My wife has to travel into Manhattan for work Monday afternoon returning Tuesday evening.  How safe is it to leave it in the New Haven Metro North train station parking over night?   She has a brand new Jeep Wrangler and is concerned about it being broken into, vandalized, or stolen...  It's been a long time since I traveled Metro North since moving west of the river.

Where are you coming from?  I prefer to drive to Stamford and leave a car there overnight.  May be a little longer to get to, but I spend less time on the train.

Just as safe as leaving a brand new car in any other public parking lot overnight.

Except this is New Haven so....

Coming from Columbia (near UCONN Storrs).

Take 84 over to NY, get not the train at the southeast station lots of parking.  It's the last stop on the Harlem line so you can sleep on the way out of the city and they will kick your ass off.  I have left my car there with no problems.

I parked at private pay to park lot not far from union station for about an hour and a half in June. I'm pretty sure that my car was broken into during that time. Glad that I made the decision to bring my phone in with me that time.

If it wasn't over the holiday I could offer you some help

I travel to NYC often and leave my car in the enclosed garage parking there all the time.  I have never had a problem.  NHPD HQ is right across the street.  I would suggest staying inside the terminal though while there.  The Church Street South Projects across the way are CT's version of Beirut...only more dangerous.

As I said above.

Listen to this man.

I know parking is a nightmare in NH durning the week but not sure on a holiday. DO NOT park overnight at the West Haven station, even though they have plenty of parking. A buddy of mine had his Catalytic convert cut off his truck durning the day. He was pissed!

Just FYI: Remember Monday is a holiday and they run a Sunday schedule.

It's fine

The parking however....


Where are you coming from?

I'd go from Stamford

Your problem will be finding an open parking lot. Many times the public parking lot next to and around the station are full. Some of the lots are reserved for tag holders and are not open for public parking. Keep in mind that the police headquarters for New Haven is basically across the street and a block or so down from the train station. A section 8 housing project is right across the street from the station. Car will probably be fine but I wouldn't recommend walking around alone at night down there if you plan on venturing away from the train station itself.

I avoid the New Haven train station primarily because its cheaper to take the train from Milford. The parking is cheaper too. No problem leaving the car overnight there, done it quite a few times. Plus the parking is free on the weekends (at least it was the last time I took the train into NYC from Milford on a Saturday). I haven't used the new West Haven station yet though even though its closer to me. That is another option, and is about a five minute drive down 95 from New Haven.

Obviously it goes without saying to police the inside of the car and remove anything of value from plain site, that means removing GPS's from the dash, cell phone chargers and other items that indicate something of value might be in the car.

Thanks for the input!  Milford station sounds like a better idea than NH.  Only 7 miles further drive from here.  Any idea how long a train ride into Grand Central from Milford?

Depends on which one you take some don't make as many stops once past Stamford. There are approximate times on the MTA site when you look at the train schedule. Figure around 92 minutes up to 110 minutes depending on the number of stops.

Edit to add: Also you have to either buy the train tickets from automated machines at Milford, on the train, or through the Metro-North website. If you pay cash at the machine, it will give back dollar coins for dollars (at least it did so last time I used those machines) so be warned if you don't want to be walking around with a pocket full of dollar coins.

I have parked my car there overnight several times.  Never had a problem.

Then again I usually park on the upper  levels.  All the people I've heard that had their cars broken into while parked in garages were on the lower floors near the street where the wildlife can scoot in and do a smash and grab and run back out quickly..

The station definitely features a cast of characters. I was there to pickup a relative coming in on Amtrak. The train came in around midnight and was significantly late so I was there for a good while.

People sleeping on the benches, a few guys attempting to walk around with their pants between their crotch and knees, a skinny white 20-something with a t-shirt that read "Marry Her Fuck Me".... There was an Amtrak cop wandering around but no sign of NHPD.

fairly safe. Always a cop or two there.

DO NOT WONDER ACROSS THE STREET.

One word of warning for the OP, avoid you or your spouse taking the last train out of Grand Central at night (especially on the weekends). It hits every single stop down the line to New Haven and takes something like 138 minutes to reach New Haven. Nothing like leaving NYC on the last train at around 1:30 am and getting off the train around 4:00 am as the sun is just starting to rise. On the weekends the last train or two out of grand central are filled with drunks and can be a bit rowdy, same goes when the Yankees play and people are catching the train home after the game. Seen some pretty crazy stuff on the last train out of grand central on a Friday and Saturday night over the years.

Don't buy your ticket on the train, unless you want to pay $8 more. The on board fare is much higher . There are ticket machines at all stations.

Like Sbhaven said, if paying by cash all change is coins. I watch someone buy a $2.25 ticket with a $20 bill. I sounded like a slot machine paying your winnings.

Why not Best lil bodega to get a forty and some swisher sweets !!!

Ugh I hate those trains.

Were in NYC is she going.?

If she is headed to the west side, and a train is running maybe the Amtrak train works better.

Penn Station