An inexpensive and comfortable way to travel
My husband and I discovered the ease and convenience of traveling by train a few years ago before a cruise out of New York City.
Driving in New York City to get to the cruise terminal was one thing, but parking was getting more and more expensive too. So, one a whim, we thought, let’s try the train. We took the Amtrak Pennsylvanian out of Altoona into Penn Station. For us, because the train didn’t arrive in NYC until around 5PM, we had to arrive the day before. We would stay at a hotel close to Penn Station, have dinner somewhere and then get a car the next morning to the cruise terminal. The cruise ship returned in time for us to get a car to the train station for the trip home without needing to stay overnight.
So, when we decided to take a trip to New York City to see some sites, taking the train was a logical choice for us. The Pennsylvanian train #42 leaves Altoona around 10:00AM and makes several stops on the way to Moynihan Train Hall at Penn Station. We reserved a hotel close to the train station and took and Uber to sites in the city that were too far away to walk. Train #43 from Penn Station, returning to Altoona leaves around 10:30AM and gets back to Altoona by around 5PM.
I heard people on our last trip talk about how surprised they were that traveling by train was so comfortable. The seats lay back and lift your legs, like a recliner. There are outlets to charge phones, laptops, tablets, etc. And of course there is a table that comes down to use.
My biggest piece of advice that I can give you about train travel is to pack a cooler with sandwiches or food you want to eat on your journey. The food on #42 and #43 is not good and is pretty expensive. There are only a few options of food as well…hamburger, hot dog and a frozen pizza. They do have beverages you can purchase and small bags of chips. It’s really just easier to bring your own food.
Traveling by Train, particularly Amtrak, is simple and inexpensive. You don’t have to drive and you can avoid annoying traffic. They pick you up and drop you off…and the rest is up to you. Enjoy your trip!
