DC to JFK by train

[FJ and G]

My magazine, The Military Engineer, recently ran an article about NYC's new AirTrain, which connects JFK with subways and LIRR. THe question I have (and I'm being very selfish because it's for my daughter), is, is it possible to EASILY take the train from Union Station in DC to NY (i believe Penn Station) and then get over to JFK by train from there, or do you know the best way?

Thanks, this is the first personal favorI ever asked, but it's train related.

Dave Vergun

[Anonymous]

You have the route down. Amtrak to Penn Station in NY then LIRR from Penn Sta. to JFK

Details:
http://www.panynj.gov/airtrain/tojfk_midtownman.html

Wayne

[FJ and G]

Wayne,

THANKS! That Air Train has sure made traveling by rail/air a lot easier. My daughter just finished high school and is visiting her classmate in Jordan.

I recall taking a taxi last time I landed at JFK in 1979. Train-airport connections are a good thing. That's why I use Reagan National here instead of DUlles.

[Anonymous]

Any time. I wi***hat connection existed back when I used to go to JFK frequently.

Wayne

[FJ and G]

I just contact 3 modes of travel that I think some of you might find interesting:

Greyhound takes a bit longer than the train (4 hours, 20 minutes) and costs $70 for round trip. It wins hands down as the cheapest way. I don't think it goes directly to JFK tho.

Train is about an hour faster and costs $148 round trip, making it the costliest, and there are connections to make from Amtrak to LIRR and then to AirTrain. What I found esp. interesting about the Amtrak website is that is automatically defaults to the more expensive Acela and you need to click on the radio button to bring up the less expensive (and slower) trains. A nice marketing gimmick for Acela, IMO.

Airplane (continental) from Dulles to JFK round trip is $120, cheaper than by train but more expensive than bus, and there are no connections to make.

If this was your 17-year-old daughter, I bet you'd settle on the plane! Interesting comparison.

Dave Vergun

[Anonymous]

It is also interesting to know that some Chinese bus companies offer very cheap transportation connecting major cities in the northeast (probably somewhere else too) such as New York, Philly, Boston, D.C. while still maintain DOT safety standard. I do not remember exactly how much they cost (probably around $40 from NY to D.C. not sure whether it is round trip or one way) but my friends always ride with them and once they have tried this they do not go back to ride with Greyhound again. A bit annoying for someone might be that many of riders are chineses and sometimes they speak all the way.

Karn[:)]

[Anonymous]

Woah!
Theres another transfer...
Airtrain is a monorail service from LIRR's Jamaica Station.

See Port Authority of NY &NJ website... has good info.

[UPTRAIN]

Is it a subway or lightrail?