How brutal is it to fly into LaGuardia Airport: LGA for a Cape Liberty(Bayonne Cruise)

[Jimbo]

Price is a lot less flying there instead of EWR(Newark)

 

Anyone ever done? Best way and cost?

[meadowlander]

34 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

Price is a lot less flying there instead of EWR(Newark)

 

Anyone ever done? Best way and cost?

Check with Carmel Limo & Dial 7 for costs to transfer to New Jersey. Do not use taxi service. 

[njhorseman]

28 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

Price is a lot less flying there instead of EWR(Newark)

 

Anyone ever done? Best way and cost?

Brutal? LGA itself is not brutal at all...it recently underwent a massive renovation so the airport itself is not the outdated nightmare it once was.

What might be brutal is the cost of ground transportation from LGA to Cape Liberty. You shouldn't try to take a NY City taxi because they don't have to go to Cape Liberty and even if a taxi driver agreed to make the trip they may charge an outrageous fare. You should take a rideshare service, Uber or Lyft, or a car service such as Carmel Limo or Dial 7. As I'm writing this Uber is estimating a cost of about $110 for UberX . Of course rideshare service prices vary in accordance with demand. Carmel Limo current estimate is $75 plus tolls and tip.

 

[navybankerteacher]

2 hours ago, Jimbo said:

Price is a lot less flying there instead of EWR(Newark)

 

Anyone ever done? Best way and cost?

LGA is now a great airport - butting from there (and back) to Cape Liberty is likely to cost you $100 (or more) each way (use Uber - NY taxis don’t do NJ - other than EWR) - so a lot of your airfare savings might evaporate.

[Jimbo]

25 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

LGA is now a great airport - butting from there (and back) to Cape Liberty is likely to cost you $100 (or more) each way (use Uber - NY taxis don’t do NJ - other than EWR) - so a lot of your airfare savings might evaporate.

Now  maybe considering just flying one way(connecting flight) from Roanoke to EWR (layover in Charlotte though is only 35 minutes, that scares me!) and then on the return just grabbing rental car(in Bayonne (3 miles from the port) and visiting relatives in NJ and then just driving back to Roanoke Airport.

Edited February 24, 2023 by Jimbo

[navybankerteacher]

5 hours ago, Jimbo said:

Now  maybe considering just flying one way(connecting flight) from Roanoke to EWR (layover in Charlotte though is only 35 minutes, that scares me!) and then on the return just grabbing rental car(in Bayonne (3 miles from the port) and visiting relatives in NJ and then just driving back to Roanoke Airport.

Thinking about booking a connecting flight with a 35 minute window while on your way to a ship which will not wait for you makes tactful comment difficult.

 

If you like driving - do it both ways.  When you add parking fee at Roanoke to one way flight fare to car rental, you are probably creating the worst cocktail of high cost, nuisance, and possibly missing you cruise.

[markeb]

It’s a long day, but have you looked at Amtrak?  Not sure what you’re seeing for a fare to EWR. Amtrak in the Northeast Corridor is pretty nice. Unfortunately looks like 8 hours from Roanoke to Newark, but you’re there with no connections…

[Jimbo]

1 hour ago, navybankerteacher said:

Thinking about booking a connecting flight with a 35 minute window while on your way to a ship which will not wait for you makes tactful comment difficult.

 

If you like driving - do it both ways.  When you add parking fee at Roanoke to one way flight fare to car rental, you are probably creating the worst cocktail of high cost, nuisance, and possibly missing you cruise.

Was flying in a day early....and reason for driving home is to see some relatives we haven't seen in 2 years on the way home.

[navybankerteacher]

33 minutes ago, markeb said:

It’s a long day, but have you looked at Amtrak?  Not sure what you’re seeing for a fare to EWR. Amtrak in the Northeast Corridor is pretty nice. Unfortunately looks like 8 hours from Roanoke to Newark, but you’re there with no connections…

I doubt there is any Amtrak  straight ride from Roanoke to Newark?  I think he’d have to   get to Richmond.

[markeb]

5 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

I doubt there is any Amtrak  straight ride from Roanoke to Newark?  I think he’d have to   get to Richmond.

176 & 66, apparently. Look to be direct with no changes. I’m a little surprised as well. 

