<p>Ok, looks like she will move to NY. Between the 92Y and the New Yorker from the Educational Housing Services. Any feedback on the two? Thanks for all of your help!!!</p>
<p>A more direct and faster way to commute from the Y’s location would be to take the subway uptown from 96th Street (4 blocks from the Y) to the 125th St. stop (just one stop on the express) and walk one block to take the train from the Metronorth 125th St. stop. I can’t vouch for that one block walk after dark, but it’s totally safe for the morning commute. That route will take 10 minutes off the train ride and a couple of minutes off the subway ride.</p>
<p>The area around the Y is perfectly safe in the evening, provided one uses the normal street smarts that are needed in any urban area after dark.</p>
<p>Thanks MommaJ. So she can take the Metronorth 125th St stop right to Grand Central station? A few minutes in the morning will help. Looks like she is going for the 92Y…thanks to everyone for all of their help and input! I truly appreciate it.</p>
<p>No no. I confused you. Let’s start again:</p>
<p>The Metronorth New Haven line commuter train your daughter would take starts at Grand Central and head north into Westchester County and Connecticut. On the way up to the suburbs, it stops at a station within Manhattan at 125th St. (Not every train out of Grand Central stops at 125th, but I think most do.) So it makes more sense for her to head north from the Y up to the 125th St. train station than to head south to Grand Central and double back. Now to get to the 125th St. train station, she would take the subway “uptown” from 96th St., which is just 4 blocks from the Y. She would travel just one stop on the express line to 125th St., very fast. I believe the 125th train station is just a block from the 125th subway stop. </p>
<p>The 125th St. train station is a much smaller station than Grand Central (I don’t even thin it has an interior, not sure) and is much easier to navigate. Just getting from the subway at Grand Central to the train platform can be a bit of a hike–the place is very big. What I’m suggesting is a way to avoid Grand Central and the big crowds there altogether as well as shave about 12-15 minutes off her commute. Of course she can experiment once she gets there and see what she prefers.</p>
<p>Hope that is clearer.</p>
<p>OK, I probably sound dumb, but to be sure I have this right:
- Walk from Y to 96th st Station (4 blocks)
- Take express line to 125th st subway stop(do you know what number or letter this is)?
- Walk one block to 125th st train station.
- take train from 125th st. train station to Rye (again, any idea what number/letter).</p>
<p>thank you SO much! I think she is going to live at 92Y. I appreciate all of the feedback and comments. I had never even heard of this place. It sounds like a nice location, they have security, and a gym/pool (she swims daily).</p>
<p>Yes on all counts. The express subway train will be the number 4 or 5 UPTOWN (If she makes a mistake, the number 6 local uptown train will get her to the same place, just a few more stops). She needs to look for the uptown entrance to the subway station, which will be on the east side of Lexington Ave. (Now if she decides to leave from Grand Central instead, she’ll be taking the number 4 or 5 DOWNTOWN from the 86th St. subway station two stops, entering the downtown subway entrance from the west side of Lexington Ave.)</p>
<p>The trains don’t have numbers, at least not that anyone uses. They go by time–for example, she may take the “7:34” from 125th St. station to Rye, arriving at 8:03. There will be an electronic board saying which trains are on which tracks, and announcements that may or may not be intelligible.</p>
<p>Here’s the weekday schedule (take a deep breath-it’s not as hard as it seems), trains towards NYC are at the top, away from NYC are at the bottom:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.mta.info/mnr/html/planning/schedules/pdf/NEW%20HAVEN%20MF%20APR%201%202012.pdf[/url]”>http://www.mta.info/mnr/html/planning/schedules/pdf/NEW%20HAVEN%20MF%20APR%201%202012.pdf</a></p>
<p>Note that not all the trains stop in Rye–some run express to Port Chester, so she’ll need to be careful.</p>
<p>If she wants to live in Stamford, the Stevens Village isn’t bad. She can easily get to the 287 area via the Merritt … and also easily get to the Fairway Market area which seems to be a happenin’ place between the Fairway and the new shopping. Also not far to downtown and Stamford TownCenter mall. I don’t think it’s exactly walk to the train, but it’s close.</p>
<p>What I liked about the Stevens Village is that while I will grant the houses are older, frame, bungalow sorts it’s a student village. UConn Stamford is not a residential campus – but this is being presented as student housing.</p>
