Tthe cheapest way to get to Fordham U. from Providence, RI on a Friday using public transportation

November 19, 2008 10:40 AM

What is the cheapest way to get to Fordham University from Providence, RI on a Friday using public transportation (must leave around noon, if not earlier)? What is the cheapest way to get back?
posted by JamesJD to travel & transportation (9 answers total)

NYC subway from Port Authority. to 59th St. and back = $4.00

1) Peter Pan Bus Lines: $82.00 round trip
2) Amtrak has a $54 roundtrip between Providence and NYC but it leaves at 10:25pm and the return leaves at 7am. Not the greatest hours which is probably why it's cheap. There are more expensive options at Amtrak that leave at more palatable hours.
3) Greyhound also has buses, but I'm tired of looking up information that you could easily look up yourself.

Have you looked at the ride boards in the Universities in your town? Brown U. is huge and I'm sure there are many people making weekend trips to NYC.
posted by mrbarrett.com at 11:03 AM on November 19, 2008

I'm guessing that the cheapest trip would be to take a train ($7 or so) from Providence to Boston. You could then take a china-town bus to New York ($15) and the Subway to Fordham ($2).
posted by eisenkr at 11:16 AM on November 19, 2008

Eisenkr probably has it - take the commuter rail to Boston and then the Chinatown bus to NYC.
posted by lunasol at 11:20 AM on November 19, 2008

I was going to suggest a providence-New York bus -- I often have to get to Cape Cod, and usually have to take the bus to Providence and connect to another bus.

but after reading eisenkr's response, I have to ask: where is there a Providence-Boston commuter rail? I'd not seen that there was one. That would cut down on my expenses considerably.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 12:08 PM on November 19, 2008

You should know (if you don't already) that there are two Fordham campuses: one in Manhattan, near Linclon Center, and one in the Bronx. They're both accessible by subway, but make sure you're going to the one you're supposed to.
posted by neroli at 12:16 PM on November 19, 2008

It looks like Greyhound has $18 fares to compete with the Chinatown buses, if you want to go Boston to New York, or $23 7-day advance purchase fares for Providence to New York.
posted by smackfu at 1:10 PM on November 19, 2008

Actually there are 3 campuses...the Bronx campus (which is the one I think of when I think of Fordham), the Lincoln Center campus and the Westchester campus in West Harrison. Do you know which it is that you need?
posted by JaredSeth at 1:21 PM on November 19, 2008

I have to ask: where is there a Providence-Boston commuter rail? I'd not seen that there was one. That would cut down on my expenses considerably.

MBTA's Providence/Stoughton line. Looks like Providence to Boston (South Station) is $7.75 one-way.
posted by letourneau at 1:23 PM on November 19, 2008

Looks like Providence to Boston (South Station) is $7.75 one-way.

And it's worth noting that the Chinatown buses from Boston now leave from South Station. Easy!
posted by lunasol at 9:28 AM on November 20, 2008