Boston To New York City Using ONLY Public Transit!

[@angusliproductions]

It's theoretically possible to do this without taking Amtrak or three miles of walking! You can take MBTA to Worcester, then the PVTA B79 route to UMass and the R29 from there to Springfield. Then, Hartford Line to New Haven and Metro North to Grand Central!

[@davidrivera9743]

I like that better. I was thinking Fitchburg, buses to Springfield from there.

[@centredoorplugsthornton4112]

If one doesn't mind using an inland route itinerary, maybe call out total lack of Boston-NY service via Springfield.

[@kennys436]

i didnt even know there was even a PVTA bus that goes to/from Worcester! I always thought there was a serious transit disconnect between eastern/western MA

[@bostonrailfan2427]

@@davidrivera9743 it’s definitely possible via Fitchburg but it’s a much longer route and most likely is unable to be done in one day… North Station to Fitchburg, Montechusett RTA to Ahthol then Athol to Orange, Franklin RTA to Northampton, Pioneer Valley RTA to Holyoke then Holyoke to Springfield then finally CT Rail to New London and MNRR to GCT

[@wangkevinde]

@@kennys436 it’s a new service introduced last year! finally a real alternative to the lake shore limited

[@always-alicia]

I consider the Northeast Regional to be public transit, because, well, it pretty much is.

[@travelingadventureswithdan3181]

Amtrak is publicly funded so technically speaking it is public transportation. I'll try to phrase it better in the future.

[@MrStark-up6fi]

@@travelingadventureswithdan3181 If there was compartments on the train then it is safe to call it private transportation

[@fluidice1656]

But then why not just taking Amtrak all the way from Boston to NYC?

[@stephenholt4670]

​@@fluidice1656 because then the journey would be rather straightforward and not such an interesting video!

[@imogendedo8296]

@@travelingadventureswithdan3181 amtrak IS public transport

[@ryanmorrison3699]

Using rail to travel I think is incredibly underrated. I like it more than flying. It can sometimes cost more than flying, but, Amtrak’s coach is like flying 1st class on a plane. Larger, much more comfortable seating arrangements.

[@bipbipletucha]

Definitely

[@ShroomKeppie]

Trains are great where the travel distance is less than 3 or 4 hours. After that, airlines are the only way to go. However, a lot of people treat train travel like a cruise, and just go from place to place on the trains because they like the scenery and food.

[@ryanmorrison3699]

@@ShroomKeppie You wouldn’t want to travel standard coach for longer than that on a train. I’ve done 15 hours in a roomette on Amtrak where I had a bed and complimentary meals in the dining car. That was absolutely lovely I must say.

[@alpzepta]

And why is train cost more than a plane? Is it expensive electricity or is it that America get a massive discount on a jet fuel? Train to me is better than a plane. it’s more comfortable and the legroom is way more roomy even the 3rd class is really comfortable on a train. Plane do not get the same comfort at all. Also you don’t have to deal with TSA bullcrap when you choose a train. Another plus for the train is that there are no unruly passenger unlike the plane which is very common. The view on the plane is a full of cloud and on the train give us the city view. Yup I grew up liking train

[@JayMedina]

Not having to deal with TSA is also a big plus.

[@AlaskanTrain21]

I've actually thought of doing this trip for quite some time, actually all the way from DC. I don't know if all legs of it are still running, but my original spreadsheet showed it was possible to get from DC to Boston almost entirely on various local train/boat means (excluding Delaware to Southeast PA, where MARC and SEPTA just barely miss connecting to each other) The NYC > BOS leg of that journey was LIRR from NYC > Montauk, Montauk to Block Island Ferry, Block Island to Pt. Judith Ferry, Bus from Pt. Judith to Wickford Junction, Wickford Junction to Boston

[@mariacullati2371]

Thank you so much! I routinely take amtrak to and from nyc but this looks like a pleasant alternate route because I live in Pt Judith RI. Cool.

[@dxkaiyuan4177]

Seeing this and the difficulties getting around, especially the Westerly - New London gap, I think the states should work together to create a unified New England Dept. of Transportation. State lines barely apply to the transportation of people and commerce, and it becomes especially cumbersome when one service ends at the border and you must switch to a different line. MA-RI and NY-CT have decent cooperation between them, but the weakest link has to be between CT and RI.

[@bwcbiz]

This is a project I've been thinking about for a while. Glad to see someone put it into practice. I was wondering if a western MA run would work since there's CT rail Hartford line between Springfield MA and New Haven, but I'm not so sure about connections from Springfield to Boston. Except for the Rhode Island and the Delaware/Maryland gaps, you could get from Boston to DC via commuter rail. So yes, please continue. I'd be interested to see how you bridge the gap between SEPTA and MARC.

[@davidrivera9743]

@@bwcbiz you're challenge is Fitchburg to Amherst.

[@usernameusername4037]

@@davidrivera9743 Someone pointed out ahead that the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority operates a bus from Worcester to Amherst

[@travelingadventureswithdan3181]

I totally agree! Westerly-New London was the most difficult aspect of doing this and it just goes to show that there are quite a few communities that severely lack access to public transportation. This is a great idea to have a NEDOT with the states working together to make public transit more reliable and accessible. There have been talks of the MBTA Extending further to Kingston and Westerly. Supposedly, RIDOT is considering having their own commuter rail service which would include implementing a connection to Shore Line East.

