3 ms·

The actual train trip from NYC to DC is 3-3.5 hours each way, and both ends are smack in the middle of the city. If you’re flying, Dulles and BWI are 45 minute

The actual train trip from NYC to DC is 3-3.5 hours each way, and both ends are smack in the middle of the city. If you’re flying, Dulles and BWI are 45 minutes from downtown DC (or more); ditto for the NYC end, and you need to factor in another hour+ for security. I think air travel might end up slower—-and it’s certainly less pleasant.

dimino 7y ago
Okay but you're flying into DCA, not BWI or IAD, and from there it's a ~15 minute metro into the heart of the city. Agree with you on the other points, though.
frutiger 7y ago
> and you need to factor in another hour+ for security Just an anecdote, but with TSA Pre, I haven’t needed more than 15 minutes for security, flying domestically and internationally several times per year for the past few years.
- JumpCrisscross 7y ago
  > with TSA Pre, I haven’t needed more than 15 minutes for security Same. With Clear, that goes down to 5 minutes tops. Add in airport lounges, and showing up a bit early goes from being a nuisance to a pleasure (or opportunity to be productive). I’m a huge fan of trains, but they’re only marginally competitive for passengers in the Northeast.
  - ghaff 7y ago
    At least for the north or south subset of the Northeast Corridor the type of transportation honestly boils down to preference. Train is in the comfortable but relatively pricey and slow end of the equation. I could drive from Central Mass to New York cheaper and faster than train but I hate doing that drive.
- mattkrause 7y ago
  This probably depends a lot on exactly when/where you’re flying. Even if it seemed true for me, I’m not sure I’d bet the price of a ticket (and my schedule) on it always working out.
- eddieroger 7y ago
  I was in that boat for a while, but it's been rocky recently at a few airports that I fly in and out of as the number of Pre users have gone up and airports have toyed with the idea of Pre only lines (which sometimes are far from where you actually want to be). I think it's coming back to normal, but there have been several times over the last year where I've considered using the regular line for the same of time.
- driverdan 7y ago
  At which airports? I've seen short precheck lines but I've also seen 1h+ lines.
zip1234 7y ago
Also, for an airport you are looking at spending $30-50 just to get there in a taxi or Uber.
jermaustin1 7y ago
This is similar to when my wife and I visit the UK, we usually do a week in the south and a week in Scotland. And we traditionally take the LNER between just because Getting to an airport will be a 45-60 minute cab or train, then dealing with security, baggage, etc, so all in all a 3.5-4 hour journey. London Kings Cross <-> Edinburgh Waverley is a 4-5 hour, usually OK train ride (if the A/C is working), and you get on and have wifi (sometimes), and can pull out your laptop and put it on a REAL table.

dimino 7y ago

Okay but you're flying into DCA, not BWI or IAD, and from there it's a ~15 minute metro into the heart of the city. Agree with you on the other points, though.

frutiger 7y ago

> and you need to factor in another hour+ for security Just an anecdote, but with TSA Pre, I haven’t needed more than 15 minutes for security, flying domestically and internationally several times per year for the past few years.

JumpCrisscross 7y ago
> with TSA Pre, I haven’t needed more than 15 minutes for security Same. With Clear, that goes down to 5 minutes tops. Add in airport lounges, and showing up a bit early goes from being a nuisance to a pleasure (or opportunity to be productive). I’m a huge fan of trains, but they’re only marginally competitive for passengers in the Northeast.
- ghaff 7y ago
  At least for the north or south subset of the Northeast Corridor the type of transportation honestly boils down to preference. Train is in the comfortable but relatively pricey and slow end of the equation. I could drive from Central Mass to New York cheaper and faster than train but I hate doing that drive.
mattkrause 7y ago
This probably depends a lot on exactly when/where you’re flying. Even if it seemed true for me, I’m not sure I’d bet the price of a ticket (and my schedule) on it always working out.
eddieroger 7y ago
I was in that boat for a while, but it's been rocky recently at a few airports that I fly in and out of as the number of Pre users have gone up and airports have toyed with the idea of Pre only lines (which sometimes are far from where you actually want to be). I think it's coming back to normal, but there have been several times over the last year where I've considered using the regular line for the same of time.
driverdan 7y ago
At which airports? I've seen short precheck lines but I've also seen 1h+ lines.

zip1234 7y ago

Also, for an airport you are looking at spending $30-50 just to get there in a taxi or Uber.

jermaustin1 7y ago

This is similar to when my wife and I visit the UK, we usually do a week in the south and a week in Scotland. And we traditionally take the LNER between just because Getting to an airport will be a 45-60 minute cab or train, then dealing with security, baggage, etc, so all in all a 3.5-4 hour journey. London Kings Cross <-> Edinburgh Waverley is a 4-5 hour, usually OK train ride (if the A/C is working), and you get on and have wifi (sometimes), and can pull out your laptop and put it on a REAL table.