Train Journey - Washington to New York & Back

[BobbyFowler]

Myself, MrsF & BabyF are flying into Washington, staying 3 days, going to New York (staying Upper West Side), staying 5 days, before coming back to Washington & flying to San Francisco. I've never been to the US. I was on the Amtrak site (something similar to Irish Rail) which shows fairly regular trains from Washington to Penn Station in New York. It's a 3 hour + trip. Seen as BabyF is only 9 months we don't fancy being cramped up in a bus. With check in and all that messing, a plane trip seems unnecessary. So my question is - is Amtrak the only place where I should be checking this out? Looks like it'll cost at least $400 return. Also while I'm posting - when checking in on an internal flight (Washington - San Francisco) is an hour before flight time normally okay?

 

[EvilDoctorK]

1 hour should be okay - I wouldn't cut it any closer than that traveling with an infant and checking in luggage

You can also check security queue times on - [broken link removed] - so you'll be able to see if the airport is likely to be busy at the time you're traveling - if it is obviously leave a little more time.

 

[csirl]

Train journey. Though expensive, it is convenient with both stations being in the city centres of the respective cities. Trains are generally clean and efficient.

Plane journey - there is a shuttle service from the marine terminal of LaGuardia to Regan Airport (the airport nearest to DC city centre). The marine terminal is in a different location to the main terminal and is for high frequency flights to and from both Boston & DC. The terminal is small with few services - were talking about something on the scale of Busaras rather than a proper terminal (they use the old sea plane terminal) - this has advantages and disadvantages. Security is the usual you get in US airports which can be a pain. Time I used this service, I got the tickets real cheap at Ryanair style prices by booking on the internet way in advance - and travelled on a saturday - mon to fri prices can be high as this service is mostly used by business people.

If there is no difference in the prices, the train is probably the most comfortable and convenient. If you get the flights cheap, may be worth considering. When you take into account check in times etc., there is not much of a time difference between both services.

 

[Bumper22]

I would go with the train if I was you. Union Station, the Wash DC central train station is a beautiful building with shops and dining etc. It is very close to Capitol hill so the buildings around it are also worth the visit. It is also on the metro line (their DART).