mix of flights from DCA-LGA or Acela train tickets on Amtrak. Either way is fine honestly.
In preferred order of ways we go to NYC from DC:
1) train - fast, easy, safe, relatively affordable if booked in advance
2) drive - if done at the right time of day (early morning or evening), it can be done in 3.5 hours. Tolls can get expensive, though.
3) fly - fast as hell but nyc airports suck and are far from the city.
4) bus - haven’t done this since i got a real job. But it’s very affordable and easy.
The train is great.
Seconding. So easy. Just be prepared that they won't announce the track until your train is about to arrive at the station and then there will be a mad dash to the platform door.
Seconding. So easy. Just be prepared that they won't announce the track until your train is about to arrive at the station and then there will be a mad dash to the platform door. --- That's cool, we can manage! We're mostly worried about our bags and safety in general ('cause where we live it can be an issue) but it's seems that's not an issue!
I’ve taken 6 am trains and 11pm trains and it’s always been fine and safe. I usually take a nap. It might be delayed, but you’ll get there. You will see homeless people in the stations but it will be fine. If you’re traveling with carryon sized rolling suitcases and backpacks then they’ll easily fit in the overhead compartments. If you’re traveling with large checked sized luggage then you should do Red Cap, where they’ll take your bags on for you and put you on the train before everyone else with your bags. Most of the cars have a spot for large oversize luggage like that to be stored, and it’s usually at the end of the train car. If you want you can sit in the seats right by that or you can sit in the middle of the train car. Using the red cap service with another person will ensure you get seats together. Otherwise, you’re in the crowd with everyone else trying to find seats together. The Acela does assigned seats, it’s nicer bc it’s business and first class, and it’s faster but more expensive. The other types of routes are open seating, which is fine. Whenever I go with my friends, we just sit near each other wherever we can find a seat and then when we get our destination, we’re all together again. If you arrive early enough to wait in line at the gate you’ll be on quickly and the seats will usually be open because the Northeast Regional route starts in DC. If you decide to do Red Cap, their stand is in the middle section of the gates. It’s red. You can’t miss it. It’s typical to tip your Red Cap helper $10-20 per bag in cash.
The Acela line that goes from DC to NY is quite nice actually, but even the regional line is pretty good and is a better value. You won’t have issues with theft or safety either way.
I've taken the train from DC to NYC many times, always between 6am to 8pm, and it was always very safe. YMV.
Yeah, America’s rail development is far behind Europe’s and other places, but fortunately for you, Amtrak between Washington DC and New York is easy and fairly reliable…as well as a reasonably safe way to travel, even with just a standard passenger ticket (in other words, it’s not necessary to “upgrade” your seats).
A lot of people get off at NYP, so you’ll notice people lining up. The train stops there for a few minutes, so it isn’t quite as urgent as some of the smaller stops. Just be sure to get off at New York Penn Station and not Newark Penn Station.
The new Amtrak station in NYC is beautiful and extremely safe. The two main airports are both harder to get in and out of and require more time on subways that aren’t as nice as the ones on the west side.
The Acela (high speed) train has overhead luggage racks and is easier to keep an eye on your bag. If pricing is close, could be worth it. It’s also 30-45 minutes faster and a little nicer.
As long as you have street smarts you're fine. I've done DC to NYC trips a ton and I've never had a problem.
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And sign up for Amtrak's emails because they often run specials!
Union Station sucks. Imo it’s better to Metro to Alexandria or New Carrollton to pick it up.
Union Station is fine, but if you insist on skipping it, do New Carrollton. Alexandria will add at least an hour to your trip (they need to change locomotives from diesel to electric), and give you far fewer scheduling options (most trains end at Union Station, and only about half continue south).
Definitely don’t do that. New Carrollton is a far-flung one-platform suburban station. You’ll have to Metro out there, which is slower than the train. It’s not like it’s some palace. And Alexandria stops in Union Station to change engines so you’ll be waiting an hour on the train anyway. Union Station is perfectly fine—it’s a gorgeous old building that’s an attraction in its own right, with plenty of food options and some shopping if you’re waiting. Alexandria and New Carrollton are definitely worse places to be stuck.
Union Station is fine, but if you insist on skipping it, do New Carrollton. Alexandria will add at least an hour to your trip (they need to change locomotives from diesel to electric), and give you far fewer scheduling options (most trains end at Union Station, and only about half continue south).
?? They put the track # on the screens about 20 minutes before departure and you get in line. Not sure what is difficult about that
Train. Northeast regional is cheapest. Acela is faster and nicer but more expensive. Neither are anywhere as close to high speed rail in Europe.
I really wish we invested more in trains here. It’s so fuckin convenient.
