White Plains, NY via Amtrak?

Greetings Gang:

I've got to hit the rails again. This time it is a day trip to White Plains, NY. The client is walking distance from the train station in White Plains. However I'm having a difficult time trying to build a trip there.

As near as I can tell, the only railroad that services White Plains is The Metro North Commuter Line and that service is from Grand Central Terminal. Amtrak uses Pennsylvania Station.

Does anybody know of a connection to White Plains from NY Penn or Stamford, CT or any other place where Amtrak interfaces with a train that services White Plains?

In the event that I need to change stations in New York, is this an easy walk or should I think about hiring a cab?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Rick

Rick,

There is no direct easy way to connect Amtrak with White Plains. NY's Penn Station is at 32nd - 33rd Streets and 7th Avenue. Grand Central is at 42nd Street and Park Avenue. That's a 10 block walk north and a 4 avenue walk east. One ave = two city blocks. So if you come all the way in, then probably the best thing would be to take either a cab or the subway, although that would require two trains.

Probably the most viable and easiest would be Amtrak to Stamford. From Stamford, catch a Metro North train southbound. You can either go all the way into GCT and then back out on a Harlem line train to White Plains or you could transfer at Fordham station in the Bronx. Transferring there might shave a few minutes off of your trip and it might also be a little cheaper.

Metro North actually advises going all the way to GCT, or perhaps considering a transfer at 125th Street, rather than Fordham. You can find schedules and fare info for Metro North here.

AlanB said:

Metro North actually advises going all the way to GCT, or perhaps considering a transfer at 125th Street, rather than Fordham. You can find schedules and fare info for Metro North here.

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AS I live in the hear of White Plains the easiest thing for you to do is to take Amtrak to Stamford. At Stamford take a Metro-North local to Mamaroneck, 15 minutes on the train. Then at Mamaroneck take a taxi to White Plains. The taxi is about 10 minutes up one road. IT is very easy!! I hioe this helps.

Cincytrains said:

AlanB said:

Metro North actually advises going all the way to GCT, or perhaps considering a transfer at 125th Street, rather than Fordham. You can find schedules and fare info for Metro North here.

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AS I live in the hear of White Plains the easiest thing for you to do is to take Amtrak to Stamford. At Stamford take a Metro-North local to Mamaroneck, 15 minutes on the train. Then at Mamaroneck take a taxi to White Plains. The taxi is about 10 minutes up one road. IT is very easy!! I hioe this helps.

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Now this is an interesting idea. If I may ask, why Mamaroneck instead of say Port Chester, Rye or Harrison, NY?

Rick

I guess I said Mamaroneck as I use it alot as it is close to the south end of White Plains. Actually Rye would be just as good as the station is right at the entrance to 287 and a taxi could get you to downtown White Plains in less than 10. And there always alot of taxi's there. I do train watching there so I see them all the time. P.C. and Harrison are close but it would be on city streets .

You could also consider taking Amtrak straight to New Rochelle, since Amtrak stops there. Then there is no need to transfer to a Metro North train. That stop is also right on I-95, making a taxi ride quick and easy to White Plains. It is a bit further away, which might drive up the price, but then one wouldn't be paying Metro North anything either.

Additionally, if you like, you can also take a BeeLine bus from the New Rochelle station, the number 60. One could also catch the #13 from the Port Chester station.

AlanB said:

You could also consider taking Amtrak straight to New Rochelle, since Amtrak stops there. Then there is no need to transfer to a Metro North train. That stop is also right on I-95, making a taxi ride quick and easy to White Plains. It is a bit further away, which might drive up the price, but then one wouldn't be paying Metro North anything either.
Additionally, if you like, you can also take a BeeLine bus from the New Rochelle station, the number 60. One could also catch the #13 from the Port Chester station.

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There is some kind of express bus from the Stamford train station to the White Plains train station. Called something like the I-connect. I've never taken it but I always see it there. I believe it's non-stop.

