I've taken the Metro North many times, typically from New Haven to Grand Central off peak. The trip takes about 2-hours, and has been on time, almost every time. It's a commuter rail, so the seats are not cushy or plush, but they are fairly comfortable, and have always been clean. The trains are very long, so seats have always been available when I'm travelling, and we can often get the three seat wide seats for two of us, allowing us to spread out more. That said, during busy times, you're better off taking a seat for two, as the train can fill up during the trip to Grand Central. There are spartan rest rooms on the train, which I'd rate somewhere between satisfactory and better than nothing.The Metro North departs frequently, often every half hour, making it both a flexible and cost effective choice for NYC, and a much better alternative than driving! read more

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Taking the train for years and loving it. However I find conductors not helpful never available and made me lose a train . They had track 4 train was on track 6 and they walked passed us got on the train did not tell us track was changed and went off. I had to walk to another train station. read more

Metro North 11:07am train leaving Grand Central on 6/17/25, employee Jason was very professional & polite he was able to assist me with a problem on my IPhone when I showed him my validated ticket he was able to correct problem and provided me with excellent customer service experience read more

Absolute crooks, charging $8 surcharges for "activating the ticket on board the train" when the train was late and that's the reason it "activated late". I look forward to joining the class action lawsuit! read more

$30 round trip gets you from New Haven to Grand Central Station in NY in 2 hours. And the trains leave every half hour, so it really doesn't matter when you make it to New Haven. The trains are getting old and the seats that face each other are way too close together- so legroom can be at a premium especially if you have a selfish oaf across from you as we did yesterday, bags on the floor and stretched out like he was on a lounge chair at the beach. Last year we were so fortunate to catch one of the newer model trains, and it was a zillion times nicer. Even with an old train and a slovenly boorish bench mate, its still a pretty sweet deal read more

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In all the years I have taken the metro to New York, I have never had an issue with the ride, finding a seat or with the ticketing process ( and I've used them all from going to the ticket counter and actually speaking with a human to preferring on my phone). Occasionally you may get some rowdy riders especially after a game or some other event, but overall it's a pleasant ride and I can nap!!! read more

The metro north is very frequent on the New Haven line always fast however sometimes the trains can be up to 35 minutes late and the fare from New Haven to grand central is only 16$ on off peak 10/10 will recommend read more

The attendant was fanominol tonight. I'm on the train from poughkeepsie to Ossining and he has ever right on point. He's engaging and made my travel comfortable l. Thank you for the pleasant experience read more

I take this train nearly every time I take a visit into the city. From New Haven to Grand Central (round trip), the ticket is usually around $35 per person. Overall, I have no qualms with this train at all. The seats are cushioned enough to not feel too bad of a butt sore after sitting 2.5 hours. Pretty large windows for you to look out on and look at the glorious sights of each stop. The entire train is very well lit. It also has air conditioning/heat during the according seasons. Thankfully, the train also has a great air ventilation system - you wouldn't think it's necessary until you've sat on a cramped bus full of people and all sorts of smells. The ticket takers are pretty nice in general, they'll answer any question you have. No question is too stupid. I believe MetroNorth ticket takers also allow you to purchase tickets from them if you hop on and realize you're short a couple stops before your destination, etc. Bathrooms are generally clean. There has been a couple of times where they're extremely stinky (from past passengers). I don't believe anyone cleans/maintains it until the entire trip is finished for the train. Also, sometimes there's toilet paper, sometimes there's not. Just don't drink a gallon of water before the ride if you want to avoid this. There's plenty of overhead storage for everyone (I'm assuming if you have about 1-2 bags per person). Seating is pretty tight if you're a big shouldered person but it's doable. Would recommend this train for everyone. read more

MTA may not have the most up to date trains, but they're were fantastic at accommodations for my special needs Aunt in wheelchair for the Yanks/Sox game on 6/10. Thank you to all the staff that made trip so much easier for us. read more

the bus in lieu left 2 minutes before the scheduled 9:19 from Springdale station to Stamford today November 19, 2022. I lost one hour only because the very highly qualified and intelligent drive personally decided to depart early. read more

The most Rude and disrespectful conductors. The u-pass takes awhile to mail. I don't understand why most of the conductors are so rude about it. When we students have proof of the emailed that it is issued. On the emailed it has the u-pass is code on it! Which I don't understand why most of the conductor won't accepted it! read more

