Feb
15
New York Vacation on low budget?
Filed Under Vacation
I am planning to go to New York city for spring break. I know it would be a little chilli but I’m from Chicago so shouldn’t be a problem for me. now I need to know if it is better to get there on a plane or Amtrak? ( as being close to the public transportation) and anyone knows any hostel or cheap hotel? and lastly, what is the best way to travel arround? bus? train? or rental car?
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12 Responses to “New York Vacation on low budget?”
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Stay in a Hostel.
As for transportation while there, don’t bother with a rental car as traffic is too thick. Use the subways, they’re cheap and will get you everywhere.
hmmm well i would take the train it gets u to grand central or penn station which are like super trasportation hubs as for travelling THE SUBWAY $2 a ride and its everywhere as for hotels you can prbably get a nice deal on some travel website xD
Might be cheaper via amtrak, but you will waste a lot of time. I would try out Sun Country Airlines. They fly out of Chicago and into NYC for the cheapest fares I have ever found. Book directly through their website at and no, I do not work for them!! Ha.
Not sure how long you plan to be there, but I think you should pre-plot your trip and figure out where you want to go first. And cheap transport there would be buses and subway system. Probably all you will need.
Not sure of any cheap digs in NYC. Go to Tripadvisor.com to find the best and safest for cheap. Just type in a search for NYC Hostel. I am sure you will find something. AND FYI - STAY IN MANHATTAN or you will waste time and money on transport getting you to and from the city. Not to mention, what’s the point of the trip if you don’t stay smack dab in the middle of all the action.
I am not from NYC, but I lived there for a time and travel there about 10 times a year on business. Trust me with this. I am in Minneapolis…which is kinda like Chicago…and what I am telling you is the most inexpensive way to have an enjoyable trip!!
Good luck and have a great trip!!
well if you are on a budget travel the cheapest way which is train,but sometimes you can go to cheaptickets.com and find a good deal for hotel and flight. also traveling in new york is pretty hectic in a car, train is best way
Don’t take Amtrak. You should be able to get a cheap flight and DO NOT rent a car! Fly into LaGuardia or Newark, NOT JFK. You can get a shuttle bus from the airport into the city for about $12. Use the subway or bus or walk to get around. Cheap and easy to get around. A car in the city is a serious negative. Parking is expensive and almost impossible to find a parking place. Parking in lots is EXPENSIVE. It will cost more to park your car in a lot than your airfare from Chicago.
You don’t really live IN Chicago do you?
Im from NYC, so I suggest you stay in hotel outside of manhattan since it would be cheaper. As far as plane or Amtrak they are both expensive in my opinion so it depends on which one cost less. How about the bus such as Greyhound, Coach, etc. The best way to travel around NYC is definitely the train! I would suggest you purchase a weekly metro card, that way you can take the bus and train as many times as you would like for that week. Have a Great Spring Break!!!
to get there via plane you would land in either Laguardia or JFK airport and would need to take Taxi or subway to get to you hotel. (If this is your first time to nyc i recommend you do not take subway very easy to get lost). Taxi fare from airport to hotel expensive. (depending where) if you take amtrack you may be able to end in penn station which is a lot closer to the center of the city than one of the airports. while in NYC the best way to travel around city is either bus or cab- forget rental car, traffic is horriffic and parking fees seriously $$.
Well if your from Chicago you should know that downtown parking cost a fortune, if you can even find a spot to park. I would stick to public transportation and rotate between all sources as you can afford. Flying is always the best way to travel. you can find low rates depending on flight availability, days you travel and day you book your flight. Train or bus is always the cheapest way to travel short distances. As far as hotels be careful low rates are often in seedy areas try to find a moderately priced hotel then research to neighborhood you book it in.
Have fun!
Take the yellow cab! Seriously, mass transit is the best bet. Get an unlimited card for the week and you can use it as often as you need it.
Eat in Chinatown. You can’t beat the prices.
Have fun in NYC! I’ll see you around.
I don’t find Amtrak to be that much cheaper than air and the time you lose it just painful.
Jet Blue has flight for only $80 each way. Amtrak wants at least $20 more!!!! Me? No thanks.
Do not waste your time money and aggravation on driving in NYC. The $2 subways here cover almost everything. Anything else, you can hail a cab. Parking is a day in purgatory.
Hopefully we’ll be pretty thawed out by March, but you’re from Chi-Town so you’ll probably just laugh at our weather. Wear layers.
There are three possible answers to this question.
1. Place to stay: New York City has thousands of hostels to choose from, everything from the YMCA/YWCA to ordinary hostels, some very well known. Two hostels that I know of are the American Youth Hostels, Inc, on the Upper West Side and the YMCA Vanderbilt Center in Midtown. I’ve included there web address at the bottom of this post, along with several other links to Hostels in Manhattan.
2. Transportation to and from New York: Since you’re coming from The Windy City, my best bet will be take Amtrak into Penn Station, New York. They may have discounts for students.
Also Greyhound bus, which always offers discount to students serves New York City, with a stop at the Port Authority Bus Terminal.
Many low budget airlines travels between New York and Chicago, however they will land at airport far away from the city. You may want to try JetBlue, they have a hub in New York and JFK Airport. Check with them to see if they offer discounts to students.
3. Transportation while in New York: Since you going to be in New York there is no need to rent a car. NYC Transit, like Chicago’s CTA, operates both the buses and subway systems. The fare on both the buses and subway are $2 a ride, but if you’re in town for a week, you can buy a 7-days unlimited MetroCard, which is a fare card similar to the one in Chicago, for $24 and take as many rides as you want on the subway and bus.
I hope this information was very helpful. I need any travel direction while in town, just drop me a line at.
Good luck and happy travels.