Is NYC - Boston - NYC easy to do in 3 days?

[SticknRudder]

I just received an invitation for interview at Columbia on 10/27, asked Cornell to accomodate me during that week, AND think I should do my Tufts interview during my time in the North East since I live in Arizona.

The problem is, the Tufts interview date that's in that period is on 10/28, the day after my Columbia interview. I'm a little hesistant to try and do this, but if any of you have experience traveling to/from Boston and New York, and say it's not that bad, I might consider it. Otherwise, I might have to eat the cost of another plane ticket to Boston two weeks later.

Help is greatly appreciated!

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[XCanadianRagwee]

it's easy...take the train.

 

[LP1CW]

I went to school in Cambridge/Boston and lived in Manhattan/East Side. The commute was easy. You can do it in like 3 hours if you drive at night or maybe 4 hours during the day.
It's a quick drive and goes by with ease. Don't take 95 to Boston because that will bring you through RI. Take 84 through Hartford, then 90 Mass Pike, and then MASS PIKE toward N.H. - MAINE/ BOSTON. Highways signs are plentiful on this corridor.

So, good luck and don't worry about the drive. It's easy enough. Another option might be to take the train from Penn Station (NYC) to South Station Boston. Tufts is near South Station/China Town.

 

[SticknRudder]

Cool, thanks for your help guys

 

[loomis]

another alternative is to take the "chinatown bus" between boston and Nyc; it's usually quite cheaper than greyhound and pretty decent. when i was a college student in cambridge, it cost about 12 dollars roundtrip (that was almost 10 years ago) so i imagine it's more money now.

if you drive, another alternative is to take
-cross tappan zee bridge
take merrit parkway (15N)
to I91, new haven
then pick up I-84E, to the pike

This saves you around 20 minutes vs. riding all the way on I-84. however, 15 is a curvy road and deer are all over the place at night; I-84 might be a bit more safer then.
hope this helps. good luck!

 

[emtji]

take the china town bus-
it's $15 to $20 dollars roundtrip depending on when you go and it's generally a large peter pan type bus. it's pretty quick too. also, it drops you off in china town, which is a stone's throw from tufts- nemc (which is in chinatown).

the train sucks...it's expensive and comes only every so often. the other bus companies run shuttles back and forth, but i think chinatown buses run just as often.

For all the interviewees, there are buses that run along the east coast- boston-ny-philly-dc. check out each of the three sites:

From a notable harvard website:

"A cheap ride to New York City?
Check out the websites of the Chinatown bus companies:
www.fungwahbus.com
www.travelpackusa.com
www.sunshineboston.com
for schedules and online ticket purchasing.

The oldest-established of these is Fung Wah. You can also buy tickets from them at the ticket booth at 68 Beach St. in Chinatown (and save the $1.50 in online booking fees if you're really going for cheapness). One person notes that the office of Lucky Star (also called Travel Pack) in New York is of the permanent-floating variety, so online-ticketing is the way to go.

[You can try Peter Pan Bus Lines or Greyhound, which are both now offering cheap roundtrips for students, although not at the level of the Chinatown bus. --Ed.]"

 

[lola]

i used to take the peter pan bus from boston to ny all the time. it takes like 4hrs max, and busses leave every hour or so. it is very convenient.
i would second that the train is not the way to go. it takes just as long, does not run as frequently, and costs way more. of course, i think there is that new acela train, but that is probably a lot more expensive than the bus and won't save you very much time.
i have never heard of the chinatown bus, but that sounds like a good way to go too.

 

[LP1CW]

yeah, I agree the bus is good. But I've taken the bus and have been stuck in traffic. So, I think the train is more dependable. Also, on the train, you can walk around, stretch. On the bus, invariably, you'll get stuck next to a freak that smells. The bus is cramped and stuffy. I hate the bus. Port Authority is also a meca for freaks.

 

[banannie]

I don't know, it really sounds like an exhausting trip! You're already taking a very long flight across several time zones, now you're adding 8 hours or travel, after what will surely be very long days (interviews themselves can be pretty exhausting). Plus, you're not really giving yourself any time to really get a taste of these 2 great cities, one of which might be your home for the next 4 years!

You didn't mention whether Cornell was definitely going to make your interview for the day after Tufts. If they haven't scheduled you yet, maybe you should ask if they can put you in for the day before Columbia, or 2 days after Tufts.

If you are going to try to to these 3 interviews in 3 days, I think you should treat yourself to a train ride. It's much more comfortable, you will probably have space to stretch out, read, reflect sleep, etc. But the Chinatown bus is very good. The drivers are pretty aggressive, so they'll get you there quickly. And they usually make a pit stop in Connecticut so you can eat, and be spared from using the bathroom in the back of the bus!

 

[SticknRudder]

Everything is kinda up in the air right now - the only interview that is set in stone, for now, is the Columbia interview on Monday 10/27. I'm thinking that you're right banannie, I really should spend quality time in both Boston and NY. If Cornell can get me in that week, I think I'll do that one and make a second trip for Tufts and perhaps Rochester (if they ever send me an invitation).

Thanks for all your input - it's great to have you as a resource!

 

[CrazyCarl]

Originally posted by loomis

if you drive, another alternative is to take
-cross tappan zee bridge
take merrit parkway (15N)
to I91, new haven
then pick up I-84E, to the pike

This saves you around 20 minutes vs. riding all the way on I-84. however, 15 is a curvy road and deer are all over the place at night; I-84 might be a bit more safer then.
hope this helps. good luck!

I love the drive on the merrit parkway and always use it to get to Boston from New York. Last time I took it (mid-summer) there was some nasty construction on the western end, so if you drive it, be careful!

 

[doc05]

you'd be better off doing cornell and columbia on consecutive days. keep in mind that while columbia sends you an interview date, it can always be changed.

The train is a better bet, especially if (1) you're leaving NYC between 4 and 7 pm. The buses are invariably delayed during rush hour; (2) you're taller than 5'8. The extra legroom on the train is well worth the extra cost.