This is nuts.

Have you thought about negotiating, instead, one week in person and three remote, as opposed to one day a week in person and three days remote. Why do they want you in person one day a week? Seems likely for some nebulous relationship building as opposed to legitimate work reasons, right?

Acela is the move. No security/bag check. But yeah this commute sucks and drains you. good luck!

No way in hell should anyone accept this.

My advice is that this sort of thing is much easier when you’re earlier in your life journey and career. It’s fun in some ways but the travel will wear on you. I spent a few years flying in and out of different cities for meetings and the logistics are very difficult. I am very glad I don’t do that anymore. That said, you get to experience two cities with the same job.

I have had colleagues with similar arrangements and they seemed to be constantly coordinating pet sitters, child care, but if that’s not where you are, that’s not an issue. Being out of town a lot is hard on your partner, kids and pets.

I would push a little bit to see what the job flexibilities are, like if you could do one week in person, three at home and stuff like that. I’m sure they have other employees doing similar things.

Regarding plane or train, I would personally take the Acela because you can walk around en route, the internet is ok so you can do work (but not video calls), and don’t have to check bags. You walk on, walk off. The airport is a drag and it’s a lot of logistics just to get from the airport in NYC to your office.

Good luck!

If I were to do this, I would take the Acela. Flying into an NYC airport and then commuting in for some reason has always sucked. Though haven't done it in a few years so not sure what has changed. Acela into Penn Station is just easier imo. Either way it's a hell of a commute, and a lot of time in transit.

I'm not saying this is going to be the case, but be aware that the day or two a week in office may turn into three or more days a week, depending on how low on the totem pole you are.

I actually moved to DC from NYC for work after trying to commute for a week. It absolutely was not worth the extra stress to tack on an extra 7+ hours of travel time per week, considering all the potential pitfalls of delays or oversleeping. I was thinking the same as you, that I could make it worthwhile through frequent traveler/hotel bonuses. Ultimately, the cost of staying + commuting vs moving was about even, but I had way less free time.

I was a super commuter in my early 20s. I loved it...because I was in my early 20s. I never shelled out the money for an airline ticket and my work travel stipend only worked for Amtrak and subway.

I can't imagine doing it now at 40.

Pro - I did get a lot of work or sleeping done in the quiet car

Con - getting off work at 4 or 5 pm with an impending 3-hour commute in my future. Add in snow, rain, or obscenely hot weather and the commute was enough to make me want to stab my eyeballs out. Those were the only days I hated doing the commute.

I looked for a new job when my position shifted to needing me in NYC 3 days a week from 1 day a week. That 3 days bled into 4 and that was a hard no by the time I was nearing age 26 or 27.

I may have felt differently if my commute included a hotel. It did not unless a blizzard happened and transit shut down. If I had to be in the office M-W, I had to make that commute up and back each day or pay OOP for a hotel.

My dad did this for a couple years. If the job itself and his boss weren’t so bad he’d have been there longer. Iirc he would sometimes take the Acela but that the north east regional was less than half the price for only and extra hour on the commute the Acela can take around 2 hours 30 mins while the north east regional from what I’ve seen takes around 3 hours 30 mins. If this is gonna be a weekly thing I’d recommend you take that to save some money in the long term. Unless you can get the company to pay for your trip also it’s 100% easier to make a train commute productive if you want instead of on a plane.

Also as a side note the Amtrak lines from DC to NYC are electrified meaning your commute via train is immensely more environmentally friendly than a plane with less personal hassles than you would get going through an airport.

Unless they are paying you 7 figures, I wouldn't even consider attempting this. The mental toll of having to travel to NYC once a week will be extremely tough. Especially if you have a family.

Just because I don't see it - heads up that New York residency requirement is 183 days. You might be looking at much higher taxes than VA.

This is a minor point, but Amtrak arrives/departs from the Moynihan Train Hall now, not Penn. It’s a much nicer place to wait, and only passengers with that day’s ticket are allowed in the waiting area. It’s across the street from Penn.

