Any Flyers fans in NYC?

[Chris OKeeffe]

I write this post in desperation to see an NHL game of the Philadelphia Flyers. My dilemma is.... transport from New York City to Philadelphia on Thursday 6th December 2018.
I'm bringing my wife to NYC for her 30th birthday, it's our first time in the USA and we can't wait. Now, we're big hockey fans, we are season ticket holders for our local team Sheffield Steelers in Yorkshire, GB. So of course we want to see an NHL game live while there for 4 days. We love the Flyers because they wear orange like us so naturally we support them from afar.
We arrive at Newark airport at 2pm and the game starts in Philly at 7pm on the same day! This makes it difficult to make it but we want to try. Our problem is our hotel is already booked in NYC for the duration of our stay and cannot be cancelled/changed as it's non-refundable, we also will have luggage so we're going to have to go to NYC first to drop our luggage at our hotel. We won't have access to a hire car and I've checked trains, buses and taxis but all will be too late or expensive to make the game.
I've already asked for help on a few Flyers pages on Facebook and Tweeted for help but I'm having no luck, so my last throw of the dice is on forums to see if there are any Flyers fans in NYC who regularly travel to Philly for games who we could maybe get a ride to and from the game with? I would pay for fuel and tolls charges. The game is against Columbus Blue Jackets 12/6/2018 @ 7pm. Thanks for reading. Lets go Flyers!

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[NYCFlyer]

I write this post in desperation to see an NHL game of the Philadelphia Flyers. My dilemma is.... transport from New York City to Philadelphia on Thursday 6th December 2018.
I'm bringing my wife to NYC for her 30th birthday, it's our first time in the USA and we can't wait. Now, we're big hockey fans, we are season ticket holders for our local team Sheffield Steelers in Yorkshire, GB. So of course we want to see an NHL game live while there for 4 days. We love the Flyers because they wear orange like us so naturally we support them from afar.
We arrive at Newark airport at 2pm and the game starts in Philly at 7pm on the same day! This makes it difficult to make it but we want to try. Our problem is our hotel is already booked in NYC for the duration of our stay and cannot be cancelled/changed as it's non-refundable, we also will have luggage so we're going to have to go to NYC first to drop our luggage at our hotel. We won't have access to a hire car and I've checked trains, buses and taxis but all will be too late or expensive to make the game.
I've already asked for help on a few Flyers pages on Facebook and Tweeted for help but I'm having no luck, so my last throw of the dice is on forums to see if there are any Flyers fans in NYC who regularly travel to Philly for games who we could maybe get a ride to and from the game with? I would pay for fuel and tolls charges. The game is against Columbus Blue Jackets 12/6/2018 @ 7pm. Thanks for reading. Lets go Flyers!

I regularly travel to games in Philly and live in Manhattan. Couple issues. 1. I ususually don't decide until that week have if I'm going to the game. 2. The car I keep in the city is a 911. 3. I usually would stay for the weekend.

Your best bet is to take a car service to Philly and stay there overnight. Easy to take the subway to the game. Take the train to Nyc in the morning.

 

[Chris OKeeffe]

I regularly travel to games in Philly and live in Manhattan. Couple issues. 1. I ususually don't decide until that week have if I'm going to the game. 2. The car I keep in the city is a 911. 3. I usually would stay for the weekend.

Your best bet is to take a car service to Philly and stay there overnight. Easy to take the subway to the game. Take the train to Nyc in the morning.

Yeah the car service quotes are coming in at $210 + tolls one way. Staying in Philly would've been great and of course easier but I've already paid for the full stay in NYC so wouldn't like to waste my money double booking if you know what I mean?

We'd have even settled for some NHL closer to where we're staying on W 97th Street but all of the Islanders, Rangers and Devils games are away from home.

 

[Rich Nixon]

Yeah, that's too tight by any metric I think. I travel nonstop and live equidistant between the 2 cities at the beach in Jersey, and I can't think of a feasible way to get from EWR->W 97th, NY->Broad Street, PHI in 5 hours at that time. Maybe at like, 11AM on a Saturday, but you're smack in the middle of rush hour on a Thursday.

Close as the two may look on a map, getting in and out of Manhattan can be a struggle and there's serious congestion all through the corridor. Plus, if your hotel's in NY and you're hopping off an international flight at 2PM, do you really wanna spend your first 12 hours in the US burning money in a state of perpetual, stressful transit with a 2.5hr hockey game stuck in the middle? Seems unpleasant, to say the least.

