The Train

We have now existed without owning a car for three years. It’s become pretty normal. It’s obviously a lot easier to do in Brooklyn than in other places. I’ve mentioned many times how well ZipCar has worked for us.

But there’s another interesting element in this transition. The train.

I’m not talking about the subway, which is frankly always better than a car in New York. I’m talking about a train ride for an hour and a half to visit my wife’s sister. They are our closest really close family. It’s an easy hour and 45 minute drive (depending on traffic out of the city).

Without owning a car, we would often get a ZipCar for a visit. But more and more we found ourselves taking the train. The total door to door time is a little bit more. A cab ride to Grand Central (20 minutes), 80-90 minutes on the train (depending on whether it’s an express) and then a 15 minute drive to their house.

But it’s so pleasant. In Grand Central we pick up snacks. On the train, I’m not driving, so I can do stuff with the girls. Or just read. We can move around, play cards, draw. I can have a beer if I’m so inclined. The train ride follows the Hudson River and is quite pretty. The views are like this:

I realized that we had become a train family when this weekend I offered to do the ZipCar instead of the train. We were spending New Year’s up there and we wanted to get up there a bit early to see both of our nephews playing in a soccer tournament together. So I was thinking the added flexibility of a car would be useful.

But my wife just said, “but I like the train so much more”.

And I had to agree.