<p>Besides the cost of the train and subway, don’t forget to add a significant amount of cab fare for transportation from Rye train station to her job location in Purchase. This will add up quickly! I would not let my daughter walk from the Y in NYC to the subway, especially in the evening. I would prefer her to live in Westchester, North White Plains, Harrison, Portchester. My next vote would be Stamford. I’m sure she will do well whatever your decision may be.</p>
<p>Ok, not at all familiar with NY. Is she safer walking from the 92Y to 86th st station then catching the train to grand central? Does she need to avoid taking the subway from 96th to 125th st for safety? We have basically decided she will live at the Y, although we are not locked in. The company she is working for has a shuttle that picks her up at the Rye station and brings them to the office, so no cost there. Is the Y in a relatively safe area (I realize NY is a big city, but I thought the Y was in a pretty good area from what I read)? New Yorkers or those familiar with the area, please let me know your thoughts. Thanks!</p>
<p>I would not want her to travel north of 92nd St. The area of mid 80’s to 92nd should be ok. The walk, subway, train and shuttle seem like a long trek in each direction to me, but then again, I’m not 20 yrs. old!!!</p>
<p>It is absolutely fine to walk in that neighborhood. Whether she wants to take the train to 125th Street in the morning to catch Metro North or not will be determined by her comfort level walking from the subway to the train. My S used to do it all the time. As the mother of a daughter, I wouldn’t want her getting off there in the evening, but going to Grand Central and taking the subway uptown, then walking from the 86th Street Lex stop to the Y on 92nd Street is totally fine, certainly at any hour before 11pm. When I lived in the city 30 years ago there was no way I’d be walking in that neighborhood at night, alone. These neighborhoods in NYC are a different place these days - I was on 95th and 1st last week and it was totally hopping at 10:30pm on a Monday night.</p>
<p>Agree with all this: 125th st train to Rye in the am, train to GCT in the evening. Very safe in the scheme of things, lots of people around. 92nd st is very active area, as runnersmom said. Good choice.</p>
<p>Be sure to leave the car at home.</p>
<p>Metronorth’s southern terminus is at Grand Central Station. GCT’s main entrance is at East 42nd Street. There are a number of other entrances, the northernmost of which is at 48th Street, but this is not open at all hours. The Metronorth train to Purchase would begin at GCT and go north with a first stop at 125th Street. The timesaving measure is for your daughter to catch the train at 125th Street, ten or so minutes after it has departed GCT. Google Metronorth’s schedule for the line that serves the station she would use.</p>
<p>The other question is whether she would walk (a) four blocks north from the 92nd Street Y to the local subway station at east 96th Street or (b) six blocks south to get the express train at East 86th Street. The local would stop at 103rd, 110th and 116th Street before 125th Street. There is a one block walk from the 125th Street subway station at Lexington Avenue to the 125th Street above ground Metronorth station at Park Avenue.</p>
<p>Regarding safety, the walk is perfectly safe in the morning and during the day. This is a heavily patrolled area and there are thousands of commuters, baseball fans going to and from Yankee stadium, shoppers, etc. There are also wastrels who may engage in light harassment of women. If she feels uncomfortable coming home later in the day she can continue to GCT instead of getting off at 125th Street.</p>
<p>She probably would not want to bring a car to Manhattan, unless she can rent a monthly spot in a garage. I would not recommend driving to work even though it would be a reverse commute and may very well reduce the commuting time.</p>
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<p>@ECmotherX2: Your daughter better not ever live in NYC, because that kind of walk is a perfectly ordinary safe, everyday occurrence for thousands of residents. Have you actually visited the area around Lexington and 92d St.? Nice neighborhood. The residents of the Y aren’t exactly taking cabs and limos to work every day. The subway is the way the vast majority of Manhattanites travel, and walking to the nearest entrance is the only way to get on.</p>
<p>The area around the Y is fine - it’s the upper Eastside for heaven’s sake!! Park Ave a block away! Museum Mile 2-3 blocks away!
Taking the subway uptown to 125th and walking to the railroad is a really good idea - at least in the morning when tons of people will be up and about, kids on their way to school, etc. I suggest she take the railroad to Grand Central in the evening though.