Just have a good dinner and find a cool bar to watch the game in. I'm sure there's a few Philly sports bars in the city where you can grab a cheesesteak and watch with some Flyers fans.

 

[Chris OKeeffe]

Yeah, that's too tight by any metric I think. I travel nonstop and live equidistant between the 2 cities at the beach in Jersey, and I can't think of a feasible way to get from EWR->W 97th, NY->Broad Street, PHI in 5 hours at that time. Maybe at like, 11AM on a Saturday, but you're smack in the middle of rush hour on a Thursday.

Close as the two may look on a map, getting in and out of Manhattan can be a struggle and there's serious congestion all through the corridor. Plus, if your hotel's in NY and you're hopping off an international flight at 2PM, do you really wanna spend your first 12 hours in the US burning money in a state of perpetual, stressful transit with a 2.5hr hockey game stuck in the middle? Seems unpleasant, to say the least. Just have a good dinner and find a cool bar to watch the game in.

Me personally I can travel and travel and travel over long distances regardless of the hours it takes so long as I get to the goal I aimed for. I do it regularly in Europe watching my other love football (soccer). My wife on the other hand wouldn't like it so much.
Actually to get back after the game I've found a greyhound bus leaving Philly at 11.45pm taking 2 hours at the lovely price of $9 each. Getting there though is the problem with the stuff you mentioned. The latest greyhound bus I can get from NYC to Philly for the game is 4pm arriving at 6.10pm which looks great, but only if I make the bus. Maybe a taxi from Newark to W 97th is my best bet and then taxi to the bus station.

 

[mja]

I admire your passion to see a Flyers game, but this seems completely unworkable to me. Your best bet would be to find a hotel for the night in Philly and go straight from Newark to Philly, and then head up to NY the next morning.

Also, shouldn't you be able to alter/change your hotel reservation in NYC? It is some sort of special package, because usually you're able to cancel hotel stays in the US.

 

[Rich Nixon]

Me personally I can travel and travel and travel over long distances regardless of the hours it takes so long as I get to the goal I aimed for. I do it regularly in Europe watching my other love football (soccer). My wife on the other hand wouldn't like it so much.
Actually to get back after the game I've found a greyhound bus leaving Philly at 11.45pm taking 2 hours at the lovely price of $9 each. Getting there though is the problem with the stuff you mentioned. The latest greyhound bus I can get from NYC to Philly for the game is 4pm arriving at 6.10pm which looks great, but only if I make the bus. Maybe a taxi from Newark to W 97th is my best bet and then taxi to the bus station.

All else aside, taking a Greyhound from Philly to NY at 11:45PM seems like a really unpleasant and depressing way to start an international vacation, and this is coming from a guy who once moved from Philly to Nashville on a series of Greyhounds through Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, and Louisville.

But yeah, making it by 4PM seems impossible, and is impossible if you have checked bags...you won't get to 97th from Newark Int'l and then 50 blocks back down to Port Authority (I'm assuming that's where the Greyhound would be out of) in 2 hours on a Thursday afternoon. Not by taxi, not by train. Maybe if you're in a bulletproof limo with a police escort, or you have a friend with a helicopter. Otherwise, it's just not feasible.

I understand the desire to go, completely, but even if it worked (which it wouldn't) it would absolutely suck. Buses and trains in the US ain't like Europe.

 

[Chris OKeeffe]

I admire your passion to see a Flyers game, but this seems completely unworkable to me. Your best bet would be to find a hotel for the night in Philly and go straight from Newark to Philly, and then head up to NY the next morning.

Also, shouldn't you be able to alter/change your hotel reservation in NYC? It is some sort of special package, because usually you're able to cancel hotel stays in the US.

Yeah it's through hotels.com where it was a non-refundable rate unfortunately. I have actually messaged the hotel to at least see if it's possible but I'm waiting on a reply so far.

 

[Rich Nixon]

Now, if there's a service by which you can store your luggage at or near the airport, you can most likely do it by train, with time to spare. You'd have to go get your bags later and check into your hotel in NY at like 2AM, but yeah, that's a whole different story.

If that's an option, then do it...I am sure there's some sort of luggage storage option at EWR (that's Newark Airport) for like $10-15/day. You'd have to buy the Amtrak tickets well in advance (I think they'd be about $50/ea on the way down) and hope your flight isn't delayed. Otherwise, you can take regional NJ Transit trains from EWR to Trenton (about 1.5 hrs, frequent), then either NJ Transit or SEPTA from Trenton to Philadelphia (30-45 minutes, trains also frequent). 2 separate trips, wouldn't be terribly expensive. Quite dirty and noisy, but doable.

