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I commute to and from upstate New York and Manhattan twice a day - and it's not as bad as you might thinkhttps://www.businessinsider.in/i-commute-to-and-from-upstate-new-york-and-manhattan-twice-a-day-and-its-not-as-bad-as-you-might-think/metro-north-is-part-of-the-mta-is-the-largest-transportation-system-north-america-serving-a-population-of-15-2-million-people-it-covers-the-5000-square-mile-area-from-new-york-city-through-long-island-southeastern-new-york-state-and-connecticut-typically-i-need-to-arrive-at-beacon-station-around-718-am-to-catch-my-usual-721-am-train-/slidelist/51098908.cms2021-07-26T12:46:09+05:30

I commute to and from upstate New York and Manhattan twice a day - and it's not as bad as you might think

Jul 26, 2021, 12:46 IST

Metro-North is part of the MTA, is the largest transportation system North America, serving a population of 15.2 million people. It covers the 5,000-square-mile area from New York City through Long Island, southeastern New York State, and Connecticut. Typically, I need to arrive at Beacon station around 7:18 am to catch my usual 7:21 am train.

For some, the commute can be tough — my commute got easier when I moved to Wappingers Falls from Poughkeepsie. Now, I'm 76 miles outside of Manhattan, making the train ride a total of 80 minutes. Even at my station, on some mornings it's difficult to find a seat if I don't arrive early.

After my 80 minute train ride, my commute is still not over.

Once I get off the packed train, I enter an even more crowded subway. I ride the downtown 6 train to get to work, which is one of the most popular routes for commuters. I'm on the subway between 13 and 20 minutes, unless there are delays.

On some days, it's so busy that commuters are at a complete standstill trying to get down the stairs.

The average weekday MTA subway ridership in 2014 was 5.6 million.

Forget about holding onto the bars in the subway — some days I'm surrounded by so many people that I can't even lift my arm above my head.

Most of the traffic in the subway happens during peak hours — typically 6:15 am to 9:30 am and 4:30 pm to 7 pm.

The subway doesn't run smoothly every day — delays aren't uncommon, and there are often throngs of people on the platform waiting for trains.

The commute is not easy on your body or your wallet — prices for tickets are going up. The subway is now at $2.75 per ride, and depending on your location, Metro-North train tickets can be over $500 a month.

Some days, even if you leave early, you could end up being late. Between all the people, delays, and the hours you spend on the train — it can be challenging to be on time.

Although the commute is not always easy, it's not as bad as you may think. I like the hectic work week in the middle of Manhattan, balanced out with a calm weekend upstate. Plus, I get to see beautiful sights like this every day.

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