Canadian traveling from Montreal to NY

[MaddyandMax]

We just did the drive from Toronto area to NY.  We loved the drive.  It's not too stressful once you are past the boarder and the mountains are beautiful.  We also loved parking at the pier.  It was $175 for 7 days but the parking was literally 100 feet from the terminal.  Getting out was a breeze (we walked off with our luggage at 8am).  When we got to the terminal my husband dropped us off and went to park.  He was back with us in less than 10 min (with a bathroom break LOL). 

 

We usually leave the day before and stay in Stroudsberg PA.  Hotels are cheaper and it's only 1.5 hour drive to the pier in the morning. 

Edited April 5, 2022 by MaddyandMax

[ERLEC]

12 hours ago, ladysail2 said:

Great suggestions, Dolfan1980 and kjzzz3 and d9407011.  I’m not against flying, I’m for calm and peaceful….which airports aren’t.  Taking the bus there and flying home might be a compromise..😊

I like the idea to take the bus on our way to NY and the plane to go back home.

We would love to take the AMTRAK train (even if it's a 11h ride), it's relaxing and you have a restaurant in the train. There's wifi and you can work and do stuff.... But the train is still not in service since begining of COVID and not sure when they will reestablish.

[ladysail2]

1 hour ago, ERLEC said:

I like the idea to take the bus on our way to NY and the plane to go back home.

We would love to take the AMTRAK train (even if it's a 11h ride), it's relaxing and you have a restaurant in the train. There's wifi and you can work and do stuff.... But the train is still not in service since begining of COVID and not sure when they will reestablish.

Last time I looked, Amtrak’s website said that Can-US service will resume sometime in 2022.  But who knows?  I especially enjoyed the train ride back from NYC as it travelled alongside the lake.  So much bird wildlife, so interesting.  Too bad the VIA connections to Ottawa aren’t very good.  I ended up taking Greyhound back to Ottawa from MTL. 

[ERLEC]

17 hours ago, ladysail2 said:

Last time I looked, Amtrak’s website said that Can-US service will resume sometime in 2022.  But who knows?  I especially enjoyed the train ride back from NYC as it travelled alongside the lake.  So much bird wildlife, so interesting.  Too bad the VIA connections to Ottawa aren’t very good.  I ended up taking Greyhound back to Ottawa from MTL. 

Hello, I sent them an email to get more information about the train resuming itinerary to Montreal. I'll post comments here when they answer.

 

 

[fourkids444]

We drove from Montreal to NY in March cause of Covid, if you test positive just get in your car and come home.  We stayed at  Hampton Inn Ridgefield Park, 100 US-46 East, Ridgefield Park, NJ 07660, United States.  Price included 1 night stay for 2, breakfast, parking for the week and transfer to and from the cruise terminal for 331.00 US

[karebare22]

We’ve taken 2 cruises plus have another coming up in May out of Cape Liberty. We always drive the 7.5 hrs from Ottawa. That’s one reason why we occasionally cruise from there. Timewise,  flying is not much faster than driving (when you include having to be at the airport 3 hours before the flight) plus you chance having delays/cancellations etc. We are a family of 4 and are comfortable with long drives.  Very easy drive (other than the spaghetti highway near Newark!) and big savings on airfare. We usually stay at a hotel with Stay and Cruise package, and either get a shuttle or Uber to/from the port. We’ve heard quite a few stories of car part thefts in that area though so we’ll probably just park at the cruise terminal this time.

[ladysail2]

On 4/6/2022 at 7:22 AM, ERLEC said:

Hello, I sent them an email to get more information about the train resuming itinerary to Montreal. I'll post comments here when they answer.

 

 

Thanks…it will be great to hear what their plans are. 

[CGinMTL]

On 4/3/2022 at 9:23 PM, kjzzz3 said:

Check out Yankee Trails bus line out of Albany.  I drove from Montreal, 4 hours.  You can park at their depot for free, they take you to the ship and pick you up after.  I think it is a good deal.  

I agree. Best option.  Cost is 90 usd round trip. $5  more and you have cancellation insurance. Greyhound does not work for Cape liberty departures. Yankee trails is good for both NYC and NJ. Only option for me now

[ERLEC]

I am really looking into taking the Greyhound bus from Montreal to NY. It's 144$usd per person round-trip and will drop us directly in Time Square. I reserved my hotel already for 2 nights prior to the cruise just across the street from the Port Authority bus terminal.

 

Think it's really a hassle-free scenario. No worry for parking!

[ladysail2]

On 4/14/2022 at 9:46 AM, ERLEC said:

I am really looking into taking the Greyhound bus from Montreal to NY. It's 144$usd per person round-trip and will drop us directly in Time Square. I reserved my hotel already for 2 nights prior to the cruise just across the street from the Port Authority bus terminal.

 

Think it's really a hassle-free scenario. No worry for parking!

