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Current brooklynite here who just got accepted to SUNY Purchase for Grad school on a scholarship (*happy dance*). I applied to other schools in the city, but couldn't beat the deal I was offered and felt very strongly about the program itself. SO, now I'm faced with what to do about getting there everyday. I've heard through the grapevine that some of the grad students and professors in my program commute everyday from the city up to Westchester. I have taken Metro-North from Grand Central to White Plains and taken a cab from the train station to school for an interview; but definitely could not afford a cab everyday. I sadly plan to leave my lovely apartment in brooklyn to move further north to cut the commute down, but to where yet is TBD. Harlem? The Bronx? Westchester?*cringes*
TL;DR
ISSUE: What is it like to commute from the city to Purchase college everyday? I would like to figure out what the most cost effective way to do this would be and would prefer not to move to Westchester. I currently do not have a car and plan to take Metro-North. Anyone with advice or tips much appreciated!!!
Go live in white plains. You'll save so much money compared to brooklyn. White plains has a decent bus system which I'm sure includes SUNY purchase somehow, and is not quite as boring as a lot of the little westchester towns (and I lived in one of them for a long time, so I know...)
Or one of the better bronx neighborhoods and get a car. Going from Brooklyn to Purchase every day (or even, a few days a week) would drive me nuts.
Go live in white plains. You'll save so much money compared to brooklyn. White plains has a decent bus system which I'm sure includes SUNY purchase somehow, and is not quite as boring as a lot of the little westchester towns (and I lived in one of them for a long time, so I know...)
Or one of the better bronx neighborhoods and get a car. Going from Brooklyn to Purchase every day (or even, a few days a week) would drive me nuts.
I guess I wasn't clear, but I plan to leave brooklyn. I was wondering if anyone has commuted from upper Manhattan or the Bronx before and how (car/bus/train). I know it is possible to do. I'm weighing whether to get a car or to bus/train it everyday. Just seeing if anyone out there has done it. I haven't ruled out moving to White Plains but I have heard of people commuting from Harlem and wanted to get some opinions on how that goes!
I guess I wasn't clear, but I plan to leave brooklyn. I was wondering if anyone has commuted from upper Manhattan or the Bronx before and how (car/bus/train). I know it is possible to do. I'm weighing whether to get a car or to bus/train it everyday. Just seeing if anyone out there has done it. I haven't ruled out moving to White Plains but I have heard of people commuting from Harlem and wanted to get some opinions on how that goes!
First question should be whether there is viable public transportation from White Plains metro north to Purchase. The rest is pretty easy if you can do that. There is frequent train service from 125th st to White Plains and it only takes about 30 minutes.Monthly pass would be either 180 or 250 depending on whether you qualify for a "school" monthly.
You could also do it from many metro north stations in The Bronx but the number of trains would be much more limited except from Fordham. Most metro north trains stop at 125th and Fordham ,other stops less frequently but still doable as long as you follow a schedule. The monthly passes are probably a bit less from The Bronx. You would have to live on a metro north Harlem or New Haven line stop however because Hudson line trains don't go to White Plains.
There are 2 teachers in my co op in The Bronx who work in White Plains and drive to work every day. It only takes them about 15 mins each way.
First question should be whether there is viable public transportation from White Plains metro north to Purchase. The rest is pretty easy if you can do that. There is frequent train service from 125th st to White Plains and it only takes about 30 minutes.Monthly pass would be either 180 or 250 depending on whether you qualify for a "school" monthly.
You could also do it from many metro north stations in The Bronx but the number of trains would be much more limited except from Fordham. Most metro north trains stop at 125th and Fordham ,other stops less frequently but still doable as long as you follow a schedule. The monthly passes are probably a bit less from The Bronx. You would have to live on a metro north Harlem or New Haven line stop however because Hudson line trains don't go to White Plains.
There are 2 teachers in my co op in The Bronx who work in White Plains and drive to work every day. It only takes them about 15 mins each way.
Thanks for the quick response! From what the school site tells me there is a bus that goes to the college from the train station. I was also considering using zip car to get from the station to school. Additionally, I am ok with getting a car if I need it, but worry it would be more of a hassle than it's worth with parking in the city and the chance of a break in (Haven't had a car here before so am not sure how that goes.)
