Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Hi all, just moved to Woodlawn from the Upper East Side and already like the savings!
My fiance and I work in Manhattan, myself on the Upper East and herself down in the Financial district near Battery Park.
We are 7 mins walk from the Metro-North Woodlawn stop and it's $179 a month for that to Harlem or Grand Central. I was thinking of getting the monthly then the 7:10 am each morning to 125th then walking over to the 6th to 68th street (Hunter College). Door to door this looks like an hour but wanted to know if there are a lot of mechanical problems on this Metro-North route or is it reliable?
The alternatives are taking the bus a mile to the Woodlawn 4 train and going to 86th before transferring to the 6. Is this a pain and what are the pros/cons aside from cost from the Metro-North?
My fiance wants to take the bus (which is right near our apt) to the Woodlawn 4 and ride it all the way to the SI ferry/Battery Park place.
There's also the express bus but I hear it's quite slow.
Out of all the transportation options which do you consider best and why? We are not getting a car at the moment but may do so in the future but let's keep this to public transport only.
Thanks, and love the neighborhood, especially the Irish charm!
I can't speak for the other options (in that area in particular) but I've always found the Metro North to be like clockwork. I grew up in Westchester and it was really the only way I got into and out of the city. It's CLEAN, quiet, fast, and always on time!
Yeah, I don't have the complaints about the Metro North either. It's almost always on time, safe, quiet and gets you into Manhattan rather quickly like Jad2K said.
...If Metro North is as good as everyone says it is, then your main consideration should be the price. Personally, I think $179/month sounds kind of high, especially when you have the option of the subway. But that's probably just me.
...If Metro North is as good as everyone says it is, then your main consideration should be the price. Personally, I think $179/month sounds kind of high, especially when you have the option of the subway. But that's probably just me.
The trade off on price is for convenience (and in the case of Metro North, better service, IMO). Also consider that the OP is already saving a lot because he's moved out of Manhattan. I'm sure the $75 difference is negligible.
If you can afford the cost - I'd go with the Metro North since it's a much more pleasant commute to Grand Central. The negatives are you'll have to get a Metrocard anyway and there are no transfers from the Metro North to the subway. Also, that train on the way to Manhattan is often standing room only so don't expect to be sitting for the 25 minutes you'll be on. Another thing to keep in mind is that since Woodlawn is a local stop on the Metro North Harlem Line, off peak and weekends, there's only one train per hour that stops there.
The buses in Woodlawn (the Bx16, Bx31 and Bx34) can be really unreliable at times (ESPECIALLY the 16) and the #4 train is the most crush-loaded train of the three Lex Avenue trains - which might make for an unpleasant commute on some days - although you do have the benefit of getting on at Woodlawn station, which means seats will be available as it's the terminal. And if you get a 30-day unlimited Metrocard at $104, you get unlimited access to the trains and buses so you wouldn't have to worry about transfers. Commute time this way will be about an hour.
I'd try out both and see which one you like better but the plus side is - you have at least TWO transit options which is more than many others can say.
There are a few other possible options that haven't been mentioned yet.
The nearest subway stops to Woodlawn( depending on where exactly you live) are actually the 233rd or 238th St stops on White Plains Road and the 5 train has rush hour express trains along that line so it should at least be considered.It would likely be a much faster train ride to either the UES or downtown than the 4.There are a lot of people who live in Woodlawn,especially those who live near Webster Ave,who use the 2 and 5 on White Plains Road on a regular basis.It's easily walkable from Woodlawn,which the "Woodlawn" stop on the 4 isn't and there is a bus to 233rd st( the 31?) if preferred.Look at a map.
Another possibility would be to take a bus from Woodlawn to the 205th and Bainbridge stop on the D train.The D train I think is also much faster than the 4 ,so staying on the bus for a few extra stops down Bainbridge ave might be worth it.
I don't live in Woodlawn so can't give a rec from experience but you might want to try all of the options and see which works best.I live very close to a metro north stop,a subway stop and an express bus stop. The metro north and express bus options are fine if they end where you want to be but as soon as you have to take a subway or a bus at the other end you kind of lose whatever advantage you started out with.Nothing beats the subways for flexibility of schedule and ease of transfer if a transfer is necessary.
Good luck and congrats for coming to the realization that The Bronx is a good deal and has some great places to live !
I think I'll be trying out the Metro-North for the first month to 125th in the morning then taking the 6 train. My fiance will be choosing the bus to the 4 train route so we'll get to see what works best. I don't mind paying the extra $179 as it's been pointed out that it's not an extraordinary sum after living in Manhattan!
Any other tips on the neighborhood in terms of restaurants, gyms, and reliable taxi/livery service?
Anyone know if there are any pick up Soccer matches going on in Van Cortland park? Thanks for all your assistance. I've always liked the Bronx and we'll see how good of a fit Woodlawn is for us. Slainte!
Rambling house seems to be the most popular restaurant. There's also an Indian restaurant on Katonah. McLean (over the border in Yonkers) has quite a few restaurants as well.
Hopefully they'll bring back weekend service on the BX34 and/or start running the 16 bus more often on weekends. One of my best friends lives in Woodlawn (I live in Bedford Park), and getting there/leaving there on public transportation during the weekends takes a ridiculous amount of time. I think the MTA figures everyone there has a car.
The trade off on price is for convenience (and in the case of Metro North, better service, IMO). Also consider that the OP is already saving a lot because he's moved out of Manhattan. I'm sure the $75 difference is negligible.
You have to consider that he also has to pay for the subway in addition to the Metro-North, and it's for him and his wife, so it adds up to a decent amount.
$179 + $104 = $283 x 2 = $566
When they lived on the UES, they would've just been $104 per month to get his wife down to the Financial District, so they're spending an extra $462 per month in commuting costs.
I'm sure the rent saved was well over $462 per month, but I'm just throwing it out there.
Quote:
Originally Posted by K 22
I'd try out both and see which one you like better but the plus side is - you have at least TWO transit options which is more than many others can say.
Actually, it's 3 options if you count the BxM4.
Plus, you have the option of the Bx16 or Bx31 to the (5) train or BxM11 bus, which is even more choices.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
