Bus service

<p>Has anyone had any experience with the bus service back to NYC/Long Island from the UD campus? We got a flyer on move-in day and it looks good. I'm going to call for information, but I was wondering if anyone had personal experience.</p>

<p>I didn’t get the flyer (D moved in two days early). Can you share with me? Do you still have my email?</p>

<p>I think zoosermom is referring to [College</a> Coach Bus](<a href=“http://www.collegecoachbus.com%5DCollege”>http://www.collegecoachbus.com). I know kids who have used it and it was fine. My son only came home during the major breaks, and took Amtrak. It’s more money, but avoided NY turnpike traffic (which can be horrible, especially the thanksgiving break trip when all the schools are off). I think the bus leaves at slightly off hours to try to avoid traffic.</p>

<p>It’s called catch-a-ride ([Home</a> - Catch-A-Ride](<a href=“http://www.freewebs.com/catcharide]Home”>CollegeCoachBus))</p>

<p>It has snacks, drinks and movies on each bus and picks up at the dorms. Apparently they have service on weekends from Trabant and then extra service as well for holidays. We called and were told it’s $90 round trip and comes right to Staten Island, which is nice for us. I was just hoping someone had experience.</p>

<p>My son used College Coach last year. It was fine but the traffic on the NJ Turnpike can be terrible, as we all know from driving to DE. Sadly, once he got to NYC he had to take Metro North since we are in Westchester. And then we had to get him into Manhattan on Sunday for the ride back. Amtrak is nice but as already stated much more money, especially if you take it from Newark instead of Wilmington. My son is hoping to get rides with friends this year instead.</p>

<p>Worth noting: if you could get a ride to Wilmington, [GotoBus</a> - Bus tickets, bus tours and vacation packages - Bus Travel Made Easy](<a href=“http://www.gotobus.com%5DGotoBus”>http://www.gotobus.com) has a bus to NYC for $35 round trip.</p>

<p>No way to get to Wilmingtno, but thanks much for the suggestion!</p>

<p>Thanks for these links. I will look at them. Is it easy for them to get to Philly and take Amtrak from there to Penn Sta in NYC? I definitely don’t want to deal with the traffic on Thanksgiving break and don’t really want D to either.</p>

<p>Just looked at those bus websites. They look great. I especially like the one that would get D to Long Island. That means no connection to a train in NYC (much easier with luggage). Traffic isn’t fun, but she can sleep :)</p>

<p>Thank you all. As always, very good info.</p>

<p>There’s a SEPTA (commuter) train that runs from Newark to Philadelphia but it only runs on weekdays and only stops in Newark in the mornings and evenings: <a href=“Routes – Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority”>Routes – Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority;

<p>A few Amtrak Northeast Regional trains stop in Newark, and all go to NYC. </p>

<p>Weekday Northbound:
Newark, DE: Train 186 departs 2:27 PM; Train 134 departs 4:48 PM</p>

<p>Weekend Northbound:
Newark, DE: Train 156 departs 3:44 PM</p>

<p>You can get a .pdf of the entire schedule here: [Amtrak</a> - Routes - Northeast Regional](<a href=“http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?c=AM_Route_C&pagename=am%2FLayout&cid=1241245668597]Amtrak”>http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?c=AM_Route_C&pagename=am%2FLayout&cid=1241245668597). If they can get to Wilmington (perhaps a bunch of people can share a cab?), there are many more train options.</p>

<p>I love the AMTRAK idea but it’s kind of a pest to get to our house in Staten Island from midtown. We take an express bus through New Jersey, so she’d hit turnike traffic either way.</p>

<p>Just a comment for Linymom. We booked the bus (the one that goes to LI) for our daughter and as it turned out she could not make it home. ALthough I only got an answering machine and wasnt sure if anyone would ever get back to me, they got back to me (right away), left me a message (because I didn’t get to the phone) and issued a refund immediately. I would book with them without hesitation!</p>

<p>Thanks, lucky&blue. I’m going to call them tomorrow. Already talked to D and she thought it sounded great. No need to wait - she is definitely coming home for Thanksgiving!</p>

<p>Separate question for the group: I need to get my D to the airport in Philadelphia for a different weekend so she can fly to a family event (non-holiday weekend). Any suggestions for that? And how long would it take to get from UD to the airport?</p>

<p>Without traffic it should be about an hour, but on 95 you can never count on having no traffic! Probably the best and most convenient way would be an airport shuttle. The UD website suggests [Delaware</a> Express](<a href=“http://www.delexpress.com/]Delaware”>http://www.delexpress.com/), which is located in Newark, to its international students.</p>

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<p>She should ask around and see if anyone else is going to the airport around the same time and could give her a ride. When that didn’t work, DD used the Delaware Express [Delaware</a> Express - We are more than just Shuttles - Airport Shuttle](<a href=“http://www.delexpress.com/airport.html]Delaware”>Airport Shuttle Service - Delaware Express). Generally it’s a passenger van that makes stops along the way. Once she was the only one and ended up in a towncar. I think the last time she used it was $42 each way. While not cheap, it was reliable and less expensive than parking at the airport.</p>

<p>Well, no car. So we will look into that bus - thank you. It’s not a vacation weekend so doubt others would be going that way.</p>

<p>My daughter has used Catch-a-Ride several times last year to get to Long Island. They are very convenient in that they make a bunch of stops on campus & then stop in Staten Island and 4 different places on Long Island. Only thing is if there’s bad traffic the ride can be way longer than stated. Also, they tend to leave early (between 2:00 and 3:00 for holiday breaks) and this will not work this year with my daughters schedule to come home the Tuesday of Thanksgiving weekend. So we need to find an alternative getting home Thanksgiving weekend, since she needs a ride Tuesday sometime after 5:30 or on Wednesday (anyone with a car driving to Long Island then?).</p>

<p>Regarding the Philly airport, we have used the Delaware Express and they are very reliable. Another alternative - I saw on UD classifieds (<a href=“http://www.udel.edu/classifieds[/url]”>www.udel.edu/classifieds</a>, then click on rideboard) there is an ad posted by a senior stating that he is doing rides to the Philly airport $40.00 one way but $70.00 round trip. That’s a little cheaper than Delaware Express.</p>