Given that you live in the Bronx though, do you recommend any specific neighborhoods that you like? I am unfamiliar with the neighborhoods up there and would love some recommendations on where to look
Thanks for the quick response! From what the school site tells me there is a bus that goes to the college from the train station. I was also considering using zip car to get from the station to school. Additionally, I am ok with getting a car if I need it, but worry it would be more of a hassle than it's worth with parking in the city and the chance of a break in (Haven't had a car here before so am not sure how that goes.)
Given that you live in the Bronx though, do you recommend any specific neighborhoods that you like? I am unfamiliar with the neighborhoods up there and would love some recommendations on where to look
I live in Pelham Parkway. Have been here for 9 years now and like it very much. I am a teacher in The Bronx and was living in Williamsburg before I decided to move here. It used to take me an hour and a half each way between Brooklyn and my school ...now my commute is 20 mins each way by either bike or bus. Much better . It's a decent ,very green neighborhood adjacent to the Botanical Garden and The Bronx Zoo. Pretty low crime rate. You might find it boring though(no,almost no night life) and it takes about 40 mins to midtown on the subway. So, it depends on where you are at with those aspects. I only go to Manhattan once a week ,sometimes not for 2 or 3 weeks so it doesn't bother me. I have taken metro north from my neighborhood to White Plains quite a few times it only takes about 20 mins from either the Fordham stop or the Botanical Garden stop but I either have to take a bus( 5 to 10 mins ) or walk 15 mins to get there. That could add another whole aspect to a commute. I usually walk it in nice weather but wouldn't want to do it every day. One of the reasons I chose this neighborhood is because it does offer lots of transportation options to go anywhere. My apartment is only 2 blocks from the 2 and 5 lines for easy access to East or West Side, easy access to metro north to both Westchester and Manhattan and an Express bus to Manhattan.If the subways are screwed up because of week end construction or something and I need to go to Manhattan I can be there in 20 mins on either metro north or the express bus. Pelham Parkway also has the BX12 select bus which is great for cutting across The Bronx West to Inwood or East to City Island/Orchard Beach/ Pelham Bay Park. It also connects with all the subways along the way.
There is a decent neighborhood around Bedford Park/ Mosholu Parkway just on the other side of The NY Botanical Garden from here . I have friends who live over there and it's a pretty nice area and very close to the Botanical Garden metro north stop.
Woodlawn is a very nice neighborhood with a more active bar scene if you are into Irish Pubs and it has a metro north stop( Woodlawn) but it is not very close to the subways so then you have that problem if you want to go to Manhattan or Brooklyn a lot unless you decide to use metro north to and from Manhattan as well.....about 20 or 25 mins to GC.
Most of the other Bronx neighborhoods that I would recommend would necessitate either a car or an extra 20 mins or more to get to a metro north stop.
Little Italy( Belmont) might be an interesting possibility. Lots of Fordham students, great restaurants and shops and a short walk to Fordham metro north. Subway access a bit of a problem though. It looks like Greenwich Village in the 70's.
Soon there will be a metro north stop in Morris Park ,a great neighborhood just East of here but that doesn't help you now. If you decide to get a car though it would be a great choice because it's right on the Hutch so would be a straight 15 min shot up to Purchase.
Rents are a lot, lot less in The Bronx than Harlem so it's obviously the most cost effective alternative but I suspect there will be other factors.
Isn't there a 1 and 2 bus that goes to White Plains from the 242nd st 1 stop? I recall my friend from Hunt's Point used to take that until he moved back in with his parents in Carmel, NY.
Bite the bullet and get a car. The suburbs are not commutable via transit.
The daily fee for ZipCar or Uber or Lyft will add up significantly over time.
Isn't there a 1 and 2 bus that goes to White Plains from the 242nd st 1 stop? I recall my friend from Hunt's Point used to take that until he moved back in with his parents in Carmel, NY.
There are busses to White Plains from various Bronx locations. There is one from my neighborhood as well but they take forever. Some even go all the way to the University in Purchase. They take almost an hour to White Plains and an hour and 15 or 20 mins to Purchase. I guess if you lived real close to one of the bus stops in The Bronx and the schedule of the busses to Purchase worked it wouldn't be the worst. At least it would be a 1 seat ride and a reverse commute so probably few traffic or crowding issues.Probably a lot cheaper than metro north as well.
I think the Bronx neighborhoods with White Plains busses are Riverdale/Kingsbridge,Bedford Park, Pelham Parkway and Woodlawn.Busses from the West Bronx go through Yonkers and Mt Vernon busses from East Bronx go through Pelham and New Rochelle.
Last edited by bluedog2; 04-21-2017 at 02:05 PM..
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