Academy Bus Service From Baltimore to Bayonne

[Two Rileys]

My husband and I would love to cruise Canada/New England from Bayonne but, honestly, transportation issues just intimidate us. We live in southwestern West Virginia and don't want to fly.

 

I have been reading about Academy Bus Service providing transportation from Baltimore to Bayonne. We have sailed from Baltimore several times and are comfortable driving there.

 

Has anyone used this bus service? Apparently, the bus picks up at the Travel Plaza on O'Donnell St (internet research tells me this is the Greyhound Bus Station) and takes you to the ship in Bayonne and then returns you to Baltimore after the cruise.

 

Can anyone tell me anything about this service or that area of Baltimore?

 

Thanks for the info.

[MarlboroBell]

If you're comfortable driving to Baltimore, it's only an extra 2.5 hours to Bayonne (6.5 hours from Wayne to Baltimore, 9 hours from Wayne to Bayonne). Honestly, I'd just drive all the way -- if it were me I'd drive as far as Allentown, PA the day before, and then just drive the hour and a half straight down I-78 to the port the morning of the cruise. The port entrance is only about five minutes from the interstate (will probably take longer inside the port!) and parking at the port is affordable ($19/day).

 

Many people have had good experiences with the bus, but if you're going to pay $220 for a bus service that only takes you a third of the way home, with parking costs on top, I'd say it isn't worth it for you. But of course your mileage may vary.

[Two Rileys]

The problem isn't the driving time or the mileage. The problem is the stress it will cause driving in New York (same as) traffic. Just the thought of it makes gives me palpitations!

[jcl410]

The O'Donnell street location is *NOT* in a good area of Baltimore. Greyhound no longer uses it for their station. I would not want to park my car there for a week!

 

I would suggest driving to Baltimore and stay at a hotel near BWI airport that offers a "stay and fly" option... Have the shuttle take you to the Amtrak station at BWI. Take the train to Newark,NJ. From there take a taxi to Bayonne.

 

(Amtrak also offers service from Huntington,WV direct to Newark. That would cost more, plus you would need to spend 1 or 2 nights in Newark prior to (and after the cruise. - The Cardinal only runs 3 times a week. )(

 

Aloha,

 

John

[njhorseman]

The problem isn't the driving time or the mileage. The problem is the stress it will cause driving in New York (same as) traffic. Just the thought of it makes gives me palpitations!

 

The traffic is no worse, and usually less than what you'll experience in the DC and Baltimore areas, so if you can drive to Baltimore you can drive to Bayonne.

 

By the way, I'd sooner drive in NY City and surroundings than in DC.

 

It's more like 3 hours + from Baltimore to Cape Liberty. I can get to Baltimore in about 2 1/4 hours from my home (which isn't far from the NJ Turnpike), but it's at least 45 -50 minutes further north from here to Cape Liberty.

[Two Rileys]

I hope to never drive in DC, either (lol). I would have thought the traffic in Bayonne would be worse than Baltimore, but I am happy to know that it isn't.

 

I have thought about Amtrak from here to Newark and the schedule works perfectly. We may do that as that would be something new for us.

 

Thanks, again!

[RSLeesburg]

I am with you - driving to or through NYC is a frightening thought. Well, maybe not so much frightening as annoying. However, I had to fly up to Jersey City, and after seeing where Bayoone is, I think I would try that drive, just for the convenience factor. That being said, the train is another option - although I hear that the Newark train station is not that nice an area. Also, I would consider going up the day before, just in case. There are some nice hotels up that way, so nice car or cab ride over to port in the morning.

 

Lastly, have you looked at sailing out of Baltimore? Grandeur has several New England trips. The ship is beautiful and the port is super easy for driving.

[Two Rileys]

We have sailed to the Bahamas and Caribbean out of Baltimore on both the Pride and the Grandeur. Grandeur's Canada/New England itinerary does not include Boston and that's really where I want to go. Explorer's itinerary out of Bayonne does include Boston. That's the only reason we are looking at Bayonne.

[138east]

Could you give us more details? What date are you considering and what day of the week does it sail?

 

I just came back from a weekend in central NJ, which involved actually driving through NYC to get there from the Boston area. If you're coming from the south, you do not have to venture into the NYC traffic at all, which takes a huge element of stress out of the trip.

 

So coming from the south is much easier. I haven't driven the roads below exit 4 on the NJ Turnpike for a long time, so I can't speak to that area. The NJ Turnpike is 3 lanes from the exit 4 area to exit 8A where it splits into 6 lanes, three of which are cars only, so just as the turnpike starts to pick up more congestion, you can escape the big scary trucks. You only have to go as far as the exit 14 interchange where you get on the turnpike extension to go just one exit to 14A in Bayonne.

 

If you are going to drive in from West Virginia, my suggestion would be to stay overnight at exit 8 or 8A on the turnpike. This is a much more rural area with hotels that are near the turnpike exit. From there it is under an hour to Cape Liberty - an easy drive on weekends and after rush hour on a weekday. I would not consider staying in the airport area unless you are doing a park/sleep.

[RSLeesburg]

We have sailed to the Bahamas and Caribbean out of Baltimore on both the Pride and the Grandeur. Grandeur's Canada/New England itinerary does not include Boston and that's really where I want to go. Explorer's itinerary out of Bayonne does include Boston. That's the only reason we are looking at Bayonne.

 

Ah! I did not know this, but I agree. We lived outside of Boston for several years, and is definitely worth it. I am not sure why Grandeur would not stop there too, or better yet, an overnight in NYC.

[MarlboroBell]

If you are going to drive in from West Virginia, my suggestion would be to stay overnight at exit 8 or 8A on the turnpike. This is a much more rural area with hotels that are near the turnpike exit. From there it is under an hour to Cape Liberty - an easy drive on weekends and after rush hour on a weekday. I would not consider staying in the airport area unless you are doing a park/sleep.

 

If you come up the turnpike, I'd agree with that. But you can save a lot of hassle (and Google Maps recommends this as the fastest route) by taking 81 to Harrisburg and just heading east on 78 from there directly to the port. You stay out of all the heavy BosWash megaplex traffic on the coast and just get some traffic for the last hour or so through NJ. (That's why I recommended a hotel in the Allentown area -- we've stayed a couple of times there and you get some really pleasant hotels for low prices there.)

[RSLeesburg]

Yes. This is exactly how we drive up to Cape Cod - up 15 to Harrisburg, up 78 to 81 North to 84 East to the Mass Pike. It is a tad bit longer, but you miss Metro DC beltway and GW bridge. You can also go up to Frederick on 15, and then take 70 over to 695/95 to avoid beltway. Baltimore can be messy depending on time of day.