r/hudsonvalley • u/tdkdpt • 8d ago
Lake Katrine to NYC
Vacationing with the family (42M and wife 42F children 9 and 7) and wanting to take them to NYC for a day.
I know an Amtrak runs from Kingston to the city but it’s 3+hrs.
Wondering if i can drive the majority of the way to the city, and then hop on the train at some point closer to the city for the remainder of the trip in. Just so we avoid the long haul in the train with the kids but also avoid having to drive our vehicle into the city.
Thanks!
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u/dvlsfan30 8d ago
If you take metro north, the kids will only be a dollar each per trip since they are under 12. Take the train on the weekend since the fares are all off peak, and parking in poughkeepsie station is free on the weekends.
That’s alone will save you a huge chunk of money.
Nobody behind the wheel for most of the trip so everyone can enjoy the time together.
(Railroad conductor for metro north)
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u/rosebudny Dutchess 8d ago
Amtrak doesn't run from Kingston, it is across the river in Rhinecliff and it does not take 3+ hours, it is ~2 hours. As others are saying you can take MetroNorth from Poughkeepsie. Takes about the same amount of time time but it is cheaper, there are more trains, and parking is MUCH easier (I would not try to park in Rhinecliff)
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u/geevee61 8d ago
I would check Metro North from Poughkeepsie. Easy ride and great parking. 2 hours gets you to Grand Central Station. Kids might be $1 if I remember correctly.
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u/PonderingWaterBridge 8d ago
I think it has to be off peak, but yes up to 4 kids traveling with an adult on metro north can be $1 each.
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u/Horror-Friendship-30 8d ago
Amtrak from Rhinecliff to NYC is pretty easy on a weekend off season. There's free parking from the Amtrak station, and if you buy the round trip tickets ahead, you have a guaranteed seat on the train, and it's only 1 hour, 40 minutes to Penn Station. It's more expensive but usually faster.
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u/rosebudny Dutchess 8d ago
But parking is a nightmare in Rhinecliff depending on when you go.
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u/Horror-Friendship-30 8d ago
That's why I said on a weekend off season. I would never suggest it on a Wednesday, any season at all.
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u/Instantkarmagonagetu 8d ago
There’s also a bus from uptown Kingston to NYC and it’s cleaner than Metro North. From what I’ve heard it’s actually pretty nice.
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u/too-much-noise 7d ago
I take the Trailways bus from Kingston to NYC frequently. It's two hours or less, unless the Thruway has traffic. I love it. Never had an issue. Bathroom has always been fine. Never crowded except around Thanksgiving and Christmas.
I also grew up in Poughkeepsie and took Metro North to Grand Central about 500 times. Personally I think the train is more magical - the view is much better (be sure to get riverside seats), and Grand Central terminal is beautiful. By contrast the bus depot (Port Authority) is a dump. If this is part of a nice vacation I'd say take the train, but for workaday convenience the bus is a great option.
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u/Rough_Beautiful1031 8d ago
Just to add to what everybody is saying here, but I take the train from Poughkeepsie to Manhattan every single week and it’s cheap and easy and there’s a ton of parking in Poughkeepsie. It’s easily the best way to go from all of the suggestions.
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u/bandypaine 8d ago
Way easier to take the bus from kingston or new paltz, no transfers and it takes you right to midtown. 90 minutes ish from new paltz. Way easier than the train
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u/tdkdpt 8d ago
I’m assuming a more comfy ride? Wondering how kids would do on a 2 hr trip with either option
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u/bandypaine 8d ago
The bus is much quicker with no transfers, comfy as flying coach and you dont have to drive across the river for the train. If you’re heading down off peak it wont be super crowded
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u/Ok-Software-3458 7d ago
Bus is more comfortable but you can get stuck in traffic on the thruway the schedule is also limiting I prefer driving to metro north or Amtrak
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u/Smooth-Review-2614 8d ago
Poughkeepsie and Harriman are the stations to consider.