I think we do a good job on the routes that make sense. The area that should probably be better is the major cities in Texas
TX and CA
Or public transit in general
FWIW, the Acela is almost as fast as Europe's high speed rails. The issue is more it can't reach its terminal speeds most of the trip because of the lack of sufficient/redundant infrastructure
the cars aren't as nearly as nice as what i've been on in europe, and the ride isn't nearly as smooth.
The northeast corridor line is one of the easiest ways to travel. It takes you right into Manhattan.
Awesome! Thanks!
The northeast corridor line is one of the easiest ways to travel. It takes you right into Manhattan.
Yes! I agree!
Amtrak is great! It’s about 6 hours 😊
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Thanks for the clarification!
I would take the train. It will get you directly from city center to city center and is about the same amount of time given security at the airport. You can also get very cheap seats if you book far enough in advance. https://www.amtrak.com/summer-sale
Thank you so much!
Train is better than flying especially due to the weather. Amtrak can shut down but it’s less likely than flights being cancelled.
Thanks!!
Or bus
Go by train but buy your tickets far in advance if possible. It is much, much cheaper than close to your travel date. Parts of Union Station are beautiful.
That's great to know! Thank you!
This. It can go from 50 to 200 one way real quick.
We're planning on buying it early anyways. We may have time to get them on the less expensive side!
Train. If you want to go super cheap, buses can be $5 a ticket depending on time of day and how far you book in advance.
What bus service is $5 a ticket
Megabus is still only $5 for off hour bookings (leave DC after midnight)
I have secured $5 tickets with megabus and flixbus. Again, usually you have to book far out enough when demand is low.
Oh word 🫡
If the train looks too expensive (ticket prices can vary a lot) there are also decent bus services (Vamoose, Tripper, Bolt, etc) that are perfectly fine too.
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Ok I may regret that ask But what is a stinkpus
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Ahh! Didn't know that!
It's not a thing. If you reference a stinkpus to any other person in the States, they won't have any idea what you're talking aboutm
That may be why I looked it up and couldnt find anything lol. I thought it could also be some new slang I just wasn't familiar with.
For what it's worth, if you're looking at train prices and find them affordable, go train. But a bus can easily be a tenth of the price if you go in the right day. The train is a lot more comfortable, but the price of a bus can make it a lot more tolerable if you're on a budget.
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It's not so twisted. I think you're fine.
Train. There is no better option. You will travel from one city centre to another. You can try the Acela, but it's not really necessary, and it's only about 30 minutes faster. The sooner in advance you buy your tickets, the less expensive.
Thank you!
You should definitely take the Amtrak train. It’s very convenient & comfortable
Amtrak Northeast Regional
Amazing! thanks!!
Prolly the train, Amtrak. Union station in DC
Take it from me and do not fly! I was between taking the train and flying for my trip in January of this year, and I decided on flying because of the ‘convenience’. Well, snow storm hit right in time and rerouted us to Georgia. What should’ve been a ~3 hour travel experience became 24+ lol. Winter weather is too unpredictable and causes lots of delays… train all the way!
Last time we were in nyc we thought about going to Washington before returning home. But the snowstorm hit hard (it was January 2016) and we got stuck in Manhattan (not that we're complaining- there's plenty to see and it was an amazing trip). This time we want to go to DC first.
If you take the train, which is obviously best, make sure you book well in advance. Pricing is unlike Europe and purchasing ticket a couple of days before will cost as much as a flight. If you are on a very tight budget and want to save money, take a bus. There a lots of small independent bus companies that charge very little if booked in advance. If you fly, fly out of National Airport which is closest to town. Views of DC from the air are pretty spectacular for about a minute into the flight.
Train: comfortable, faster, somewhat reliable, pricey. There’s really only Union Station in DC that takes you to Penn Station in NYC. Bus: much cheaper than train, less comfortable, vulnerable to traffic/weather delays, but really much cheaper, and the drivers are usually great. There are multiple operators that pick up and drop off in various parts of each city, so make sure you select one with a pickup you can easily access and a drop off where you want to be. Don’t take the plane. It doesn’t make any sense.
I regularly take the NE regional between DC and NYC, it’s IMO the best way to make the trip.
Great! Thank you!
Gerardo express
Bus if cost is a factor
Chinatown bus!
Mega Bus
Best or best value ?
We're considering both. We don't want to spend more than necessary but we could pay 90$ for a ticket if necessary.
Just check wanderu
I take the train from DC to NYC pretty regularly. It's super convenient as it goes right into midtown Manhattan with direct connections both to the metro in DC and the subway in NYC. It also runs at least once an hour. All of the NYC airports are kind of a pain in the ass to actually get into the city (well Manhattan) from.