Thank you in advance….is the Greyhound station close to the Amtrak station in Montreal?  Would you have any suggestions as to how to get from the NY bus drop off to a hotel close to Bayonne, that’s reasonably affordable?  Or, is there a bus connection from NY to NJ.  Thank you for any information. 

 

I enquired on Amtrak about when they feel they might resume cross border train service.  Just got the company line that it will be sometime in early 2022…hmmm…we’re sort of past the ‘early’ part now. 

[d9704011]

10 hours ago, ladysail2 said:

Thank you in advance….is the Greyhound station close to the Amtrak station in Montreal?  Would you have any suggestions as to how to get from the NY bus drop off to a hotel close to Bayonne, that’s reasonably affordable?  Or, is there a bus connection from NY to NJ.  Thank you for any information. 

 

I enquired on Amtrak about when they feel they might resume cross border train service.  Just got the company line that it will be sometime in early 2022…hmmm…we’re sort of past the ‘early’ part now. 

It is about 2 km from the Montreal train station to the Montreal bus depot.  Likely, you'll have to take a taxi to get to the bus station.

 

Getting from the bus drop in Manhattan to the cruise terminal in Bayonne is a little trickier and if you are lookjng for advice, you'll need to provide a little more detail on what you plan to do upon arriving in NYC i.e. a couple of days of sightseeing first, or overnight at a hotel then out to the cruise terminal in the morning.

[ladysail2]

11 hours ago, d9704011 said:

It is about 2 km from the Montreal train station to the Montreal bus depot.  Likely, you'll have to take a taxi to get to the bus station.

 

Getting from the bus drop in Manhattan to the cruise terminal in Bayonne is a little trickier and if you are lookjng for advice, you'll need to provide a little more detail on what you plan to do upon arriving in NYC i.e. a couple of days of sightseeing first, or overnight at a hotel then out to the cruise terminal in the morning.

Thank you for answering.  Silly me, I usually take the train to Dorval station but last time I went, I was staying the night before getting on Amtrak, so I did take the bus……so of course I do know where the bus station is located. Actually, compared to the Ottawa bus station, the Montreal station is definitely a cut above.

As far as arriving in NYC, I would for sure stay overnight and make my way to the cruise port the next day. I would like to make it as far as the Hilton at Penn Station in NJ the day I arrived.  The train arrives around 9pm, so I don’t know if it’s worth making my way to NJ so late. I have no idea of the bus schedules.  I was even wondering if it would be worth stopping in a town/city before NYC, stay the night….then take a bus directly to Penn Station, NJ….in daylight…...then get to the port.  Maybe all this is wishful thinking….but I’m not so sure about waiting for transportation after dark around Penn Station, NY.  I’m not afraid, but would feel vulnerable esp toting a suitcase around.  Any suggestions would be appreciated.  😊

[d9704011]

29 minutes ago, ladysail2 said:

Thank you for answering.  Silly me, I usually take the train to Dorval station but last time I went, I was staying the night before getting on Amtrak, so I did take the bus……so of course I do know where the bus station is located. Actually, compared to the Ottawa bus station, the Montreal station is definitely a cut above.

As far as arriving in NYC, I would for sure stay overnight and make my way to the cruise port the next day. I would like to make it as far as the Hilton at Penn Station in NJ the day I arrived.  The train arrives around 9pm, so I don’t know if it’s worth making my way to NJ so late. I have no idea of the bus schedules.  I was even wondering if it would be worth stopping in a town/city before NYC, stay the night….then take a bus directly to Penn Station, NJ….in daylight…...then get to the port.  Maybe all this is wishful thinking….but I’m not so sure about waiting for transportation after dark around Penn Station, NY.  I’m not afraid, but would feel vulnerable esp toting a suitcase around.  Any suggestions would be appreciated.  😊

I'm a little confused.  Are you planning on taking the bus or a train from Montreal to NYC?

 

Also, I don't know when was the last time you travelled from Ottawa to Montreal by bus but the service now runs out of the railway station (not the old bus station on Catherine Street) and it is provided by Orleans Express.  Greyhound is long gone from Ottawa.

 

https://www.orleansexpress.com/en/

 

Finally, if your objective is to get to the Doubletree-Hilton connected to Penn Station, Newark the day of travel you can do that without having to walk the streets of Manhattan at night with your suitcase.  You can take the subway (A, C or E) from the Port Authority to 34th St - Penn Station (one stop) and transfer to a NJ Transit train from there.

[ladysail2]

9 minutes ago, d9704011 said:

I'm a little confused.  Are you planning on taking the bus or a train from Montreal to NYC?

 

Also, I don't know when was the last time you travelled from Ottawa to Montreal by bus but the service now runs out of the railway station (not the old bus station on Catherine Street) and it is provided by Orleans Express.  Greyhound is long gone from Ottawa.

