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.
We are looking to move to Rhinebeck from Nassau county (we have lived on LI for 4 years) because we have family there and are looking for a quality of life change (i.e. slower pace, open green space, etc) for our family (we have 3 school aged children).
I will need to commute to NYC and Queens during the week. I am looking for perspectives on the commute and any advice from current commuters. How is the commute day-to-day?
It is a roughly two hour run each way... over 100 miles. It would be more during rush hour if driving. Amtrack is your best bet. Not sure what the cost is, but driving would rack up the miles on your car quickly, so that has to be factored in when comparing to the rail cost.
Depending on where you live and work in relation to the train stations, you are probably looking at a minimum 2.5 hour commute each way. If you are ending up in Queens, probably closer to 3 hours. Save your sick/personal days... when there is rain or snow you are better off staying home.
When my company moved out of NYC to the suburbs we had an employee who lived in New Jersey. She stayed with us and drove from NY to Long Island each day. The mileage may have been a little less than yours, but the time factor was similar - about 2.5 hours each way.
You can get used to anything. After a while, that comment became the norm for her. At the same time, it took its toll. That's simply too much time to be sitting in a car/train every day just to get to work. It increases stress, wastes so much time that could be spent on better things... Spending six hours of your day just to get to/from work is too much. You will end up regretting it. You will leave for work before your kids wake up and get home well after dinner when they are getting into bed.
You will probably never attend a parent/teacher conference, school game/concert/event, your kids' baseball game, etc. How are you improving quality of life by removing yourself from the day-to-day of your family?
I would suggest looking for something in between Rhinebeck and NYC. You can still have the "slower pace" community, be a reasonable distance from your family in Rhinebeck and keep your commute to a reasonable time.
To add to the above, you'd be commuting along the Taconic, which is narrow and winding through Dutchess and Putnam and it's also the only real highway option I think.
On the plus side your money will go further than LI and Rhinebeck is very charming. I am an ex-LI'er and I will never go back. If you are set on leaving LI but don't want to live in your car I would look into Putnam and even lower Dutchess which would still put you closer to your family but also make your commute more doable.
Trip is reasonably doable 1-2 days per week, total misery beyond that. People definitely do it but are out of the house 14 hours per day in order to make it work.
You'd likely want to drive to Poughkeepsie and take Metro North rather than using the Amtrak station in Rhinebeck.
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.