Guest said:

AlanB said:

You could also consider taking Amtrak straight to New Rochelle, since Amtrak stops there. Then there is no need to transfer to a Metro North train. That stop is also right on I-95, making a taxi ride quick and easy to White Plains. It is a bit further away, which might drive up the price, but then one wouldn't be paying Metro North anything either.

Additionally, if you like, you can also take a BeeLine bus from the New Rochelle station, the number 60. One could also catch the #13 from the Port Chester station.

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There is some kind of express bus from the Stamford train station to the White Plains train station. Called something like the I-connect. I've never taken it but I always see it there. I believe it's non-stop.

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That would be I Bus Express, which runs from Stamford to White Plains and would provide yet another option. It costs $2.50 one way, $5.00 round trip and seems to make stops in Stamford, Greenwich, and White Plains. At both ends it does stop at the train station, as well as making a few other stops within the city to provide better door to door service. In Greenwich, it mainly seems to stop only at the MN train station.

The total run time seems to be about half an hour, but that would be traffic dependent.

OK! I like the I Bus express. I was looking at using New Rochelle, but service on the coast route to New Rochelle is very limited. Service from Springfield to New Rochelle is better, but not as frequent as on the coast route to Stamford.

The trip is on Monday. I'll let y'all know how it goes. Thanks for the help.

Rick

Train tickets are booked. Based on the information on the information here, I booked two one way tickets.

I'm out on Train #95 in the back arriving in Stamford, CT at about 9:30. The 9:50 am I-Bus will get me to my client by 10:25.

Im planning to leave the client on the 12:02 pm I-Bus and booked out on the Acela #2155 in first, getting me back to Boston 128 by 3:30, and home by 5:00 pm.

Parking at 128 for one day (14 hours) is $3.00 so I'll drve there. Its MUCH cheaper than South Station.

Quesiton for the Board: Can I expect a meal in first on the Acela boaring at Stamford at 12:45 pm?

Rick

rmgreenesq said:

Quesiton for the Board: Can I expect a meal in first on the Acela boaring at Stamford at 12:45 pm?

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Absolutely, you'll get lunch served to you in First Class. Lunch is typically a sandwich choice and a salad choice, with a cup of hot soup if you like. A chocolate square will finish things off. Plus of course you'll get free coffee, tea, soda, water, even booze. Of course you might want to go easy on the later since you'll still have to drive home.

They'll even serve you a meal on shorter rides, like the 90 minutes NYP to PHL, or New Haven to New York.

I'm back from my adventure to White Plains, NY. Thanks to guest and AlanB, the trip was uneventful. I upgraded myself off #95 to the 5:30 am Acela down to Stamford. That train might best be described as the Crackberry Express. The train filled up in New Haven and everybody on that train (including me) was working the chicklet keys of their crackberries.

The I-Bus was perfect. The client was a two block walk from the Galleria, and a four block walk to the White Plains Station. Thank you Guest.

I wasn't all that impressed with the service in Acela's first class cabin. When I boarded, I boarded through the front of the train and walked back to the first class car. When I arrived I was greeted by a surley obese female car attendant informing me that this was first class with the implied tone that non-coat and tie wearing riff-raff like me don't belong here. I acted like I didn't hear her and took one of the many empty seats. She followed me, asked for my ticket, and I handed it over. Then shoved my ticket in the loop on my seat and begrudingly asked for my drink order.

The food was airline quality. Soup, Ham Sandwich, Chips, and chocolate square. I've eaten this meal in NWA's first class cabin before. I shouldnt be surprised by the food. I noticed on the way into the car that Gate Gormet, an airline food catering company, was supplying the food.

Once my tray had been taken (around New Haven) the car attendants disappeared behind the curtain, never to be seen in the aisle again.

The conductor and assistant conductor must have been Boston based. They were the the same two from the 5:30 am crackberry express.