[Jimbo]

3 hours ago, markeb said:

It’s a long day, but have you looked at Amtrak?  Not sure what you’re seeing for a fare to EWR. Amtrak in the Northeast Corridor is pretty nice. Unfortunately looks like 8 hours from Roanoke to Newark, but you’re there with no connections…

Cruise is September 14th, like to go a day ahead on the 13th, not sure I'm looking right or not but I don't see anything going from Roanoke to Newark.

[markeb]

18 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

Cruise is September 14th, like to go a day ahead on the 13th, not sure I'm looking right or not but I don't see anything going from Roanoke to Newark.

I’m seeing this to Newark Penn. Not sure about EWR, but you don’t need the airport. Arguably the better hotels are in Newark, and you don’t have to deal with the Airtrain. It’s a long day, but something to consider. 

 

[Jimbo]

8 hours ago, markeb said:

I’m seeing this to Newark Penn. Not sure about EWR, but you don’t need the airport. Arguably the better hotels are in Newark, and you don’t have to deal with the Airtrain. It’s a long day, but something to consider. 

 

How do they handle 3 or  4 suitcases(where are they stored during the ride?Once at final desitination how do you get your bags off in time before train moves again? and whats the difference between Coach and Business seats?

[megr1125]

3 hours ago, Jimbo said:

How do they handle 3 or  4 suitcases(where are they stored during the ride?Once at final desitination how do you get your bags off in time before train moves again? and whats the difference between Coach and Business seats?

They don't handle bags, you do.  There are racks at the end(s) of cars.  Or sometimes people just put them on the floor in the wheelchair space.  There are no red caps at the EWR airport station if you happen to go there.  You're on your own to get the bags off but the stop is long enough generally.

If you board at a station with red caps, they'll store them on the rack if space.  Also, at the other end of the car, there's a little closet for lack of a better term (no door though) and people will put bags there. 

If you get off at Newark Penn, ask the conductor to get you a red cap (it may or may not be successful.  IME they are there 50% of the time but eventually show up.

Business seats sometimes have more space between them, also footrests. You also get free soft drinks/coffee by showing your ticket/QR code in the cafe car.

Edited February 25, 2023 by megr1125

[Got2Cruise]

If anything is brutal it’s the drive from LaG to Bayonne. Ugh. The worst. 

[navybankerteacher]

Any serious amount of luggage on Amtrak is a hassle - often the racks are full, and if there are a lot of stops you do not feel comfortable if you cannot keep your eye on your bags - several people I know have had bags stolen while on a train.   The only easy way is on the Autotrain - you leave most of your stuff in your car and just have small carry-ons with you.

[Jimbo]

17 minutes ago, megr1125 said:

They don't handle bags, you do.  There are racks at the end(s) of cars.  Or sometimes people just put them on the floor in the wheelchair space.  There are no red caps at the EWR airport station if you happen to go there.  You're on your own to get the bags off but the stop is long enough generally.

If you board at a station with red caps, they'll store them on the rack if space.  Also, at the other end of the car, there's a little closet for lack of a better term (no door though) and people will put bags there. 

If you get off at Newark Penn, ask the conductor to get you a red cap (it may or may not be successful.  IME they are there 50% of the time but eventually show up.

Business seats sometimes have more space between them, also footrests. You also get free soft drinks/coffee by showing your ticket/QR code in the cafe car.

I guess really there would be no need to go as far as the EWR stop, best to get off at Newark Penn Station.

I guess storage of our bags is then kind of the honor system that someone will take our bags off at one of the stops if we can't see our bags from our seats?

 

Are the business and coach seats(themselves) all the same other then more leg room and foot rests? The business class cars, is the set up 2 seats on one side and 1 seat on the other side of the car? as  opposed to coach being and 2 and 2 setup?

[Jimbo]

5 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

Any serious amount of luggage on Amtrak is a hassle - often the racks are full, and if there are a lot of stops you do not feel comfortable if you cannot keep your eye on your bags - several people I know have had bags stolen while on a train.   The only easy way is on the Autotrain - you leave most of your stuff in your car and just have small carry-ons with you.

Thinking might best to lock all the suitcases together with a lock and cable so no one can pickup by mistake or try to steal it, be very hard to pull off 2 or 3 bags cabled together.

[Rubyfisch]

There are also overhead bins for carry-on sized luggage. I used to take Amtrak all the time and never had issues finding space. And there are spaces in the car luggage as well - when I went from Baltimore to Alexandria after a cruise in December, the conductor wedged my big suitcase between to sets of seats.