[@rwboa22]

When you look at it, a similar "gap" exists between Port Deposit, MD and Wilmington, DE (and yes, I use Wilmington as SEPTA only runs between Newark, DE and Center City, Philadelphia only on weekdays), however if MARC and SEPTA, via DelDOT and DART could get the former to extend the Penn Line service to Newark or Wilmington (preferably the latter as there are storage track near the Wilmington Station; one at the Wilmington Substation for SEPTA trains and another at Amtrak's Wilmington Maintenance Facility for MARC trains), not only would extending MARC's Penn Line service would eliminate the gap between Port Deposit and Wilmington in regards to alternative rail transport for Philadelphia and Baltimore-Washington commuters, but would also allow DART to better utilize the Churchman's Crossing and Newark stations as proper transportation hubs for those heading by DART bus to Christiana Mall, Christiana Hospital, or even (via DART Route 301 bus) to Dover. However, if the MBTA was to "close the gap" in regards to a Boston-NYC alternative to Amtrak, they should run MBTA trains along the same tracks as Amtrak's Lake Shore Limited to Springfield, of which then one could connect to New Haven, via the Harford Line.

[@jonmiller6703]

The times I worked in the northeast I really enjoyed the ability to get pretty much anywhere between DC and Boston and around town (whichever I was in) using buses, subways, and trains. I did use Amtrak, but I never had to drive.

[@travelingadventureswithdan3181]

The Northeast Corridor is probably the best part of the US Rail Network. Frequent and usualy reliable service which means there's almost always a way to get where you want to go.

[@johnnycage8546]

@@travelingadventureswithdan3181 is there a way to take public transportation from new Jersey to Boston?

[@travelingadventureswithdan3181]

Thanks for your comment! Depending on where in New Jersey, but as long as it's served by New Jersey Transit it should definitely be doable.

[@johnnycage8546]

@@travelingadventureswithdan3181 thank you bro. Do you have any idea where in new jersey i can find a train like that?

[@robertshelton9881]

This game is particularly fun for seniors in the Philly area. The PA lottery pays entirely for public transit for seniors, so ithe vast SEPTA network is free. NJ Transit is not free, but seniors get a 50% discount. So I can go from Paoli to NYC for very little. And did I mention that parking at PA stations is also free?

[@billyjoll]

Connecticut is doing massive things to improve regional rail in the state, including a potential direct train running along the Hartford Line to Grand Central without a New Haven xfer. They're also planning on running a branch line up from New London (Central Corridor Rail Line) hitting Mohegan Sun, Willimantic, UConn, and stops through the pioneer valley up to Brattleboro. Also full electrification of the Danbury and Waterbury branch lines for the M8 to run continuously without transfer. What's commendable is that since day 1 - CT Rail (Hartford Line, Shore Line East) and Metro North have had the ability to buy tickets for each service, regardless of the machine you've bought them on - avoiding a quick run up to the machines at New Haven-Union Station. Side note on the Shore Line East - I think it's a great name but the old "Clamdigger" name rules.

[@rainbowrailroadcrossing7798]

Exciting news

[@travelingadventureswithdan3181]

Thanks for your comment! Yeah, Connecticut is really trying to improve their rail infrastructure. The M8's just started on Shore Line East a few days ago and there is talks of having a direct train from New London to Grand Central without needing to transfer at New Haven. I haven't heard of the extension up the Central Corridor but I think it would be a great addition to the network. I wasn't aware that the Danbury and Waterbury lines were getting electrified but it isn't surprising since it would allow for more direct services since there wouldn't necessarily be a need to switch trains at Stamford to connect to the branch line services. As far as ticketing goes, I usually just use the mobile app to purchase tickets. Thanks so much for watching!

[@connecticutmultimodaltrans8226]

Slow down there. New London-MA or VT is not in the foreseeable future. It's no man's land out there. Much more worth service on the opposite side of the state: Danbury to Pittsfield, MA via New Milford, Kent, Canaan, and Great Barrington. They are starting a feasibility study to electrify the Danbury, Waterbury, and Hartford lines in a couple months which will likely take a year. I would much rather see increased service and inland route service to Boston via Hartford and Springfield before tons of new track. M8s have started running on Shore Line East from New London to New Haven, but they're four-car sets that are stuck on SLE or at least east of New Rochelle/Pelham because their third rail shoes had to be removed due to bridge clearance issues on SLE. Four-car sets can't handle the loads into GCT so they'd have to be coupled with another four-car set in New Haven. But that's a lot of work and CTDOT isn't that competent. The cross-platform transfer is easy enough, at least for now.

[@billyjoll]

@@connecticutmultimodaltrans8226 Totally agree with everything you're saying. I'm coming from an idealistic place and I think even if the plans and studies might be grandiose, it's worth flaunting a bit. I understand your suggestion for hesitancy, especially with CTDOT (the failure of anything with the Hartford to Bradley Griffin Line with competition coming from TF Green comes to mind) even though a lot of this comes from lack of public interest. Growing up in No Mans(field) Land CT, I've always wondered why there were so many rails to trails, yet only poor bus service between Hartford and Eastern CT or Hartford (or Burger King Station in Vernon) to Boston. I think you have a better point with priorities, but I think we agree with the potential. I don't really comment on stuff online and it's nice to chat with someone about transportation in CT.

[@connecticutmultimodaltrans8226]

@@billyjoll CTtransit express 913 provides decent service to Mansfield/Storrs, and all buses are free til December 1st! Yeah tbh recreational only trails are some of the dumbest uses of funds IMO. They only benefit those with cars AND free time to run, walk, or bike on them and provide no utility for actual transportation. Eastern CT is always forgotten, and though it has a fraction of the rest of the state's population, if does need more transit. It is nice to chat about CT transportation!

