Least pain, step by step directions Penn Station to Brooklyn Hts/DtnBK

June 30, 2023 11:28 AM

I am travelling with my two year old and wife on Monday around noon to NYC and then going to an apartment by the Transit museum near borough hall. We will have a travel stroller, 2 backpacks and probably two carry-on sized suitcases. What are the exact directions that will lead to basically no more than 3 stairs at a time or and headaches--tell me which platforms, which stops, which entrances?

Happy to walk on sidewalk for a couple blocks in either direction. Very familiar with Borough Hall subway, medium familarity with Jay St Metrotech and doesn't matter familiarity with Penn station since it's confusing. Taking Acela from DC. Prefer not to take a car service.

posted by sandmanwv to Travel & Transportation around New York, NY (4 answers total)

I understand not wanting to spend the $$$, but this is not advisable. You simply can't rely on the elevators' being in service and in a condition you'd be willing to take a toddler into, especially on the MTA stretch, and even if they are, you'll be arriving at Moynihan and having to take the concourse all the way over to the 6th Ave. subway lines for the 2/3 or the R (contemplate). It'll be busy and crowded and hot and dirty. Construction just started at Borough Hall, so, although it has an elevator, who knows what state the station will be in. It's a third of a mile on foot from Jay St. or Borough Hall to the museum. Two adults with backpacks on foot, no problem. Your scenario? Take a car.
posted by praemunire at 11:48 AM on June 30, 2023 [6 favorites]

Best answer: I have memories of trying to do things like this with a toddler 20 years ago and I feel like I literally have never recovered physically or mentally to this day. Is your hesitation in getting a car service bc you don't want to put kid in a car without your own carseat and you don't want to bring it with you? (Since you're taking Acela I'm assuming it's not just financial.) In this scenario I would have one parent take a car service with all the gear and the other take a nice relaxing subway trip with toddler and the only luggage being something that holds snacks.
posted by lesser whistling duck at 12:01 PM on June 30, 2023 [11 favorites]

While I tend to agree with the other commenters so far--that's a lot of stuff for a subway ride--this is how you could do it.

• Try to be towards the back of the Amtrak. This will position you closer to the elevator up to the Moynihan Train Hall. Take the elevator to the West End Concourse (one level up).
• From the West End Concourse I believe you can get to the 8th Av local platform downtown without a change in elevation. The local platform will have higher frequency than the express, but only the C will go to Brooklyn.
• If you are able to board a C, great! If you board an E, take it to 14th St and wait for the next A or C downtown. (The express will not save you significant amounts of time over this distance.)
• Take the A or C to Jay St. The elevator should be in the middle of the platform, and that is where the elevator to the street is as well.
• Walk from Jay & WIlloughby to the transit museum

posted by thecaddy at 12:10 PM on June 30, 2023 [1 favorite]

In this scenario I would have one parent take a car service with all the gear and the other take a nice relaxing subway trip with toddler and the only luggage being something that holds snacks.

New yorker here. She's a teen now, but this is exactly how we did stuff like getting to the airport etc when kid was a toddler. It's by far the best option.
posted by gaspode at 1:36 PM on June 30, 2023 [5 favorites]