 

https://www.orleansexpress.com/en/

 

Finally, if your objective is to get to the Doubletree-Hilton connected to Penn Station, Newark the day of travel you can do that without having to walk the streets of Manhattan at night with your suitcase.  You can take the subway (A, C or E) from the Port Authority to 34th St - Penn Station (one stop) and transfer to a NJ Transit train from there.

I haven’t decided whether to take the train or the bus….whichever is overall the most convenient. That is why I’m asking for someone’s experience at going from Montreal to Penn Station NY, or NJ. I have taken the train from Montreal to NY station a few times, but never to the NJ station. 
 

The last time I took the bus from Catherine St in Ottawa to the main bus station in Montreal was Oct 2019……then I walked to the Manoir Sherbrooke for an overnight stay (loved it).

 

It sounds straightforward about getting from NY to NJ…just wish it was in the daylight. 

 

Thank you for the bus link, I’ll take a look at it.  I think the Catherine St land is being sold to make way for condos…and a new bus company may be coming into Ottawa…but anyway…thank you for your information…it’s a while before I go so have lots of time to research everything.  😊

[CGinMTL]

I once took the bus from mtl to Manhattan.  The last stretch from Manhattan to bayonne is an "amazing race" experience.  Even the locals were asking me how I did it .

Never again.

I discovered yankee trails bus service after that trip.

Try Google directions, the public transportation option...good look 

[ladysail2]

5 hours ago, CGinMTL said:

I once took the bus from mtl to Manhattan.  The last stretch from Manhattan to bayonne is an "amazing race" experience.  Even the locals were asking me how I did it .

Never again.

I discovered yankee trails bus service after that trip.

Try Google directions, the public transportation option...good look 

I laughed at your description of the last leg. I don’t suppose it was too funny for you.  I’ll have to look into Yankee Trails.  I’ve done a few ‘amazing race’ experiences myself, but I was much younger and better able to ‘recuperate’.  But man, the memories!!!  I’m not so much into memories now, LOL.

[CGinMTL]

1 hour ago, ladysail2 said:

I laughed at your description of the last leg. I don’t suppose it was too funny for you.  I’ll have to look into Yankee Trails.  I’ve done a few ‘amazing race’ experiences myself, but I was much younger and better able to ‘recuperate’.  But man, the memories!!!  I’m not so much into memories now, LOL.

I think the cab was about $100 from NYC to cab liberty. Remember,  the bus is the overnight.took a bus across the river to Hoboken train station. From there, I would have had to train the train, and still needed a cab to take me to the ship. 

The cab was about 40 from the train station, it was 6am and i was done. Paid it .

It was so bad, that I actually bummed a right from another passenger to drive us to the Albany bus depot. 😇

[ladysail2]

1 hour ago, CGinMTL said:

I think the cab was about $100 from NYC to cab liberty. Remember,  the bus is the overnight.took a bus across the river to Hoboken train station. From there, I would have had to train the train, and still needed a cab to take me to the ship. 

The cab was about 40 from the train station, it was 6am and i was done. Paid it .

It was so bad, that I actually bummed a right from another passenger to drive us to the Albany bus depot. 😇

That sounded like quite the journey!  

[ERLEC]

Anyone has experience with the bus from Montreal? There is Greyhound and Traiways deserving the big apple.

 

Not sure which one to choose from.

[ladysail2]

5 hours ago, ERLEC said:

Anyone has experience with the bus from Montreal? There is Greyhound and Traiways deserving the big apple.

 

Not sure which one to choose from.

I looked at Greyhound….the hours aren’t too friendly..but not impossible.  Is the other business Traiways?  Must look at it. Wonder when Amtrak will resume….hope it does🤞

[ladysail2]

5 hours ago, ERLEC said:

Anyone has experience with the bus from Montreal? There is Greyhound and Traiways deserving the big apple.

 

Not sure which one to choose from.

I don’t think Trailways services Montreal. The website says Central Canada…can’t find which cities….maybe Toronto?

[d9704011]

8 minutes ago, ladysail2 said:

I don’t think Trailways services Montreal. The website says Central Canada…can’t find which cities….maybe Toronto?

Try this website to book Montreal to NYC:

https://trailways.com/

[ERLEC]

Trailways deserves Montreal yes. Just wondering if there's differences between them and Greyhound. They have pretty much the same departure/arrival hours.

 

Isn't Trailways a Greyhound property anyway?

[cmich068]

On 4/21/2022 at 8:48 AM, ERLEC said:

Trailways deserves Montreal yes. Just wondering if there's differences between them and Greyhound. They have pretty much the same departure/arrival hours.

 

Isn't Trailways a Greyhound property anyway?

 

It's not owned by Greyhound, but that said last time I took the bus from Montreal to NY I'm pretty sure I used my Greyhound ticket on a Trailways bus anyways so they must have at least had some reciprocal ticket acceptance. Granted this was probably a decade ago by now.