As for length of the trip, Acela was under 3 hours each way when I did it in December. I love trains and would love an excuse to ride once a week but it would probably get old fast.

a flight from DCA to JFK or LGA is 39-43 mins in air not 90 mins. I’ve taken this flight 27 times now. the key is to pay for TSA Precheck and CLEAR to minimize time at airport

I’d be concerned with them rug pulling once you start and requiring full on site

My mom did this when I was in HS, her office also is by Columbus Circle but back then she would take the Chinatown Bus and eventually Bolt. The overall work experience was fine but her home life got chaotic very quickly. She never knew where anything was, did she leave it in NY or was it in DC. She would leave Tuesday morning and come back Thursday night. She doesn't not recommend it if you absolutely love DC, which was her rationale, but it weighs on you. If you're not staying overnight I imagine some of that is mitigated since you always come back home.

Who is paying for the commuting? If they're covering it Acela and a convenient hotel is perfect. If you're paying you should see if you can do the one week on three week of option that others mentioned. Additionally is the day you'd have to be there set? Can it be dependent on the cheapest train tickets. Lastly, you do not want to commute by plane that'll get old quick.

i've never done that kind of commute, but I have traveled a fair amount between DC and NYC for work. Acela is definitely the way to go if they will pay for it. On average, it's about 2:45 between NY and DC assuming no issues (and there are frequently issues). It's comfortable, fairly clean, and Wi-Fi is passable. There are clubs at both Union and the new Moynihan station in NY that you would probably want to join until you have status. Food options are pretty limited at Moynihan but there is a fantastic pizza place on the street next door. Union is a pretty dingy place with few food options.

I've done a couple of stretches in which i've gone to NYC weekly for a few weeks and it's exhausting. I can't imagine doing it regularly.

This is totally do-able. Hell now I want a job like that. I'd love to be in NYC 4x a month.. First, I think a very early bus is your best bet, and I would try to find one closer. I think one leaves out of Roslyn. The train is amazing, but the prices can be prohibitive if you aren't scheduled well in advance.

Again though, it's going to be easier for you to leave from King St. than Union Station. It's an easy bike ride even.

Train travel is a lot less of a hassle than plane travel. You can get a lot of stuff done on a 3 hr plane ride, read a book, watch a movie, etc. Easy access to bathroom, food, drinks, etc. Veey doable. Plane commute would be brutal.

Would your work pay for these accomodations?

A round trip on the Acela is about $250. A hotel in midtown is another $200 or so. That's $450 a week. In the long run you would start to get discounts as you rack up membership points.

Not to mention the drag of doing this. I go to NY a fair amount for work and will spend a few nights in NY once a month or so and even that kind of sucks.

I had a good friend do something like that for awhile and it was tremendously exhausting. It was for a really good job and ultimately he made it work but he was so visibly depleted when I saw him. Eventually he started renting a room in NYC and just coming back on weekends, then just staying up full time till they eventually opened an office in DC and he came back. You may have to pick DC or NYC cause it could start as one or two days and escalate, or things get busy, what happens if you miss a train...Its easy for them to say one or two days now, but be prepared for that to change as time goes on.

They would literally have to pay me at least $300k to do this. And then I’d do it for a year and quit. Sounds miserable.

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I have a friend that commutes to NYC about once a month and she flies out of DCA.

Sorry but 6+ hours a day commuting, even if it is just once or twice a week, seems like it would get old quick. Will your job even pay for the train tickets? Acela isn't cheap.

Wow. Are you me?!? Because I am in this exact position lol the pay increase would be huge but I don't know if the commute would be worth it

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WHOA are they covering commute? Because otherwise that’s MINIMUM $100 each way, last time I checked

Hopefully you're able to expense this, but I'd opt for the Acela - chill ride with the ability to do more than any plane option. Also don't have to make it into NYC from the airport.

If you do end up doing it definitely commute on the train, it will make it 20x less painful.

Even then I spent last year alternating weeks between DC and NYC. Is it doable, yes. Is it ideal, not at all. It's hard to build stability and routine habits that are the basis of healthy living IMHO. Unless you are incredibly disciplined.

That being said you can try it for a short time as it's definitely sustainable for a year and if you hate it just move to NYC. That's what I ended up doing as I was in the same position.

Might wanna move to Jersey if you can’t afford NYC.

Do you care about your carbon footprint ?