Now, that's all dependent on your flight being on time. It probably will be. BUT, even if you went ahead with all that, I'd still advise against it...because if it snows, you're totally screwed, right? Why not just take it easy?

Or you could take a second flight from Newark to Pittsburgh right after you land (that's a 1hr flight) then taxi over to PPG Paints Arena and go see the Islanders/Penguins, or fly to Buffalo and back the next day (12/7) and catch Flyers/Sabres there (but it's a 1PM game). I'm only half-kidding here.

 

[JojoTheWhale]

I write this post in desperation to see an NHL game of the Philadelphia Flyers. My dilemma is.... transport from New York City to Philadelphia on Thursday 6th December 2018.
I'm bringing my wife to NYC for her 30th birthday, it's our first time in the USA and we can't wait. Now, we're big hockey fans, we are season ticket holders for our local team Sheffield Steelers in Yorkshire, GB. So of course we want to see an NHL game live while there for 4 days. We love the Flyers because they wear orange like us so naturally we support them from afar.
We arrive at Newark airport at 2pm and the game starts in Philly at 7pm on the same day! This makes it difficult to make it but we want to try. Our problem is our hotel is already booked in NYC for the duration of our stay and cannot be cancelled/changed as it's non-refundable, we also will have luggage so we're going to have to go to NYC first to drop our luggage at our hotel. We won't have access to a hire car and I've checked trains, buses and taxis but all will be too late or expensive to make the game.
I've already asked for help on a few Flyers pages on Facebook and Tweeted for help but I'm having no luck, so my last throw of the dice is on forums to see if there are any Flyers fans in NYC who regularly travel to Philly for games who we could maybe get a ride to and from the game with? I would pay for fuel and tolls charges. The game is against Columbus Blue Jackets 12/6/2018 @ 7pm. Thanks for reading. Lets go Flyers!

Former Manhattan resident and my work week is split between the two places, so I'm pretty familiar with the routes.

The last Amtrak to Penn Station out of 30th St is 11:15 pm during the week. I used to regularly make that home by taking the subway to center city and hopping in a cab to 30th St from Broad and Locust, so I can't imagine you would have issues making an 11:45pm bus, but I don't know where it leaves from either. The train should be ~$75 one way for the two of you that late as long as you buy at least 2 weeks in advance.

I have no earthly idea how you'd manage to get to the game in time without a car service and some serious traffic luck, though. Are you coming from an airport with pre-screening or do you have to go through customs at EWR?

Now, if there's a service by which you can store your luggage at or near the airport, you can most likely do it by train, with time to spare. You'd have to go get your bags later and check into your hotel in NY at like 2AM, but yeah, that's a whole different story.

If that's an option, then do it...I am sure there's some sort of luggage storage option at EWR (that's Newark Airport) for like $10-15/day.

You can definitely check baggage in with the Amtrak desk in Penn Station for $10 each if you have a ticket, but yeah, it's still going to be tight and customs could screw it all.

 

[Rich Nixon]

You can definitely check baggage in with the Amtrak desk in Penn Station for $10 each if you have a ticket, but yeah, it's still going to be tight and customs could screw it all.

Oh yeah didn't even think of customs. If that's the case, no shot.

 

[Chris OKeeffe]

Yeah I'm not too sure what to expect with customs. We applied and were accepted for the visa waiver, but I'm not sure if that gets us out of the airport any quicker through passport control.

The Amtrak looked a great option on the fast train at 5pm to Philly for 6.10pm but the standard seats already appear to be sold out, business seats only. Is that possible this far in advance?

 

[JojoTheWhale]

Yeah I'm not too sure what to expect with customs. We applied and were accepted for the visa waiver, but I'm not sure if that gets us out of the airport any quicker through passport control.

The Amtrak looked a great option on the fast train at 5pm to Philly for 6.10pm but the standard seats already appear to be sold out, business seats only. Is that possible this far in advance?

By fast train, I'm guessing you mean the Acela. If so, it only has Business and First Class.

It should only be a 15-20 minute difference in travel times between the Acela and the regular Regionals/Keystone/Carolinian/etc.

 

[Chris OKeeffe]

Thanks for all of the great advice and local knowledge guys. Appreciated.

 

[CapnZin]

Although I’m from Sweden... moved to Philly a while ago and switched between estates in Philly and Pittsburgh due to my job. I just got transferred to NYC as the hedge fund is taking a different direction in position.

