[pramre]

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

That’s a very good point and a big draw to New Canaan. Only issue is the limited amount of direct trains.



I found the typical commute to be annoyingly stressful from the time I arrived at the station to the time I arrived at the office (granted it was downtown). Platform wait, finding a seat, train time, crowds, etc. Maybe it’s less stress in comparison to NJ Transit, but it’s hardly stress free. JMO.

Got it. I didn’t mean to imply any commute is effortless. Based on my experience with Penn and recon trips to Grand Central platforms at rush hour: Metro north seems... shall we say more civilized

[SteveM85]

Originally Posted by pramre

Exactly. The way Metro North schedules the trains, if a train goes express from a stop - I’d expect it to be filled to the brim at or before the stop. So the 45 minute train from Greenwich looks really attractive, except I might be standing the whole way. Greenwich definitely has the time advantage on the way home though.

We love New Canaan as well, but just can’t risk not having a direct train. NC doesn’t have a direct now due to COVID and there is no certainty when it will be back. I read about the NC branch service threatened by a previous governor. So we’d rather not have the uncertainty when we’re paying upwards of a million for the house.

Honestly, from lower Greenwich to West Side, I'd drive in. Leave early. No Stamford traffic to deal with. Get Apple Car Play.

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by pramre

Got it. I didn’t mean to imply any commute is effortless. Based on my experience with Penn and recon trips to Grand Central platforms at rush hour: Metro north seems... shall we say more civilized

It’s a LOT of business people, so you do have a point there.

Originally Posted by SteveM85

Honestly, from lower Greenwich to West Side, I'd drive in. Leave early. No Stamford traffic to deal with. Get Apple Car Play.

Yeah, GCT then a subway sounds rough. The subway platform at 42nd can be insanely crowded and a massive human bottleneck (outside of COVID). That’s another thing to consider.

[pramre]

Originally Posted by SteveM85

Honestly, from lower Greenwich to West Side, I'd drive in. Leave early. No Stamford traffic to deal with. Get Apple Car Play.

That is an interesting idea. I know a few folks who do that - their work is tied to market open/close and leave home pre-6AM and come back a bit late. Is that feasible for the average parent with toddlers who’d like to have breakfast with them and spend time before they go to bed at 8PM?

[Stylo]

Originally Posted by pramre

I can see the benefit of trains starting in Stamford. Are they standing room only by the time they get to the main Greenwich station for say the 7:30AM Greenwich-Gramd Central train? In other words, is it safer to get on at Riverside or even Noroton to guarantee a seat?

Noroton is worse. You get all the upstream stations from there.

The one you mentioned goes straight from Stamford to Greenwich without any other stops. Since it’s not an express from Stamford, it won’t be as popular with Stamford commuters. You’ll have no problem getting a spot, but that is a longer ride from Greenwich.

Not sure how badly Covid/construction has affected things but there used to be regular 43-47 minute trains from Greenwich.

[SteveM85]

Originally Posted by pramre

That is an interesting idea. I know a few folks who do that - their work is tied to market open/close and leave home pre-6AM and come back a bit late. Is that feasible for the average parent with toddlers who’d like to have breakfast with them and spend time before they go to bed at 8PM?

I don't know. Is the train feasible for that? might be
I don't know folks who do sit down breakfasts anymore
The guys I know doing it, one even before Covid, are probably sacrificing breakfast, they might grab a bagel on the way out I don't know, but they're usually home by 6 or 7. These are mid-towners. West Side might be easier closer to the Henry Hudson.
At the end of the day, when it's all said and done, you come home to a place called Greenwich or Darien CT. I can't think of a better deal. Can you?

[Vetgirl2014]

Originally Posted by pramre

Exactly. The way Metro North schedules the trains, if a train goes express from a stop - I’d expect it to be filled to the brim at or before the stop. So the 45 minute train from Greenwich looks really attractive, except I might be standing the whole way. Greenwich definitely has the time advantage on the way home though.

We love New Canaan as well, but just can’t risk not having a direct train. NC doesn’t have a direct now due to COVID and there is no certainty when it will be back. I read about the NC branch service threatened by a previous governor. So we’d rather not have the uncertainty when we’re paying upwards of a million for the house.

Totally fair. We aren’t super worried about direct service going away, especially now since Covid sent a bunch of city people out here. We are betting on the same thing FFC has always betted on- the fact that people with money can influence to meet their needs. That’s why Greenwich has 4 train stops for one town. It’s why Darien has 2. It’s why NC has direct trains at rush hour. People with money use their money to influence policy. And no one in NC wants direct trains to go away.

[CTartist]

Originally Posted by pramre

I can see the benefit of trains starting in Stamford. Are they standing room only by the time they get to the main Greenwich station for say the 7:30AM Greenwich-Gramd Central train? In other words, is it safer to get on at Riverside or even Noroton to guarantee a seat?

As a person who lived in Stamford I can tell you it is better to take the train from Noroton in the AM. Plus if you see these schedules from "Greenwich" station & Noroton head to head there is not a big difference in time. The "Greenwich" station is faster times than the Cos Cob, Riverside and Old Greenwich stations.



Both towns have some of the best schools in the country also. I would go with the town I liked better. They are both great towns but are very different in feel, pace and outward showing of wealth. Greenwich is showier and Noroton is more reserved. If there is such think as "middle class" wealthy in southwestern Fairfield County Noroton is it.

[pramre]

Originally Posted by SteveM85

I don't know. Is the train feasible for that? might be
I don't know folks who do sit down breakfasts anymore
The guys I know doing it, one even before Covid, are probably sacrificing breakfast, they might grab a bagel on the way out I don't know, but they're usually home by 6 or 7. These are mid-towners. West Side might be easier closer to the Henry Hudson.
At the end of the day, when it's all said and done, you come home to a place called Greenwich or Darien CT. I can't think of a better deal. Can you?

Definitely. We've been to Waveny and really quiet/peaceful parts of NC; downtowns of Darien, Westport; strolled along Compo beach, Southport village and Fairfield's beaches. The lifestyle is appealing with proximity to Maine/Cape Cod/Rhode Island in the summer and NH/Vermont in winter. Just trying to balance the rigors of daily work schedule with these amazing things that are possible with a CT address.

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by pramre

Definitely. We've been to Waveny and really quiet/peaceful parts of NC; downtowns of Darien, Westport; strolled along Compo beach, Southport village and Fairfield's beaches. The lifestyle is appealing with proximity to Maine/Cape Cod/Rhode Island in the summer and NH/Vermont in winter. Just trying to balance the rigors of daily work schedule with these amazing things that are possible with a CT address.

At your price point, have you considered Westchester County? You can probably cut 30 minutes each way and still have decent New England access.