ACES train makes NYC to Atlantic City less of a gamble

by Mike Barish on

Summer in New York City is all about weekend getaways. The city gets hot, sticky and smelly. Thankfully, we’re surrounded by beaches to the north (Connecticut), east (Long Island) and south (New Jersey). But only the trip south can add something unique to your beach getaway: gambling. And that’s why thousands of New Yorkers flock to Atlantic City, NJ every summer to enjoy the sand and the slots. And a new express train service is aiming to get people out of the heat and into the action quicker than ever before.

The ACES train makes only one stop in Newark in between New York’s Penn Station and Atlantic City. The train gets you there in under three hours and it’s reasonably priced at $39 each way (with an upgrade to first class for $25 more). It only runs on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, but that’s when most people are heading to AC anyway. I rode the ACES train round trip from New York to Atlantic City last weekend and came away with the following thoughts.
Pros

  • The price really is reasonable for the ease of the trip, limited stops and traffic-free travel.
  • The first class service offers a significantly more pleasant ride and is worth the upgrade.
  • ACES service is 30-60 minutes shorter than any bus service.
  • A free shuttle is provided to-and-from ACES partner properties (Harrah’s, Caesars and Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa)

Cons

  • The trains are not scheduled at the most convenient times for maximizing weekend travel plans.
  • Some ACES trains are scheduled to take two-and-a-half hours. Others close to three hours. So the time savings isn’t consistent across the schedule.
  • There are huge gaps of time when no trains run, so if you want to leave Atlantic City later than 10:45am, you have to wait until 7:25pm (on Sundays).
  • There’s no wi-fi internet access.

Overall, ACES is an upgrade over the cramped bus services that many people use for trips to Atlantic City. There’s no traffic and the trains are clean and comfortable. But, at present, the schedule is somewhat inconvenient. I would love to be able to leave AC after my hotel’s checkout time but early enough to get back to NYC in time to unwind before the weekend concludes. And, of course, internet access would make any ride more enjoyable.

I asked the good folks at ACES about the schedule, and they told me that they were somewhat limited by the schedules of NJ Transit and Amtrak, with whom ACES shares tracks. However, they plan to reevaluate their schedule this summer (six months after their February 2009 launch) to see what, if any, changes should be made. I vote for a northbound Sunday train around 4:00pm.

If you’re looking to escape NYC this summer and have a hankering for some roulette, waves and prime people watching, then you’re probably already planning to head to Atlantic City. ACES certainly seems like the best way to get there.

Casinos offering travel deals in U.S. gambling spots

by Jamie Rhein on

Here at Gadling, Grant gave the scoop about Las Vegas’s economic woes last September. Gambling was down 16% from the previous year this past November, according to Steve Stephens, the Travel Editor for the Columbus Dispatch. The downturn has not just been in Vegas. This past week, I heard on the radio that Donald Trump’s casino company in Atlantic City is in danger of bankruptcy if the economy doesn’t pep up. With the new train service from New York City to Atlantic City, I wonder if this will help?

Along with Las Vegas, Stephens covered other casino economic troubles and how this translates to deals for travelers in his column Ticket to Write in today’s Dispatch.

Detroit’s Greektown and MotorCity Casinos are not doing as well as last year. Either are Indiana’s. This is the time to look to these places for vacation deals. At MotorCity Casino there are overnight packages that include a variety of perks like food credit and Red Wing hockey game tickets. The Detroit MGM Grande, that actually did well last year is still jumping in on the deal making. You can stay for three nights for the price of two.

Stephens also suggests is the Belterra Casino in Belterra, Indiana. There is a promotion that gives people a $100 resort card that can be used on various services ranging from golf to spa treatments on weekdays.The room rate is $100. On Friday, the room rate is $150 and on Saturdays it’s $200.

For the 55 and over crowd, more deals are to be made. Sign up for Club 55 membership at the Casino Aztar in Evansville and you’ll be able to stay for a screaming deal that range from $30 on Sundays to $69 on Fridays.

New train travel between New York and Atlantic City

by Jamie Rhein on

After my summer Amtrak trip between Cleveland and New York City, I became a train fan. I couldn’t find one negative thing to say about it except that train travel is elusive to many because of the schedule and the fact there just aren’t that many train routes.

There is another train route to start on February 9 which should make some folks happy. The Atlantic City Express Service (ACES) will take people between Penn Station to Atlantic City, NJ for $50 round-trip in coach class. If you want a jazzier ride, pay $75 for first class. As a bonus aspect of the service, it also includes shuttle service to three different casinos: Bogata Hotel Casino & Spa, Caesars Atlantic City and Harrah’s Resort. These ticket prices are introductory, so if you don’t go soon, you’ll be paying more.

This rail project has been in the works for awhile, and according to the USA Today article from 2007, the casinos are footing the bill. Part of the motivation behind the new service is to entice younger New Yorkers (20 to 30 year-olds) to head to Atlantic City. For these folks, the bus wasn’t cutting it.

Depending upon your gambling habits, this could be a great day trip during the grey, sloshy months of winter when a bit of glitter and glitz could add a pick-me up to an otherwise gloomy feeling afternoon–or add a night or two for a fun weekend.

Foreigner gambling in Atlantic City? Must bring passport

by Iva Skoch on

A friend was telling me last night that her French boyfriend, who lives in New York, got kicked out of the Borgata, a casino in Atlantic City. He wasn’t even gambling; he was just there with her. The reason? He didn’t bring his passport and his French driver’s license was not a sufficient form of ID. Only passports or IDs from the US are accepted.

That is so stupid. It is so easy to get a New York ID. You don’t even have to live in New York to get one. Why wouldn’t they accept a foreign ID? It’s not like we are talking about using it to get into the Pentagon. It is a casino.

Needless to say, he was not happy. They stayed in a $500/night suite at the Borgata, which apparently didn’t help them. Of course, to book that room, they didn’t need a passport. I don’t think they’ll be going back anytime soon. This is how the French boyfriend described Atlantic City: “You step outside the hotel and it’s like a third world country.” Couldn’t say it better myself.

Top 10 gambling destinations

by Martha Edwards on

I’ve never been much of a gambler. Maybe it’s because I’m cheap and parting with money that I’m probably not going to get back just doesn’t seem like a good idea, or maybe it’s because I’m not much of a risk taker. Nonetheless, lots of people love to gamble and as long as they’re not sending themselves into serious debt, all the power to them. But where does one go to gamble? The casino down the road is a bit boring .. and smelly. You could head to Vegas, but everyone does that. According to MSNBC, here are the top 10 gambling destinations in the world:

  • Aruba
  • Atlantic city
  • Goa, India
  • Macau, just off the coast of China (It’s just like Vegas, apparently)
  • Mississippi Gulf Coast
  • Monte Carlo
  • Nassau and Paradise Island
  • Niagara Falls
  • Sun City, just outside of Johannesburg in South Africa

I guess it shows how much of a gambler I am — I’ve never been to any of these places, other than Niagara Falls (but I went there for Maid of the Mist, not the slots)