All Over Albany

Megabus is definitely the best, the Albany - NYC buses are never very crowded, and plus they have electrical outlets at every seat and free WiFi.

... said Tim on Jan 19, 2010 at 10:00 AM | link

i travel by bus and train quite frequently- at least once a month over the past four years. I used to hate taking Greyhound and would usually suck it up and pay the higher costs needed to take Amtrak, but they've gotten much better in the past month or two. They've finally got wifi (which the train still doesn't), outlets, and nice seats (we'll see how long those last).

... said bill m on Jan 19, 2010 at 10:10 AM | link

I live in eastern Rensselaer County and it's a quiet, easy, and lovely drive with no tolls to Wassaic where I catch Metro North.

... said Jenny on Jan 19, 2010 at 10:16 AM | link

I enjoy the comfort of the train, but have come to prefer the timeliness of the bus. Ever since my Amtrak train was so late it got coupled to the next train (and I had paid $10 extra to take the earlier train), I've been taking Greyhound. Never been more than 10 minutes late. But I will definately try Megabus next time.

... said meierrain on Jan 19, 2010 at 10:26 AM | link

The biggest problem I've had with any of the buses is that you have to plan your schedule around the limited arrival and departure schedule. For instance, if the last bus leaves NYC in the early evening, you can forget going to a Sunday show. I prefer metro north which runs on a reliable schedule late into the evening even on weekends...and weekend parking in poughkeepsie is free.

... said Red on Jan 19, 2010 at 10:37 AM | link

Ah, there are several more, albeit crazy options.

1) Taxi - Pretty much every week as I drive the Taconic to/from my silly job in Ct, I see at least one NYC yellow cab north of Dutchess cty. Someone is doing it.

2) Limo - There used to be a nice airport limo from Albany to the NY airports. Dunno if it still exists, but it was only a $10-$20 premium over the Greyound/Trailways price. Was great if you were flying out of NYC.

3) Air charter. - Definitely the way to fly. The flight leaves when you get to the airport. No muss, no fuss, just great service that drops you off at Teterborogh Airport for a short limo ride into town. Cost - About a grand.

... said komradebob on Jan 19, 2010 at 11:28 AM | link

Dragon Deluxe? They changed the name from Double Happiness?! For shame!

I've taken the chinatown bus, it was cold. That's my only complaint.

... said Glenna on Jan 19, 2010 at 12:16 PM | link

Excellent roundup. I wrote up directions for getting from Albany to JFK (via Penn Station) since people ask about that a lot and I've fine-tuned my own routine. (I also talked about Megabus/Amtrak, but just added a link to this far more useful page.)

... said Ellsass on Jan 19, 2010 at 12:20 PM | link

Can you do it by Bicycle? Has anyone done this? Talk about a leisurely ride...

... said Corey McQ on Jan 19, 2010 at 1:24 PM | link

I was going to comment with what Red above posted. We usually park on the weekend so it's free, and leave around 8 or 9--there is usually a train around that time that we can catch. It's kind of a pain to drive, but if you go with 2 or 3 people and split gas and the driving it goes pretty fast.

Last time we also tried getting on the metro north at Hawthorne. We followed the GPS and it took us over a bridge (Throggs Neck I think, but I always mix it up with the Tappan Zee because I hate driving), but you can take the Taconic to get there as well. Ends up not making a huge difference in gas, and chops about 20 minutes-half hour off the train ride.

The only problem now is that every time we plan a visit to the city, it snows, and we don't go. Ohh, dear.

... said kater on Jan 19, 2010 at 1:37 PM | link

I take the amtrak at least twice a month and find it a pleasant ride. I took the Megabus once and, although cheaper, decided never to take it again. The seating is very uncomfortable. I am 5'6" and there was very little leg room. Also, I felt like I was sitting on top of the girl, who was average sized, next to me. Thus, while the bus may have free wi-fi, it's difficult to even take out your laptop and position it in a way that is functional. Also, it drops you off at a random location in Manhattan (I think it was somewhere around 28th and 7th).

As far as driving goes (which I have done a number of times), I prefer to take 87S to the Palisades Pkwy, which brings you right to the GW Bridge.

