Traveling from Boston/NYC (La Guardia) to New Haven

[SwordMaiden]

If my family and I are booking a flight to La Guardia (NYC), what's the best way to get to New Haven from the airport? Train, cab, car?

Or if we decide to book a flight to Boston instead, is it easier to take a greyhound, Amtrak, or just drive to New Haven?

How long would either drive(s) be?

Thanks!

[momsworried]

I think there is a shuttle from the Airport to Grand Central Terminal to catch a train to New Haven (either Metro-North or Amtrak). From Boston Logan Airport, you can take Amtrak to New Haven. It will be a much longer trip and more expensive.

[Brave Ulysses]

LGA much closer to new haven than boston logan , closer airport would be Hartford or Westchester airport.

As far as ground transportation , public transport to New haven from LGA will be difficult , taxi or car service out of town , expensive , best bet would be to rent a car and drive.

[momsworried]

SwordMaiden- not sure where you are from but driving from LGA to New Haven can be a nightmare on Interstate 95 if you are coming during rush hour. If driving doesn't appeal to you, definitely check out the shuttle to the train. If you can fly into Hartford, then driving is the best option.

[QuantMech]

I'd also recommend renting a car at the airport and returning it to the airport when you're flying back. Hartford, CT is the most convenient airport for New Haven, if that's your only destination on the trip.

As mentioned by others, traffic on I-95 can be very bad during rush hour. I've driven around Los Angeles and San Francisco and think that the traffic between NYC and New Haven is actually worse than either of those. The afternoon rush hour seems to extend from about 4 pm to about 7 pm. During that time, we have spent three hours to go about 40 miles on I-95. Literally! I am not making this up! Occasionally the traffic was completely standing still. We tried a side road (through Darien, CT) on one trip, and it was no help. However, if you wait until 7 or 7:30, I-95 becomes clear sailing--traffic moving at the speed limit (and up). I'm not sure about the morning rush hour.

(I posted a thread about this on the Yale board, and some of the local people seemed to think that the traffic wasn't that bad--there were comments about going 35 seeming like it's crawling, etc. But I was looking at the speedometer! and clocking the miles, also!)

Really, it's all in the timing--last few trips have been no hassle at all, because we learned that lesson.

If you are staying overnight, PM me about motels/hotels.

[worknprogress]

From New York, you can go to Grand Central and take the Metro (more stops a little slower) to New Haven or to go to Penn Station and take Amtrak. I think it takes about 2 hours by train.

From Boston, I think the trip was about an hour.

If you want restaurant info PM me. We love New Haven restaurants.

[jonri]

Connecticut Limo

It does regular runs from LGA to New Haven. It's what many Yalies flying in to LGA take. You do have to make a reservation.

If more than one person is traveling, make sure you check the COMPANION FARES.

I assume your child isn't enrolled in Yale, but if one is, mention that. With Yale ID you get a discount.

[siliconvalleymom]

We used Connecticut Limo last summer both ways. It was far cheaper than renting a car and we felt that we would not need a car in New Haven.
The bummer is that on the way back, the shuttle stopped at least four more times after picking us up, then stopped at LaGuardia before dropping us off at JFK.

[Consolation]

I think that worknprogress more or less has the trip durations reversed. The trip from NYC is shorter. The easiest thing is to just go to the web sites for Metro North and Amtrak and look up the fares and times: there are variations in both.

I concur with those who say that Westchester or Hartford airports plus a rental car would be significantly more convenient. If you don't want to rent a car, LaGuardia plus the train is the way to go. I would recommend shuttle to Grand Central plus Metro North *express* train. Amtrak tends to be comparatively expensive.

I'm usually an advocate of taking the train, but if you are going to be hauling a lot of stuff, or if a number of people are traveling, perhaps not. Also, if you are going to need to get around the New Haven area to buy bulky stuff--bedding, for example--or just to sight-see in the area, you might want to have a car. In that case, Hartford is the way to go.

PS: I used to take the CT Limo a lot. It can be pricey, and it can require leaving WAY in advance to get to the airport on time. But it is a pretty good alternative service. Just make sure about the reservations.

[worknprogress]

Consolation - I don't know what I was thinking when I posted about the boston-new haven. We only did that one time and it seemed to go pretty quickly. Your right, it is longer.

NYC to New Haven can be anywhere from an hour and a half to an hour and 45 minutes. We use the train frequently to go from our home to New Haven and I tend to think of that portion as two hours so I am in a good mood when I arrive

[dmd77]

Seriously consider flying into Hartford. Hartford to New Haven is less than an hour by train. And the Hartford airport is lovely.

Amtrak Routes and Schedules

[QuantMech]

If you don't mind being without a car, Connecticut Limo has been fine in our experience. If you're staying overnight, though, that would restrict your choice of hotel. We've generally found good places not too many miles from New Haven; and (at least where we looked) the hotel savings more than compensated for car costs. But a lot depends on your preferences. Parking in New Haven is expensive (by our local standards), but we haven't had a problem finding a spot, sometimes in a ramp.

[SwordMaiden]

Thanks for all the suggestions, everyone. But I have a few more questions.

I'm actually an incoming Yale freshman, and my family will be coming for a 3 night stay in New Haven as I move in. Will we need a car for that weekend to help move stuff in (eg. we buy stuff at Wal-Mart and need to haul it back). Is the local bus system good enough, if there is one?

[thumper1]

>>Hartford to New Haven is less than an hour by train.>>

Flying into Bradley Airport (Hartford Springfield) would be good...but it will be more costly than flying into the major airports in Boston or NYC. Also, there isn't a train station IN the airport...you have to get to it (requires a taxi ride).

I agree that CT Limo is a good choice. Alternately, you could take public transport into either Penn Station (Amtrak) or Grand Central (Metro North) so that you could take the train. Metro North is less than 1/2 the price of Amtrak.

[NewHope33]

Sword - Congrats on your acceptance at Yale! And now, about getting there ....

There is an airport just east of New Haven. It's lightly utilized and plane tickets can be absurdly priced. It's much cheaper to fly into Hartford or Providence and then rent a car. Airports in Boston, New York, NJ (i.e. Newark) and Philadelphia can be cheaper still. But getting from the Metro NYC area to Yale with baggage is a burden, no question about it. IMHO, MOST people traveling with multiple suitcases would opt for either a rental car or Connecticut Limosine. (The latter will require a short taxi ride from the New Haven terminal to Yale.) I'd opt for the rental car myself, since you'll have family members along, and wait out the rush hour traffic. Better yet, I'd fly into Hartford or Providence airports and rent a car. Whichever choice you make you'll arrive on campus just fine, probably in the company of several other incoming Yale freshmen! And with time you'll become familiar with local transportation jargon --- like Bradley, the Van Wyck, the Whitestone, the GW, the Q, the Hutchinson, the Parkway, the Milford crossover, Amtrak, Metro North, Penn Central, Grand Central, etc. Have fun with it!!!