Since moving from New Jersey to Boston and having to travel more, I’ve collected some knowledge on the pros and cons of flying versus taking the train. Both modes of transportation are effective, but they both have their downfalls. Understandably, flying is preferred by most of my friends, but I continually hold faith in taking a train home. Though, all of us come back with criticism.
1. Trains are ALWAYS expensive.
For some reason, especially during break seasons, taking an Amtrak train is ridiculously expensive. Going from either Boston station to Newark Penn Station or New York Penn Station could put you out over 200 dollars. Granted, Christmas season and Thanksgiving break are popular times to travel for real people, not just college students. But, the limited space on a train on top of the limited physical trains really hikes up the price. Flying at least fluctuates based on times and airlines; Amtrak gives you one price and it’s a high one.
2. Timing out your flight is always a hassle.
Possibly the worst thing about flying is anticipating a huge line at security. The cardinal rule is getting there two hours before your flight, but when you’re a college student in a large city, you have to factor in taking the T or an Uber. Both can take up to an hour with transferring lines or traffic to the airport. If things are running especially late, there is an added stress of “am I going to make it on time?” You could have a quick two-hour flight ahead of you, but it will be a five-to-seven-hour travelling experience.
3. No wait time for trains.
Opposite of flying, there is barely any added waiting time for trains. Whether it’s safe to not have extensive security like airports, you just show up maybe a half hour before your train, just to be sure you can get a good enough seat. Of course, you still have to travel to a station, but there are two in Boston, one being in the middle of the city (Back Bay) as opposed to the airport just outside of the city. There is way less planning and time not-traveling involved in going home by train.
4. Planes are way faster.
Trains are sometimes thought to be faster, but that is so not the case. With trains, there are stops and with stops, there are delays. Between Boston and New Jersey, there are about six stops in the state of Connecticut alone, and that may take up an hour of the five-hour train ride. Even though there’s a lot of security time and waiting to board time involved with flying, trains, especially from major city to major city, take a lot longer than flying from place to place. The ride itself probably equates to the total traveling time it takes to fly.
5. Seats on a plane are chosen beforehand.
Perhaps the worst thing about trains is the fact that seats are on a first come, first serve basis. You get on that train and pray that there’s a seat open for you, preferably not next to a screaming baby or a generally obnoxious person. Of course, this is a possibility on a plane as well, but it’s nice knowing your seat does exist in an exact location, and you don’t have to walk through several carts to find it.
Traveling will always be a pain. Whether you’re taking a train or flying, there are delays, annoying people and lots of money lost. But, in the end, you get to go home, take a real shower, eat some home-cooked, non-dining hall food and be with family.
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