[@usernameusername4037]

I think I figured out how to theoretically do Boston->DC: 1) MBTA Framingham/Worcester to Worcester 2) PVTA B79 to UMass Amherst 3) PVTA R29 to Springfield 4) CT Rail Hartford Line to New Haven 5) Metro-North New Haven Line to NYC 6) NJ Transit Northeast Corridor to Trenton 7) SEPTA Trenton Line to Philadelphia 8) SEPTA Wilmington/Newark Line to Newark (DE) 9) Cecil Transit Route 4 to Elkton 10) Cecil Transit Route 2 to Perryville 11) Marc Penn Line to DC Of course, I haven't checked any schedules, which probably destory this.

[@ArefDajani]

...and MTA from DC to Charlotte Hall, MD, which works as it is outbound in the afternoon if you can get to DC at the right time!

[@toy4x4nj]

Too bad the Marc doesn't goes go to Newark.

[@ArefDajani]

…or at least Elkton. Newark (DE) and Elkton are super close!!

[@usernameusername4037]

@@ArefDajani You could also take the Virginia Railway Express to Spotsylvania station, though you're pretty much stuck from there. There really aren't that many intercity public transit routes south of New England..

[@usernameusername4037]

I also looked at possibly going upstate NY, but again you get stuck between Poughkeepsie and Albany (you can get to a village called Tivoli, but you'd have to walk a few hours to Germantown to possibly catch a bus to Hudson and then Albany, but apparently the Germantown-Hudson bus only happens once a week on Tuesday.)

[@williamrubinstein3442]

I dont think you mean "using only public transport," but " using only local transport. " Very interesting.

[@travelingadventureswithdan3181]

Thanks for your comment! I'll try to use better phrasing in the future.

[@JohnnyAngel8]

But didn't he, in fact, use only publicly-funded transportation?

[@TheEulerID]

@@JohnnyAngel8 that's not the normal definition of public transport which is "buses, trains, and other forms of transport that are available to the public, charge set fares, and run on fixed routes". That's as opposed to private transport like cars or taxis that don't run fixed routes on a schedule.

[@pmc_]

@@JohnnyAngel8 He did, but the simpler solution if the only limit is public funding would be to just take the Acela or Northeast Regional the whole way

[@rainbowrailroadcrossing7798]

Commuter rail trains!!!

[@marioimori]

Your video clarified something that bothered me during my 2-day-stay in NYC. I stayed in a shared Airbnb apartment on 186th Street and kept hearing trains passing, but never saw anything. In the beginning, we had thought it was the subway. I told my wife that it was quite impossible to listen to the subway because the station was on 181st Street and we were four blocks down 181, where the subway line 1 passes. I looked at Google Maps and could see rails close to the river banks. Anyways, that remained a mystery until now! As I always say, traveling opens up one's mind and so do KZbin videos. Thanks for sharing!

[@travelingadventureswithdan3181]

Thanks for watching! Metro-North runs along Park Avenue at 181st Street and quite frequently too. It's very likely thats where the noise was coming from. The 1 Train is also above elevated at that point so it also could have been that. I'm glad you found the video informative!

[@TorstenAdair]

The 1 train at 181st is 120 feet underground! It doesn’t become elevated until Dyckman.

[@jerrymarasco683]

I absolutely enjoy this video, I am a lower Westchester resident. know the New Haven very well and yes, one of these days I plan to do New York to Washington using New Jersey Transit, SEPTA and the other local systems. Love the video, hope to see more.

[@jfmezei]

For fun in NYC to DC trip: At Trenton, take River Line to Camden (Walter reed/Broadway). , then Patco to Philadelphia, then SEPTA to Newark etc (instead of simple SEPTA from Trenton to Philadelphia ! The challenge is between Newark DE and Perry Point MD (I thik it can be done with 2 buses) and then hope there is service from Perry point to Baltimore to Washington in terms of schedules.

[@jm-bv1wh]

Hmmm, never thought of taking the River Line. But slower than Septa from Trenton to CC Philly.

[@maxsilverstone8600]

This was a lot of fun to watch! As you went from leg to leg, it was funny knowing that you had a special secret. You were on this total adventure while among otherwise unknowing commuters.

[@Michael-ut6mu]

Good luck! I love trains and have always hoped at least the northeast would reach European standards before I died. Now in my late 60s I was disappointed to find that the hundreds of millions spent to upgrade services between Springfield and New Haven didn’t make it any easier to get to NYC. A weekday morning (7:17am) trip from south of Hartford (exactly 100 miles to Grand Central to New Haven then on to GCS would take nearly 4 hours including a 45 minute wait in New Haven for Metro North. As I recall, the trip from New Haven to Grand Central with stops at all 17 stations (no express service) took 100 minutes in the 80s and 90s. Now it’s just over 2 hours to GCS (still no express service)!

[@tlldrkhndy]

Yes, make a video from NYC to DC. I've always wondered whether the BOS to GCT trip was doable via public transportation. Thanks for showing it is!

[@Number1Camper]

You can take a bus direct to port authority, no transfers needed

[@natelarouge7620]

At least to get to philly, you take nj transit from nyc to trenton then septa the rest of the way

[@bostonrailfan2427]

it’s doable, it’s just that it’s 12 hours long…

[@travelingadventureswithdan3181]

Thanks for your comment! I'll be making a video using only public transit from New York to Washington, DC soon! It is absolutely doable to get between Boston-NYC on only public transit (and without using Amtrak). Thanks so much for watching!

[@tedmeleky4809]

Great video. I look forward to additional programs that you suggested in this one. A trip by public transit all the way to DC would be fascinating.

