In addition to taking the bus, another viable option for getting from Philadelphia to New York is to take the Amtrak (or its cheaper alternative, the New Jersey transit).  Generally speaking, Amtrak operates only 2 classes of trains for this route; the faster and more luxurious Acela, and everything else.  So don’t be confused by all the different names you see on the Amtrak website (such as the Northeast regional, Keystone, or Vermonter); except for the different stops, they are all identical.

Northeast Regional.jpg 

The first rule of thumb when taking Amtrak - keep your expectations low.  Just because America is technologically advanced doesn’t mean Amtrak is technologically advanced!  Amtrak’s passenger rail service has been losing money for years, and its equipments are in bad need of replacement.  If you expect to find train services on par with those from Japan, Germany, or France, you will be sorely disappointed.

Philadelphia Train Station.jpg  

Advantages of Amtrak include:

·         Comfort – the seats on the Amtrak are very comfortable; with good leg room, huge picture windows, power plugs in every seat, and plenty of storage space.

·         Frequency – varies from day to day, but generally no less than 30 trains per day.

·         No traffic jams – you don’t have to worry about traffic jams, which is always a concern for buses.

·         Time – the ride generally takes 1.5 hours to complete, which represents a 30 minute savings over the bus (assuming no delays).

·         Scenic ride – the route will take you through the backwoods of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, which is definitely more interesting than looking at concrete highway embankments.

Disadvantages of Amtrak include:

·         Price – even with discount, expect to pay more than 40 dollars for a one way ticket.  If you opt for the faster and more expensive Acela, be prepared to pay more than 100 dollars each way.

·         Punctuality – delays of 15 minutes or more are quite common.

Unless you are a businessman with a corporate account, or a tourist with money to burn, I really can’t in good conscience recommend Amtrak service to anyone.  It is comfortable and generally punctual (between Philly to NY), but it is just too expensive.  Instead of plunking down 40 dollars on the train, I will be much happier taking the 1 dollar Megabus, and spending the remaining 39 dollars on a fancy dinner or a nice show on Broadway.

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