Which MetroNorth station to park at for the weekend?
January 30, 2012 12:26 PM Subscribe
We're traveling by car from central New York (just west of Albany) to New York City this weekend. For timing reasons, we'd like to drive from our home to somewhere far downstate. Then to avoid driving and parking in NYC, we'd like to pick up a Metro North train and take it into the city. Which stations are the safest places to leave our car for a weekend?
To be clear, I know which stations are feasible, I know how to check the schedules, etc. I'd like help identifying which train station is a safe place to leave my car for a weekend.
Ideally: Hudson line (proximity to I-87 and relative frequency of trains at night, vs Port Jervis line)
Timing: Parking Friday night, around 8-9 pm. Coming back Sunday afternoon/evening depending on train times.
MetroNorth Map
Thanks!
To be clear, I know which stations are feasible, I know how to check the schedules, etc. I'd like help identifying which train station is a safe place to leave my car for a weekend.
Ideally: Hudson line (proximity to I-87 and relative frequency of trains at night, vs Port Jervis line)
Timing: Parking Friday night, around 8-9 pm. Coming back Sunday afternoon/evening depending on train times.
MetroNorth Map
Thanks!
I have friends who own a property upstate (they rent it out, and sometimes use it themselves) and do a lot of craft fairs along the Hudson; they often just leave their car parked at the Poughkeepsie station and take the train to it rather than parking in Brooklyn. They've never reported any kind of problem, and they've left it there for weeks at a time.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 12:47 PM on January 30, 2012
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 12:47 PM on January 30, 2012
I've never had any (safety) problems with the Poughkeepsie station, but as a long time commuter, I can verify that the parking lot can get awfully crowded on the weekends. The New Hamburg station, which is only a few miles down, is a pretty decent alternative.
A little OT, but the Harlem line is a great trip.
posted by oxfordcomma at 12:55 PM on January 30, 2012
A little OT, but the Harlem line is a great trip.
posted by oxfordcomma at 12:55 PM on January 30, 2012
Hi!
You can park at Irvington station and take the Metro-North on the Hudson line. It's $4 with Laz-Parking. Otherwise you may want to park on the public spaces on the street just behind the Irvington station. It is a rich village and the Irvington police seldom issue parking tickets during winter. Well, if you get a ticket, it's $30.
Actually, driving into NYC is not very expensive. The toll for coming into Manhattan from Irvington or White Plains is $4. You can easily get free street parking on the upper west side, e.g., 90th and Central Park West. It is a very nice neighborhood and you can get to many places on the subway or by walking.
posted by jchaw at 12:56 PM on January 30, 2012
You can park at Irvington station and take the Metro-North on the Hudson line. It's $4 with Laz-Parking. Otherwise you may want to park on the public spaces on the street just behind the Irvington station. It is a rich village and the Irvington police seldom issue parking tickets during winter. Well, if you get a ticket, it's $30.
Actually, driving into NYC is not very expensive. The toll for coming into Manhattan from Irvington or White Plains is $4. You can easily get free street parking on the upper west side, e.g., 90th and Central Park West. It is a very nice neighborhood and you can get to many places on the subway or by walking.
posted by jchaw at 12:56 PM on January 30, 2012
Response by poster: Thanks for all the helpful suggestions - I will look into them!
JChaw, it's not the expense of driving into NYC as much as the stress. Gf and I are both country-mouse types who don't do so well with that kind of traffic. But thank you for the the helpful suggestions!
posted by brackish.line at 12:59 PM on January 30, 2012
JChaw, it's not the expense of driving into NYC as much as the stress. Gf and I are both country-mouse types who don't do so well with that kind of traffic. But thank you for the the helpful suggestions!
posted by brackish.line at 12:59 PM on January 30, 2012
Try White Plains Station. Parking is widely available on the weekend and it is one of the few stations with an express train that goes direct to Grand Central (not even a stop at 125th). Train ride will be about 35 minutes.
posted by Mr. X at 1:14 PM on January 30, 2012
posted by Mr. X at 1:14 PM on January 30, 2012
Ok!
I second Mr. X's suggestion. Go park at White Plains and take the hourly express train into the city. Parking will be simple at White Plains station.
This will be the least stressful solution.
posted by jchaw at 3:03 PM on January 30, 2012
I second Mr. X's suggestion. Go park at White Plains and take the hourly express train into the city. Parking will be simple at White Plains station.
This will be the least stressful solution.
posted by jchaw at 3:03 PM on January 30, 2012
Beacon station on the Hudson line. You can take I-87 to the Newburgh/I-84 exit and head a couple of miles east on 84 (You don't even have to get on local roads in Newburgh-- the newish 87/84 interchange at the toll plaza makes it SO much easier). After you cross the Hudson on the Newburgh/Beacon bridge, get off at the exit just past the bridge toll plaza. Two right turns and a half mile later (if that), you're at the Beacon train station. You'll have beautiful 1 hr 15 minute train ride to Grand Central.
I leave my car at Beacon all the time on the weekends when I go down to the city. Never had a problem. It has a lot more parking than Poughkeepsie and the trains ALWAYS stop at Beacon, which is not true of New Hamburg (limited service).
posted by KingEdRa at 9:27 PM on January 30, 2012
I leave my car at Beacon all the time on the weekends when I go down to the city. Never had a problem. It has a lot more parking than Poughkeepsie and the trains ALWAYS stop at Beacon, which is not true of New Hamburg (limited service).
posted by KingEdRa at 9:27 PM on January 30, 2012
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posted by AugustWest at 12:32 PM on January 30, 2012