Options Going from the Cardinal to Adirondack

[andersone]

Planning a trip for 2016 ....

Want to take the Cardinal to catch the Adirondack (end eventually Halifax via VIA) and it looks like it will require an overnight in NYC

I hate NYC

I noticed that the Adirondack connects to 150/10 with mutual Cardinal stops like Wilmington, Trenton and Newark - surely any of these have to be more pleasant venues for an overnight than NYC.

What sayeth my dear friends on AU?

Your sage advice is appreciated in advance

 

[Joeker]

I won't get into reasons why you hate New York, but it has infinitely more variety than the aforementioned Newark Trenton and Wilmington, none of which I would willingly want to overnight in, but if you must there is a Hilton hotel adjacent to Newark Penn Station. Also, Washington DC would be an option and also Baltimore.

Wilmington DE has a Doubletree Hilton a couple of blocks from the station and who knows you may bump into Joe Biden there.

 

[jis]

Newark NJ more pleasant than New York. I think I have heard everything now If anything Trenton is even worse.

But as far as overnighting goes, as mentioned above, there is the Newark Hilton attached to Newark Penn Station.connected by an exclusive walkway. And there are scads of cheaper hotels around Newark Airport reachable easily by NJ Transit, though who knows when the Cardinal will actually get to Newark, and what actually will still be running then?

 

[Bob Dylan]

Yep, Corey Booker and the Fat Man might disagree, but even in its glory days Newark never could hold a candle to the Apple!

You can find some good deals on Hotels around Penn Station, and its just a place to spend a short night before the Adirondack rolls out @ 8:15am headed up the Hudson for Montreal!

Rush hours into the City are crazy, it's nice to be within walking distance of NYP after having a nice Breakfast, and then catch your train! EZ-PZE!

 

[the_traveler]

If you don't mind a long night, the Cardinal arrives on time :giggle: into WAS about 6 pm. Union Station is open all night, and there is a train that leaves at 3:xx am that connects in NYP to the Adirondack. No hotel required!

 

[andersone]

It's a personal thing,, as a young man I got rolled and cant' get over the memory,,,,, where I live I struggle to remember to take the keys out of the car when I go to Walmart...... She Who Must Be Obeyed is not prone to an all nighter in DC Union,,,, I am smarter than that,,,,

so within walking distance of Penn? (I have been there many times) I would check the bags all the way through so I wouldn't need to mess with them,,, its not even going to be a day,, you folks are starting to talk me into this,,,,,,,,,

 

[peconicstation]

I would check the bags all the way through so I wouldn't need to mess with them,,, its not even going to be a day,, you folks are starting to talk me into this,,,,,,,,,

Keep in mind that the Adirondack has no checked baggage, it is a limited service train.

Staying near Penn the night before makes the most sense as you want to be there early for the pre-board.

Passengers riding through to Canada are boarded as their own group, and your carry on luggage is marked as such.

Ken

 

[andersone]

no checked bags on the Adirondack? I forgot to check that detail,,,,,,,

I am used to two and two,,,, hate to leave the photo gear at home,,,,

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

Is Philadelphia a possibility for you? It looks like Train 150 leaves there just after 5:00 a.m.--that would be my only concern--that the "connecting" train is late and doesn't connect.

Please, do not, under any circumstances, stay overnight in Trenton. The city itself is rundown and not safe, and the station can feel very uncomfortable except during commuter rush hours or regular daytime hours.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Please, do not, under any circumstances, stay overnight in Trenton. The city itself is rundown and not safe, and the station can feel very uncomfortable except during commuter rush hours or regular daytime hours.

Maybe the Governor's Mansion is available since the current occupant doesn't seem be in Jersey much?

Good way to raise some revenue for the State without raising taxes! Rent out rooms in the Mansion! LOL

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

Jim, NJ governor's mansion is in Princeton, not Trenton. Princeton would be perfect to stay in, except that they stopped most Amtrak service to it years ago (which is worthy of another thread at some point). There is an old story that North Jersey and South Jersey at one point tried to split into two states, because they are so different. But both sides wanted Princeton, and neither side wanted Trenton, so the whole thing fell through.

andersone--I am sorry, I did not mean to leave your original topic, and others will have more good ideas for you--just remember, do not stay in Trenton!

