I've been thinking about this for years. Enjoying cutting through all the stops.
I know, just hoping on an earlier train would give me the time back. And tickets range from $70 - $130.
But.. just to do it. To hop on that forbidden train...
Comments
peter-doubt t1_j1maizm wrote
I doubt Acela makes both stops with the same train. It would ruin their speed average.
BTW, between New Brunswick and Trenton is the fastest stretch on the route.. 150 mph.
gordonv OP t1_j1mdgm7 wrote
Yup. I take the express every work day on the Raritan Line. (Monthly Pass & Parking)
I guess, it's the wonderment and experience. The way the prices are ticketed and the classes of travel, you'd think you were getting on an airplane.
gordonv OP t1_j1mdl0r wrote
150 mph out of Trenton makes perfect sense.
EagleFly_5 t1_j1mfmn4 wrote
True, most of them run early in the morning and some in the PM rush hour. If there’s no issues w/ tracks/other trains, the trip from Metropark (Iselin) to Newark Penn Station is ~20 minutes on NJ Transit’s NEC route, no extra stops. It’s around 30 minutes for the normal Northeast Corridor route. Some Amtrak routes can do it in 10-15 minutes, but really saving time is almost negligible for a distance like this. You’d notice it more if you took a Amtrak route from Trenton-Newark Penn: 35 minutes (or 30 w/ Acela) vs 75 minutes (or ~50 minutes for express) w/ NJ transit, or even further outside the state like the service was intended.
Also, it’s not like you’re going to magically save time by taking an express/“high speed” train 14,6 miles. As of now (11:20AM, Christmas), you could book a ticket for Tuesday 27 December on Acela for either 95$ or 74$ (one left), and the other Amtrak routes for 83$. Meanwhile NJ Transit’s ticket costs 6,50$ to achieve basically the same thing from Metropark-Newark Penn, sometimes w/ express or local.
Nexis4Jersey t1_j1mfrha wrote
Only 1 Acela a day stops at Trenton , but Regional stops there...
Aggressive-Project-7 t1_j1mgunp wrote
It Acela is on your bucket list why not take Acela to Baltimore, spend some time at the Aquarium and take Acela back to MetroPark ? Or perhaps take it down to DC spend some time around Smithsonian and then back up to NJ?
gordonv OP t1_j1mh7ks wrote
I've actually vacationed in Baltimore a lot for a popular anime convention that use to be there. It just seems that place is getting worse and worse.
DC and the Smithsonian sounds like a great idea though.
peter-doubt t1_j1mhl7v wrote
(I was referring to the speeds attainable, not the stops made - I think New Brunswick has been droppe, too)
rkstrmoto t1_j1mlfob wrote
I've done the Acela from metro park to DC for work a few times and LOVED it. I just stared out the window for 3 hrs. I want to just take a joy ride on that route again...no idea what the ticket price is now.
rkstrmoto t1_j1mnrx3 wrote
Yay an award! Thank you!
_Path t1_j1moj2c wrote
been considering taking it to Boston after new years
NJ_Bus_Nut t1_j1nc1jc wrote
It's your money, you do what you want.
I like to ride trains for fun too, but I'm not gonna spend big bucks on Amtrak tickets, especially Acela, to travel within the state or to NYC.
Acela, I'd probably save that if I wanna visit Boston or DC
Kaymoon72 t1_j1nszsp wrote
Amtrak offers some really good prices if you book in advance. Acela also goes to Boston btw & has some beautiful shoreline views in CT. Regional trains don’t take that much longer & have all the same views. Trains are a great way to travel with less of an environmental footprint than planes or cars. I wish we had more passenger train travel options in the US like they do in Europe or Japan
soggywaffle69 t1_j1nxm08 wrote
I’d be shocked if they checked tickets between Metropark and Newark if the train was continuing to Boston. If it terminates at NYP, they’d be suspicious of anyone getting on so close.
Having taken it many times, it’s nothing that special and the cars are pretty old at this point.
shinatree t1_j1oaddf wrote
if you buy tickets early enough they can be cheap. i bought an acela ticket for NYP->Providence for this coming april and it was $56 😮
Negative_Bit9183 t1_j1pvwze wrote
It’s a fun idea but for a better experience you might want to consider waiting until the new Acela trains enter service sometime next year. The current ones are kind of long in the tooth.
con7876 t1_j1sz7sy wrote
just take njt to newark. take the acela if your going to providence or boston or washington
Nexis4Jersey t1_j1m9w4o wrote
You know, NJT has express trains during rush hour that more or less do the same thing...