We arrived at EWR airport in New Jersey. For flying tips see the main page. Getting a cab from EWR into NYC is not going to happen unless you have booked ahead, but with unreliable flights that is not a great option. You have two other options to get into the city: train in or bus in. This time I chose the bus.
BUS from EWR to downtown Manhattan
Past the Cab stand (left if your back is to the terminal) you will find this sign (in the domestic terminal for United)- ask if in another terminal). The bus is Coach USA and it goes to Grand Central Station (lots of connections to other places) and Bryant Park (near Times Square). Scan the QR code and pay ahead to get a discounted rate (including discount for disabled person and companion). Buy the tickets ahead on your phone.
The bus has an elevator for your wheelchair that goes from the pavement up into the bus. If you have problems with heights (not too high but weird) you might want to ride the train instead. Then you lock in fairly normally once up. We got dropped off at Bryant Park which was only a few blocks from our hotel.
Cabs in NYC
New York City has a ton of wheelchair cabs and they are subsidized to take wheelchairs BUT they don’t get the extra money if you just hail them. You need to call them on the AP: Accessible Dispatch NYC. There you can put in the type of car/number of passengers etc. If you need a bigger van it can take a while especially during peak hours. We sometimes split up into two cabs for this reason- one for my daughter and husband and luggage and one for me and the wheelchair. Most of the cabs are smaller cars where you can fit one passenger in the passenger seat and the wheelchair in the back, boarding through the back. The vans also load in the back. This means you have to go out into the street and possibly into traffic to get into the cab.
Buses in the City
Are a really great way to get around. I found them easier than cabs and easier to board. Just use your maps ap and specify buses in the public transportation option. There are two different places in front for a wheelchair to fit (the right side is bigger than the other, but my big Permobil power chair did fit in both, if a little tight on the left). There is a button to call for your stop that will alert the driver that it the wheelchair that neds out, but they like you to tell them your stop. Face forward. Obviously rush hour will be harder to board.
When waiting for the bus I usually wave to the driver to let them know I’m getting on their bus, or make a cutting motion for other drivers so they know I’m not for theirs. Being very visible waiting helps.
Subway
I hear lots of nightmare stories about doing this. I didn’t even try.
Hotel
This time we stayed in the Hilton Garden Inn Times Square North. It was fine. All NYC hotels are very tight on space but I could get the chair to the bed and bathroom and turn it around (with difficulty). We used to stay in cute boutique hotels but the wheelchair barely fits in the elevator. This one was mainly for location (near Broadway and central in the city without being in the middle of Times Square (noisy and bright). It was a roll-in shower. Scratchy, threadbare towels. Ok beds. Elevator size not generous but not tiny. Previously we stayed in the Westin at Times Square (noisier, brighter) and it had more room. We’ll keep looking.
There was a good Italian Restaurant right downstairs in the hotel and a Starbucks across the street to the left. Also to the left on the same side of the street was a large driveway for the parking garage which we could use for a curb cut for cab pickups. That said I quickly prefered the buses. Cabs take a while to arrive on the ap and loading in the middle of the street isn’t fun.
Broadway Venues
We saw Heathers at the New Worlds Stage. It was underground and there was an elevator. There are two bathrooms, one on either side, but only the one farthest from the entrance has disabled stalls. The disabled seats are in the back row alongside removable chair seats. Here’s the view:
We also saw The Outsiders at the Jacobs Theatre. Entry there was fairly simple- front door. There was a special disabled bathroom at the top of the stairs nearest the entrance. The seat space for wheelchairs were the back row between normal seats. Here’s the view.
Finally we saw Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club at the August Wilson Theatre. That required a special entrance for us, so talk to a staff member outside when you arrive. There is a lift over the stairs. Below is a picture of the lift to get in and out. Don’t worry- it’s much more secure than it looks. It’s actually a really big platform.
There was some confusion about the seats because the booking people thought they gave us a removable seat and they didn’t so we had to switch seats. There were two options- either the second row table on the far right or the mezzanine. We did the second row table. The seat for the wheelchair is the far right seat. It’s the only one that can be removed. No photos inside the theatre since they were prohibited.
Train From NYC to Boston
Get tickets ahead of time through Amtrak. I booked to South Station, but there are two options so check which is closer for you. Make sure you book a wheelchair space ticket. I opted for business class and I found the space very tight for my Permobil m5, but it did fit. I don’t know if the standard had a smaller space.
It leaves from the Moynihan Train Hall at Penn Station. Arrive early upstairs and find the Red Cap Lounge. Check in there and a Red Cap will help you board with a ramp. If you need help with luggage they can do that too. There is a decent sized handicapped bathroom there as well. Food is nearby in the food court.
Boarding is fairly easy with the help of the red caps. This is what the entrance looks like.
Here is the space the chair took up. They said the chair in front of me was not allowed to be taken while a wheelchair passenger was there, so thank goodness. There were outlets to plug into on the train. There was a bathroom right on the other side of the entrance/exit area but the whole time I was on the train there was luggage in the way so I didn’t try it. It was supposed to be accessible. I recommend going to the bathroom right before you leave.
In Boston it was easier for me to take the wheelchair from South Station to the hotel (near the Boston Gardens). I easily beat my husband and daughter who took a cab there. This is typical Boston- it’s a small city with nasty traffic and it’s often faster to walk/roll.
Transport in Boston
I lived in Boston for years before becoming disabled. I very highly doubt the T (subway) works for wheelchairs in any real way. The bus system isn’t great. I didn’t see any wheelchair cabs. We rented a van from Mobilityworks for when we wanted to go on to New Hampshire, but if we had stayed in Boston and wanted to go more places farther out.
My Wandering Wheels 