If I'm spending my own money, I'll think I'll stick to Acela Business. I'm begining to think that the best deal in accomodation on the NEC is the Regional Business. Lower price, no airline food, all the diet pepsi you can drink and no surley attendants.

Next trip for this client is to Dobbs Ferry, NY. I've got a few months to figure this one out.

Rick

rmgreenesq said:

I wasn't all that impressed with the service in Acela's first class cabin. When I boarded, I boarded through the front of the train and walked back to the first class car. When I arrived I was greeted by a surley obese female car attendant informing me that this was first class with the implied tone that non-coat and tie wearing riff-raff like me don't belong here. I acted like I didn't hear her and took one of the many empty seats. She followed me, asked for my ticket, and I handed it over. Then shoved my ticket in the loop on my seat and begrudingly asked for my drink order.

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They do try to encourage everyone to board the first class car from the outside as it's just easier. And they do get a lot of people who do wander back not realizing that it is a special car, not to mention that you are walking through the kitchen in effect which does both hamper them and could be dangerous with hot food.

That said, there is no reason that she couldn't have addressed you with some courtesy and respect. And that is precisely what she should have done!

rmgreenesq said:

The food was airline quality. Soup, Ham Sandwich, Chips, and chocolate square. I've eaten this meal in NWA's first class cabin before. I shouldnt be surprised by the food. I noticed on the way into the car that Gate Gormet, an airline food catering company, was supplying the food.

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I did warn you. Actually diner is the best meal served and breakfasst is better than lunch IMHO. Lunch used be much better prior to the brake problems on Acela, which saw the loss of hot food completely for a while. I think that the total loss of hot food was done in large part to break the contract that they did have, as they were paying way to much. Might also have been done cut back on the amount of crew members that used to be assigned also.

When hot food did finally return, it didn't come back to it's previous level, but it is nonetheless an improvement over that period of time when there was no hot food at all.

rmgreenesq said:

Once my tray had been taken (around New Haven) the car attendants disappeared behind the curtain, never to be seen in the aisle again.

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Sadly another all to common problem with certain crews. When they do that, I'll walk up and ask for what I want and then immediately turn around and walk back to my seat forcing them to serve it to me. And they don't get a tip from me either. On the other hand, there are crews that will wear out the carpet taking care of their charges and ensuring that every whim that they can cater to, is catered to. It just seems to be luck of the draw and sadly the good ones never seem to wear off on the bad ones.

I even seen one attendant that I've had on more than one occasion who was very attentative, basically squashed by the LSA. She tried hard to be herself and helpful, but you could clearly see that she was trying to hide it from the LSA so as to not anger him. Very sad that she had to do that.

rmgreenesq said:

I wasn't all that impressed with the service in Acela's first class cabin. When I boarded, I boarded through the front of the train and walked back to the first class car. When I arrived I was greeted by a surley obese female car attendant informing me that this was first class with the implied tone that non-coat and tie wearing riff-raff like me don't belong here. I acted like I didn't hear her and took one of the many empty seats. She followed me, asked for my ticket, and I handed it over. Then shoved my ticket in the loop on my seat and begrudingly asked for my drink order.
The food was airline quality. Soup, Ham Sandwich, Chips, and chocolate square. I've eaten this meal in NWA's first class cabin before. I shouldnt be surprised by the food. I noticed on the way into the car that Gate Gormet, an airline food catering company, was supplying the food.

Once my tray had been taken (around New Haven) the car attendants disappeared behind the curtain, never to be seen in the aisle again.

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Rick,

This irritates me. I could *almost* understand it, if this happened on a no-name Regional; but to have it happen in First Class on what some view as Amtrak's Saviour downright annoys me. I think you need a MLRS "spill" on this car attendant.

