NWR: Any LIers work in NYC?

Ok... you might have read my looking for a job thread... Well I got the job transfer w/my company as long as they offer me enough money , I'll say yes. (it's a lateral transfer but I'm not going to do it if they offer less than I'm making now!)

So... I will be living in Huntington and working in NYC... and I'm most scared of the COMMUTE. I'm planning on taking the train but it seems so scary LOL. Coming from L.A. where most people drive (and I've never been more than 25 mins from work) I'm a little nervous taking the LIRR for over an hour every day then walking like 8 or 10 blocks in NYC to work :\

So, tell me the truth.... is it ok? Are the trains crowded at rush hour? (like leaving 7ish and coming back 530 or 6ish?) Is it safe? Will I get a seat? How long will it take me to walk (I think) 8 long blocks and 1 short?

I am kinda freaking out about this!!!!

you get used to it.

i used to commute for years.... from Merrick which isn't as far but far enough. I actually miss it sometimes because I would get a lot of reading done on the train.

now i still commute but via subway and it's like 40 minutes. I like subways better just b/c if you miss one there's usually another one right behind it; not like the LIRR.

getting a seat depends on which train you take and whether you are the first or last stop. Huntington is one of the major lines so i don't think it will be a problem.

---

Posted by LoriBeth2728

Ok... you might have read my looking for a job thread... Well I got the job transfer w/my company as long as they offer me enough money , I'll say yes. (it's a lateral transfer but I'm not going to do it if they offer less than I'm making now!)

So... I will be living in Huntington and working in NYC... and I'm most scared of the COMMUTE. I'm planning on taking the train but it seems so scary LOL. Coming from L.A. where most people drive (and I've never been more than 25 mins from work) I'm a little nervous taking the LIRR for over an hour every day then walking like 8 or 10 blocks in NYC to work :\

So, tell me the truth.... is it ok? Are the trains crowded at rush hour? (like leaving 7ish and coming back 530 or 6ish?) Is it safe? Will I get a seat? How long will it take me to walk (I think) 8 long blocks and 1 short?

I am kinda freaking out about this!!!!

---

well as far as being afraid there is nothing to be afraid of. If you are mostly on one train its not bad, you'll get to sleep, read or whatever you want and just relax. My commute is an hour or more and i take 3 trains and thats when it s*cks. Are you sure its over an hour your commute? I forget exactly where huntington is so maybe im thinking the wrong thing

7-ish you should be fine and find a seat when you are in LI. But yeah it is rush hour so can be pretty busy, same with 5:30pm-6pm

as far as walking, 8 blocks wont take long shouldnt take more than 15 mins

FH does this commute. & to be honest it is a breeze. Huntington is a straight shot into Penn. JUst choose a nontransfer train (IE one that doesn't switch at jamaica to get into penn) & you may find that it is much less stressful than driving all over LI to get to work. Shoot at least you are not stuck in traffic for an hour in your car as I am sometimes. On the train you can nap, read, watch a show on an ipod.

It won't be too bad. take advantage of the pluses & you will be just fine!

Huntington to the city is not a bad commute at all. YES it is safe. It will take a few weeks to get used to but then you will feel like you have been doing it forever.

You will figure out which time train works best and then you will find you sit in the same car everyday.
This is the best time of year to be walking in the city and trying different routes to get to the office.

Just so you know Yes Penn station is crowded on the commute home, just remember the majority of the people are those who do it everyday so they know where they are going and what they are doing and so will you.

Is Huntington the first stop (going to NY)? If so you are in luck and will get a seat every day. Ok things may be overwhelming but you will get the swing of it very fast.

I personally like public transportation...you can eat, sleep, read, do whatever...it is very relaxing! LI is very congested and if drove to work it is such a hassle....if you worked 20 min away...it'd take 40 in traffic and probably 60 min if it rained and 2 hours if it snows!

The crappy part is quality of life. You will be spending 2+ hours a day on the train. But again it is relaxing! And if you miss the 7:00...might not be one until 7:20...pain!

Ok hope that helps. Penn station is a bit nutz and people rush and push everywhere....but you will prob jump right on the band wagon and be rushing and pushing too!

