brad@looking.UUCP (Brad Templeton) (05/19/89)
I want to go to Usenix in Baltimore June 13. Anybody want to share a hotel room and some transport? You can fly from BUF to Dulles for $170 return (USD) on a special fare, which is a lot cheaper than the $440 from Toronto to Balt/Wash. Dulles is 60 miles further than Balt/Wash from Baltimore, and I would want to split a rental car, too, to solve that problem. Let me know ASAP. Phone 519 884-7473 -- Brad Templeton, Looking Glass Software Ltd. -- Waterloo, Ontario 519/884-7473
mark@sickkids.UUCP (Mark Bartelt) (05/21/89)
In article <3336@looking.UUCP> brad@looking.UUCP (Brad Templeton) writes: > You can fly from BUF to Dulles for $170 return (USD) on a special fare, > which is a lot cheaper than the $440 from Toronto to Balt/Wash. Dulles > is 60 miles further than Balt/Wash from Baltimore, and I would want to > split a rental car, too, to solve that problem. Another option is Amtrak. Takes a day, but it's a lot more fun than a long drive to Buffalo, getting on a giant overstuffed airborne tin can for an hour or two, and driving another hour to downtown Baltimore. The train leaves Toronto at 9:40 AM, arrives New York at 9:25 PM. Then you get on the overnight NY-Washington train, which actually leaves at 3:45 AM, but you can occupy your compartment any time after 9:30. You arrive Baltimore (downtown, not some wretched airport miles from where you actually want to be) at 7:00 AM. Returning, you leave Baltimore at 11:11 PM, arrive New York 2:37 AM, but you can stay in bed until 8:00. Leave New York 8:35, arrive Toronto that evening at 8:10. Total fare (including a roomette on the overnight segments) is US$276, plus a few bucks to get between Grand Central and Penn Station in NYC. Bedrooms for two are slightly (but not a whole lot) cheaper than twice the roomette fare. If you're travelling with a *really* good friend, you can squeeze two into a roomette, but this isn't advised unless you and your companion are really used to sleeping cuddled up. (There's only one bed, and it's not very wide.) Also, you sometimes have to hassle with the reservation person to convince them to ticket you for a two-in-a-roomette reservation. It's technically allowed, but they've been told to strongly advise passengers against it. Note that, depending airline schedules, arriving by train may save you at least one night's hotel bill, since you arrive early enough in the morning to get to the conference, register, and make it to the first session. Although I haven't checked airline schedules, I doubt that there's a flight out of Toronto early enough to allow you to make it from the airport to downtown Baltimore in time not to miss anything. Depending on how late you wanted to head back, and the flight schedules for late evening, you might conceivably save a hotel night on the way back as well. By the way, one caveat: Although VIA sells Amtrak tickets, it's often better to get them from a travel agent. Amtrak always quotes its fare in US dollars. VIA has their "official" exchange rate, which more often than not is ridiculously high compared with what the banks charge. My travel agent calls the bank for the current daily rate, and uses that. It makes a big difference sometimes. Note that although the Toronto-NY train is unreserved, the NY-Baltimore train requires advance reservations. For more information, call Amtrak (toll-free) at 1-800-426-8725. If anyone wants additional details, feel free to ask. Mark Bartelt UUCP: {utzoo,decvax}!sickkids!mark Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto BITNET: mark@sickkids.utoronto 416/598-6442 INTERNET: mark@sickkids.toronto.edu