benski
Active member
Are there busses from Denver?
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From Denver to Vail in 9 minutes
- Thread starter BenedictGomez
- Start date
Are there busses from Denver?
Hawkshot99
Active member
My cousin has used Amtrak a few times to get to his lake house on Lake George as a last resort. He lives in NYC and there is a station 20 mins from his house. But it is VERY expensive at $69 1-way. It also takes almost 5 hrs.
The Rutland line is even worse. $73 1-way per person, and leaves at 3:15PM. So only useable for a weekend+. But at those rates I would think a car rental would be cheaper and faster.
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Smellytele
Well-known member
You could fly to Burlington from NYC for the same price or 100 more to Rutland on Lebanon
Jully
Active member
Lots of buses, yeah. Helps somewhat, but trains are wayyy more comfortable that buses IMO.
Jully
Active member
Exactly, train tickets are idiotic and unfeasible right now in the US for things like Amtrak (with a few exceptions)
BenedictGomez
Well-known member
Yeah, I dont get it.
When I lived in Manhattan I'd take the train on business trips to Boston and D.C. Those are a few of the convenient routes in your "exceptions" list, but other than that, I really don't understand trains. I've heard it's a pretty miserable experience taking either a train or a bus long distance (tons of stops, takes HOURS longer than it should, etc...), so fortunately I've never had the pleasure.
x10003q
Active member
When we lived in Manhattan, we looked at the train option. Trying to maneuver ski equipment around Manhattan at rush hour is a disaster. Trying to do it with the wife and kid(s) is an even bigger disaster. As mentioned, you are limited when you can leave, you end up in Rutland around 11pm, at least 1/2 hour or more from your lodging. Then, you need to have slopeside lodging or hope you are on the shuttle in order to get to the skiing. Then you have to deal with the reverse on Sunday.
It might work if you own or rent a slope side place and/or can leave a car if you are off the mountain. Your ski equipment has to stay in VT. If you live almost anywhere in the NY Metro area suburbs, the train does not work.
When we left NYC in a car by 3pm, we would easily get to our Killington lodging by 9pm including rush hour thru NJ and a stop for dinner. Plus, with 2 or 3 in the car it was much cheaper than the train/shuttle to the mountain costs.
The only way the train might work - if there was a station at the base of the mountain and it got you there in 3 hours.
It might work if you own or rent a slope side place and/or can leave a car if you are off the mountain. Your ski equipment has to stay in VT. If you live almost anywhere in the NY Metro area suburbs, the train does not work.
When we left NYC in a car by 3pm, we would easily get to our Killington lodging by 9pm including rush hour thru NJ and a stop for dinner. Plus, with 2 or 3 in the car it was much cheaper than the train/shuttle to the mountain costs.
The only way the train might work - if there was a station at the base of the mountain and it got you there in 3 hours.
spring_mountain_high
New member
it only makes sense if you go first class with a bedroom and diner car meals included, and view it as a leisurely experience, not as a means to get somewhere efficiently. wife and i did a cross country amtrak trip from PHL to SF in 2006. first leg was to chicago overnight, leaving philly in the afternoon. we decided to try the night in coach since it was just one night. would not do again. basically like riding a slow greyhound bus on rails. got into chicago 5 hours late and missed most of a cubs game.
the leg from chi-SF was 3 days 2 nights and we had a private room. meals were about the quality of an applebees, so edible, not terrible, not rave-worthy...i feel like they did pretty well with a tiny railoroad kitchen. they have a broiler and a flat top, so i think they were able to do pretty well. the trip from denver to california is the payoff. up through the rockies, utah, slept through most of nevada overnight then wake up the sierras...the observation cars awesome in the mountains. great experience. also got in like 5-6 hours late, but didn't care. if i ever did it again i would just fly to denver and go from there. i've heard the trip up the west coast is pretty amazing, and also very slow and usually very very late.
DoublePlanker
Member
The trains in France were great. You could take high speed for long trips. Then there are trains to nearly every town. Only the last mile requires a cab or walking.
In the US, trains just don't go enough places.
In the US, trains just don't go enough places.
spring_mountain_high
New member
they go places, but outside of the Northeast US, amtrak does not own the tracks...the freight railroads do, and amtrak is at their mercy, despite operating agreements that should prioritize amtrak trains...you sit forever waiting for freight trains to pass when you are on certain companies' rights-of-way
mbedle
Well-known member
Couldn't agree more with your last statement. The logistics of traveling with ski equipment, when you primary transportation gets you only partway to the resort, is a nightmare. Its one thing to do it for a vacation, its another if you are doing it every weekend. One thing I did notice about the Winter Park train is it only runs once a day. It basically parks up the rail from the resort for the day (you can leave you stuff on the train), before head back down to Denver in the afternoon. Under that kind of setup, train service wouldn't make a dent in any road traffic. Maybe you guys out in Co have some insight into this, but isn't the traffic up to Summit County in the winter very time dependent (Friday night, Weekend morning and afternoon)?
Jully
Active member
Doesn't make a dent, but it provides a nice alternative for those willing to use it!
In all seriousness, I agree though. That plan confuses me a bit too.
In all seriousness, I agree though. That plan confuses me a bit too.
BenedictGomez
Well-known member
My Mom and sister did a train that did a decent chuck of Alaska in the summertime and they said it was amazing.
Gotta' disagree with you there. Other than DC to Boston via NYC (and Philly and a few stations in-between), AMTRAK shouldn't even be in business. IIRC, that's still the only route that's actually profitable and should exist as a business. Otherwise AMTRAK is basically a huge waste of money we pay for year-after-year-after-year-after-year.
spring_mountain_high
New member
i was not expressing an opinion there...fact is, in exchange for the government taking over their money-losing passenger operations, the freight railroads signed agreements that give passenger trains right of way over freight, but there are certain companies that tend to put the passenger trains 'in the hole' more often than not in violation of said agreements
dlague
Active member
Absolutely time dependent - it is not the madhouse that it is made out to be all the time. If one is foolish enough to join the masses at the bad times then they need not complain about traffic.
KustyTheKlown
Well-known member
the bad times are the bad times because they are precisely the time when regular people (read - people with typical m-f work commitments) are able to go ski. if you are a student, or retired, or self-employed or able to work when you choose to work, you can drive up whenever you want. most people NEED to drive up Friday night or Saturday morning and return sunday night. just the nature of life for most.
BenedictGomez
Well-known member
Yeah, I mean, this is a really weird defense of that I-70 corridor.
That's like saying, well if you're dumb enough to get to work around 9am and leave around 5pm, SURE the traffic's going to be bad!
KustyTheKlown
Well-known member
here in the east, I'm a big fan of the 3 AM NYC departure and 8:30 AM Vermont arrival. saves me the hotel money for Friday night and lets me beat out all the NYC metro area traffic on Friday evenings. I just take a nice long nap immediately after work, aided by pharmaceuticals and booze. if I lived in Colorado I'd be all about the 4 AM Saturday morning departure and the 2-3 hour in car nap until lifts open. beats leaving at 6 PM Friday or 6 AM Saturday and sitting in the traffic.
dlague
Active member
We day trip it!
I work Mon-Thurs so I benefit from skiing on Fridays - easy peasy. On Saturday we are not eager to get there early so we shoot for 9:30 or go to Breck (back route). Sunday Mornings are relatively easy but the drive home between 3-6 is tough so we eat dinner then leave - easy peasy. Oh and do not go if it is stormy, rather go the day before!
This strategy has served us well
gmcunni
Active member
any scoop on clubs with lodging in/around frisco & dillion area?
