Many people prefer to drive, but I think taking the train is the best way to travel to New York City from Connecticut. When I want to visit my favorite places in New York, I chose the train for ease of use.
Parking in Manhattan is prohibitively expensive–especially if you are traveling by yourself without the aid of an expense account–and New York City traffic is unpredictable at best, and down-right riot-inducing at its worst (trust me, I went to college in The Bronx). Train travel on the other hand, is romantic, and a little bit old-fashioned, in a good way. You don’t have to worry about driving, you can bring your own snacks, read, have a cocktail, or even take a nap, all for less than $20.
How to Take the Train to New York City
Many people insist their cars allow them more freedom, and to a certain extent that’s true–no train to catch!–but traveling by train offers another kind of freedom, and that’s the freedom to sit quietly and do nothing for a little while. You can’t go anywhere, and you have no responsibilities. There’s something very calming about that feeling (“I don’t have to do anything!” ). So, unless you’re traveling to New York with a large group you can split the cost of gas and parking with, I recommend taking the train from New Haven (or your local Metro North stop), bringing a good book, and letting someone else worry about the traffic.
How to Take the Train to New York City
This information is primarily for people living in Central and Northern Connecticut who are not as familiar with Metro North as those in New Haven and Fairfield Counties. If you live in Fairfield County, you probably already know where your closets train station is!
Address
Union Station New Haven
50 Union Avenue
New Haven, CT 06519
Schedule
The route from New Haven goes through southern New Haven County, Fairfield County, Westchester County, The Bronx and Manhattan is called the New Haven Line, or “The Red Line.” Here, you can find the schedule and the route’s stops: Metro North Railroad Schedule.
Parking
Parking at Union Station will run you $11 for 24 hours. If the lot’s full, The New Haven Parking Authority runs a complimentary (that means free) shuttle every 20 minutes to bus stops around the city and two additional garages:
Temple Street Garage
between Crown Street and North Frontage Road
New Haven, CT 06510
Coliseum Lot Garage
275 South Orange Street
New Haven, CT 06519
Eats + Drinks
Union Station has Subway, Sbarro, and a news shop where you can pick up snacks and drinks. Grand Central has a cornucopia of good New York eats and a fantastic, year-round, indoor, very pricey farmer’s market.
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