... said patty on Jan 19, 2010 at 2:14 PM | link

Also, there are two competing chinatown buses- you named one and posted the address to another. The bus company on Central Ave is AABus/ Double Happyness [sic- I'm convinced they got their name from a Will Smith movie poster]. I think Double Happyness is a little nicer- I'll never forget the one time I took the Dragon and it pulled onto 34th street with smoke pouring out of the engine, and the driver rushed everybody off and away from the bus.

Finally, it is possible for Amtrak to reach prices much higher than that- if you wait long enough on a busy travel day, they can top $90 one way.

... said bill m on Jan 19, 2010 at 2:26 PM | link

Beware the free parking at MetroNorth in Poughkeepsie. We had the gasoline siphoned from our car and a tire slashed. No gas and a flat tire when we returned late on a weekend. When we asked MetroNorth about security in the parking garage, they said it was responsibility of the city. When we called Poughkeepsie police, they said it was the responsibility of MetroNorth. In short, there's no security, and Poughkeepsie vandals must know this quite well. Anyone with similar stories?

... said Jack R on Jan 19, 2010 at 3:00 PM | link

I second what Patty says about the megabus: While it's cheap (if you book in advance) the seats are pretty tight (I'm also 5'6" and found the leg room lacking) and good luck using your laptop (no fold-down trays like airplanes). The pickup point in NYC for the megabus is also basically a side street next to Penn Station- no real cover if it's raining/snowing; however you can't beat the price.

Honestly haven't tried any of the other routes but I know that driving in/around NYC is a big pain in the ass with all the traffic.

... said theredballoon on Jan 19, 2010 at 4:16 PM | link

I was doing the cost-benefit analysis myself on this recently. If you have Triple A, you can save a few dollars off the train fare with a few days' prior booking. Our one-way fares dropped from $59 to $44 each with AAA.

... said Karen on Jan 19, 2010 at 5:18 PM | link

You forgot to factor in the 2 hours of airport nonsense on each end. And the underpants scan. How about a 2 day bike ride?

... said Lucy on Jan 20, 2010 at 1:08 PM | link

@Jack R - I used to live in Poughkeepsie, and myself and others have left our cars at the train station for up to a week without a parking permit, and never got ticketed. So I can attest, there doesn't even seem to be people giving out parking tickets. At Croton-Harmon however, my car was only paid for up to midnight on a weekday, and I got a ticket at 1:00 AM.

My preferred methods are Megabus and MetroNorth. Megabus advertised a deal for free tickets recently, so a few weekends ago my wife and I went to NYC FOR FREE (plus a 50 cent processing fee). I don't think you can beat that, no matter what you think of the buses.

For a more scenic ride with flexible schedules, I drive down the Taconic to Cold Spring. It's a cute town with a little Metro-North stop. With more than one person in the car, the farther you drive in the car, the cheaper overall it is, as those multiple train tickets decrease in cost farther down south. That way you can incorporate some place you would never visit into your trip. There are other towns on the Hudson Line that are fun to visit for a train stop: Beacon, Tarrytown...

I do the same thing to visit Boston. I'll pick a tiny town to pick up the train. Shirley, MA's train stop, for example, has a gravel lot with room for maybe a dozen cars. But I'll stop because this is starting to sound crazy.

... said Ryan on Jan 20, 2010 at 5:25 PM | link

This is a great list! I really need to try Megabus at some point. I used to take the Poughkeepsie MetroNorth train, but I've just been driving for the last few years. Street parking in NYC isn't bad at all if you have reasonable expectations. No, you aren't going to able to park next to Times Square... but you can easily park somewhere (for free) uptown near a 1/2/3 subway stop that will get you pretty much anywhere.

For people driving: Like patty mentioned above, 87S to the Palisades Parkway is soooo much nicer and faster than going through the Lincoln Tunnel. Well, maybe not faster if you're planning on going aaaall the way down the West Side Highway. Also, if you're looking for a scenic route with way fewer tolls, try the Taconic Parkway.

One last thing! If someone is able to get from Albany to Manhattan by plane in 3.5 hours, I will pay for their trip (offer void in NY). Seriously, its gotta be more like 6 hours total, including check in, security, cab/subway from JFK.... Unless you're David Patterson, it ain't happenin ;)

... said Paul on Jan 20, 2010 at 5:43 PM | link

I've been asked to chime in on this, considering that I've been averaging about one weekend a month in the city. (I'm sorry, Albany, but you're still not *the* city.)

