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I'm considering a move to Fairfield CT and wondering how painful the commute might be to downtown NYC (4 World Financial Center). I know it will be about 1hr 10min on Metro North from the Fairfield station to Grand Central plus another 20min on the "green" subway (sorry for using the color, I can't recall the numbers... 4,5,6?) to Fulton. Once I get out, I will have another brisk 10min walk to 4 World Financial Center. So all in all, this can easily turn into a 2 hour door to door. That's 4 hours daily round trip, 5 days a week.
Does anyone reading this do this commute or know anyone doing this?
I do know people that have done this commute but it is not something I would recommend. 2 hours each way is a long commute and all you need is one little problem and it could easily turn into three or more hours. Jay
As Jay said, this is a heck of a commute. However, many people in the NYC metropolitan area do this type of commute every day for years. Don't forget to add in the time it takes you to get to the train from your home in the AM & PM.
If you're single, perhaps the anticipated compensation from a NYC job may be worth it to you. If you have a family, particularly if you have children and especially if you have young children, you may want to think this through carefully. Children are only young once, you may miss most of their childhood and turn into a weekend parent. You'll be gone in the AM before they are fully awake and home in the evening maybe in time to tuck them in.
It's a tough decision, only you can decide if it is worth it to you. Keep in mind too the weather. It's hot and humid in the summer, no fun at all on rainy or stormy days in the winter. You'll be fine on the train, but outside for parts of your commute. It's a trade off for sure.
Those are my fears. And if I do this, it won't be for the kind of money that will allow me to stay in Westchester, thus the consideration to move further up the line. Yes, I live in Westchester and I, like many others here of modest income, am being forced to make this kind of decision.
My wife did that commute for a while (pre-baby) and it was miserable for her. We're 7-10 mins to the train, plus parking, plus waiting a few minutes, 1h10 (easily add 10-15 mins to that at least 3 days/week) to Grand Central, then anywhere from 20-50 minutes on the subway, depending if they're running, if you can get on because they are so crowded, etc. For her, she took the S across and then the 1/9 down. Ended up being faster, and less walking through very crowded sidewalks. Total commute on a good day was 2 hrs door to door.
I do the commute now to Grand Central, but I have 3 minute walk to my office (5 if I miss the light and the elevators in my building are slow). It still takes me 1h30m on a good day, with the delays and slower trains in the morning its closer to 1h45m. With a 2 year old, plus another one coming (in 1 week! ) this is 3+ hrs of my time with my family that I lose sitting or standing on a train. I've been doing it for 2 and a half years, and as soon as I can find something in CT that's a good fit (and decent comp) I'll be making the change. You do what you have to sometimes, but the trade-off is up to you.
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) this is 3+ hrs of my time with my family that I lose sitting or standing on a train. I've been doing it for 2 and a half years, and as soon as I can find something in CT that's a good fit (and decent comp) I'll be making the change. You do what you have to sometimes, but the trade-off is up to you.