[@yuckyool]

This was described in Trains magazine 10-15 years ago. And yes, same break in EasternCT/SW.RI. Similar gap exists between NY and Richmond VA between NewarkDE and PerryvilleMD. Fun!

[@davidrivera9743]

Wilmington to Perryville MD is possible via bus. Connection between MARC and bus can get very squirrelly.

[@DTD110865]

@@davidrivera9743 So, DART First State provides a bus connection between SEPTA and MARC? And does it have to be in Wilmington, instead of Newark?

[@Klaatutoo1]

My brother lived in Clinton, CT and we traveled several times to NYC or Boston from there. Your video evoked fond memories and I look forward to seeing more of your work!

[@ahmadfrw1]

What you should've done is take the 66 to University of Rhode Island, transfer to 69 to Block Island Ferry, take the Ferry into Montauk, then take Suffolk Transit 10 C to Montauk Station, and then take LIRR into Manhattan.

[@keithb3775]

This was an absolutely outstanding video! I would love more of these “only using public transportation” videos!

[@adriancooper78]

That's a pretty long commute. Nice to get on the M9. Kawasaki Heavy Industries. 😃 Doesn't Metro North stop at New London? You could have jumped on the ferry boat at at New London . That would have took you into Long Island.😃 Didn't know about the Short Line Railroad. Connecticut has their train system on LOCK. Joint operations with Amtrak and The MTA.

[@adriancooper78]

@@gabembta12 Correct!! MNR Doesn't stop at New London. Short line does!! Orient Point Long Island to New London. Cross Sound Ferry 😃

[@wemailbill2]

This was a great video. I think I may try it myself one day. Definitely like to see Boston to DC

[@travelingadventureswithdan3181]

Thanks and what a great idea! I'll have to think about doing an entire video from BOS-DC on local public transit.

[@badgalkia10]

Moving to Boston soon from Texas so definitely informative. Would love to see more videos like these☺️. Good job reaching NYC for under $50 !

[@quanbrooklynkid7776]

That's you in your profile picture

[@travelingadventureswithdan3181]

Thanks! Many more coming soon!

[@connecticutmultimodaltrans8226]

Welcome to New England! Amtrak's services like the Northeast Regional can do Boston-NYC in 3.5-4 for as low as $28.

[@COASTER1921]

We always talked about doing this back in college. Glad to see you actually did it! Whenever we needed to go to NYC the $10 Chinatown bus (coachrun) was always preferable though. Not much slower than Amtrak but so so cheap.

[@JohnnyAngel8]

And deadly. Fung Wah bus lines was shut down for good reason.

[@bostonrailfan2427]

@@JohnnyAngel8 now Mega Bus replaced it and has a good record despite cheap rates

[@wallacekwan5012]

The pandemic killed the Chinatown buses. Flixbus is where its at these days. Twice the price of the old Chinatown buses, tho.

[@travelingadventureswithdan3181]

Thanks for your comment! I've taken the bus between Boston and New York many times, never on the Chinatown Buses though. I've taken Greyhound, Megabus, Peter Pan, and BoltBus when they were still operating. It's a great option that is usualy affordable as well. I remember the days when you could get $10 bus tickets!

[@vaibhavs13]

I was in Boston from 2009 to 2011. Used to work right next to South Station. This vidoe brought back good old memories.

[@roaddogg800]

I've done this type of trip before on the west coast. You can travel all the way from San Diego to San Francisco by using only public transit. It's a fun and unique experience. The cost however isn't a savings as an overnight is required. As for your journey, I've considered it using the 95x option.

[@nycvibez_photog]

This video was awesome I grew up in NYC and Boston so this was a treat I usually take a greyhound between Boston/NYC (which technically isn't public transit) but I've been doing it that way most of my life I can't believe all the changes that are happening to the places I grew up

[@EricTheKing]

I love this because I’m on a trip to Right now in NYC and I had to take the MBTA into Boston to take the N.E regional to New London, Stayed there for a few and took The Shore Line East to New Haven to take the MNR into Grand Central and I loved it, The MNR M8 Fleet is really smooth, I’m leaving NYC tomorrow taking the MNR to New Haven and the N.E Regional to Boston and MBTA back home

[@travelingadventureswithdan3181]

I'm glad you enjoyed it! Yeah the M8's are really nice! It's also sometimes cheaper to do it this way instead of Amtrak from NYC-BOS.

[@winstonpx]

Love the production quality and effort! I've subbed and I hope to see more from you in the future!!

[@Apprentice-yg3qn]

I remember seeing someone did this on Twitter back in 2019 but I guess bus routes/schedules were different. It's interesting to see it on video!

[@travelingadventureswithdan3181]

Interesting! The schedules can make doing something like this a challenge. That's why I didn't take the buses to New London.

[@JohnnyAngel8]

@@travelingadventureswithdan3181 Did you have your tickets for all segments already paid before you boarded in Boston? If so, how? Online? Were all the tickets open-ended travel in case you missed a connection?

[@gorskic]

I'd love to see the Shoreline East video! (And maybe even a look at the Hartford Line, which I've taken a couple of times.)

[@travelingadventureswithdan3181]

Shore Line East video is coming very soon! I''ve never taken the Hartford Line so i'll have to try it sometime!

[@brettparnell8254]

Great video. I've been trying to figure out if this was even possible for a while.

[@MervynPartin]

That was different...and fascinating. Even though I have a keen interest in public transit systems, I would probably take the direct Acela, as I hate relying on connections. You mentioned possibly travelling to Washington DC- well worth a visit as the great architecture begins with arrival at Union Station.