If I'm going to be down for any extended period of time (more than overnight) my initial reaction is to check Megabus and book ASAP. I've done the round trip for the $2.50 minimum price, and although having to be on a bus at 6:30 on a Sunday morning isn't this college student's idea of convenience, my overwhelming desire to shell out as little as possible went with it. You can always sleep on the bus. (The WiFi is a really nice perk, as well -- when it works.)

If I'm heading down overnight for a concert or something, though, I'll drive. I've tried the Metro-North strategy out of Poughkeepsie, and unless it's a weekend, it's really not convenient to have to find parking and make sure you catch the one train that leaves every hour, especially given that the trip from the Thruway to the Mid-Hudson Bridge is a total unknown in terms of time depending on who you're stuck behind. While this used to be my go-to option, I've set my sights further downstate.

While the NJ Transit option is appealing, the one thing that's important to note is that parking isn't actually free. You all may have been able to get away with it, but when I was looking into this option, parking is only allowed for town residents with valid passes. I didn't even see a paid parking option that lasted longer than 20 minutes at most stops along the state line, so that cut that option out for me.

One option worth consideration as well is driving to Hoboken and taking the PATH train over. Train fares are still cheaper than the MTA base fare, although overnight parking in the closest lot will set you back about $20. You at least get peace of mind with that option, although the same could be argued with parking in Manhattan. Once you factor in Hudson crossing tolls and the steeper price of parking there, it's not quite as nice as this.

Today, though, I've had enough experience driving around Manhattan and Brooklyn that I've found a few parts of town where I can leave my car in a relatively safe area with free on-street overnight parking, and the convenience and price of that can't be beaten for me. Unfortunately, I can't tell you where I park specifically (it's south of Midtown) because then you're going to come take the few remaining spots away from me, and I can't have that.

There's a special bonus of not having to pay any tolls if you take the Cross Bronx to the Taconic on the way out and wind around Chatham once you're back up here, although the expense then becomes travel time and the risk of a hefty ticket from the ever-present Taconic speed traps. Worth the risk in foliage season, though.

Hope this helped a little!

... said Pete on Jan 21, 2010 at 3:55 PM | link

***Need Help***
Need to get from NYC to Albany before 9am - any ideas?

... said Emer on Mar 23, 2011 at 1:38 PM | link

@Emer: Amtrak's 625am train from Albany gets in at 845am. There's also a 5am-ish train.

... said AddiesDad on Mar 23, 2011 at 2:43 PM | link

Do you have to book the train from Albany to NY in advance? We are travelling form Canada via Buffalo and not sure of our exact times... still we don't want to be caught out...

... said Barb on Jul 22, 2013 at 10:42 AM | link

@Barb: you can buy your ticket at the train station when you get there. If it's not a holiday or otherwise busy travel day you shouldn't have a problem. Or you can buy a ticket in advance for a slightly later time, then change it when you get to the station. There's usually no fee for changing it, you would just have to pay any difference in price.

... said Amoy on Jul 22, 2013 at 11:48 AM | link

hi, do u have any input on Gotobus. How good is it to travel from NYC to Albany and back?

... said anika on Jul 29, 2013 at 3:42 PM | link

@anika, Gotobus is just the booking company - there are two competing bus companies that run Albany-NYC that can be booked through Gotobus. I've used both, but when they were running under different names. They seem to change names every few months (which is very suspect, but whatever...)

I've had no problems using 'Harmonious Grand Tour' AKA Double Happiness Bus AKA Xinnix Bus, and I've taken it a few times. The buses are fine, their service is fine, the bus station in Chinatown is fine.

The other company, 'LC Coach' AKA 'King World Bus' had disgusting buses, the driver refused to bring us to the advertised location and dropped us off a random exit off the FDR, their Chinatown bus station was permanently closed and the return bus never showed up. They've since changed names and list a new address for their Chinatown stop, but I will never again use that company.