Ok hope I didnt scare you! I commute from NJ via bus and its not always consistent but I'd take it over NY traffic any day!

You will catch up on your reading thats for sure!
It was actually great for me when I was in school. Id get all my text reading done on the train.

Its not too bad as long as you occupy your mind. It can get tiresome if your just staring at the floor.

Thanks for the help/
I'd probably take the 7:12 train the get into Penn at 8:10. to be at work at 8:30. (That seems to be direct) The office is on Park Ave, between 31 and 32nd, I think. I'm unsure what train I'd be on the way back - depends if I can take a 30 min lunch or not. I know CAs employment laws not NYs lol

I'm so used to driving ... the thought of being at the mercy of the a train scares me! Or to be stuck in NYC!

Having to take 3 trains - I don't think I can handle that!!!

Yes anneandchris.. ty. I think once In get the hang of it, it will be OK but I just ate change and there's so much going on at once LOL. Commuting seems like it'll be the worst one!!!

I took the 7:12 every day for two years! Huntington is the first stop so you can always get a seat, and the train is usually at the station waiting so you don't have to stand out in the cold waiting for it; I always parked in the parking garage there, on the south side because that's where the train leaves from, and at that hour you can always get a good spot in the garage. It's not bad at all, I think I slept almost every day! I have been commuting on the LIRR for almost 5 years now and trust me, some days it is not fun, but most days it is fine, and it beats sitting in traffic! You will get used to it...Good luck!

---

Posted by LoriBeth2728

Thanks for the help/
I'd probably take the 7:12 train the get into Penn at 8:10. to be at work at 8:30. (That seems to be direct) The office is on Park Ave, between 31 and 32nd, I think. I'm unsure what train I'd be on the way back - depends if I can take a 30 min lunch or not. I know CAs employment laws not NYs lol

I'm so used to driving ... the thought of being at the mercy of the a train scares me! Or to be stuck in NYC!

Having to take 3 trains - I don't think I can handle that!!!

Yes anneandchris.. ty. I think once In get the hang of it, it will be OK but I just ate change and there's so much going on at once LOL. Commuting seems like it'll be the worst one!!!

---

If the office is on park avenue between 31st and 32nd then you will have PLENTY of time to get to work by 8:30 if your train arrives at 8:10 at penn station. You wont have to rush just walk at normal pace. Plus the good thing is you dont have to take another train from Penn so it will be fine. The best for me is the LIRR, its very comfy you get to just sit back and relax. If you have to commute the LIRR is the way to go. Your commute sounds pretty good so dont worry

Commuting is like driving a car..once you get used to it it's second nature. You will be safe in NYC...NYC is the safest large city in the U.S. Your probably safer here than in some parts of California. Let's face it you're also taking the LIRR from Huntington...it's not the subway, even though the subway is safe and the easiest way to get around the city.

NYC is easy to navigate once you get to know the grid, especially in Midtown. I used to work on 28th and Park Ave. South, it's a nice location. There is a good healthy place to eat on 31st bt. Park and Lex. called The Pump Energy Food, check it out if you have a chance.

Having been a NYer all my life it's soo weird to hear questions about commuting and how safe it is because it's soo second nature to me.

Good luck.

---

Posted by LoriBeth2728

Thanks for the help/
I'd probably take the 7:12 train the get into Penn at 8:10. to be at work at 8:30. (That seems to be direct) The office is on Park Ave, between 31 and 32nd, I think. I'm unsure what train I'd be on the way back - depends if I can take a 30 min lunch or not. I know CAs employment laws not NYs lol

I'm so used to driving ... the thought of being at the mercy of the a train scares me! Or to be stuck in NYC!

Having to take 3 trains - I don't think I can handle that!!!

Yes anneandchris.. ty. I think once In get the hang of it, it will be OK but I just ate change and there's so much going on at once LOL. Commuting seems like it'll be the worst one!!!

---

My DH works on Park and 32nd, and we commute to the city from Mineola. It's about 5 long blocks down to Park, but you exit Penn on 32nd st, so it's a very direct walk. As long as you're early for your train, you'll def have a seat. It's a very comfortable commute, after a couple of weeks you'll wonder why you ever worried.

