Best way of Traveling from Yale to the West Coast

I am trying to help a first generation student who has been accepted to Yale Class of 2020 visit campus. Money is an issue so I would appreciate any tips etc on the best way of traveling from Yale to California. The student will be in Baltimore so I was able to find a train to take her to New Haven, but I am having some troubling figuring out the best way back. If the best way is to fly from Boston or Providence, then how do Yale students get from campus to those airports?

Any help that can be given is appreciated.

Maybe someone can chime in who has used public transportation from New Haven to Boston or Providence, but I’d be looking harder at flights from JFK or LaGuardia due to the convenience of the Metro North. Even more convenient would be to take a taxi to Hartford if you can find a cheap flight from there.

@Aire11 Thanks for the info. Part of my concern is that this student doesn’t have a lot of experience with traveling by herself so I don’t really want to send her via NYC.

Bradley International in Hartford usually has good prices on domestic flights. If she doesn’t have a lot experience traveling by herself, I would recommend paying to take a taxi to Hartford. I’m not aware of an easy way to get to Boston from New Haven via public transportation - I always drive it. Maybe someone else knows better.

She should take Go Shuttle from Yale Phelps Gate to either LaGuardia or JFK, or take CT Limo to Bradley Airport in Hartford. Going all the way up to Boston or Providence is not the best choice.

Thank you all for the info. It has helped me figure out that flying into Hartford and then taking a shuttle is the best from our California city especially since Southwest flies for $198 each way.

Btw, is she still taking the train to New Haven or flying in? I wanted to add that I would not recommend trying to walk from the train station to campus, but it looks like that may not be an issue anymore.

I would have had her take a taxi or uber from the train station. When my oldest was looking at Yale we took the train from Philly and I remember it wasn’t really within easy walking distance. It finally dawned on me that my youngest had a very good friend at Yale who knew the student I am helping so she worked out all the details for me. Thank you all for your help. It really is appreciated

I think that students who will receive financial aid will receive airfare to travel to BDD. Keep an eye on your student’s email for details. (I might be wrong, but hope I’m right)

Won’t Yale pay for a trip for her to visit? She should ask them.

If you fly into Newark, AMTRAK (within the Airport) goes into Union Station @ New Haven. It’s walkable but taxi is $10 and during BDD there will be free shuttles.

Thank you all for the information.

@GMTplus7 - We have written to Yale twice last week and have not received a response. We have seen Yale pay in the past for low income students. I called and was told to put the request in writing which I did last Monday but I have heard no response. I sent it again last week. I plan on calling them tomorrow.

@itsv - if you are an admitted student… https://apps.admissions.yale.edu/portal/admits/generalFAQ.pdf

there is the e-mail of the person you need to address your request for FA for the trip to Bulldog Days (it’s only airfare since you will be eating at the RC and rooming with a current student). Good luck

Update: The Yale BullDog email was having some issues last week so that is why it took a week for Yale to respond. Admission rep called to apologize and say they will pay for my student to visit Yale. Also my student’s invitation from Yale to pay for her travel fell through the cracks so it is good I emailed Yale on her behalf. My student’s financial aid hasn’t been finalized so she wasn’t on any of their lists. Thank you all for your help.

Yea!