<p>I have just heard a friend’s relative with whom I’ve had past friendly acquaintance has suddenly passed away and been invited to attend the funeral. It is located in Springfield, MA.</p>
<p>I hope to avoid troubling him and his family with sleepover arrangements so I was hoping to take a weekday 5:30 am bus which according to the schedule will arrive at 9:20 am. </p>
<p>From the bus schedules, that seems to be the earliest one I can take unless I want to arrive the night before and find some place to stay overnight. </p>
<p>Out of curiosity, how likely will the bus be able to keep to that timetable? Will morning rush hour traffic delay the bus? </p>
<p>Am wondering as this will be my very first time traveling to that corner of Massachusetts.</p>
<p>Depending on the route, you’ll most likely run into traffic somewhere in Southern CT (ie, Stamford, New Haven…somewhere on 95). Then you’ll come up 91 and run into more in Hartford (sounds like you’d be there around 830 so it might not be bad, you never know…</p>
<p>Why not take a train up to Springfield? Amtrak runs from Penn to Springfield (the Northeast Regional), although I’m not sure of the northbound schedule.</p>
<p>If you can drive I would suggest just renting a car - though it would be more expensive. Leave the city early enough to avoid rush hour on 95 in CT (even though you are going the opposite as most commuters traffic can still be heavy) to 91N and you’re in Springfield in about 2 1/2 hours.</p>
<p>Unless the funeral home is very close to the train/bus station, I would rent a car and drive up. Springfield may not have easily available taxi to get you to the funeral home. The last thing you’ll want to do is to inconvenient the family by having to to pick you up and drop you off. I am a believer that after a certain age one should be self sufficient when it comes to travel - don’t ask people to drive you or put you up at their house.</p>
<p>The Springfield bus and train stations are not close to anything…including public transportation around Springfield. I would suggest renting a car also.</p>
<p>If you are driving from NYC, you will be heading OUT of the traffic. You will not be spending any time on 95. Springfield is on the western border of MA. Somehow you will take 684 to 84 to 91. You will likely hit a traffic “snag” in Danbury, and depending on the timing also in Hartford.</p>
<p>I agree with Thumper1. Don’t go I-95. If you were to leave at 5:30am headed north, you would be up in Danbury about 6:45am. You may hit a little traffic from Danbury to the Waterbury area and a little heavier traffic again around Hartford. What time is the funeral?</p>
<p>Funeral starts promptly at 10 am Monday and I found out about the invite late last night via text. As you can imagine, it’s extreme short notice, especially considering it will mean I need to notify my employer, cancel a few professional obligations that day, and come to a decision by sometime tomorrow afternoon at the latest. </p>
<p>Have not gotten back to my friend as if the train/bus schedules are the way they seem, the scheduling logistics won’t work without undue burdening of my friend and his family.</p>
<p>Before giving up on the bus or train, I’d suggest researching taxicab companies there, by website then phone, to ask about availability at those stations. In some smaller cities, taxis line up in front of stations around the time of incoming train or bus (train, more so than bus). If not, you’d have to phone for one to come fetch you at the station, but you can even phone out as you depart the bus or train.</p>
<p>Any readers from Springfield MA, who know the specifics there?</p>
<p>I would call the funeral home directly and explain the situation to them. I’m sure they’ve had LOTS of out-of-town visitors who have dealt with similar circumstances. You’d be surprised at the wealth of information they have.</p>
<p>The train station in Springfield is NOT like a “Union Station”. I agree that one should look into taxi services immediately.</p>
<p>I don’t know the cost of a one day rental from NYC…but between the cost of the train, and taxis both to and from the train station to the funeral home, a rental car might be very close in cost.</p>
<p>Ok…do the math, Cobrat. Train will be about $88 round trip. Add taxi to that. Sounds like renting a car would be VERY similar in cost, and a lot more convenient. Plus…if there is a funeral at the funeral home or church, and then a burial at a cemetery, you will have a way to get there too.</p>
Umm, that doesn’t sound like short notice to me. For most folks, except perhaps in the tragic Jahi McMath case, a funeral occurs within a few days after the person died. And if this person died suddenly, how much notice were you expecting?</p>
<p>Please do NOT do anything that would impose upon the grieving family. It is highly inappropriate. When my dad passed away, we had immediate relatives make all sorts of insensitive requests. Two stayed at the house, one asked to be picked up at a train station in another city and then wanted to ride in the limo with us (and NO there was NO room for one more) and my cousin (yes, I too have cousins) and his wife said they were “too busy” to come to the funeral but asked “what time was dinner” and then called us to pick them up at the train station in the middle of shiva (which my DH did!!). Oh, and then my cousins wife announced that she collected something that my mom had (it was silver) ands asked if she could take it!! I was still in shock from my dads death and funeral so was not thinking clearly and let her take it. I should have told her where to shove it. Oh-- the one who wanted me to pick him up and ride with him in the limo cancelled, but then wanted me to box up and send him back the figurines he’d given my mom!!! Um… NO.</p>
<p>One is not typically “invited” to a funeral (never heard of that). One is notified of someone’s passing and then attends to pay their respects to the family. If you have bereavement days at work, take one. Thats what they are for.</p>