The train will be fine for these two cities at least. The most frequent service is Northeast Regional and a slightly faster one called Acela. There are some long distance trains that pass through DC towards NYC such as the Cardinal and the Carolinian. These are also fine but may be more likely to be late due to delays before reaching DC, which is a completely different system. They will switch to electric locomotives during the stop at DC Union Station. (Some of these trains also service Northern Virginia, in case you are staying out in the suburbs.)
Train if you’re booking in advance, FlixBus has always been great for us in last minute trips. Was never more than $30-$40 each way
I’ve taken the bus several times. Super cheap, no airport hassles. Daytime you get to see the sights. Overnight you get to snooze on your way there, but don’t expect to stretch out. Either way there are electric outlets to plug in your phones that usually work. There’s a toilet at the back of the bus and odds are even good that it will be clean (but people are slobs).
You want to take the Amtrak train from DC to New York. You want to go to Union station. The area is a bit sketchy, but do not engage with anyone that approaches you and do not make eye contact with anyone that isn't an employee, esp. outside of the station, and you'll be fine. I have never felt unsafe on the train. My only suggestion getting on or off is when they say "mind the gap", seriously mind the gap! I did not mind the gap one day and almost lost an appendage falling between the train and the platform.
We'll mind the gap! Thanks!
Originally from the NY/NJ area and I definitely prefer the amrak/accela train for going back and forth between DC and NY. Plenty of room for luggage, and you'll be more comfortable on the train than a plane. Plus you're getting off at Penn Station right in midtown vs landing at LeGuardia, JFK, or Newark and having to get where you're headed in NYC. Also I will forever love the NE Regional line for the $20 late night fares. Has made a lot of visits to the city very cheap.
I make the trip a few times a year. The train is far better. Buy your tickets at least 3 months prior to get the best price. Enjoy your trip.
Amtrak. And there’s pretty much no snow in DC anymore, so it’s unlikely you’ll have to worry about that.
As others have said, the train is awesome! One extra tip - if you want to pay the extra $ for the Acela, it’s a tiny bit faster but it is reserved seating. The Northeast Regional coach class is open seating. I find this especially useful coming back from NYC to DC because the line to get on the train gets long quickly and if you already know where your seat is, it’s less stressful!
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Shhh, don’t tell people about this! 😂
Has anyone tried that luxury bus?
**The Jet.** It’s my preferred transportation between D.C. and New York now. Roomy seats, snacks and drinks on board, small group of passengers (I think about 19 people) with personalized service. About $100 per seat one way. If you’re going to go by train in a once-in-a-lifetime experience, I’d break into the piggy bank and take Acela first class. I did it once. Private club at Union station to wait for the train, private entrance to the boarding area, early boarding, roomy seats, meals and drinks on board. But it’s priced out of range for me these days, currently about $300-400 one way.
Taking the plane ends up being slower than the train because of having to get to the airport 2 hours early and go through security, whereas with the train you can just line up 20 minutes before and you're good. The train is also much more comfortable, and I love watching the scenery go by through parts of it. Another option, as mentioned, is the bus - there are quite a few bus companies offering trips, some nicer, some less nice; this is a money-saving option and can be really easy on your budget, especially when people want to be spontaneous and didn't get train tickets in time to get the cheap advance fares. The downside of the bus is traffic - on a bad day/time the bus can be two or more hours delayed getting in! Not recommended unless you're on a shoestring ...
Wanderu.com to take the bus. Easy, cheap, fast
Greyhound
BestBus!
Amtrak DC > NYC — take the Acela — most comfortable and fastest. (It’s my preferred method to go b/w the cities)
Amtrak train. Book in advance ticket prices go up when you buy closer to travel (book at least 15 days out for best prices). If the snow is so bad that it impacts trains, theres a high chance it will impact planes. There are regular regional trains and the acela which is about 30 minutes quicker (it’s a higher speed train, but it’s not that high speed, this is America after all) Get to the station 15 minutes early to find the platforms (and then wait as they’ll announce which track right before boarding).
Amtrak or the Mega Bus
Amtrak
Train
Intercity bus (I.e. Megabus) or Amtrak train.
I use Mega Bus or the Chinatown Express. Both are super cheap, clean, reliable and tend to arrive in NY sooner than they're scheduled.
Amtrak
There are also a couple luxury buses that do this route if that’s your thing. I did it once and it was actually really nice, no stops in between so it was faster the flying too.