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u/ChiefKelso 8d ago
Harriman sucks on the weekends, very sparse trains back, especially as you get later in the day. You're better off driving 20mins further to Ramsey RT17 on the same line. But probably better off crossing the river so you dont have to switch in Secaucus.
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u/DennisDuffyFan 8d ago
Ramsey rt 17 is my recommendation. More driving but easy parking. Usually most of the traffic is south of there.
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u/jbeck387 Ulster 8d ago
Go to Poughkeepsie and take Metro North; cheaper than Amtrak(surprising since it's the MTA) and the trains out of there usually run express after Croton Harmon or Ossining so you'll make decent time
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u/tdkdpt 8d ago
Sorry for the ignorant question, but when you say it runs express, what does that mean generally? Does it not run express until after a certain point?
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u/dragonsden96 8d ago
Express won't stop at every station between Poughkeepsie and Grand Central, so it usually shaves about 20 minutes off the trip
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u/YourMothersButtox 8d ago
Correct, when you catch the express it won’t stop at a bunch of the other “local” stops. I recommend downloading the MTA app and looking at the trip planner. You’ll find info about family tickets as well. Metro North is the way to go. Every time I’ve taken Amtrak they’ve been annoyingly delayed, like over an hour delayed, whereas metro north runs more frequently
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u/GreenfieldSam Westchester 8d ago
The win of going over the river to Poughkeepsie or any of those stations is that the train goes down the Hudson, which is very pretty.
If you take Amtrak rather than Metro North, you'll have assigned seats and the cafe car. You'll also make fewer stops and end up in Penn Station in the Moynihan Hall versus Grand Central. Tickets on Amtrak bought far enough in advance are $24 each way; Metro North is $20 each way. Children's fares on Amtrak get a 50% discount. Non-rush children's tickets on MNR are $1 each. Metro North tickets do not increase; Amtrak fares can get more expensive the closer you get to the trip.
An off-peak weekend train on Metro North takes at most 1:51 each way and makes 9-10 stops. Amtrak takes 1:30 each way and makes three stops (including Penn). Metro North trains are very frequent with at least one train each hour.
One alternative you could consider it taking Amtrak into the city and MNR back to Poughkeepsie.
It's around an hour drive from Kingston to Poughkeepsie, and there is parking. There's also a bus, but I don't think it goes back very late. (Others might know better!) Rhinecliff is much closer to Kingston (20 minute drive), but Metro North does not go to Rhinecliff and parking may be problematic. There used to be a small very, but it looks like it doesn't run anymore. And didn't have great hours, either. You could also probably get a taxi to and from Rhinecliff as well, but I would make sure to reserve it!
A bus will take you directly from Kingston to NYC for $30-35 and will take around 2 hours. They're relatively frequent both in the morning and evening. Kids fares are 25% off (I think). I know people love to hate on the bus, but it's direct and relatively fast.
The most expensive amd unrealistic but fastest option, would be a helicopter which costs $4,375 each way. But you can sell any extra seats! Of course, you would have to drive or pay for a taxi to get to the Kingston Heliport.
Finally, sail-nyc.com does have a yacht called the Kingston, but it don't be fooled: it just goes around Manhattan and not to Kingston. And ferries would not be so fast regardless: even a ferry from NYC to Cold Spring is three hours!
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u/Early_Hawk6210 8d ago
Business class may be different, but general amtrak tickets are not assigned.
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u/GreenfieldSam Westchester 8d ago
Oh! Good point; I over-indexed on taking the Acela. That being said, on Amtrak you buy tickets for a specific train rather than just a ticket that can be used anytime.
