LADIES ONLY: Question for Meemselle or anyone from the NYC area

La Profe_1

Moderator: Daily Headline News, Travel & Tourism
Oct 15, 2003
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I am posting here instead of Off Topic since I think that Meemselle is probably the best person to help with my question below.

This summer, I am scheduled to speak in Bridgeport, Ct. I'll be traveling from Buffalo, NY and am unsure of the best itinerary.

Is it practical to fly to JFK and then pick up a rental car to get to Bridgeport? I'll need a car in Bridgeport in any case. My major concern is driving from JFK. I have driven in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Washington, DC and Chicago, but never in NYC.

Last summer I needed to drive from Reagan National in Arlington to St. Mary's county in Maryland. I found that difficult because the signage was not too good, so am concerned about JFK to Bridgeport.

I know there are shared vans and supposedly I can take a train too. Perhaps that would be easiest. I could pick up the rental in Bridgeport then.

DR Connection: The speaking engagement is a fundraising effort for my work in Puerto Plata.
 

keepcoming

Moderator - Living & General Stuff
May 25, 2011
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Actually going the 95 is really not that bad. Meemselle probably has more in depth info. I have driven the 95 from JFK north going to New Haven and it really wasn't bad.
 

Meemselle

Just A Few Words
Oct 27, 2014
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There are a couple of ways to do it, depending on the day of the week and the time of day you will be traveling.

If you are a confident traveler and don't have too much luggage, it's really easy to take the subway shuttle from JFK into the city and get to Grand Central Terminal and take a Metro North train to Bridgeport. It's about an hour and change from GCT to Bridgeport. However, once in Bridgeport, you will definitely need a car, as public transportation is a challenge. There are plenty of taxis at the Bpt train station though, and if I remember correctly, you can rent a car across the street from the station. You could also call ahead to somewhere like Enterprise, and they would meet you at the station with a rental.

There are airport shuttle vans from JFK to CT. I can check the list of ones I have used in the past, if you'd like. They are not particularly cheap, and they tend to take a long time, as they stop at LaGuardia as well, and make stops through CT (like Darien, Westport, etc.) to drop off other passengers.

The drive from JFK to Bridgeport is not that hard. The worst of it is getting out of the airport area but signage is excellent.

It's only about 60 miles; taking I-95 is probably your best bet. There is a lot of traffic pretty much always, but the road is decent and there are plenty of options for getting a cup of coffee or having a bathroom break. It's also sort of cool transitioning from the City through Westchester and then into bucolic Connecticut, although Bridgeport is far from bucolic. It's a very run-down city and the roads in Bridgeport are pretty crummy, i.e., lots of potholes.

Let me know if there's anything else you need to know. I lived in exactly that part of CT and worked in Bridgeport for 3 years.
 

La Profe_1

Moderator: Daily Headline News, Travel & Tourism
Oct 15, 2003
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Meemselle, thank you so much for the information.

I'll have a carry-on and a purse, so not a great deal of luggage. However, I know nothing about the subway shuttle you mentioned or about the NYC subway system. I did, however, grow up in Philadelphia and used their system extensively.

I might send you a PM asking for further information if that is fine with you.
 

Meemselle

Just A Few Words
Oct 27, 2014
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Meemselle, thank you so much for the information.

I'll have a carry-on and a purse, so not a great deal of luggage. However, I know nothing about the subway shuttle you mentioned or about the NYC subway system. I did, however, grow up in Philadelphia and used their system extensively.

I might send you a PM asking for further information if that is fine with you.

Please do. The JFK subway shuttle into the city is a piece o'cake, if you have the time. The price is certainly right. I seldom use it bc I am always encumbered by vast numbers of huge bags.