<p>My daughter wanst to drive to NYC from the Syracuse area. Is there somewhere in New Jersey or New York where she could leave the car for the weekend (Thursday-Sunday) and take a train into the city? I did not know if any of the Amtrak stations had weekend parking, or if there was a better place to leave the car. She could also park and take a cab if need be; whatever would be the cheapest and the easiest. </p>
<p>If it is too involved, she will just take Amtrak the whole way and not drive; I just wondered if driving would be better for her as the train times aren’t the best. If she drove, she could leave at a time that fits her schedule.</p>
<p>Suburban stations aren’t Amtrak–they are either Metro North or NJ Transit–and are unlikely to allow overnight parking. Farther-out stations aren’t that close to the city, so sort of negate the point of driving part way. And weekday parking at any station within commuting distance is usually by permit–or when pay-by-the day very competitive and hard to come by even if you can park overnight.</p>
<p>I think taking the train all the way probably makes the most sense, or else drive all the way into the city and pay for a garage. Driving in the city is not very appealing and public transportation in the city is a better choice in most cases. The most practical alternative probably is if she has a friend who lives in a town with a station and can park the car in the driveway for several days (many suburbs do not allow overnight on-street parking).</p>
<p>We thought about her parking at a friend’s parents in NJ and then taking the train in, but she thinks that would be more of a pain that it is worth. She is going to ask the friend this weekend if that is even a possibility. The only reason she wanted to drive was so she could go after class on Thursday instead of taking the train Friday. She will lose half the day Friday if she takes the train and has several friends she wants to spend time with! Driving would also allow her more time on Sunday to visit also. Her train choices are great, but she still will have a nice weekend in the city!!</p>
<p>Ok, try this. I drive to a park and ride outside of Lincoln tunnel (North Bergen Park and Ride) everyday, that’s how I commute to work everyday. The park and ride is right after exiting NJ Turnpike before Lincoln Tunnel. It’s $8.25 to park all day and a round trip bus ticket to Port Authority. During weekdays there is a shuttle every 5 mun during rush hours, but on weekends it may be every half an hour, you could check it on line. It is very safe.</p>
<p>You can easily park overnight at Metropark in NJ, catch NJTransit, Northeast Corridor train into NYC. This may be out of your way, though, a bit further down, though accessible right off of 287 (I think). </p>
<p>If you park at EWR, you will have to pay to use Airtram to get to NJTransit into the city, and the daily parking will be more than at Metropark. </p>
<p>Either oldfort’s or lorelei’s suggestions would be safe (I have parked in both places as a commuter, while living in different parts of NJ), but you would need to find out in advance whether overnight parking is allowed.</p>
<p>Also, in the years when I commuted from Metropark, it was impossible to park there and go into the city on a weekday at any time after commuter hours because every space was taken. I do not know if the situation has changed since then.</p>
<p>I am pretty certain it is legal at park and ride (I’ll find out for sure on Mon), I think they’ll just charge you for extra parking. I have been there many mornings seeing the same car in the same spot. You could always get a spot at this park and ride.</p>
<p>The Croton-Harmon, NY station (35 miles north of NYC) is actually a combined Amtrak/Metro North commuter station, and I’m fairly sure they have an overnight and possibly longer-term section of their huge parking lot. Weekend parking is free. Round-trip into the city (off peak) is $13.</p>
<p>Try this link, if you think Croton-Harmon might be a viable option. [MTA</a> Home Page](<a href=“Home | MTA”>MNR Stations)</p>
<p>The parking lot at Harmon station is owned by the village of Croton on Hudson and I think you need to go through the village parking authority to get a permit for msot parts of it–pretty sure it isn’t a park and ride that you can just go to without a permit, because like other commuter stations, there is tremendous demand for spots and the point of living in or near one of those towns is to be able to park at your nearest station! (There is long-term cash parking in a limited part of the lot and if you cannot get a spot there you have a problem in this instance. There is also metered daily parking but I believe it has a 24 hour limit.)</p>
<p>Parking at a friend’s house in NJ sounds like a great choice–if it is a commuter town it will have hourly service even off-peak. Much more sensible thatn parking the car in a strange lot for days on end.</p>
<p>At most metro-north stations (I would check re: Croton-Harmon) you can park overnight and during the weekend for free. Also most of them have areas for non permit parking. You’ll just have to do a little homework. Try this:</p>
<p>We have driven to the PATH station in Jersey City and taken the PATH train from there. They have a large garage that is reasonable.<br>
Jersey City is a little confusing if youv’e never been there, but you might want to check out other PATH stations outside of Manhattan.
Taking the train the whole way might be the simplist way to go.</p>
<p>When I “drive” to NYC, I leave the car at home and take the train:) We have parked at some commuter lots in southern Fairfield County but every time we do it, I spend the weekend worrying whether my car will be there when I return. I’m now much more inclined to have a friend drive me to the train station…peace of mind.</p>
<p>Or- drive into NYC through the Lincoln Tunnel, immediately on exiting the tunnel take the ramp to public parking on top of the Port Authority bus terminal. You then have your choice of several subway lines accessible at the basement level of the terminal…or take a cab out front if you prefer.</p>
<p>I left my car parked to take the train in and it got sideswiped. But I saved money on those bridges! But then i had to hang out at the police station in Forest hills to make a report…</p>
<p>I also parked the car in a garage in Manhattan over 4th july weekend directly across from Vanderbilt Hotel & YMCA it costs $38 for each 24 hour period. But we were able to grab the car one night to venture out over the brooklyn bridge.</p>
<p>Took Amtrak from Syracuse to Penn Station for the first time recently. It was great and we had no problems and no worries about the car (left in the Syr. Amtrak lot). Just make sure you reserve the train that starts in Niagara Falls, not Chicago-less prone to serious tardiness!</p>
<p>musmom2-That is my daughter’s complaint with the trains; usually they run about an hour late in her experience. </p>
<p>I appreciate all the replies and suggestion. We will have a look at them tomorrow, but I think she has decided that taking the train may just be the best, unless she can leave her car at her friends house. She has no desire to drive into the city, so unless she finds something cheap and easy, she will just take the train and enjoy the ride. I think she could use the time to do some work and hopefully prepare for an job interview; yes, a real honest to g-d job!!!</p>
<p>I’d second the train idea… NYC is just not designed for people to drive their cars into the city (unless you’re willing to pay silly rates to park your car in a garage). The NY metro area is one of the few places in the US with a decent mass transit and regional/long distance rail system that extends well beyond the city itself so best to take advantage of that if you can.</p>