Train Travel

You can use Amtrak as one part of your travel plans to help cut costs. Amtrak provides connections to New York from Baltimore and other cities. The train ride from Baltimore-Washington International (BWI) Airport's station to Manhattan's Penn Station will take around three hours and cost around $140 round-trip. Amtrak's on-line reservation system will tell you a better estimate of the travel time when you select your departure time and date.

Riding the train is reasonably comfortable. You have large seats with a lot of legroom and huge overhead racks (none of the airplane discomforts). Also there is usually a snack car that sells sandwiches, drinks, and snacks.  The scenery is not much to talk about, though. You will ride through some less desirable neighborhoods.

It isn't necessary for you to buy tickets beforehand. Use the on-line reservation system to select trains coinciding with your arrival and departure flights. Then you can just go to the ticket counter at the BWI Amtrak station and purchase departure and return tickets for your train. Be sure to arrive at the station about one hour before your train leaves.

There is a FREE, short shuttle bus from the BWI airport to the Amtrak station located literally just outside the airport grounds. I think it runs at least every 20 to 30 minutes and takes about 15 minutes to arrive at the station. Go to the ground transportation area in the airport (where the car rental counters and taxi desk are) and ask an airport official where to stand for the Amtrak bus.

HINTS

• Look for emergency windows in the train cars to find the seats with the most legroom.

• All of your luggage goes into the overhead bins above your seat.

• You sit wherever you want in the cars designated your class (i.e., first, coach, etc.). The class is written on the sides of the train cars.

• The conductor will walk by and gather tickets once the train leaves the station.