Escape to New York for the Weekend

April 6, 2007

by Natalie Polito

By this time of the year, hopefully most Tufts students have gotten a chance to experience and explore Boston. Certainly not everyone makes it off campus every weekend, but there are many chances to explore the various neighborhoods of Boston and its surrounding suburbs. And with the warm weather quickly approaching, it’s the perfect time of year not only to get off campus, but to get out of Boston. Admittedly, Boston is an interesting and enjoyable city, but there are yet more cities in the northeast that are relatively close and equally (if not more) absorbing than Boston. For many, the first city in the northeast that comes to mind is New York, one of the most exciting places in the country. And with lots of transportation options and a close vicinity to Boston, it’s the perfect spring weekend getaway.

Getting There

There are several transportation options with various price ranges and drop-off locations. Starting with the least expensive, the infamous Chinatown bus, which traverses from Boston’s Chinatown to New York’s Chinatown on a fairly consistent schedule, costs only $15 for a one-way ticket. The Fung Wah Bus service departs on either the half hour or the hour every day from 6:30 am until 11:00 pm. The price is right with this bus service, but there are also a couple of drawbacks—the schedule doesn’t include arrival times, mostly because the arrival times are so erratic. It could take four hours to get to New York, or seven. Obviously, time is a factor for all bus services, but the Chinatown bus has a reputation for being slow and unpredictable with routes. Another drawback of this service is location of drop off. Boston’s Chinatown is easy enough to reach by the T, and very close to the center of the city, but New York’s Chinatown is in southern Manhattan, and if you’d rather be close to downtown, you’ll have to take public transportation upon arrival. However, if you’re going to NYU or Greenwich Village anyway, then the Chinatown bus is a more convenient option. And at $15 each way it’s a good option unless you’re on a timetable.

Another inexpensive option is Greyhound. If you buy tickets at least a week in advance online, you could pay only $20 for each way. If you buy them the day of or at South Station, they’re $30 each way, which is still reasonable. These buses depart from South Station, which is a little easier to get to than Chinatown, and it arrives at the Port Authority Station in New York, just blocks away from Times Square and connected to the Subway. So you don’t even have to go outside to get to public transportation, and you’re within walking distance of most downtown destinations. The only drawback of Greyhound is the issue of time. Greyhound is more reliable than the Chinatown bus, but with New York traffic, there’s always a risk that the bus will be behind schedule.

The fastest way to get to New York for the weekend is Amtrak. The train is rarely running behind schedule and it will almost always arrive in New York at its scheduled time. In addition, it is far more comfortable than a bus with cleaner restrooms and more room to stretch your legs. It conveniently goes from South Station to Penn Station, but Port Authority is just as convenient as Penn Station. And Amtrak is far more expensive than a bus service—prices can go as low as $58 for one way, but can reach as high as $118. At that rate, it’s cheaper to fly. At that rate, it’s also cheaper to take the LimoLiner, which takes passengers from the Back Bay Hilton to the Hilton New York for $79. This service includes unlimited wireless Internet, guaranteed cell phone reception, and workstations. Again, the only drawback here is that traffic could delay arrival, so travelers must plan accordingly.

Once You’re There

Regardless of where your initial transportation drops you off, you’ll probably want to take public transportation at some point. Download a map of the Subway before you go, but it’s pretty self-explanatory once you understand the routes. In terms of lodging, if you’re not staying with a friend at a school in New York, there are several safe, clean, and inexpensive hostels for students. Hostelworld.com is a good source for finding and reserving beds, some of which cost only $18 per night.

If it’s possible, leave on a Friday afternoon, because Saturday morning routes tend to be busier and more expensive (in the case of Amtrak). The end of the year is quickly approaching—take a weekend to explore an amazing city!