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Winter was hell for air travel. FAA staffing shortages, flight cancellations, delays and overcrowding…combined with airfares that have risen above the planes themselves. Is there a way to travel?
Steve Feiner thinks not. His interest is “railway man” who strikes me as a seeker.
“I’ve chosen to be car-free for over 15 years,” he told me proudly. The Connecticut native (who now lives in transit-friendly Northampton, MA) rides nearly every day on top fares on all buses and trains.
“I’m part of a group called Trains in the Valley that advocates for trains in the western MA area, and specifically the ‘Knowledge Corridor’ that includes Hoyoke, Northampton and Greenfield.” Almost every day at a local train station, he measures the on-time performance of Amtrak’s “Valley Flyer” trains and counts passengers boarding and disembarking. A little nerdy, right?
But last weekend, he had to attend a family wedding in Washington, D.C., and actually skipped the airport and took the train, detailing the trip on Twitter (@SteveFainer).
Since the Hartford line (New Haven to Springfield trains) was closed for winter construction, he ended up taking more buses than trains, but he made the entire round trip to Washington without ever getting into an automobile.
It costs 75 cents (vs. $11 by train) by express bus from Northampton to Springfield. Then another bus to New Haven (the $6.25 ticket was never collected) and a connection to Amtrak.
Because he had booked it weeks before and took advantage of one of Amtrak’s occasional “flash sales,” the DC-to-DC coach fare was only $29 (versus $82 regularly). The train arrived in Washington five minutes early and was sold out, typical for a Friday.
Arrived at Air B&B from Union Station in Washington on a DC Circulator bus ($1 vs $22 for an Uber). The next day was a quick trip to the wedding and back.
The return trip on Amtrak cost $56 (plus pre-purchased) and took an eight-hour door-to-door drive in roughly 6.5 hours, not because of Sunday traffic. Total cost of the trip: $87.75
In reality, the retirement finner is less concerned about saving money and looking for bargains. Booking in advance always saves on ticket prices… assuming you can afford to do so. But even without deep discounts and “flash sales”, taking mass transit is a money saver. Also, taking the train is stress-free compared to driving.
Feiner said he won’t miss owning a car. “I haven’t owned a car in 15 years so it’s hard to put a dollar on my savings, but considering fuel, maintenance, taxes, insurance, registration, parking fees, etc., I’m sure it’s in the thousands.
So next time you travel to the Northeast, consider your options. You can save money and a lot of travel stress if you try taking the train.
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