[markeb]

11 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

Thinking might best to lock all the suitcases together with a lock and cable so no one can pickup by mistake or try to steal it, be very hard to pull off 2 or 3 bags cabled together.

 

Never had an issue with any of my bags on the train. The only time anyone touches them is you ignore the signs and put them in the wheelchair area. There's an overhead rack for smaller items, and usually storage at the end of the car for larger bags. The biggest hassle is boarding without a real platform where you have to carry your bags up stairs. Don't know if Roanoke is like that. Quantico is, for instance. But if you're talking two people with a checked bag and carry-on each, shouldn't be a problem. If you're talking multiple full sized bags, that might be different...

[Jimbo]

17 minutes ago, markeb said:

 

Never had an issue with any of my bags on the train. The only time anyone touches them is you ignore the signs and put them in the wheelchair area. There's an overhead rack for smaller items, and usually storage at the end of the car for larger bags. The biggest hassle is boarding without a real platform where you have to carry your bags up stairs. Don't know if Roanoke is like that. Quantico is, for instance. But if you're talking two people with a checked bag and carry-on each, shouldn't be a problem. If you're talking multiple full sized bags, that might be different...

Platform seems to look like this, looks to be like just roll bags into car.

 

This is a 14 night cruise, so I think we might have 2 larger suitcases , 1 Garment Bag strapped to the one of the larger bags, 2 carry-ons and 2 personal items.

 

I'm liking the idea of the train, less money then driving and less stress on me having to drive. Just about the same overall of time driving too.

 

No limit on weight restrictions of the bags either.

 

Train leaves around 6am though, how early do you have to be at the station to board the train?

 

Train station is about an 1 hour from our house. $12 a day to park the car there.

 

Roanoke airport is $9.00 a day to park the car. But air tickets from there are connecting and probably around $550 Rt per person to EWR

 

 

Edited February 25, 2023 by Jimbo

[markeb]

2 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

Platform seems to look like this, looks to be like just roll bags into car.

 

 

Just looked it up on the Amtrak site and that's what I thought it would look like. 

 

It's not a short day! And looks like an early day as well, but you get on at home and get off in Newark. You do lose 30-45 minutes in DC sitting on the train while they change from a diesel engine to an electric one, but you don't have to transfer. If your option is to fly to Charlotte and connect, that's not a quick day either probably. Something to consider.

[Jimbo]

28 minutes ago, markeb said:

 

Just looked it up on the Amtrak site and that's what I thought it would look like. 

 

It's not a short day! And looks like an early day as well, but you get on at home and get off in Newark. You do lose 30-45 minutes in DC sitting on the train while they change from a diesel engine to an electric one, but you don't have to transfer. If your option is to fly to Charlotte and connect, that's not a quick day either probably. Something to consider.

Not having to transfer trains is BIG too, I like that.

 

Yes connecting flights go either through Charlotte or Atlanta and that would end up taking almost 8 hours too, when considering getting to the airport 2 hours before flight.

 

If we were to just drive to Charlotte to fly out from that  Airport, it is about 2 and 1/2 hours one way from our house here in Southwest Virginia, Trying to avoid that drive. Roanoke Airport being just 1 hour away.

Edited February 25, 2023 by Jimbo

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, Jimbo said:

I guess really there would be no need to go as far as the EWR stop, best to get off at Newark Penn Station.

FYI, coming from the south you would arrive at EWR first, with Newark Penn Station a couple of minutes further along. Nonetheless you still should take the train to Newark Penn...and it will actually cost about $8 less than going to EWR because you won't be paying the AirTrain surcharge.

Edited February 25, 2023 by njhorseman

[markeb]

3 hours ago, Jimbo said:

Train leaves around 6am though, how early do you have to be at the station to board the train?

 

Just saw this. Amtrak recommends being there a half hour before the scheduled time. 

 

I just pulled up the timetable, and it looks like 176 starts in Roanoke. Even better. They might start boarding early, but you're not standing there for the train to come in and have 2 minutes to get on. The NE Regional has quiet cars. That will either be the second car or the next to last car. No cell phone use or loud conversations. If you decide to do business for the slightly larger seat and free drinks that won't apply. Hop on, find a seat, and wait for the train to roll. There's a longer stop at NYP generally, so more time to get off and on your way.