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I have a question about driving into the city. Is is THAT bad? I'll be coming from PA, taking route 78, into the city for a food festival in 2 weeks. Some have suggested that I take a train or a bus into the city. So, I'm wondering if that's what I really should do. Is it the traffic or the parking or what is the big issue?
It is both the traffic and parking. You will never find a free parking spot near the event. The frustration and expense is just not worth it, take a train or bus.
And, any sort of delay at the tunnel, before dealing with Manhattan traffic can really ruin a time schedule, as I have been stuck in hour-long delays without that much of a problem on either end of the tunnel, just volume.
If you plan to arrive early in the morning, have breakfast in Manhattan, etc., then it should not be a problem to get through the tunnel and to a parking garage, without too much fuss. Make a reservation, and compare rates at: New York City Parking Garage Rates - Compare Daily/Monthly - Manhattan
Sometimes the weekend delays can be worse, owing to leisure travelers who drive into Manhattan. It's difficult to gauge what potential problems could occur on the day of travel, hence why many would recommend parking in NJ and taking the train or bus to Manhattan.
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All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.
~William Shakespeare (As You Like It Act II, Scene VII)
I live in midtown and own a car. Driving around the city is not as bad as you might imagine. In fact, in some ways it is better than other cities. That's because there are traffic lights at virtually every intersection, and most of the streets are one-way. So among other things, you're never faced with making a left turn at a two-way street with traffic that never stops. And despite all the TV shows that depict cars honking and not moving for hours on end, it actually flows pretty smoothly most of the time.
Parking, on the other hand, is a different story entirely. I own a car mainly because I travel to New Jersey a lot, and when I come back to the city I park my car in my apartment building's garage. When I do have to park somewhere else in the city, it is a hassle and I generally end up parking it at another garage, paying the hourly rate. If you do that, you can expect to pay as much as $30 for an entire day. The only other option is to park somewhere uptown or downtown, because even if you manage to find a parking space on the streets of midtown (which I assume is where your convention is), it will either be:
A) A metered space that has a limit (usually three hours)
B) Off limits to personal vehicles during the daytime (usually around 7 AM - 7 PM)
C) A space that has weird restrictions (e.g., No parking between 6 AM to 8 AM, or 2 PM to 4 PM)
Now, if you are coming on Saturday or Sunday, your options are much better. You can pretty much park anywhere in midtown over the weekend without paying, but finding a space will be difficult. It is my suggestion that if you are driving into the city for the day, just park it at a garage.
The other issue is actually getting into the city. You're probably best off taking the Lincoln Tunnel, but time it well. Coming into the city between 7 AM and 9 AM, or 4 PM to 7 PM, will be the worst hours Wait times can be as much as an hour during those times (especially the PM peak). If you can get in early in the morning, or sometime during the middle of the day, it will be much better. Make sure you have a radio station preset to 1010 AM, which gives tunnel wait times (and other traffic issues) at :01, :11, :21, :31, :41, and :51 past the hour, 24 hours a day.
LAST POINT - Do you have E-ZPass? If not, your wait time into the tunnel will be at least doubled. It's not insufferable, unless you come during peak hours. But that's something to keep in mind.
My original post didn't appear on the page, so just to reiterate what mdude said: look for areas on streets (usually near doorman buildings), commercial loading zones and the like, that free up after 7 PM. Usually the signs can be somewhat confusing so those spots should stay vacant for a period of time on the weekdays. You should be able to find these areas in Midtown.
If you're going to the vegetarian festival, I would not count on street parking nearby as it is in Chelsea, not far from busy shopping areas. Chelsea is a very difficult location for street parking, and can be challenging on a Sunday, so I would tend to factor a garage, or a long walk as it sometimes is easier to find spaces to the west. The NYPD traffic enforcement is out in force on weekends, so read any sign before parking; and, if in doubt, put the car in a garage as it's much less expensive than a ticket.
__________________
All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.
~William Shakespeare (As You Like It Act II, Scene VII)
Yes, I'm coming for the vegetarian festival on April 3.
Well, you guys kind of convinced me that I might rather leave the car in NJ and take the train in. The tunnel stuff is freaking me out!
Can you tell me what trains and what station that is? I looked on the Amtrak website but I can't figure out which station that would be.
Yes, I'm coming for the vegetarian festival on April 3.
Well, you guys kind of convinced me that I might rather leave the car in NJ and take the train in. The tunnel stuff is freaking me out!
Can you tell me what trains and what station that is? I looked on the Amtrak website but I can't figure out which station that would be.
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