Don't freak out - you will get used to it. Lots to people commute and eventually you will start to recognize the 'regulars'.

I don't take the LIRR to work but I do take a bus and two subways and than walk about three blocks. I take the LIRR home and sometimes I get a seat. I use my commute as my time to read.

I have to say that I take both the subways and LIRR at all times of the day and night - I find them both to be safe and there are usually plenty of people around. As far as walking the streets, again there are usually plenty of people walking around especially in nice weather. If you are out very late, and concerned about walking, take a cab to the station.

NYC is not as scary as TV and the movies portray it to be.

Like everyone else said... it really isn't too bad. I avoided it for years and finally I had no choice but to work in the city and commute via LIRR... and in reality, all I was avoiding was an extra hour of sleep in the am, and getting tons of reading in on the commute to and from.

Walking is nice when it's nice out and great excersize... when it's crappy out, just take the subway. Again, it's not as bad as it seems... it's just something to get used to.

You'll be fine!
Good luck!

---

Posted by LoriBeth2728

Ok... you might have read my looking for a job thread... Well I got the job transfer w/my company as long as they offer me enough money , I'll say yes. (it's a lateral transfer but I'm not going to do it if they offer less than I'm making now!)

So... I will be living in Huntington and working in NYC... and I'm most scared of the COMMUTE. I'm planning on taking the train but it seems so scary LOL. Coming from L.A. where most people drive (and I've never been more than 25 mins from work) I'm a little nervous taking the LIRR for over an hour every day then walking like 8 or 10 blocks in NYC to work :\

So, tell me the truth.... is it ok? Are the trains crowded at rush hour? (like leaving 7ish and coming back 530 or 6ish?) Is it safe? Will I get a seat? How long will it take me to walk (I think) 8 long blocks and 1 short?

I am kinda freaking out about this!!!!

---

omg i'm doing the exact opposite. FH recenlty sold his apt in the city and we moved to queens until our house is done with renovations. i requested a transfer to the LI office and I got it now i can just travel 5 miles and go into a parking lot as opposed to spending 3 hours per day traveling! I wish you all the luck! I couldn't handle the commute though...it is physically draining!

HI Thank you guys for the replies.
You have helped allay my fears some LOL I hate change.
the station is 10 to 15 mins away, and there's a chance that FH can drop me off, depending on my schedule. Is parking free? I've only ever taken the train on weekends.

I'm really only afraid of being pickpocketed and mostly just on the train. I'm not sure why? I am pretty street savvy and will be OK on the streets. And my neighborhood right now isn't the best. I have been to NYC quite a few times (I grew up in NY State and have visited FH a few times). I didn't mean to say anything bad about NYC, promise!

i also am worried about how it'll be COLD (and windy cold) and maybe snowy... but I guess Il'l deal with that later. It's not so bad now is it?

And like you said Jenn04 and DiamondPipa... Right now I am so close to work. I work 7 to 3:30... I leave work at 6:40 and am home before 4. I have so much time to get things done in the evening. With this commute I won't have time weekdays to do ANYTHING, and I think it might just exhaust me even more than I am. (There's no way I'll be able to sleep on the train)

I also think, like you said anneandchris, i'll feel so lost and not knowing what I'm doing while everyone else will know. I hate that feeling, esp. when everyone around you knows what's going on. But I have to keep in mind that it won't take me long to figure it all out.

I am looking forward to having free time to read though!

You all have been so helpful, thank you SO much!!!!

I commute from Ronkonkoma (Exit 60 on LIE) to Penn Station everyday. I take a 6:08 train in the morning which means I leave my house at 5:45am. I take the 4:51 train home and I walk in my door at 6:15. I drive, take the train, walk and take a subway twice a day! The commute is 2.3 hours each direction.

I wont lie, it does make you very tired. The LIRR always has delays or are running behind schedule for some reason. The commute stresses me out sometimes because you are on someone else's schedule.

On the good side, I make DAMN good money in NYC, I can shop at lunchtime and enjoy all the benefits of Central Park in the spring/summer on my lunch break. I also get to sleep on the train, read and I have met some really nice people that I commute with everyday....we are the 'regulars'.

Will I commute forever, no! Does it work for me now, yes.