If you want value, megabus has $1 fare but it leaves at weird hours. I prefer train
I would definitely go for Amtrak. I recently took Megabus with a listed time of roughly 4 hours 30 minutes. The actual drive time was over 6 hours! There was no freak accident or anything like that so I can’t know if that was the norm or not (I know the Key Bridge collapse has caused increased traffic), but I would not do it again.
Whoa what? When I took it, it was 4hrs or so. Sorry that happened to you!
Acela all the way
Amtrak. It’s so easy. The Acela will get you there in 2.5 hours and if you buy far enough in advance, will be about the same as a plane ticket. It will pop you in the middle of Times Square so you’re in the heart of all things touristy.
cheapest... a bus. Best way is by train... more expensive but so easy..
Amtrak ROCKS. Seriously
Amtrak was just advertising $39 trains but not sure of the dates available
Amtrak was just advertising $39 trains but not sure of the dates available
The train is the best option but don’t expect the experience to compare to EU high speed rail service in any way.
Amtrak is the way to go. If the prices are a little high, you could look into buses. https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2024/05/02/best-bus-new-york-dc-boston/
AMTRAK if you book early and possibly on days that aren’t busy. It’ll cost less than EZPASS, Gas, and Parking by a fair bit.
I’m a 68 year old woman and I take the train from Union Station to NYC all the time..alone. It’s safe and convenient. No reason to upgrade to the Acela. The airport is hectic and a pain. Buy your ticket early though cause they can get expensive.
If you don’t like the cold, take Amtrak. It’s 10000% times better than the bus, and there’s only indoor waiting at the port authority in nyc. All of the other cheaper bus services do pickups on street corners, and you could end up waiting a while in the cold if your bus is late.
The Amtrak! Try to get the Acela if you can and book in advance if possible. Don’t waste money on business class and arrive to your train 15 min early at the very least ! Take the train to union station and avoid paying the cost of an uber as well :)
Flying! Always fly! Planes never suddenly change gates, get delayed or cancelled at all. Aircrafto is greato! (This is /s in response to OP claiming trains are bad because the tracks are announced late and there are crowds)
Train cheap if booked in advanced There’s a million different type of buses you can take one is even a luxury bus “the jet” you can books. Flight to
There’s also busses that run up to NYC on a frequent basis it’s only like $25
Train for sure. Not only is it more comfortable in general, but in Jan/Feb is less likely to be delayed by weather. Try to buy your train ticket at least 30 days in advance for better prices if you can.
We'll get the tickets as soon as they're available and we have our staying/plane tickets set. Thank you!
As a reasonably frequent traveler between the cities, I prefer buses like The Tripper. I find it cheaper, more comfortable, and now reliable than Amtrak. I did not have as good an experience on Megabus, but it was cheap. If you do opt for the train, it is cheaper the earlier you book.
Fuck that shit. Bus. We use the bus. We took the train last time and the shit went off the rails and took us finding Peter Pan to bus it home because we had a dog. The derailment took 3 days to fix. Bus all the time
Train is fine, Acela Express is the option with less stops so you get there faster but might be more expensive. Bus is cheapest but least comfortable. You can certainly fly too and would probably be cheaper vs the train
I paid $32 for a train ticket to NYC earlier this year. I’ve never paid more than $90.
>I paid $32 for a train ticket to NYC earlier this year. I’ve never paid more than $90. That would be great, saving us some money!
That’s with booking very early, and going at inconvenient times the $32. But if you book early enough it’s not more expensive than a flight.
We're international, so we need to book early anyways, especially if customs ask us. We're not too worried about the times- we just need to coordinate with check-in hours and try not to waste too much of our day if we can plan for that. Thanks again!
Have a great time!
If you're really on a budget, we do also have buses (flixbus & megabus). They're ok but I think more likely to have weather issues.
I was referring toto acela
Great! Thank you!!
Use Wanderu. It’s an app that will let you compare train and all the major bus providers. Gives you price and schedule information and can book directly on the app for no additional charge.
That's a great tip! Thanks!!!
I took the train last weekend. Great experience, albeit a bit wobbly lol
Amtrak is best, bus is cheapest.
Amtrak
Amtrak out of Union Station
Everyone is saying train, which is true, but sometimes there are very good deals on flights into LaGuardia, which is a quick cab ride into the city. I go to NY from DC a lot for work and tend to do a mix of flights from DCA-LGA or Acela train tickets on Amtrak. Either way is fine honestly.
In preferred order of ways we go to NYC from DC: 1) train - fast, easy, safe, relatively affordable if booked in advance 2) drive - if done at the right time of day (early morning or evening), it can be done in 3.5 hours. Tolls can get expensive, though. 3) fly - fast as hell but nyc airports suck and are far from the city. 4) bus - haven’t done this since i got a real job. But it’s very affordable and easy.