Call 1-800-USA-RAIL. When Julie asks, say "Agent." When you reach a human, ask for "Customer Relations." Read them the first paragraph I've quoted from your post, and politely add that you expect better service than that in First Class. Tell the customer relations person that you've been away from Amtrak for some time, but recently, you've decided to attempt to work Amtrak into your business travel plans, and expect certain things to happen. For all I know -- after all, you've told us you're a lawyer -- you might get a voucher for future travel or something. But go into the phone call expecting nothing more than polite thanks.

Calling Amtrak Customer Relations on these types is the only way we stand a chance of getting rid of that breed of car attendant. If enough people do it, the culture will change.

Sam Damon said:

Rick,
This irritates me. I could *almost* understand it, if this happened on a no-name Regional; but to have it happen in First Class on what some view as Amtrak's Saviour downright annoys me. I think you need a MLRS "spill" on this car attendant.

Call 1-800-USA-RAIL. When Julie asks, say "Agent." When you reach a human, ask for "Customer Relations." Read them the first paragraph I've quoted from your post, and politely add that you expect better service than that in First Class. Tell the customer relations person that you've been away from Amtrak for some time, but recently, you've decided to attempt to work Amtrak into your business travel plans, and expect certain things to happen. For all I know -- after all, you've told us you're a lawyer -- you might get a voucher for future travel or something. But go into the phone call expecting nothing more than polite thanks.

Calling Amtrak Customer Relations on these types is the only way we stand a chance of getting rid of that breed of car attendant. If enough people do it, the culture will change.

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Sam:

I'm a pen and ink kinda guy. Normally when I travel and encounter very good or very bad service, I take the time to put a pen to paper and write a letter to the corporate headquarters to tell them. I think I'm going to put my thoughts about Amtrak's experience on my firms letterhead and type it.

Having worked in a service industry catering to the general public, I know the power of a letter. Letters are easeir to forward to line managers to become attaboys/attagirls or whipping posts. Letters linger in personnell files easier and longer than phone calls do. And letters are usually replied to in kind.

I've been traveling for business for going on five years. Airlines target folks like me and my ilk. I'm used to free upgrades to first class (I paid $57 for the privledge on this train) bonus miles on bonus miles, easy award availability, free lounge access, etc. Maybe becasue the airlines are scraping like junkyard dogs for my money (and amtrak isnt) that I'm being treated so well by the airlines.

I just find it amazing that the first interaction I had with the car attendant would be so rude. I'm sure ten to twenty people a day wander into the first class car that don't belong. But to treat one that does belong (me) badly makes me think twice before parting with an additional $57 the next time I need to go to Stamford.

Don't get me wrong. I've seen airline coach passengers attempt to "self-upgrade" before. And the flight attendants very nicely ask the person to move. But they don't challenge me because I have managed to follow instrucitons and sit in the proper cabin. Maybe this is easier to police on a plane, with a fixed manifest, fixed departure and fixed arrival point. Maybe Amtrak car attendants should be a bit nicer to all of the passengers that enter the first class car, even if 90% of them are there becasue they have demonstrated their inability to read.

I'll let y'all know what Amtrak says about this.

Rick

rmgreenesq said:

Next trip for this client is to Dobbs Ferry, NY. I've got a few months to figure this one out.

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Rick,

This one won't be quite as easy as White Plains was. I see you with 4 possible options and all but one will definately require two transfers. The first option that I'll list is the only one that would involve only one transfer, assuming that you can coordinate the proper Amtrak trains. Note: Where I just say "Amtrak" you'd have the choice of riding either a regional or an Acela, otherwise I specify the exact service that you'd need to ride. Also be aware that these schedules could change depending on just when you eventually make this trip.

1) Amtrak regional to New Rochelle, transfer there to BeeLine bus #66 to Dobbs Ferry.

2) Amtrak to Penn Station, NY; transfer to Amtrak Empire corridor train to Yonkers, NY; transfer to Metro North Hudson Line train to Dobbs Ferry.

3) Amtrak to Stamford, CT; transfer to Metro North New Haven line to either 125th Street or GCT; transfer to Metro North Hudson Line train to Dobbs Ferry.