[@quanbrooklynkid7776]

Haha

[@295g295]

Getting from Delaware state to Maryland state is the big question.

One downside of doing the trip so early in the morning is that you can't take public transit TO South Station. Most MBTA services are not running at that hour.

[@StevePetrica]

Sweet nostalgia! Living in Boston, then New Haven, while my family lived in Baltimore, I spent many, many hours on the Amtrak NE Regional and on Metro-North. Thanks for taking me back!

[@scriptednetwork836]

Cool to see your trip. I’m from new Rochelle so I love been riding metro north my entire life. The new haven line consist is much nicer than the older models they used to run. You should try Albany NY to penn station using the same style you did this one, completely doable and great scenic spots for this time of year.

[@HoldenNY22]

I live in Queens and I am also a Mass Transit Enthusiast. How do you do Albany, NY to Penn Station without taking Amtrak or I guess Greyhound, etc and only using Mass Transit. A few years I went to Philadelhia using only Mass Transit. I took the Subway (maybe it was bus to LIRR- it was more than a few years ago so I don't remember that particualr part of my journey) into Penn Station. I then took New Jersey Transit to Trenton and changed for the SEPTA line to Philadelphia.. I think it was abont 1 or maybe 90 minutes longer, but half the price (maybe it was 2 horus longer- again I don't remember, but it was a lot less.

[@travelingadventureswithdan3181]

Thanks so much for your comment! Yeah, the M8's are much more modern and comfortable. I never rode the M2/M4/M6 EMU's which ran on The NH Line for many years. I know that the M3's still run on the Harlem Line and Hudson Line to Croton Harmon so hopefuly i'll get to ride one of those sometime soon. I'll definitely look into doing Albany to NYC using this same method. It would surely be an interesting video. Thanks for watching!

[@DanknDerpyGamer]

I like the M8s, though I do miss the always-having-a-RFW aspect of the old M2s, M4s, and M6s (though not the terrible bathroom odor control issues that the M6s had - seriously, I could smell the fumes a car away!)

[@mgarner1227]

Thanks for making this video! I definitely enjoyed it and look forward to more.

[@davidsixtwo]

There was a guy a few years ago who did city buses and trains from NoVA to Massachusetts, I think he spent maybe 3 days on the project.

[@theskyisturquoise]

For public transit between NYC and DC, you'd have to connect to Amtrak in Newark or Wilmington and alight at Penn Station or Aberdeen to catch the MARC train depending on the time of day.

[@blaksham]

this guy connected DC to NYC then on to BOS using three separate bus lines between Perryville, MD and Wilmington, DE kzbin.info/www/bejne/d5yVeHtmh9OLqJI

[@kimberkrestsolocamping6186]

Yes, please, on the New York to Washington, DC video. Thank you so much for this video. Very informative. Changing my travel plans based on your info. Safe travels!

[@travelingadventureswithdan3181]

Thanks for your comment! I'm so glad you enjoyed the video!

[@TheLewistownTrainspotter8102]

@@travelingadventureswithdan3181 The only gap you'll have to deal with is between Newark, DE (where SEPTA ends) and Perryville, MD (where MARC starts).

[@davidrivera9743]

@@TheLewistownTrainspotter8102 bus from Wilmington to Perryville solves the gap. Dart from Wilmington to Glasgow, Cecil Co. Buses to Perryville with a transfer in Elkton, Md. Only runs during the day, during the week.

[@davidrivera9743]

And I can definitely get bus tickets for less than 50 bucks from NYC-BOS.

[@bobg56]

And you could go south of Washington DC too!

[@korvgobben]

Just found this channel and just have to say that I love it allready. I have to subscribe, and start bingewatch your videos....

[@dannyfinance]

I enjoyed watching your video. I would love to NYC to DC next. Have a great weekend Dan. 😊

[@kamana6435]

Great video I really enjoyed the trip you took. One suggestion would be to have some maps to show the overall jouryney so those not from the US can see the route you took. Thanks

[@travelingadventureswithdan3181]

Thanks for your comment! I'll keep that in mind for future videos. I'm glad you enjoyed the video!

[@seanmcnulty79]

I did a trip like this from NYC to Philadelphia when I was in college back in the 90s. Was easy Peen station NJ transit to Morristown NJ (could be wrong been almost 30 years) then picked up Philly SEPTA train in to Philadelphia South Street Station (I think it was again almost 30 years ago) We had a lot of fun and it was cheap.

[@howardchasnoff208]

Some memorable rides: NYC bus from Bay Ridge to Staten Island Change for a NyC bus that goes from Staten Island to NJ. Then hop the commuter tram to Jersey City. Then take Hudson Tubes or NJ transit back to NYC. Who remembers the Hudson tubes? From NYC take NJ transit to Redbank. Take bus to Atlantic Highlands. Get ferry to Pier 11 in Manhattan.

[@beachrose88]

I love Boston so much .plus trains and the T ..the commuter rails. All of it

[@Caspirius]

This video was actually answering a part of a question I had about taking commuter trains from Boston to DC instead of using the Amtrak network. Thank you. I might want to go this way as a tourist if the time is managable and the price is cheaper than Amtrak.

[@travelingadventureswithdan3181]

Thanks for your comment! Yeah, it wasn't too hard to work the schedules out. I definitely reccomend getting an early start because the trains/busses run more frequently than they do during the day. It wasn't a bad trip at all and I found it quite enjoyable!