Great way to sneak in and out of NYC if you don't feel like driving in. Can take it all the way from New Haven, CT if you'd like. I recommend driving to Stamford and taking it in from there. Much shorter train ride and it's almost express from Stamford to Grand Central Station. They run fairly late on most nights too, so if you're going to an evening event you can still utilize this great service. read more

The BEST WAY to go in and out of NY. For $27 you can go round trip to and from New Haven anytime between 5am and 244 am the next day (I've been on that last train from NYC a few times). The train brings you right in to Grand Central or you can get off the stop before at 125th St in Harlem. It takes two hours (local stops to Stamford then express to Harlem) but much better than driving! I LOVE the updated trains they have now. They're modern, more comfortable and have electric outlets all over the place..great for smartphone users. Every now and again I still catch and old train but still...so much better than driving! I've been taking Metro North all my life. Great train and typically a smooth operation. read more

Do you want to get to New York City without worrying about finding a parking spot for your car? Do you want to do it for less than 60 bucks taking Amtrak? Do you want to get drunk while you sit on a train, staring out the window at the urban blight of Bridgeport and Mt. Vernon? You're in luck! The Metro North can do all this and more! Okay, well, not a lot more. Also, parking is a little expensive if you can't just ride your bicycle here like me. But hey, sucks to be you, jerk. read more

I wish train rides were cheaper, but it's a convenient way of getting into and out of the city. My tip would be to get on the train early, if possible, so that you actually get a seat. read more

What can I say. It gets you to Manhattan if you don't want to drive. It's cheaper than Amtrak but not cheaper than driving/parking in my opinion if you are a group (and YES I have proven this). I almost always get off at the Harlem stop and walk to the 4/5/6 to avoid having to take the S to Time Square. It's just faster if you're planning on staying uptown. Also - you can take this to the airport (LGA)! Get off at Harlem/125th, walk down the stairs, catch the M60...bam. You're at LGA. *bring your cell phone charger because this baby has outlets! read more

Oh, Metro North...what would I do without you?! I commute from NYC to New Haven via the Metro North on a semi regular basis. Metro North is a million times cheaper than the Amtrak. Granted, the Amtrak stops in more places in Connecticut and is also more comfortable/fancy, but the dollars that you save going with the MN trump cushioned seats any day of the week. There are many ticket purchasing options available, depending on your commuting needs. You can pay per ride, per week, per month, or buy a ticket with 10 rides on it. The "ten trip" needs to be used within 6 months of the purchase date. But, in all honesty, my purchase date often wears off over the months that it hangs in my wallet, so I would bet that this isn't strictly enforced. I always save my receipt, though, just in case...but you probably don't have to be as paranoid as me about it. If you purchase tickets online in advance, you save a few bucks. I mean, the savings is nothing to write home about, but it definitely adds up! Especially if you utilize MN as much as I do. The monthly passes are gendered, which I find to be totally outrageous. I mean, I can understand from a theoretical perspective why the system is set up in this way, but there are so many assumptions that are being thrown around in order to reach this conclusion! The system assumes that people are in a heterosexual relationship AND that people prescribe to stereotypical gender presentations. There are plenty of folks that blur gender lines and plenty of folks that identify somewhere along the queer spectrum. I'm grateful that I never had the need for a monthly. I would not feel comfortable dealing with this! The trains run less frequently on off-peak times and also on the weekends. The timetables are updated every few months, and the website stating the time and pricing information is fairly user friendly. There are also several smartphone apps that are helpful in determining trip time, some of which do not need access to the internet in order to operate. On some holidays, including but not limited to Thanksgiving, Easter, and Christmas Eve, MN runs "holiday trains" that run super-super express. I'm talking, like, only making five stops between New Haven and Grand Central Terminal. I was on one of these trains yesterday on my way back from New Haven to NYC for Easter, and it was glooorious! read more