While in Philly I regularly headed up to NYC (Manhattan specifically while sometimes in Hoboken and Newark). If I didn’t feel like dealing with the hassle of driving in NYC I took a bus in Chinatown Philly to chinatown NYC. It’s cheap at about $7-9 and to get yourself situated the entire trip is about 4 hours. It runs 24 hours too. I don’t remember all the exact details about it... due to being in Pittsburgh the past 4 years.

Based on your time frame it may be hard to get to a game in Philly. If you wanted to combine the experience of NYC and the flyers- I’d recommend seeing a game at Madison sqaure garden... although seeing a game in Philly is an experience all by itself.

 

[Winston Wolf]

I don't know your budget or itinerary obviously, but on Saturday, December 8, for $228 a person you could fly out of NYC at 10:00 am, get to Buffalo by 11:30 and easily make the 1:00 pm game. Then, at ~3:30, when the game ends, rush back to the airport (so you don't have to stay in Buffalo any longer than necessary) to make the 5:15 flight back to NYC.

I know that's probably way down on the list of optimal solutions, but hey, it's still an option if you're desperate. I've done crazier things and they've always worked out fine.

 

[Chris OKeeffe]

Looks like I’m going to go for it and hire a car for 24 hours. Throw the luggage in the trunk and head straight to Philly from Newark airport. Drive back to NYC after the game as we are allowed to check in up to 2am.

I’m a bit nervous about driving on US roads as I’ve only ever driven in the UK but I’ll get used to it or at least I’ll have to get used to it.

 

[CapnZin]

Looks like I’m going to go for it and hire a car for 24 hours. Throw the luggage in the trunk and head straight to Philly from Newark airport. Drive back to NYC after the game as we are allowed to check in up to 2am.

I’m a bit nervous about driving on US roads as I’ve only ever driven in the UK but I’ll get used to it or at least I’ll have to get used to it.

Not an easy city to drive in, but at least you’re not driving in NYC. That’s the hardest city I’ve ever driven in. Good luck with it all and enjoy!

 

[mja]

Looks like I’m going to go for it and hire a car for 24 hours. Throw the luggage in the trunk and head straight to Philly from Newark airport. Drive back to NYC after the game as we are allowed to check in up to 2am.

I’m a bit nervous about driving on US roads as I’ve only ever driven in the UK but I’ll get used to it or at least I’ll have to get used to it.

It’s all highways, so if you’re good with that you’ll be fine. Just make sure you’re driving on the right side of the road.

 

[DrinkFightFlyers]

Not a one

 

[Chris OKeeffe]

It’s all highways, so if you’re good with that you’ll be fine. Just make sure you’re driving on the right side of the road.

That's good to hear about the mainly highways part, the right side of the road and an automatic car looks like the big challenge now.

The only rubbish thing now with a hire car is I only need it for the trip and because I took it at Newark airport I get a big charge extra for dropping the car in Manhattan the next day instead of the airport!

 

[Rich Nixon]

That's good to hear about the mainly highways part, the right side of the road and an automatic car looks like the big challenge now.

The only rubbish thing now with a hire car is I only need it for the trip and because I took it at Newark airport I get a big charge extra for dropping the car in Manhattan the next day instead of the airport!

Price out if it's cheaper to drop it at the airport and take another means into your hotel, then. Also, make sure you're looking at the MPH on the speedometer and not the KPH

 

[mja]

That's good to hear about the mainly highways part, the right side of the road and an automatic car looks like the big challenge now.

Until you get to Manhattan you’re pretty much going to be on nothing but highways. NJ isn’t so much a state as it is a handful of highways servicing NYC on one end and Philly on the other. And the automatic car is easy. Just put it in D and go. I have the opposite problem every summer when I’m in France and have to rent a car. It isn’t easy to find an automatic.

 

[Jray42]

I’ll second the comments about the drive in to Philly for the game, it’s just all highway so it shouldn’t be horrible. Depending on your GPS (highly recommend getting the Waze app) I’m guessing it’ll have you take I-95 to 295 to the Walt Whitman bridge, in which case you’ll be driving in Philadelphia for about 7 seconds. It’s roughly about 90 miles (145km) from Newark to the Wells Fargo Center.

Manhattan, on the other hand... I never have nor do I ever want to drive in that, and I’ve lived in the States all my life.

Good luck with your trip!

 

[royals119]

Driving in Manhattan isn't really all that bad. Parking in Manhattan is another story. Double check the hotel to see what parking options they have. If you are going to keep the car overnight you will probably have to use their valet parking. Might be cheaper to go from the game back to Newark, return the car and use transit or a cab/uber/limo to get back to the hotel. It would make for a late night, but you wouldn't have to go back to return the car the next day.