Commuting Newark to NYC (Wilmington: insurance, home, look for a job)

[cisiever]

I'll be moving to Newark in a few weeks and my current job is allowing me to stay on if I commute to their NYC office. I was looking at the commute and the best option looks to be drive to trenton then take the NJ transit to Penn. Does anyone else commute to NYC? If so, what are your experiences?

[JerseyGirl3624]

I don't live in Delaware but I think there is a train from Wilmington that goes to NYC.

[qworldorder]

Originally Posted by JerseyGirl3624

I don't live in Delaware but I think there is a train from Wilmington that goes to NYC.

Originally Posted by cisiever

I'll be moving to Newark in a few weeks and my current job is allowing me to stay on if I commute to their NYC office. I was looking at the commute and the best option looks to be drive to trenton then take the NJ transit to Penn. Does anyone else commute to NYC? If so, what are your experiences?

You can take the Northeast Regional or Acela trains from Newark directly to Penn Station, but you're looking at a 2 hour commute each way and very expensive tickets. But if you have the patience and money to do so, it can be done.

[Pocopsonite]

The NJ Transit train is the best option if you're looking for the most inexpensive way. The BEST way, to me, is the one with the least aggravation and hassle. And that would definitely be Amtrak to Penn Station. Only you can decide how the price difference affects your decision.

My advice would be to pull out your resume and spiff it up. I commuted three hours a day for a couple years when we first moved to Chester County, PA, and it was a really miserable experience. I ended up quitting so I could look for a job closer to home. But, of course, YMMV.

[Delborn]

You could look into taking the bolt bus from Cherry Hill, New Jersey. It is faster and less expensive than the regional rail.

[cisiever]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I'll be commuting 4 days a week, so I can't afford the Amtrak, unless I feel like spoiling myself every once and a while. I looked at Bolt Bus and their schedule doesn't work with mine. I wouldn't get home til ~9p. Looks like Trenton->Penn is the best option price and schedule wise. I told them I'd do it til the end of the year at least, we'll see if I'm still alive by then.

[seanlax]

The pennies you seem to be making can't be worth the headache...

[newmassphd]

Originally Posted by cisiever

I'll be moving to Newark in a few weeks and my current job is allowing me to stay on if I commute to their NYC office. I was looking at the commute and the best option looks to be drive to trenton then take the NJ transit to Penn. Does anyone else commute to NYC? If so, what are your experiences?

A monthly ride ticket, good for unlimited Amtrak rides for a month, from WIL to NYP is $1,600.
It is quite a bit to swallow, but it is unlimited monthly rides.

That would be 10 trips per week (2 each day for 5 days) for 4.5 weeks per month for a total
of roughly 45 trips. This would work out to $35/trip which actually isn't bad.

Since it is an unlimited monthly ticket, you can also use it on weekends or, just for yucks,
make an excursion to DC, Boston, etc. because you can and it costs you nothing extra
with the unlimited monthly ticket.

Not sure of your current situation on the home front, but if you sold your car
or kept your car parked at your home in Newark and perhaps took a bus to
Wilmington station, you could save on parking/gas/vehicle maintenance as well
as get a low mileage insurance discount.

I agree with others that you should save the headache.

The monthly ticket is a bit to swallow but if you imagine gas/wear and tear/etc on your
car, the $35/trip doesn't look so bad.

[newmassphd]

Originally Posted by newmassphd

A monthly ride ticket, good for unlimited Amtrak rides for a month, from WIL to NYP is $1,600.
It is quite a bit to swallow, but it is unlimited monthly rides.

The monthly ticket is a bit to swallow but if you imagine gas/wear and tear/etc on your
car, the $35/trip doesn't look so bad.

While it is not the same trip, I used to commute from Newark to Cherry Hill for a few years and I can tell you that it was hit or miss.

Things are great with sunny summer weather, but when rain, sleet, snow hits it will absolutely stink.
Once it took me literally 3.5 hours to make the drive in a bad snowstorm literally going 25mph down
RTE 295. Another time, there was a torrential downpour, thunder and lightning that hit just as I was nearing the DE memorial bridge. I kid you not, all I could do was slow to 15mph, aim for the center of the highway as visibility was probably 15 feet and actively concentrate to ignore the lightning bolts and banging thunder going on around me at what literally seemed to strike the bridge.

Then there are the nights there are Philadelphia Eagles football or Phillies baseball games. The impact on area traffic is significant near Cherry Hill.

Finally, then there is the traffic. It will impact your disposition. Moreover, imagine those nights when you are tired but must concentrate and be alert to drive.

The train allows you to zone out, relax, read a book, even get work done, catch up on emails, or just
plain close your eyes and rest.

Do it for yourself especially since there is a train that goes directly from point A to point B. When I commuted from Newark to Cherry Hill, it would have required SEPTA Newark to 30th Street Station to NJ Transit to Cherry Hill which turned out more expensive and taking twice as long as the average 1 hour 15 to 1 hour 30 min drive.

Price out the monthly or even 10-ride ticket. Your sanity and safety (driving tired) are worth it.