Her monthly pass will cover both stations.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone. We will go with the advice here. 125th in the morning and GST in the evening. Dry run the week before she starts her job. No car. Got it all down! Thanks!!!</p>
<p>You can send her a reply from me: (my DD)</p>
<p>I used to live in Rye, currently live in Port Chester, and work in Greenwich, so I know this area very well.</p>
<p>Living in the city is EXTREMELY expensive without one or more roommates, particularly in Manhattan (the highest rents in the whole city can be found in Manhattan.) About half the people I work with commute from the city (most of whom live in Brooklyn, by the way) because they enjoy living there, but you should be aware that the actual cost of train tickets both ways every day can get overwhelming. The cost of a round-trip ticket between the Rye station and Grand Central is $16, and that’s the off-peak price. On-peak, which is when people are commuting to and from work, is four or five dollars more. Doing that every day for twelve weeks can get expensive (and we’re not even taking into account the subway costs either.) There are unlimited monthly passes you can purchase, but those also cost in the range of hundreds. It’s essentially like buying a plane ticket once a month.</p>
<p>Living in Stamford is another option that my co-workers resort to, but even fewer choose this because the traffic is horrendous. What looks like a 15 minute trip on google is in reality closer to 45 minutes to an hour due to all the congestion. Rent is cheaper here, but it’s much harder to get around, so you’ll have to concern yourself with parking and traffic if you want to get anywhere. Also, if you’re looking to get into the city on weekends, the cost for the metro is even higher here, since they price the metro based on how many stations you ride, rather than a flat price for any trip like the subway does.</p>
<p>I never hear anything exciting/fun about the Stamford area, honestly. People here who live in Stamford usually go to White Plains or the city for entertainment. If you’re going to be working in the Purchase area, there’s no real point to living all the way out in Stamford.</p>
<p>I highly recommend looking into two places, the first of which is Danbury. I personally don’t know too much about Danbury other than the fact that it’s close by (time-wise, I mean. You can’t judge “closeness” based on mileage up here, only by traffic,) it’s a safe family-oriented area, and gets a lot of bang for your buck. For the price of renting studio apartments in NYC, several of my co-workers have been able to afford family houses in Danbury. It’s well-worth looking here if cost is a concern of yours.</p>
<p>The other place to look into is Port Chester. I’ve lived in Port Chester for a year now and I’ve been really happy here. I would still recommend getting a roommate to split rent costs with, but the prices are significantly lower here and the area is still great. A roommate in Port Chester is not absolutely necessary to have good living conditions. Port Chester has a metro that can bring you into the city for nearly the same cost as Rye (I think there’s a 50 cent difference round trip) and, in fact, you can walk to Rye/Purchase from Port Chester (and I have on several occasions.) Port Chester offers all the benefits of a small town (great libraries, well-kept parks, sidewalks, friendly neighbors) with all the access to the big city for those fun weekends out. </p>
<p>I think the important note to take away from all of this is that distance up here should not be calculated in mileage but rather in convenience. You’ll want to put a bit of research into good traffic routes, subway lines, buses, and metro and their cost/time. For every hour spent in a train car or stuck in highway traffic, that’s an hour that could have been spent getting a little more sleep, discovering a new place, meeting a new person or enjoying your favorite food. Two hours a day may not seem like much on the surface, but after 12 weeks of it, you’ll be wishing your short time here was spent doing something else.</p>
<p>Good luck and hope this helped~!</p>
<p>Dumbo, although the comments expressed by gouf’s D are certainly food for thought, for a young adult from the Midwest on a 12 week internship, I’d still vote for Manhattan. This may be her opportunity to live a little outside her comfort zone and experience a lifestyle different from that she is used to living. The commute isn’t that horrible, and personally I’d rather be on the train than in a car, in traffic. The Y will be filled with young people in similar circumstances, and since she is lucky enough to have your financial support, I encourage her to embrace the experience and take advantage of all the City and its wonderful neighborhoods have to offer. Hang out in Central Park, check out free days at the museums, walk the High Line, and enjoy! You should come visit her!</p>
<p>OP- I attend cultural events at the 92nd st Y frequently (they have concert series, lectures, performances, etc.) and even on a late night have NEVER felt the slightest bit concerned about the neighborhood. (I am female). I walk to the subway in that area with absolutely no qualms. Your D will be a few blocks away from the Guggenheim museum, a half mile from the Metropolitan museum, the Frick, etc and walking distance to galleries, Central Park, and other wonderful places to hang out on a weekend. I have at least a dozen friends who lived at the Y many years ago when they first started in NY and other than the tight security (which parents see as a plus- the kids cannot have friends wandering in and out freely all the time which I think is fantastic) everybody found it a great way to get launched. No need for thousands of dollars in security deposits or brokers fees…</p>
<p>Portchester, Danbury, all of these are great options for someone who has months to research and find a place to live, potential roommates, etc. but if you need to make a decision quickly on a place you can’t physically check out ahead of time, you can’t beat the 92nd street Y. And if your D ends up swimming and attending a concert right in her own “home” what’s not to like?</p>
<p>Thank you for that comment, Blossom–some of the fear mongering here has been unfortunate and reflects a lack of knowledge.</p>
<p>I have to repsectfully disagree with @gouf78, who I don’t think is taking into account the fact that OP’s daughter will only be in the area for a short time, not long enough to forge strong ties in a new town (she has friends in NYC). Of the places mentioned, Danbury is quite far, a depressed city, and unsuitable for a single girl her age–she’d wither on the vine–and I personally think Port Chester is an unappealing place to live–not as bad as it was, and on the rise, but it has a way to go yet. As for nightlife, Stamford’s far outstrips that of White Plains–all the young men and women who work on the big trading floors keep it hopping from Thursday night on, and the lively area is concentrated and walkable–but I wouldn’t recommend either city to a short-termer who doesn’t know anyone in the area. It would be too lonely to come back to an apartment in Stamford or White Plains after a day of work. I think OP’s daughter has made the best choice, and will never forget her semester as a Manhattanite.</p>