Question about the MTA - Metro North RR (Yonkers, Tarrytown: good hotel, transfer to)

[DreamworksSKG]

Question about the Metro North RR service north of Southeast.

I'm thinking of staying up at the Dutchess Motor Lodge in Wingate - its about 1,000 feet from the train station HM-Wingate to Grand Central.

I noticed on the schedule it says that you have to transfer at Southeast, and then go into Grand Central.

My question is how does it work getting a ticket? Does the Metro North RR have a weekly visitor pass I can get too multi ride ticket??? that includes transfers? Do you have to put the transfer into the machine when you get your ticket? Or do you just tell the conductor you're going to need a transfer to Grand Central?

Are the trains usually on time, especially the ones at night? I Notice some of the transfer connections are only 4 mins apart. It also states the trains can leave and arrive 5 min early? So should I plan for that?

When they say transfer , do I have to actually get off the train at Southeast, wait for the train to grand Central?
or just stay on the current train - and then it picks up passengers after waiting a few minutes and then go into Grand Central?

Do metro North trains back in the evening run late? I noticed there was one at 12:06 ---with a 4 min transfer wait time between trains at Southeast on the way back. I'm nervous about missing that train as I'd be stranded.

Any assistance would be helpful

Also if anyone knows about the Dutchess Motor Lodge in Wingate if its a good hotel to stay at. It got good reviews on Tripadvisor so I'm considering staying there.

I don't want to spend over $75 a night for a motel.
If anyone has any other suggestions of cheap motels that are good , motor lodges, etc. that are within walking distance of the Metro North RR , the Long Island RR, or in Connecticut - Metro North I'd appreciate it.

[checkmatechamp13]

Originally Posted by DreamworksSKG

Question about the Metro North RR service north of Southeast.

I'm thinking of staying up at the Dutchess Motor Lodge in Wingate - its about 1,000 feet from the train station HM-Wingate to Grand Central.

I noticed on the schedule it says that you have to transfer at Southeast, and then go into Grand Central.

My question is how does it work getting a ticket? Does the Metro North RR have a weekly visitor pass I can get too multi ride ticket??? that includes transfers? Do you have to put the transfer into the machine when you get your ticket? Or do you just tell the conductor you're going to need a transfer to Grand Central?

Are the trains usually on time, especially the ones at night? I Notice some of the transfer connections are only 4 mins apart. It also states the trains can leave and arrive 5 min early? So should I plan for that?

When they say transfer , do I have to actually get off the train at Southeast, wait for the train to grand Central?
or just stay on the current train - and then it picks up passengers after waiting a few minutes and then go into Grand Central?

Do metro North trains back in the evening run late? I noticed there was one at 12:06 ---with a 4 min transfer wait time between trains at Southeast on the way back. I'm nervous about missing that train as I'd be stranded.

Any assistance would be helpful

Also if anyone knows about the Dutchess Motor Lodge in Wingate if its a good hotel to stay at. It got good reviews on Tripadvisor so I'm considering staying there.

I don't want to spend over $75 a night for a motel.
If anyone has any other suggestions of cheap motels that are good , motor lodges, etc. that are within walking distance of the Metro North RR , the Long Island RR, or in Connecticut - Metro North I'd appreciate it.

I've never ridden on Metro-North (I have but it was only from Yonkers to Tarrytown, which didn't involve any transfers), but I think this sums up what will happen with the tickets and everything:

The ticket you buy includes the transfer on it. You show the ticket to the conductor on the first train, and then show the same ticket to the conductor on the second train.

When it says transfer, you have to physically get off the train and get on the next train.

I'm pretty sure they would hold the connecting train for you: After all, the purpose of the connecting train is to take passengers coming from NYC. I'm sure the dispatcher will hold the connecting train if the train from NYC is running late.

As far as options to pay the fare, you have the following:

A one-way peak ticket for $21
A one-way off-peak ticket for $15.75
10 off-peak tickets for $134
10 peak tickets for $210
A weekly pass for $141.75
A monthly pass for $443

Source: http://www.mta.info/mnr/html/plannin...icketFares.pdf