[@RobotSavetheworld]

I go to an anime convention every summer in the Baltimore DC area, and usually take Amtrak out of South Station to avoid air travel costs, so I'm well acquainted with the 93 Northeast Regional, and its Acela counterpart the 2159 Express. I've grown quite fond of the ride, and find it particularly beautiful in the summertime; a seat on the left hand side when travelling southbound gives you a lovely view of the beaches and harbors in Connecticut around the New London area. I'd love to see it featured!

[@fiveinitaly]

Super great job! 👍ciao from Italy 🇮🇹

[@noticestudios]

Sweet journey! We cant wait to get out and explore

[@andrewclark8630]

Traveled from Philly to New York using public transit (I think even using a tram) - there are quite a few low priced alternatives.

[@DTD110865]

I've considered doing that, as well as in the opposite direction.

[@andrewharmon5843]

Ok, I’m sorry, but Amtrak is public transit. Even if you don’t take Acela there is the northeast regional

[@NYRM1974]

You should go International One would be New York to Canada another Paris to Madrid Spain.

[@Artessnow]

People in the Northeast have it easy. I want to try a trip from Charlotte, NC to Raleigh, NC using only bus public transit. A 165 mile trip.

[@roberthemingway5783]

I use to take the shore line from south station to New Haven (NYNH&H) days before Amtrak, they had great dinning service. Thanks brought backemoriesbofy youth.

[@erikmattson2507]

Like a game. Interesting. The MBTA commuter rail from Boston (purple line) tend to have dirty or scratched windows so they're poor for sight-seeing. Normally, I prefer jets or cars as they are the fastest mode of transportation. Time is money. Still, trains are perfect for comfort and watching the scenery.

[@bostonrailfan2427]

it’s not scratched, it’s the solvents used to wash them reacting with the lexan windows

[@wun5505]

Just found your channel! Videos like this are awesome!

[@travelingadventureswithdan3181]

Thanks! I'm glad you like them!

[@erikc4600]

I took a trip to Fairfield County, Connecticut from a Boston suburb. I took a MBTA train to South Station, then walked 20 minutes to my bus stop, which took me to New Haven. From New Haven, I took MetroNorth to my city. Great trip and total cost was about $28!

[@bethd4739]

I really enjoyed this! Definitely would like to see other videos in and around New England, and the Northeast Corridor Amtrak video. Thank you so much!

[@warrengibson7898]

I’ve thought of trying this. Thanks for saving me the trouble! Please do NY to DC and beyond.

[@travelingadventureswithdan3181]

Thanks for watching! NY to DC will be coming soon!

[@Stinkles_]

Cool video! I took the Amtrak Auto Train last year and it was a very unique and cool experience, especially with the roomette. Pricey, but there are deals sometimes. There’s just something about sleeping on a bed while the train brings you and your car somewhere that can’t be beat.

[@Stinkles_]

@@gabembta12 Interesting, but you have to be without your car for a few days while they truck it down. On the Auto Train your car goes on the same train as you. We got the priority unloading and were in my car 15 min after getting off the train.

[@Stinkles_]

@@gabembta12 That’s right. We drove 6 hours from Key Largo to Sanford, then 6 hours from Lorton to CT the next day. Beats spending 3 days on the interstate!

[@MosheFeder]

I’ve long wanted to try this and when I saw the title of your video, I immediately wondered if a new service had been added to close the CT-RI gap that I was aware of. I'm disappointed to learn that's not the case, but I appreciated your being up front about that early in the video. Resorting to Amtrak was a reasonable option in the circumstances and didn’t keep me from enjoying the video thoroughly. Of course, I couldn’t help remembering that back in the streetcar era one could probably do this trip for a series of nickel fares, albeit over more hours. By all means attempt the equivalent NYC to DC trip. I'll be intrigued to see what you come up with. Meanwhile, congratulations and thanks for your work documenting this route.

[@thanbo]

I did something like this in 1990. As you know Bob, the LIRR was originally built to provide a faster route to Boston than boat or stage the whole way. So I took the LIRR out to Ronk, changed to the Greenport shuttle, took a cab from Greenport to Orient Point, a ferry to New London, and Amtrak from New London to Boston. The original route had the ferry from Greenport to Providence, but the modern ferry goes where it goes. Maybe you might cover that journey sometime?

[@travelingadventureswithdan3181]

I didn't know that, but it sounds like a fun adventure! Now that you mention it, it makes perfect sense. Definitely a trip I'll have to try out sometime!

[@Akibatai00]

Interesting idea to take only public transportations only. Can't wait to see your video on the Shore Line East!

[@travelingadventureswithdan3181]

Stay tuned!

[@mjstra]

You should try to do Washington, DC to New York City, NY using only Public Transit.

[@travelingadventureswithdan3181]

It's on my list to do this summer! Stay Tuned!

[@nicholasmarshall9128]

If you do the NYC to DC video, theres a train that leaves Camden Yards in Baltimore that runs all the way down to Union Station in DC, and is right next to the Baltimore Light Rail

[@alandaiello7268]

