Some ways to beat the high cost of traveling to NYC

03-19-2006

As anyone traveling from the Pittsburgh area to New York City knows, getting to the Big Apple these days can take a big bite out of your wallet, especially if the trip must be made during the week or on short notice.

		Related article Comparing ways to get to New York City

Flying nonstop is the fastest way to get there, but if you're not able to reserve your flight at least three weeks in advance -- which can cost roughly $200 round trip -- the price can spiral quickly to $800 or more. (Some of that may change, of course, once low-fare upstart JetBlue Airways starts service to New York on June 30, offering one-way fares of $64-$129.)

Add in time spent getting to and from airports along with clearing security these days, and the advantages of flying start to pale in comparison with other modes of transportation.

So, it's no surprise that local travelers have discovered other ways to get to New York City that save both money and headaches. We asked readers for their strategies, and they responded with a flurry of routes:

As senior legal counsel for Alcoa, John Guyer recently moved to New York City after living in Pittsburgh for four years. He's traveled often between the cities, and like many of his colleagues, prefers to drive.

"Door to door, the difference between flying and driving isn't that significant. Obviously if you have to get back and forth in a day, you need the speed of flying, but otherwise, driving makes more sense."

John Gimigliano of Mt. Lebanon also drives, but to Philadelphia, where he parks his car and rides Amtrak into Manhattan.

Elizabeth Eynon of Bloomfield suggested another option. She drives past the Philadelphia exit, gets off at Route 1 and heads north to the Trenton, N.J., train station, where she catches New Jersey Transit into New York. "I priced the various options for a trip just before Christmas," she said, "And this is much cheaper than flying or driving right into the city. Also, it's super easy.''

Another frequent traveler, Kevin McElroy of Plum, drives directly to Jersey City. "Room rates are cheaper than New York City, and it saves me from crossing the Hudson via the tunnels or bridges, which can be a traffic nightmare and a $7 toll.'' Parking at the hotel is usually free; it's $40 in Manhattan.

Mr. McElroy either catches the PATH subway from Exchange Place in Jersey City to Manhattan or "you can take one of the many ferries across the Hudson and do some sightseeing while you commute.''

Bethel Park's Kristine Ritter Wilhelm takes advantage of the low fares on discount airlines like Southwest Airlines. No discount carriers fly directly from Pittsburgh to the New York airports, so she takes Southwest to Philadelphia, a 40-minute flight costing between $100 and $140 round-trip. Then she takes Amtrak from 30th Street Station to Manhattan's Penn Station, which costs an additional $45 to $110, depending on which train she chooses.

Another option is taking Amtrak all the way from Pittsburgh, a route favored by Amanda Kennedy, a public relations specialist at Chatham College who travels to New York three or four times a year to visit college friends.

"With the train I sit back, catch up on some reading, listen to music and enjoy the scenery. Taking the train from Downtown Pittsburgh also saves me the grueling trip to the airport.''

Finally, Stan Lubowicki, a former Pittsburgher who lives in Brooklyn, N.Y., visits here often by taking an overnight Greyhound bus that gets him to the 'Burgh early in the morning. "Unlike air travel," he wrote in an e-mail, "I generally get there a half-hour before departure and just purchase a ticket through automated kiosks.''

We decided to check out some of the ways to get to get to New York City on short notice, piecing together schedules and prices.

For purposes of our "Great Race," we assumed that two people are lucky enough to land last-minute tickets to a Broadway show, an opera at the Met or a big sporting event at Madison Square Garden. In the accompanying chart, we have detailed four basic travel options, as well as several alternatives. The total price is figured on two people traveling together, departing within three days, traveling on a Friday door to door from Downtown Pittsburgh to Times Square in Midtown Manhattan and returning the following Monday.

Caveats: Time estimates are only as good as the published schedules themselves and are not intended to be absolute guides. Significant delays can and do occur on all of these routes. Also, a variety of possible discounts (senior fares, military discounts, and AAA reductions) may reduce all of these ticket prices somewhat changing the calculations.

We hope it provides some guidance for those who are Broadway- bound.