 

[jis]

OTOH, New York is easy to get to from Princeton Jct. There is at least hourly service from very very early morning to very very late night. Of course not Amtrak, but way cheaper. but no AGR points alas.

If one does not mind using NJT then New Brunswick has a very nice hotel or two walking distance from the station. Metropark has at least one hotel walking distance from the station. newark Airport has a whole gaggle of hotels accessible by shuttle from the airport.

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

jis--I think the problem is that, if you're going to Princeton Junction on NJT, you still have to get off Amtrak at TRE and switch to NJT. I have to switch trains there during regular commuter hours, but I would never do it as late as the Cardinal (even if it's on time) arrives. And, frankly, even as nice as it might be to stay in Princeton overnight, it would be a waste of money for such a short time there and no time to sightsee, as is andersone's situation.

 

[jis]

jis--I think the problem is that, if you're going to Princeton Junction on NJT, you still have to get off Amtrak at TRE and switch to NJT. I have to switch trains there during regular commuter hours, but I would never do it as late as the Cardinal (even if it's on time) arrives. And, frankly, even as nice as it might be to stay in Princeton overnight, it would be a waste of money for such a short time there and no time to sightsee, as is andersone's situation.

If I was coming on the Cardinal and needing to catch the Adirondack, and had a lack of desire to stay in New York in a hotel close by Penn Stati0n there, I'd probably opt for Hilton Downtown by Newark Penn Station. You can walk to it on an overbridge most of the day. But at night you'd probably have to exit onto the road that is the taxi stand and walk across it to the main entrance of the hotel. Should not be any problem.

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

If I was coming on the Cardinal and needing to catch the Adirondack, and had a lack of desire to stay in New York in a hotel close by Penn Stati0n there, I'd probably opt for Hilton Downtown by Newark Penn Station. You can walk to it on an overbridge most of the day. But at night you'd probably have to exit onto the road that is the taxi stand and walk across it to the main entrance of the hotel. Should not be any problem.

andersone, I think jis has the perfect solution here.

jis--you mean the one named Hilton Newark Penn Station? I googled it, and even I, with no sense of direction, would be able to see that hotel from the station and walk to it.

Also, there should be several transit options in the morning to get to the Adirondack connection. I have never been to Newark, so others will know more about that.

 

[jis]

Yes, that one. I have stayed there on occasions for exactly similar situations.

Yes, there are scads of NJT trains early in the morning from Newark to new York. Both NEC and NJCL trains stop at Newark on the way to New York. And they are way way cheaper than Amtrak, by like a factor of somewhere between 5 and 10 depending....

 

[mlhughes0522]

Planning a trip for 2016 ....

Want to take the Cardinal to catch the Adirondack (end eventually Halifax via VIA) and it looks like it will require an overnight in NYC

I hate NYC

I noticed that the Adirondack connects to 150/10 with mutual Cardinal stops like Wilmington, Trenton and Newark - surely any of these have to be more pleasant venues for an overnight than NYC.

What sayeth my dear friends on AU?

Your sage advice is appreciated in advance

Hey NYP is 24hours station so u might not need to stay at hotel. & if ur in first class-sleepers/business u get can go to the lounge at the station. Where r u get on at Cardinal?

 

[The Davy Crockett]

Maybe you could look at staying in The Big Apple as a healing/growth experience?

I've spent a good amount of time there since it emerged from being the New World's version of Sodom and Gomorrah after the then mayor used fire and brimstone to clean the place up and I've had no problems and felt very comfortable there - more so than my neighbor to the north - DC. But just avoid Times Square. The current mayor claims that vice has taken root on the pedestrian plazas there. He is threatening to intervene and do away with the plazas, so maybe the 'painted ladies' will be vanquished by the time you are there and it will be safe to keep an eye on what is going on behind you.

Another thought: If you have another day- take #50 to DC, spend the night, catch a regional or an AE to NYP and take the Ethan Allen to Saratoga Springs, spend the night, and then catch the Adirondack.