There are long-term plans to extend both the CT-Rail Shoreline East (SLE) line and the MBTA Providence line to Westerly to allow for cross platform transfer between the two lines to close the gap you encountered. To this end (slightly long and complicated!!): Phase One (mostly complete) 1) the "runaround track" at Kingston (Track 3) was rebuilt and electrified 2-3 years ago. The first step (for RI) is the extension of the Providence Line from Wickford Jct. to Kingston and the third track is needed to keep the main clear of commuter traffic in one of the 150mph zones. RI has been in negotiation to have the train extended since just before COVID. 2) SLE is planning on starting work towards improving and increasing service to New London by converting their diesel loco trains to M8s that will be moved over from Metro-North (MNR) (as CT already owns 60% of the trains and cars that operate on that line) gradually over the next couple of years as MNR receives 25 new car sets and SLE gets some "hand-me-downs". Testing began last year with M8s running light to New London to check clearances and compatibility with the voltage change between MNR territory (750VDC third rail to Pelham, NY, then 11kVAC catenary to New Haven State St) and SLE/Amtrak electrification (25kVAC) to Boston. Phase 2 (proposed) 1) MBTA is planning (and its board voted on this earlier this year) to move to electric traction and is very interested in the M8 trainsets, initially for the Providence mainline. In the proposals that I read, moving to electric traction would be essential for the Westerly service as the acceleration would make the trip Westerly/PVD/Boston a reasonable commute (about 2 hrs). MBTA has indicated that they will entertain extending the service as far south as Westerly only when they have this (assuming again that RI and the Fed will pay to set this up). Currently, as MNR receives new M8 trainsets, there are plans to send one to the MBTA for testing on the Providence Line. 2) SLE has indicated that with M8s running from New London possibly through at peak to Stamford or GCT, a potential service pattern from Westerly would be shuttle to New London or even Westerly-New Haven with a cross platform transfer for GCT. Phase 2 is completely amorphous at the moment as COVID has upended a lot of things, but RI, the MBTA and SLE have expressed definite interest in closing this gap to also better allow for reverse commuting across the region. I am hoping we see it in the next 10 years or so!

[@JeffFrmJoisey]

Done well!! “Taking the long way” on transit is what I almost always did when I was a teen exploring the NYC Subway, so I know what it’s like. For me, the RFW view, where available, was my favorite place to ride. A video from the RFW/BFW of this route would be fun to watch.

[@travelingadventureswithdan3181]

It's always fun to look out the front or rear window of the train. It would be very difficult to film this entire ride though since there are multiple transfers and there isnt always a RFW.

[@teddyasch1101]

There needs to be a RIPTA train line from Providence to New London via Westerly, and a RIPTA/MBTA joint line from Providence to Worcester via Woonsocket. That would help connect all those gaps.

[@Pisca-kk5cs]

I’ve done Baltimore MD to New York Penn… the problem is connecting from Perryville MD to Newark Del is an issue and is not available during weekends. So I had to take Amtrak to Wilmington Del… from there it’s easy and you can chose different routes… I chose the route using the NJT River Line … cheaper and more fun.

[@Roboboy]

Amazing to see someone's perspective on the 66! We're working on updating bus stop signage!

[@danbernstein4694]

Nice to see they brought back the old New Haven RR livery!

[@hounddog946]

It is possible to take public buses from JAX to Key West.

[@jfmezei]

Surprised/disapointed the Shore line uses diesels. The line between New Haven to Boston was electrified last century (or early this century). in preparation for Acella service and the seem to have service only on the New York to Boston line. Can underetsnd MTB as they have many services on non-electrified lines, but if Shore Line only operates on electrified line (and operated by Amtrak to boot) I would have expected electriuc !

[@VILEPAINTS]

I remember being 13 and running away from The Bronx to my uncle’s place up in Fitchburg, hell the comments my know him as the first Mexican guy to move up there c. 2005! Point is I hopped the train down to Canal Street in Manhattan got a ticket and got on a shady Chinese bus up to Boston for $20 on a 6hr drive in the middle of the night! All in all I told my uncle in secrecy I was going to visit and he played my ass “yea son, come up I won’t tell anyone” picked me up said he was “off to work” next morning and by that night had driven my mom up from the Bronx to sort it all out! Great memories honestly 😂

[@benjaminniemczyk]

Pretty cool! I think a more accurate title would be something like 'Boston to NYC using only commuter rail' or something like that, since Amtrak is pretty much public transit. But I think we all get it. Quite an adventure!

[@travelingadventureswithdan3181]

Thanks for your feedback! It was an adventure for sure!

[@rainbowrailroadcrossing7798]

I’d love to think that’s it’s possible we can all recreate this commuter rail service only challenge. It also fuels my love for rail and train transport

[@henrykosofsky8988]

I live right near Stamford Connecticut so it’s pretty cool to see you travel right through my home area

[@southeastasiagoingastray731]

@ the 16:28 mark you showed a great shot of "dead man's curve". Some very serious train wrecks have occurred at that spot.

[@Alevuss92]

I would be open to seeing NYC to DC on just public transit. What I've wanted to see for some time is someone traveling from P-town to Williamstown on (mostly) just public transit. You'd probably have to stay overnight in Worcester, break the rules by riding the Lake Shore Limited to Pittsfield, and then stay overnight there or in North Adams since the BRTA schedules don't line up well that late in the day. In other words, most folks wouldn't see it as worth the expense of 2 days of travel and 2 motel rooms.

[@beachrose88]

Watching this is like being home

[@bussmb]

I think a nice video covering the Acela Express and the NE Regional trains would be informative and fun to watch.

[@augusthoyt8447]

This is a question I have asked myself for a while. You could also do Public Transportation from NY to DC, only with a gap between Newark (the Delaware one, not NJ) and Perryville.

[@blaksham]

this guy did it using three separate bus lines between Perryville, MD and Wilmington, DE kzbin.info/www/bejne/d5yVeHtmh9OLqJI

[@TorstenAdair]

Amtrak hack: I traveled from DC to NYC via the Northeastern. Amtrak allows a layover in Philadelphia. Walked from the station down to the Delaware River and back!

