Traveling from NOVA to NYC pt. 2

Part one has my 2023 recommendations. In 2025, I did more business travel than any other year, traveling to more locations and going to Meadow’s NYC office more times than in any previous year. I still agree with everything I wrote in 2023, so this update is mostly additive.

The landscape in terms of options is roughly the same. I’m not aware of any new entrants in the DC <> NYC bus route but there were two exits. Jet, the upscale/luxury offering, is no more. Megabus filed for bankruptcy. All in all, Amtrak continues to be the best option to go between downtown DC and Manhattan. I wonder what would have to be true about a bus or shuttle for this not to be the case. I haven’t tried the next-gen Acela yet, but I will in a couple of weeks.

My main 2025 update is this: on the Northeast Regional you can grab a full-size table in the cafe car and stay there for the whole train ride. I’ve had my most productive train rides this way. This doesn’t work on every train, like on a recent Vermonter I was on. A train attendant once explained that if the train has a full cafe car, meaning there’s a seating section on both sides of it, you can sit down and stay as long as you’d like. That’s not the case if there’s only one seating area. It’s worth getting to Union Station early so you can be one of the first to board, maximizing your chances of grabbing a table. I’ve even boarded south of Union Station just to guarantee the table. Having that full-sized table is the best way to travel to New York, even better than business or first class on Amtrak.

You should also try the Amtrak lounge in Moynihan Train Hall. I get a couple of lounge passes a year with Amtrak Guest Rewards but you can also purchase them individually. You can bring 2 guests with you. I’ve had great success bringing co-workers and family to the lounge to have dinner and wait for the train. Moynihan also has above-average food options in the food hall. If given the choice, I’d rather eat there than in Union Station.

The other change in recent years is how I get to and from Union Station. If possible, I now take the bus to WMATA and WMATA to Union Station. Even though it’s twice as long as driving, I find that I’d rather read or catch up on something instead of driving. The missing piece for me was the Transit app, which shows me where the buses are on a map and tells me exactly when I should start walking.

Going home from Union Station, WMATA is not an option if you arrive after 11pm. In those cases, the taxi stand is always more reliable and professional than Uber or Lyft. If you know you’re arriving at Union Station after WMATA closes, choosing a business class fare so you can pick a seat near the front of the train will increase your chances of getting a taxi. If you miss the first batch of taxis, waiting for the next batch or for Uber/Lyft can take 30-60 minutes.