4) Amtrak to Stamford, CT; transfer to I-Bus to White Plains, NY; transfer to BeeLine bus #6 to Dobbs Ferry.

Thanks for the input, Alan. I was considering option #2. It seems to have the least amount of hassle and the most number of AGR points. Its just a shame that there is no better service from Yonkers to Boston via Albany. The Boston Extension of the Lakeshore Ltd. (stopping in Worcester) runs once a day and can't connect to service to NYP.

Anyway, this trip is still a few months off. I'm working up a return to Florida (Miami this time), Bristol, TN/VA, and Minneapolis.

Rick

rmgreenesq said:

Thanks for the input, Alan. I was considering option #2. It seems to have the least amount of hassle and the most number of AGR points.

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Of course, option #2 probably has more time on the train!

rmgreenesq said:

Its just a shame that there is no better service from Yonkers to Boston via Albany. The Boston Extension of the Lakeshore Ltd. (stopping in Worcester) runs once a day and can't connect to service to NYP.

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Well if the State of NY ever gets its act together and decides on the correct option to deal with the Tappenze Bridge, then there would be a better way, although still a non-Amtrak way. The correct plan is the one that replaces the existing bridge with a new one and includes tracks on the bridge for a line that would run from Port Chester thru White Plains and over the bridge into Rockland County. This line would connect all of the existing Metro North lines on both sides of the Hudson creating transfer points between them in the middle of Westchester county.

This line would connect all of the existing Metro North lines on both sides of the Hudson creating transfer points between them in the middle of Westchester county.

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That's going to be a wild transfer station where the Hudson Line passes under the Tappan Zee Bridge. The new line up on the bridge, and the Hudson Line at ground level alongside the river, will be at two very different altitudes. Think of the long elevator ride up to the bridge!

AlanB said:

rmgreenesq said:

Its just a shame that there is no better service from Yonkers to Boston via Albany. The Boston Extension of the Lakeshore Ltd. (stopping in Worcester) runs once a day and can't connect to service to NYP.

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Well if the State of NY ever gets its act together and decides on the correct option to deal with the Tappenze Bridge, then there would be a better way, although still a non-Amtrak way. The correct plan is the one that replaces the existing bridge with a new one and includes tracks on the bridge for a line that would run from Port Chester thru White Plains and over the bridge into Rockland County. This line would connect all of the existing Metro North lines on both sides of the Hudson creating transfer points between them in the middle of Westchester county.

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This seems like it's not going to happen any time soon: the feasibility study was not very favorable of the White-Plains Stamford connection. Slightly more favorable to crossing the Hudson. http://www.mta.nyc.ny.us/mta/planning/ths/...udson_study.htm

There is another option on how to get to Dobbs Ferry. Amtrak to Penn Station then NYC subway to Grand Central then a Metro-North Hudson Line train right to Dobbs Ferry.

Cincytrains said:

There is another option on how to get to Dobbs Ferry. Amtrak to Penn Station then NYC subway to Grand Central then a Metro-North Hudson Line train right to Dobbs Ferry.

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That is indeed an option, but one that adds yet another transfer, bringing the total to 3 transfers needed, whereas all the other options require only 1 or 2 transfers. I count transfer as Rick's needing to get off of a train and/or bus and switch to another. While the subway offers a free transfer, one still must ride two trains to get from NYP to GCT.

AlanB said:

Cincytrains said:

There is another option on how to get to Dobbs Ferry. Amtrak to Penn Station then NYC subway to Grand Central then a Metro-North Hudson Line train right to Dobbs Ferry.

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That is indeed an option, but one that adds yet another transfer, bringing the total to 3 transfers needed, whereas all the other options require only 1 or 2 transfers. I count transfer as Rick's needing to get off of a train and/or bus and switch to another. While the subway offers a free transfer, one still must ride two trains to get from NYP to GCT.

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Without luggage, the walk from NYP to GCT is really quite reasonable.