[@henryostman5740]

Most commuter MU trains are powered by DC third rail, overhead AC is somewhat problematic in tunnels. This means that A/C power is limited or not available for outlets. You can take a NJ transit train from Penn Sta to Trenton NJ. and then a Septa train to Penn Sta in Philly. I believe that Septa trains run to Newark Del but then there is a gap to where you can pick up MARC trains that go to DC from there you can get a VRE train to about halfway to Richmond VA. The Jersey transit/Septa link is about half the fare of the cheapest Amtrak train on the route but there are a lot of stops this way. i don't think Amtrak stops at Newark Del.

[@casey6556]

As a semi-regular visitor of DC, I'd love to see a NYC-DC trip entirely by non-Amtrak public transit!

[@ShroomKeppie]

There are bus lines with internet that do that every day.

[@casey6556]

@@ShroomKeppie Sure, but I wouldn't call them public transit in the true sense (the same way this video doesn't call Amtrak public transit). I know there are other easier ways to get from NYC to DC; the point is to not do that.

[@janoswimpffen7305]

Well done, well executed and filmed. I live in NW Washington state, between Seattle and Vancouver. I've long thought that it would be fun to plot and possibly take a trip that would circumnavigte North America in similar fashion. The rules would be; stick to train as long as possible, always to the lowest level; i.e., light rail / metro instead of commuter rail / Amtrak, commuter rail instead of Amtrak (only going with the higher level when no other option exists), but buses are preferable to Amtrak and again a hierarchy ("lowerachy"?) holds sway, take local buses with Greyhound or other inter-city companies if necessary. Of course you would have to have tons of overnights along the way, not just because of the routings but also because of uncordinated schedules. The hearkens back to the Interurban Rail era which more or less ended during the Depression and definitely after WWII. At it is maximum moment of trackage, sometime in the 1920s, one could travel solely on Interburbans from Main to at least central Wisconsin and possibly even into Nebraska.

[@howardchasnoff208]

I didn't watch the video yet but it was my life's ambition to find a way to do this by commuter rail only. I did go from NYC to Wilmington DE using NJ transit and Septa. Now I'll watch the video.

[@MakeItWithCalvin]

Personally, I loosely lump Amtrak/airplanes into "public transport" but I know not everyone can afford that so I appreciate you trying to stick to local transit as much as possible. Shows the realities of "why not take transit?"

[@travelingadventureswithdan3181]

Thanks for your comment! Amtrak is publicly funded therefore it is technically considered a mode of public transportation. I wanted to stick with as much local transit as possible to show that it isn't impossible to do. I'll be sure to use better wording in the future. Thanks so much for watching!

[@MakeItWithCalvin]

@@travelingadventureswithdan3181 one minor suggestion may be to show an average time vs cost vs transfers to give people an idea of what to expect. I remember as a kid visiting NYC and taking the PATH from Joysey and then making other transfers to get around. It worked but was overwhelming at times too.

[@danopticon]

Ha! This is genius, and kudos to you for the effort. Long before KZbin-I think in 2002?-my friend and I had a similar idea: we‘d cross the USA via local and regional public transportation only … so no Amtrak even, just buses and subways and commuter rail like the Bay Area’s BART or Illinois’ Metra or NYC’s LIRR. But guess what? She and I tried plotting it out 100 different ways, and we couldn’t even cross Illinois! Christ, but transportation in the USA is sad.

[@TXMEDRGR]

I really enjoyed this video and would love to see more like this. A public transit trip to Washington, D.C. would be interesting. Thanks.

[@jodydorsett8726]

Way back when there was a strike on Amtrak we used commuter rail to travel from Philly to Hartford. At that time you had to transfer from SEPTA to NJT at the Trenton station.

[@SteveSnow1]

Dan, Definitely would like to see the whole trip BOS to NYC by whatever route. Please include mileposts and local color for any stations that deserve it (e.g. connections to other [perhaps now defunct)] destinations and new routes like the New Haven to Springfield shuttle etc. I know this territory somewhat well since I rode the inaugural Shore Line East trip into NYC one early morning after sleeping at the station for hours. Quite the adventure for a younger, more foolish me a long time ago!

[@luchen9640]

That's fun~!

[@alex_zetsu]

Not only is it possible to go between these cities, but you probably don't have to walk far to your destimation in the target city. Boston and NYC are probably top five when it comes to public transportation in USA. I've been to Boston and I know most locals wouldn't think it is good (because it isn't, on the best days the MBTA is passable) and a lot of Europeans would look down on it, but compared to the rest of the country it's an improvement.

[@COBARHORSE1]

It would be interesting to see how the addition of a PEV like a Onewheel or EUC would open up more options for such a trip.

[@granograno]

Dang, I thought maybe you found the secret link from Providence to New London. Still a cool video. You can keep going from NYC south to Wilmington and then Newark DE. After that there's another gap like in RI, but the bus options might be better? Be cool to see that trip too.

[@timmc8444]

I've contemplated trying to bike/transit from the southwest to southeast ..very daunting task

[@alexanderwalter4595]

A video from NYC to Washington DC using local transit would be good. I looked at that once -- there was a gap in train coverage between SEPTA (in Newark DE) and the MARC system (Perryville MD, I think). You can take a bus between them, but the bus requires a transfer. Once in Washington DC, you can take MARC as far west as Martinsburg WV, or take the Virginia Railway Express (VRE) as far south as Spotsylvania VA or Broad Run VA. I doubt you can do the whole trip in 1 day, though.

[@ShroomKeppie]

Buses aren't local transit? What could be more "local"?

[@alexanderwalter4595]

@@ShroomKeppie I didn't say there was a gap in "local transit". I said there was a gap in "train coverage".