Traveling Chimp

Okay, I’ve been off the radar for a while, cause as you know sometimes life and the grind decide you don’t need or deserve anything even remotely resembling free time. But I’m getting a little rest & relaxation in at the least likely of places…the airport. My latest jaunt to bustling Ohio has highlighted a simple fact – for better or worse, small airports do what they do better than big hubs.

I landed most recently in Columbus, OH and found myself smack in the middle of a well lit, clean, attractive space. Wide open halls and inviting eateries were abound, and I swear that one of those airline employees actually smiled at me as I passed. FOR NO GOOD REASON!! Then, low and behold, no sooner than I found myself smack in the middle of this little slice of travel heaven I was out. No shuttle, no treadmill, no gauntlet of kiosks and credit offers, there I was at the luggage carousel. When what to my wondering eye should appear? My luggage…MY LUGGAGE!…before I even got to the carousel. Great googily moogily!

Now feeling swift and efficient I bounded off to get my rental car, but I was thwarted in my efforts because, well, I was there already…before I even got up to speed. Off I went to enjoy the many pleasures of Ohio.

As I depart the Buckeye State I’m having a similar experience, now at Dayton International. Not as much charm and a little more worn than Columbus, but much of the same pleasant efficiencies. Could it be that we’d benefit from a smaller, more agile airport network? Would service improve and delays be reduced? Let’s face it. Most major cities don’t have the land or money to develop several small airports instead of one large one. Chicago already has two, and both are too big for their britches, so what would we do there? I don’t know, I just know that sometimes bigger isn’t better…

Category: Good Guys, Rants    Tags: Columbus, Dayton, flying

We’re all oh so familiar with the indignities of the grind, be it long delays, tiny seats or TSA cavity checks; but for those of us trudging up and down the East Coast there is an alternative.

I travel quite frequently between PHL and BOS, and up until 2007 that could be done quickly and cheaply on the hourly  USAir commuter flights. Around the holidays that year, for several reasons, tickets prices tripled, ruining the economics of my frequent flights. That’s when I rediscovered our friends at Amtrak and their Northeast corridor service, and I haven’t looked back since.

Amtrak trains along the Northeast corridor have frequent departures at reasonable prices. Local trains usually run about $120 from PHL to BOS, with Acela trains pushing $200. Acela is the high speed train introduced several years back to much fanfare. Between Philly and New York, it’s worthless time-wise, saving you only about 5 minutes one way on a 50 minute ride. But it does serve to, shall we say, cut out the riff raff…if you care about that sort of thing. Real times gains are to be had between New York and Boston, where the difference is about 50 minutes on a 6 hour ride. You’ll find families and college kids on the local trains, with the Acela mostly populated by like-minded business people (I’m not passing judgment. Let’s face it, both demographics have their issues) But the real joy comes when you arrive at the station 10 minutes prior to departure, ease yourself into a wide seat, and take off for your destination usually on time. And look down next to your seat, what’s that…could it be…yes, a power outlet just begging to merrily charge your laptop as you go.

Another huge advantage, one I’m exploiting as I write this, access to the airwaves. No, Amtrak has yet to provide on-train Wi-Fi, but your 5ft cruising altitude gives every opportunity to plug in that air-card or, as I do, tether that BB for broadband goodness. There’s leg room, there’s a cafe car, there are bathrooms you’d actually have enough room to fool around in. Again, if you care about that sort of thing.  It’s travel with dignity, and it’s worth every extra minute it might take to get where you’re going.

To that end, let’s do the math. 20 minute cab ride to the airport. 30 minutes to check in and get through security, and you better have gotten there 30 minutes before boarding to be on the safe side. PHL to BOS is about 40 minutes in the air and 15 on the ground to get to the gate (6+ hours if you’re going the other way and have to wait for a gate to open in Philly). Even without a checked bag it’s still at least 45 minutes before you’re getting where your going, so all told you’re talking 3½ to 4 hours door-to-door.

Now compare that to 15 minutes on either end of a 5 hour Acela ride. A ride in which you’re literally working from the moment you sit till the moment you arrive, and suddenly the time difference doesn’t seem so bad. One last hint, if you’re leaving Boston in the morning and can afford the extra time, skip the Acela for a local morning train. The business crowd (and there will be a large one) will head for the Acela, and the local will be half empty.

Don’t get me wrong, Amtrak has it’s issues too. There are occasional delays, the local trains tend to run about 150° in the winter (wear layers), and those of us traveling from anywhere BUT New York are forced to deal with those of you coming FROM New York, but it’s a small price to pay for the convenience, class and comfort of riding the rails. Next time your traveling the Northeast corridor definitely give it a look!

Category: Potential Essentials, Service Reviews    Tags: Amtrak, BOS, Northeast, NYC, PHL, train