New York to Washington DC in November. Plane, train or auto-mobile?

[Hvr]

Good to know. We're taking the Acela express from NYC to DC on the 28th Dec......did you see any issues or have any tips for boarding with luggage?

Get on first and sit at the end of the carriage where your luggage will be in front of you and you will have extra leg room (it's actually quite good anyway).

At NYC you won't know the track the train is departing from until minutes before the train arrives. When the track is shown on the overhead board there is a mad rush to get downstairs. Have your ticket ready for checking and go like the clappers.

Grab your seats and stay in them until the train departs. Then enjoy the trip, it is a great ride (I've travelled south as far as PHL).

 

[amaroo]

Get on first and sit at the end of the carriage where your luggage will be in front of you and you will have extra leg room (it's actually quite good anyway).

At NYC you won't know the track the train is departing from until minutes before the train arrives. When the track is shown on the overhead board there is a mad rush to get downstairs. Have your ticket ready for checking and go like the clappers.

Grab your seats and stay in them until the train departs. Then enjoy the trip, it is a great ride (I've travelled south as far as PHL).

Cheers - thanks for that.

Pity you can't reserve seats....we're also doing VIA rail.....Toronto - Montreal early Jan and they offer reserved business seats.....we were lucking and were allocate 4 seats sharing a large table.

 

[QF029]

Good to know. We're taking the Acela express from NYC to DC on the 28th Dec......did you see any issues or have any tips for boarding with luggage?

With luggage use a red cap porter (based in the waiting lounge). They'll pre-board you with luggage for a tip.

 

[petercr]

Definitely a good idea... we did that in NYC when heading back to Princeton with 5 of us and bags galore... we gave the porter $5 and the two littlies gave him $2ea of their money they had left over from souvenir shopping

 

[Duffa]

Good to know. We're taking the Acela express from NYC to DC on the 28th Dec......did you see any issues or have any tips for boarding with luggage?

Our medium sized suitcase fitted in the generous overhead locker. Otherwise store at end of carriage as previously advised.

 

[amaroo]

With luggage use a red cap porter (based in the waiting lounge). They'll pre-board you with luggage for a tip.

Fantastic tip. We just used the Red Cap porter and we were on board with the luggage stored before anyone else. I'm posting this on board making our way down to DC......the WIFI is strong and working well.

 

[Foreigner]

Fantastic tip. We just used the Red Cap porter and we were on board with the luggage stored before anyone else. I'm posting this on board making our way down to DC......the WIFI is strong and working well.

Is that the service from Grand Central Station?

 

[petercr]

Nope- leaves from Penn Station... (34th St under Madison SQ Gardens)

 

[Foreigner]

Nope- leaves from Penn Station... (34th St under Madison SQ Gardens)

Oh!

And arrival should be Union Station in DC, right?

 

[petercr]

Yep... Union Station DC... can be a bit confusing trying to find the Metro though if you need it.

 

[Foreigner]

Yep... Union Station DC... can be a bit confusing trying to find the Metro though if you need it.

I find Metro best to get around greater DC area. The lines are colour-coded and travel is so easy, even if transfers between lines are necessary. I keep the card which you keep loaded with credits and you get in and out swiftly through gates.

 

[petercr]

We found it was great too... just the first time we had to find the Metro at Union Station was a bit odd as if you take a wrong turn after arriving on the long distance trains, you have to walk outside and half-way around to find the Metro entrance (and on a freezing Feb morning it wasn't fun). We ended up getting 3-day passes as we were staying at the Holiday Inn at the NOMA-Gallaudet station

 

[Foreigner]

We found it was great too... just the first time we had to find the Metro at Union Station was a bit odd as if you take a wrong turn after arriving on the long distance trains, you have to walk outside and half-way around to find the Metro entrance (and on a freezing Feb morning it wasn't fun). We ended up getting 3-day passes as we were staying at the Holiday Inn at the NOMA-Gallaudet station

Well, not quite outside but the Metro is on the lower level. On the platform I am particularly attracted to the flashing lights on platform parallel to tracks to indicate arriving trains. All in all, efficient way of travelling in DC as well as Maryland and West Virginia areas around DC.

 

[irv]

Taking Notes....

 

[Princess Fiona]

We are onboard a sold out Acela from NY Penn Station to Boston. Thanks to the helpful tips here we managed to get a Red Cap to pre-board (all 6 of us) with a truck load of luggage. The train is fast, relatively clean with decent comfort and wi-fi. Positive comments from the family all round.
We are also taking the Acela back to NY from Washington. (Boston to DC is on AA via JFK as it was not much more money for a tidy little SC earn on a KUPP )