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Life seemed so much simpler back in the days of Don Draper. You could get back home after a long day in the office on the commuter train, which according to Mad Men was never over-crowded, and highly encouraged relaxation methods like smoking cigarettes and reading the evening paper. Or you could just drive drunk back to Ossining. Choose your own adventure! Either way, the romanticized Grand Central of yesteryear is a far cry from the nightmarish reality of today.
If you haven't had the privilege of witnessing the chaotic commuter dance during rush hour or any holiday, consider yourself blessed. During major holidays those fleeing the city are met with lines winding through the grand concourse that you need to wait in if you want to get your golden ticket to board any of the trains... because to make your holiday travel more stressful, you can't get tickets once on the train during those days.
Now CityRoom reports that "a new cluster of 10 additional ticket machines has opened just east of the main concourse, across from the centrally located Hudson News." These new additions bring the grand total of ticket machines to 28, and a spokeswoman for Metro-North "said that long lines, particularly during the holiday season, necessitated the new machines. 'We have to get out the bank ropes to have people snake through.'"
UPDATE: The Metro-North folk have clarified that "It is always possible to buy a ticket on board but purchasing your ticket on the train is a cash-only transaction and the most expensive option. Unless you are a senior citizen, it costs between $5.75 and $6.50 more." They recommend going online to buy your tickets ahead of time.
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Great. Now add them in Penn Station, where they need twice as many machines, at least.
better yet, just copy grand central and paste it onto the dump that is penn station, please.
Totally—I don't know about LIRR, but getting tickets for NJ Transit and Amtrak is PAINFUL.
LIRR is slightly better than NJT.
Who, who has been to Penn Station before and has seen the lines, still doesn't buy tickets for Amtrak in advance... You get there, you swipe your card, out pops the ticket and off you go...
Damnit, you beat me to it! I was going to blog about this this week!!!
Wait, you can't buy tickets on the trains during the holidays? But I could swear I've done it...
Unless you want to be charged $4-7 more for the on board surcharge. Only the disabled and senior citizens can buy on the train without the surcharge.
Well, yes, I'm aware of the surcharge. I was more referring to this sentence:
you can't get tickets once on the train during those days.
The only time that happens is New Year's Eve when you have to show your tickets before even boarding the train.
Did Gothamist make a typo on that sentence?
Even though for years I've been told on Thanksgiving, when rushing in to Grand Central late, that I can't buy a ticket once on board, Metro-North now tells me it is possible! I have updated the post, and am currently buying my ticket for this year online.
Or you can buy them on-line for less money and have them mailed to you (my tickets usually arrive in 2 days)
I've never had issues buying NJT tickets at Penn Station. There are tons of machines (in the Amtrak concourse side anyway) and I've never had to wait more than a couple minutes.
During busy times (Fridays, Holidays, Holiday Fridays), the NJT machines in the main concourse always have a long line. I've seen it backed up about 100 people deep and nearly touching the Amtrak waiting area. There are other machines to go to if you know about them (whatever that one spot is on the 7th ave side that's a NJT "mini-concourse", for instance), but even those get clogged during peak times. Amtrak does seem to have enough machines, I agree.
And they took those 10 machines from OTHER locations in GCT. Look for all the green grey TVM sized holes in the wall. I especially miss the TVM that was near the west side/Vanderbilt Ave Starbucks in the hallway.
The past always looks nicer than the present. But in reality it was probably the same shit or even worse.
Most regular riders get monthly tickets via Mail-and-Ride.
MTA, LIRR and Metro-North, you suck!
I've definitely waited on line for 20 minutes or more in Penn Station for NJT tickets... usually the backup is caused by morons who can't figure out the machines.
About Grand Central: it's awesome that they moved those two machines out of the hallway leading to the 6 train. It was such a pain to get around folks waiting to buy tickets there!
awesome im going to buy tickets with pennies and nickels...holding up the line isnt a crime right!??
I finally had a chance to blog this: http://bitchcakescommutes.blogspot.com/2009/11/new-metro-north-ticket-machines-in.html