Passenger Trains > NY Times -- Amtrak Takes NEC Riders From AIrlines

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/16/business/hassles-of-air-travel-push-passengers-to-amtrak.html?_r=1&hp

This is one route where you have to be crazy to even consider flying. I figured that out 30+ years ago when I was in NYC a lot and had numerous trips to DC. The Metroliners weren't all that slower on an elapsed time basis and you didn't have the wonderful experience of taxi or limo service from Wall St. to LGA. Not to mention a much more pleasant experience than the Eastern Shuttle.

Interesting to see George Hamlin quoted in the article. A railfan, author and great photographer, of both trains and airliners, as well as a very well-known consultant on all things commercial aviation.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/15/12 10:11 by masterphots.

Absolutely true in the NY to DC corridor.

The comparison is skewed a bit more toward airlines in situations where the origins/destinations are outside the downtown/midtown areas.

Greenwich CT or Florham Park NJ to Rockville MD or Vienna VA (suburb to suburb) probably tilts toward air, for elapsed time.

I live outside Philadelphia. I usually take the train to Washington (I commute weekly), but my next-door neighbor, who frequently goes to the DC area for business, always flies to Dulles because his company HQ is in Reston -- close to IAD but a 30-mile drive in heavy traffic from the center of Washington. I, on the other hand, work on Capitol Hill a few blocks from the station.

So a lot depends on where you're starting from and going to. From Stanford or anywhere in Fairfield County, CT, a flight from White Plains would probably be faster than the train. From North Jersey, not so much because of train stations at Newark and Metropark. But PHL to BOS by train is a five-hour marathon even on Acela Express. The plane takes an hour and a half, and even delays and security won't overcome that.