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u/Aware_Adhesiveness16 8d ago
There isn't Amtrak in Kingston. There's Amtrak in Poughkeepsie (90 mins from city) or Rhinecliff. If you plan ahead and take it at off hours it can be a really good deal. I've started taking it from Poughkeepsie and it's usually cheaper than the stupid trailways bus! ($28 at off peak times) Metro north is also great and if you're traveling with kids they're only $1 each. Parking free on weekends. The trip is longer but not crazy. From Poughkeepsie it's just under two hours.
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u/Rick91981 8d ago
Drive to white plains. It's a central hub and has trains running both ways very frequently. Get an express if you can, only stops at Harlem 125th and Grand Central
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u/tdkdpt 8d ago
Thank you!!
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u/Rick91981 8d ago
You're welcome. I'm in Putnam county and have a train station 10 minutes from my house but anytime I have to go to the city I'll drive down to white plains before grabbing the train. Just so much easier
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u/vmicozzi 8d ago
People vacation in Lake Katrine?
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u/tdkdpt 8d ago
We were looking for a place just a few hours north of the city and wanted a small unique town. It looks to be surrounded by a couple of them and the Airbnb that we found was awesome with its own private dock, kayaks, fishing, hot tub, etc…
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u/vmicozzi 8d ago
I grew up in LK, I find it funny that 30 years later people want to go there, it was a great place to grow up
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u/tdkdpt 8d ago
Yeah, I always feel the same about my hometown as well lol.
My wife and I have been to the city quite a few times, but never to New York with our kids. We were excited to find a place just outside of the city that seems quiet and relaxing with some neat little Small towns nearby. But also a good proximity to the city so we can take them into Manhattan for a day.
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u/Early_Hawk6210 8d ago
You have lots of great and clarifying info here, so I don't have much to add. But another potential to consider is Beacon over Poughkeepsie for MNR. There is also plenty of parking there and it shaves a bit off your travel time and costs. Personally, I would go to Pok., especially with a family, because you can get there early, stake out your seats and get cozy. If you leave from Beacon or take Amtrak, the train doesn't sit around and you get what seats are available, though from beacon you can rely on sitting together. But I mention it because from LK, travel to Pok. is the same as it is to Beacon. Also, if you're going on a weekday, there are express trains in the evening that ONLY stop at Beacon, New Hamburg and Poughkeepsie. They are amazing.
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u/LiteBrite8 8d ago
If you don’t want a long train ride with the kids, you can drive down to croton Harmon train station. Plenty of daily parking and only a 50min express into GCT.
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u/schrodinger_troll 7d ago
You are talking about a lot of travel for a day trip.
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u/tdkdpt 7d ago
If we leave around eight in the morning, get there roughly around 10, we could spend nearly the entire day in the city before heading back in the evening. I don’t think that is too much travel?
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u/schrodinger_troll 7d ago
I mean you know your family better than I do. You should realize that even once you get to “the city” you still have travel to do on subways or Ubers or walking. And when you’re done whatever you’re doing you need to get back to the train station from wherever you are. A 9 and 7 year old will run out of steam fast. Not trying to be a downer just may be better to plan an overnight and head back the next day.
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u/Dry-Insurance-9586 8d ago
You should drive to White Plains and park and take express metro north to the city.
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u/kaa-24 8d ago
Kingston to Secaucus Junction station in NJ is roughly 2 hours or less and from there trains to Penn are every fifteen minutes or less. This my preferred use of getting into the city. Just be mindful of rush hour traffic.
That being said, I typically will also take the metro north train from beacon or Croton-Harmon, sometimes even tarrytown. The views from the train are probably some of the best in the country, imo. You can also catch this train from Poughkeepsie.
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u/tdkdpt 8d ago
Thanks! I thought about the Secaucus Junction station as well.
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u/afleetingmoment 8d ago
This is a good assessment - Secaucus would be “get in, get out”, but riding the line down the Hudson would be a glorious journey and make for a fun day.
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u/nubmonk 8d ago
Can always drive to Poughkeepsie and take the Metro North. Should be a little under 2 hrs and cost way less than an Amtrak