I would not be able to leave CT without it and visit NYC car-free. It's great. About $29.50 roundtrip on weekends (off peak) or $39 weekdays for peak. (Peak = arrive GCT from 5 to 10 AM or depart GCT from 4 to 8 PM) Faux leather seats, old school conductor outfits, steel luggage racks, bathrooms on board and a sweet commute into the big apple cheaper than Amtrak. Cellphone service available 95% of the trip until you get into the tunnels in NYC. There are 115V outlets near certain seats by the doors for your electronic needs. A great way to travel without the hassles of a car or the life threatening dangers of sharing the roads with the worst drivers I have come across, Connecticut drivers. Safety first. read more

I was looking for an inexpensive and easy way to get from Boston to NYC. We ended up driving to New Haven CT and parking in the Union garage which is right next door to MetroNorth. We paid about $18 a day and left our car there for 3 nights. It was SO easy! The commuter rail is cheap, we went during off hours, and paid about $15 a ticket. I really liked that we didn't have to rush for a certain time. The trains come so frequently that you don't have to wait long at all no matter what time you arrive. We purchased our tickets at the station when we arrived (it's more if you get them on the train). From there it's about a 2 hour ride to Grand Central! The train was clean and comfortable. We went on Saturday afternoon and back on Tuesday afternoon, so both times we went, the train was not busy or crowded. We will 100% do this again for any of our NYC trips. I downloaded the onTime MNR app which had all the departure and arrival times which I found useful. read more

WORST WEBSITE IN THE WORLD IN THE HISTORY OF WEBSITES. Most user UNfriendly, difficult to navigate, difficult to understand schedule, reading layout is so messed up on the schedule and impossible to book electronic ticket on line. But there are no other train options to NYC. Still, thumbs wayyyyy down on your website metro north. I think we'll take the bus instead. read more

I really like writing the train from CT to the Grand Central. The price is, however, quite high. Maybe $15 (off-peak) to $26 (peak) for one way ticket. read more

Old station. Very retro and kind of space age like halls - Reminds me of Space Mountain at Disney World. Also, there is an old-school and cool flip board that displays the train times & tracks. Food at the station: - Subway Sandwiches - Sbarro pizza - Dunkin Donuts read more

We liked to head to NYC 2-3 times a year. I much prefer driving to New Haven and taking the train into Grand Central. The trains run close enough to on time to never screw up my schedule. This includes very snowy days....much more than I could say about air travel. I enjoy not having to pay to park in NYC, especially since we typically stay a few nights at a time. I think the costs balance out if not being cheaper to take the train (although you do have to pay $18 a day at the garage across the street). The train is usually fairly clean and orderly. Sitting by the bathroom can result in smelling that chemical smell those kind of bathrooms bring with them so avoid that area if at all possible. I have never had any issues with fellow passengers other than from time to time someone wants everyone to hear what they are listening too. I can tune that stuff out easy so it doesn't bother me much. The train has an hourly schedule for most of the day and weekends. This means you don't have to wait around the station on either end for long. Please check schedules because I know this isn't 100%. Hit me up and I would be glad to share any specifics you may be interested in. read more

Morning commutes, generally on time and carefree. Evening commutes...extremely unreliable...many delays...and spur line trains always take a back seat to main line trains making a bad situation, often worse. Trains can be quite dirty; smelly lavatories, grimy headrests and seats, nearly opaque windows, garbage on and under the seats, bottles and empty cups rolling up and down the floors, often shadowed by their former contents. New electric trains have a harsh ride, older locomotive pulled coaches are very smooth, but lack power ports, information boards, and have harsh, nearly injuriously loud PA systems. In general, most of the trains seem to have functional air conditioning at this time. In the winter, most trains are badly overheated. Smaller stations, don't "platform" all cars and unaware riders are not always able to discern if their car will open at their destination as the cars are not numbered internally. Quiet cars are generally pretty peaceful, with some folks unaware or disrespectful of the protocol. In the end, conductors can't really enforce the suggested behaviors and on occasion, furious shouting matches erupt until the noisy offender is stared, shouted or guilted into another car. Problem management is brutal to watch, especially towards the end of the evening rush and the rest of the day. Communication with the customers is often limited and insultingly vague, decision making is slow and often ineffective. And communication to the train staff can be so limited that they get their info from customers scanning twitter and news sites. MNRR touts 99% ontime performance for most of their lines, but there are so many disqualifying conditions that keep them from counting latenesses, it comes off as one of the greatest "frauds" in New York and is a huge mark against the service by commuters that endure the chronic lateness and radio silence when trains are parked and only token explanations are offered. Actual on-time performance is about 65%, but if you're late, you'll probably be really late. Conductors are generally good at heart, but a few ball breakers keep travelers wary of all staff when interacting with them knowing they could go "bad cop" at any moment. Watching a conductor berate a customer over having an "off peak" ticket during rush, or refusing to punch a "paid but expired?" ticket from deep in their wallet on a day the don't have cash or awareness that tickets go bad as fast as a gallon of milk...terrible treatment ensues and it sets the tone for future confrontations for witnesses when their day comes up. read more

