Va-NYC --Not bad but no security!
Written: Jul 20, 2012
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Took an Amtrak from Williamsburg, VA to NYC. The trip was not too bad. We traveled coach and sometimes some annoying people sat near us that were loud but it is easy to ignore. There is free wifi and we brought a small laptop to watch movies and surf the net. The food was not great so bring your own. The facilities were a bit worn but did not bother us too bad. The seats also recline so it's similar to a plane but a bit more leg room and there is a dining car if you want to sit at a table for eating. There is also a drop down table at your seat.
The Williamsburg station is very cute,safe, and has free long term parking. There are only a few spaces so arrive a hour or so early to secure a spot. You must get a tag from the rep to leave your car there. Coming in a Penn station is a breeze and there are plenty of hotels within walking distance. We stayed at the Wingate on W35th and could walk to most places we wanted to go. Leaving Penn station is more of a hassel. They don't announce your departure track until the last minute and then there is a mass race to the train. My advice is to keep checking the arrivals. Your train # will be on your ticket. The train will depart from the same track so when the arrival pops up go directly to that track and you can be first in line to get down to your train. The train on this leg already has passengers so if you are traveling with kids or others, you will need to do this in order to get seats together. Leaving from Williamsburg, there are plenty of seats so not as much of an issue.
My only main concern, and the reason I probably won't do it again, was the lack of security. There was no baggage checks, no metal dectors at any point along our travel(even out of PennStation). Anyone could have taken a gun or explosive device onboard. I didn't think about this until after the trip. I really wish there was more security and that the rail system in our country was better. This has the potential to be a great alternative to flying and driving, especially into big cities where you don't want to have a car. Until they beef up security and decide so spend a little more money on our rail system then I think the risks outweigh the benefit, for now.
Recommended:
No
What product did you purchase or try to purchase? Amtrak-Williamsburg to NYC
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