<p>My daughter will be a freshman next fall and hopes to be involved with one or more theater productions each year at Muhlenberg. As parents, we expect to travel to Allentown several times a year for the next 4 years for family weekend, shows, etc. I don't like to fly and the drive is long & tedious. Does anyone know a convenient way to travel to Allentown from Boston area via bus or train? I imagine it would be easy to travel to Philly. But then you have to get to Allentown.....</p>
<p>vksmom: I would imagine the easiest way to do this would be to take the Acela or NE Corrider train from Boston to NYC or even Newark/Penn Station and then bus it from there…or even rent a car from Newark to Allentown (around a 80-90 min drive, one road, straight through)…</p>
<p>or, as you said, take the same train to Philly and take a bus or rent a car from there…also, about an hour.</p>
<p>The drive from Allentown to Boston is only about 4.5 hours and is really the most efficient way to get to and from. The only really troublesome part (depending on time of day) is getting around NYC which is best accomplished by using using the Tappen Zee to 287 to 78. I have driven to Philly and taken the train if I have work I need to do, but the all-in travel time is probably longer. There are buses that leave directly from Philly’s 30th St train station and go to Allentown (you want the Wescosville stop - which is West End Allentown, near Muhlenberg) [Under</a> Construction](<a href=“http://www.biebertourways.com%5DUnder”>http://www.biebertourways.com)</p>
<p>vksmom,</p>
<p>One option might be the train to NYC. At Port Authority Bus Terminal, a bus company called
Trans-Bridge lines provides service to Allentown. Bus Station in Allentown is downtown, not real close to Muhlenberg, probably need a cab to campus. My D (Muhlenberg) and S (Lafayette) both make use of Trans-Bridge when needed and are comfortable with it.</p>
<p>But, not sure how I would handle a weekend visiting Muhlenberg without a car, either my own or rented…</p>
<p>The Beiber Bus goes from Port Authority to Wescosville (about a $11 cab ride to campus).</p>
<p>I’ve bussed it to and from school and home, and it takes between 7 and 8 hours. Driving takes me 5.5 to 6 hours. I’d definitely recommend driving- especially because then you’ll have to take a cab if you want to go anywhere in Allentown, and the taxi services there are all horribly unreliable.</p>
<p>I used to live outside of Boston and now live only six miles from Muhlenberg’s campus. Muhlenberg is sort of on the outskirts of Allentown. And Allentown is not a big city like Philly or Boston. Taxiis won’t cut it. You need a car. Period. Preferably with a nav system. </p>
<p>What’s the big deal about driving from Boston area? Tune into XM/Sirius satellite radio stations and time will fly. Just be sure to avoid driving through NYC because that could turn into a nightmare. Take pkrajsa’s advice and use Tappan Zee and 287 and 78 to avoid NYC. Piece of cake. All that train to bus/taxi/rental car stuff will take much longer than driving directly, especially if you avoid driving during morning or evening rush hours. Head out about 10 am, post-morning rush, and you’ll get off 78 in Allentown, just ahead of the evening rush. Of course, weekends shouldn’t be a problem at all.</p>
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<p>Well, only if you’re talking about downtown proper. Even then, you’re only about two miles from downtown.</p>
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<p>Is it that close? I’ve only been to downtown Allentown a couple of times in five years of living out here. I’m very close to both Muhlenberg and downtown Allentown, I guess, but might as well be in another world. I live on/at Bear Mountain. No public transportation (which keeps the crime rate way down). You can only get there via car.</p>
<p>I just know that Allentown Brew Works is two miles from campus (it’s a favorite visit when we’re in town), and the Brew Works is downtown.</p>