No frills public transportation, but there is an exceptional volume of trains back and forth to Grand Central from Union Station. Round trip was $28. Beats the hell out of Amtrak. read more

I've been taking the New Haven Red line from Fairfield into NYC every weekday for work for well over a year now. My perspective is from a peak-hour, commuter point-of-view (M-F, early am and 5pm-ish), which may be totally different for rides during off-peak times. I have to say MNR is pretty reliable overall, especially during the early morning hour rides. The ride from Fairfield to Grand Central is roughly 80-90 minutes depending on the train - you get your occasional late trains or delays, but it's certainly nothing worth bursting an artery about. Their cars are usually clean and well maintained, but of course you have your usual twits who think it's okay to toss their discarded coffee cups, food remnants, napkins and/or NY Times on the seat or floor so everyone in the vicinity can experience the pleasure of tromping through it. The morning rides are usually peaceful and quiet, a time many use to relax or snooze before their workday begins, however, there can be some Chatty Cathies about, which is the reason why I believe earbuds were invented in the first place. It's scientific fact that many people have avoided bitch slapping someone else due to, yup, little ear buds or headphones. Also, there is this one guy who insists on eating Greek yogurt every effin' morning to the gastrointestinal delight of us all. I do like Greek yogurt and eat it myself, but to smell somebody else's at 7:00 am is bordering on offensive, and ear buds unfortunately don't help in that department. But I digress -- common commuter courtesy rules are a subject unto themselves and deserve their own place separate from here. Getting back on track, the conductors are usually pleasant, and if not that, at least tolerable -- I've encountered more a-holes among fellow commuters than I have from any MNR employee. Also, I discovered that if you take certain trains, you're likely to have a faster ride, better seat selection (aisle, leg room, etc.) and have less stairs to deal with once at GCS. If you have multiple bags or bulky pieces of luggage, you'd be doing yourself a service by making sure to arrive early so you find yourself a seat and an out-of-the-way place to stow your baggage. The tickets can be pricey, even if you buy a monthly pass like I do (currently $391/month from Fairfield), but in the end I suppose it's less $$ and hassle than driving in. Lastly, the only thing I can comment on regarding the restroom facilities is that if you're a woman, try to make sure you DO NOT have to use it. I made the unfortunate decision of having an after-work drink before taking the train home and, even though I had to piss like the proverbial race horse, I would not use their bathroom since it was at the end of the day and in very well used condition. Very well. Think of a train jostling its way down the tracks and how that could mess up aim, accuracy and whatnot. Anywho, I don't think I ever got home as fast as I did that evening. But enough about that, you get the gist. All in all, any real complaints I have would be considered minor. The service is pretty reliable and MNR has gotten me from Point A to Point B in a safe and secure manner. read more

The track announced today was not correct. I made it aboard just fine, but the conductor could not enumerate any steps taken to confirm that all other passengers did, too. Hmm, track in the app is wrong yet again on 4/10/2014 (says 6 but correct is 14). read more

Perfect and easy way to access NYC via MNR. Less expensive than trying to drive in and maneuver the city. The direct train to Yankee Stadium is nice too for weekend games. Trains were clean and comfortable. Gets busy as the trains closes in on the city and you're brought right into the gorgeous and bustling Grand Central Station. No easier way to get into NYC. read more