Comparing ways to get to New York City

By plane

Several airlines fly directly to New York City airports: US Airways to LaGuardia and Newark Liberty International airports, Delta to John F. Kennedy International, and Continental to Newark. Beginning in April, American Airlines will offer four daily nonstops to LaGuardia. On June 30, low-fare carrier JetBlue Airways will begin offering four daily flights to JFK, with fares ranging from $64-129 each way, a move sure to lower fares on competing flights.

For this comparison, we looked at a US Airways flight to LaGuardia leaving Pittsburgh 9:15 a.m. Friday and arriving at 10:45 a.m. The return flight on Monday departs at 9:15 a.m. and lands here at 10:56. Round-trip flight time: three hours without delays, plus two hours total getting to and from the airport in each city (total four hours) and two hours clearing security on both ends.

Total travel time round trip:

Minimum of 9 hours

Costs:

2 walk-up fares at $806 each.....$1,612
Airport parking.....$20
Shuttle buses to and from LaGuardia.....$48
Total travel price for two.....$1,680

Alternatives:

1. US Airways E-saver (available on Wednesdays at $188 per person round trip). Depart Saturday morning and return as late as Tuesday evening.

2. Fly Southwest or US Airways round trip to Philadelphia (about 70 minutes each way; $198 per person round trip) and take a SEPTA rail transfer ($7 per person) from the airport:
To Philadelphia's 30th Street Station to catch Amtrak train to New York Penn Station (80 minutes each way; $75 per person round trip).
To 30th Street Station for a "Chinatown" Bus into NYC (21/2 hours each way; $25 per person round trip).
To Trenton, N.J., to connect with NJ Rail transfer to Penn Station (90 minutes each way; $50 per person round trip).

3. Drive to Akron, Ohio (2 hours), and fly AirTran to LaGuardia (about 90 minutes each way; $171 per person round trip).

By car

To speed your trip across Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York, get an EZ Pass to avoid the backup at tolls.

For Midtown destinations, take the Pennsylvania Turnpike to Harrisburg to I-278 to the New Jersey Turnpike to the Holland Tunnel. The trip is 375 miles and takes between 6 and 7 hours each way.

Total travel time round trip:

12 to 14 hours.

Cost:

750 miles (at the 44 cents per mile) allowed by IRS.....$330
Turnpike and tunnel tolls.....$50
Parking Midtown, $30 for 3 nights .....$90
Total drive cost.....$470

Alternatives:

1. Drive to Philadelphia or Trenton and take a train into Manhattan (Pennsylvania Turnpike toll: $35 round-trip).

2. Drive to North Jersey, stay at a less-expensive hotel in Newark, Jersey City or Hoboken, and take the PATH subway into Manhattan.

3. Drive to White Plains/Westchester, N.Y. area (400 miles and 7 hours each way), stay in a less-expensive hotel and take train into Grand Central (30 minutes each way; $14 per person round-trip).

By train

One train a day travels from Pittsburgh to New York, via Philadelphia.

The Pennsylvanian leaves Pittsburgh at 7:20 a.m. and arrives at 4:35 p.m. (9 hours, 15 minutes). The return leaves New York at 9:55 a.m. and arrives in Pittsburgh at 7:05 p.m. (9 hours, 10 minutes).

Add half an hour at the station before and after the train.

Total travel time round trip:

21 hours, 25 minutes.

Costs:

Amtrak fare (2 people) round trip @ $166.....$332
NYC transfers.....$20
Pittsburgh transfers.....$10
Total cost.....$362

Alternative:

Drive from Pittsburgh to Harrisburg (3 1/2 hours each way and $20 in tolls) and take frequent trains from there to New York (3 hours, 40 minutes each way and $130 per person round trip).

By bus

There are 11 daily departures direct from Pittsburgh to New York. We picked a bus that leaves Pittsburgh at 1:15 p.m. and arrives at New York's Port Authority at 8:35 p.m. (7 hours and 20 minutes).

The return leaves New York at 11:30 a.m. and arrives in Pittsburgh at 7:30 p.m. (8 hours). Allow half an hour at each terminal before each trip.

Total travel time round trip:

16 hours, 20 minutes.

Cost:

2 round-trip bus fares @ $102.....$204
Pittsburgh transfers .....$10
Total cost.....$214

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