The Mainline of Southern Connecticut Culture Riding Metro-North is part of the fabric of life in Fairfield County, Connecticut. My dad's been commuting by Metro-North for about 40 years. I make the trip back and forth from New York City to New Canaan, Connecticut pretty much every day. It's an hour+ into the city, and an hour+ back (and 20-45 minutes each way to and from Columbia University, where I'm studying). Metro-North has a culture and aesthetic of its own. There are two sets of cars: the old ones, from the early 70s, and the new ones, being rolled out for the last few years. I prefer the old ones, although that's not a universal opinion. Perhaps it's just because I grew up in them. They have a certain color and lighting scheme, a special kind of leather seats, a rickety sound and a slightly metallic smell. The seats are positioned so that often you end up facing a stranger, with the implicit invitation to get to know them. They also include their infamous bar cars, where exhausted businessmen get tipsy every night before arriving back in Greenwich or Darien or Westport and home to their families. Amazingly, it is legal to drink alcohol on Metro-North trains. Those bar cars have a regular crowd and have even been featured on NPR. The whole Metro-North aesthetic was memorialized in the film The Ice Storm, which also presents a pretty accurate portrait of the values and lifestyle of the wealthy little suburbs north of New York. The new cars are, of course, in better condition. They're brighter (which I don't like, because I like to try to nod off sometimes in the train), and they're cleaner. They've got this bright red and white thing going, instead of the muted maroons and navy blues and tans of the 70s models. They are more convenient in that they actually have electronic signs telling you which stop is next. Annoyingly, they also have a pre-recorded voice which announces each stop, as if we commuters haven't already memorized Stamford, Noroton Heights, Darien, Rowayton, South Norwalk, etc. etc. etc. The trains are usually on time. Every year one or two big storms knock them out for a while, especially on the cute little New Canaan branch line, which only has five stops. If they're late, it's often a good thing, because that gives you time to head to the donut shop near the station and get a cup of coffee. There are two other branch lines: Danbury and Waterbury. The Danbury line is so old-fashioned that I've heard the conductors still have to change the signals by hand. The Waterbury line... well, it's incredibly slow. It gets you to Waterbury but you could probably go faster walking. But both of these branch lines have a charm of their own, wiggling through the forests and hills of upstate Connecticut. I love Metro-North like you love an old couch. You sort of have to love it, because if you live in Connecticut and work in New York, it's either Metro-North or traffic jams on the Merritt and I-95. The whole experience is made easier if you've got a beer, or a cell phone with a wifi hotspot so you can keep working on the train. read more

I think Metro North is really great for going back and forth between NYC and New Haven. It's cheap ($14 off peak one way) and the trains run relatively frequently (at least once per hour). Unfortunately, there are times when they break down and are cancelled or the AC isn't working on a very hot day, and this is why I knocked off a star. Also, it would be nice if they ran 24 hours rather than having that 4 hour break in the middle of the night. It would be okay if the last train back to New Haven from NYC left at 1:49 if the bars there did not close at 4am....but that is not the case. read more

I take the metro-north frequently to visit my girlfriend in NY from New Haven. It's the best balance of cheap and time-saving that there is when it come to transportation between NY and CT. About $30 round trip, and cheaper if you get a ten-trip pass. A little less than 2 hours each way, and quicker if you get an express train. I wouldn't recommend sitting in the cars with the restrooms because they can smell like pee. Other than that, it's a pleasant ride, and from Grand Central you can take the subway all over NYC. read more

Delays, cold trains, breakdowns, derailments, overcrowded cars and price hikes every year. However, the worst is when you get an old train with no outlets!! read more

Besides the price hike that I wasn't expecting, I could have walked faster than this POS drove! Thanks for making my decision to never take the train again!! Metro North sucks a fat one!! read more

I give thanks for Metro North originating from GCT and not Penn Station.

Efficient way to get to NY! It takes 1 hour and 40 minutes ti get ti New York. The train is comfy, clean and relaxing. Takes you directly to Grand Central. read more

Great way to commute into NYC and avoid traffic. Cheaper than Amtrak and brings you right into Grand Central.

In general the train has been fine however the online ticket system, if you have peak/off peak, please double check before you activate. I activated quickly assuming 1st one was my peak and it was not. Had to pay extra $6 on train. You cannot deactivate. It was my first time having to do a split. It should have a bright , in-your-face alert. Just a suggestion. read more

Can't complain, the convenience is good. It's a long, but uncomplicated trip into New York City and I have no qualms about the staff.

Watch out for the parking lot on State and George St it's $20.00 a day to park there not the same as the garage next to the station. That one was full on Friday at lunch! read more