... said Paul on Jul 29, 2013 at 4:20 PM | link

If you can book in advance, Megabus is the way to go. About a week ago I purchased a round-trip Megabus ticket for September for $4.50. Total. With less notice, Megabus can be more expensive. If you book a bus through Greyhound at least 3 days in advance you can pay about $35-$40 for a round-trip ticket. For some reason Greyhound tickets are cheaper than Trailways tickets despite using the same bus pool. Almost every time I've purchased a Greyhound ticket I've been on a Trailways bus. Regardless, planning ahead will save you a lot of money if you are able to.

Megabus is more reliable and can be cheaper than Greyhound/Trailways. Trailways buses can be more comfortable because they seat fewer people, and if you get one of the newer buses, you'll be enjoying overstuffed leather seats, which are far more comfortable than the Megabus seats.

... said Jeremy on Jul 30, 2013 at 11:20 AM | link

I love taking the train to NYC. The scenery door to door (especially on the river side) is really beautiful.

However, Greyhound takes a lot more daily trips than the train and the Megabus. And these days it seems much cleaner than it used to be. I used to give the seat a quick spray of Rosemary back in the day, to freshen and keep the cooties away.

... said J on Jul 30, 2013 at 1:19 PM | link

I notice that there are plenty of bus and train options from Albany to NY in the morning but my question is:

How do I get from NYC to Albany for a 9:30 meeting?

... said Bern on Oct 19, 2015 at 1:50 PM | link

Does the long term parking at the Amtrak station ever reach capacity, i.e. During summer vacation or school breaks?
Are there other good parking options if that's the case?

... said Pat Civil on Apr 10, 2016 at 10:15 AM | link

Pat -- I have never had an issue with the Amtrak station parking filling up. The parking for the Amtrak station is actually directly across the street (on the other side of the bridge) from the station. There is garage parking (with an elevator directly up to the station) and then two lots (all different prices -- more expensive for garage and for the lot closer to the station).

There are not really other parking options nearby, but there is a CDTA park and ride in East Greenbush (a town over from the train station). If you can figure out parking there and then taking the bus or a taxi to the Amtrak station, that could be an option. http://www.cdta.org/park-n-ride/151

... said N on Apr 11, 2016 at 12:18 PM | link

I always travel Amtrak for business travel and Greyhound or Trailways for personal trips.

For a day-trip I’ve found that Megabus doesn’t offer as many time options and I’m a bit leery of the safety of the other bus carriers.

Metro North is practically useless as if I’m already half way there I might as well continue the journey by car.

Speaking of car, if two or more are going, car is the cheapest. The Taconic to Sawmill to Henry Hudson down the Westside highway has always been my go to. It’s a scenic drive, usually much less traffic but a little slower and limited rest areas.

... said J on Apr 12, 2016 at 9:19 AM | link

I've biked there. Beautiful scenery and some great little towns along the way. Total mileage was about 180 for my route, which broke it up into 1 full day and two half days. No gas costs, but you still have lodging + food costs to factor in. Definitely worth doing with some friends if you find the time!

... said Sean on Apr 12, 2016 at 10:59 AM | link

can someone help me ?
wife is mildly claustrophobic ..are there a lot of tunnels between Albany and penn station ?
and how long approx. is the the longest one
appreciate any comments

... said frankie on Apr 28, 2016 at 11:13 AM | link

There are not many tunnels for the first 2 hours or so of the trip (none come to mind to be honest, but I'm likely not paying attention looking for them). In fact, the river is very beautiful and visible most of the ride down. If you're facing the direction that the train is moving, the river will be on your right hand side on the ride to NYC. I recommend grabbing a window seat if you can.

The last 20 or 30 minutes as you pull into Penn Station is mostly underground and pretty dark. I think it's not actually that tight as it's a huge area that accommodates 30+ tracks, but it may appear tight if you just see darkness.

... said George on Apr 28, 2016 at 1:38 PM | link

Frankie- If you take the train there are no tunnels at all until you get to the station.

... said Eric Scheirer Stott on Apr 28, 2016 at 1:44 PM | link

@Frankie From my recollection, there is one tunnel not far outside Yonkers (maybe??), that you plow through for about 5-10 seconds. Otherwise, as you are approaching Penn Station, you are underground for a good chunk of the ride through Manhattan (approximately 3-5 minutes), though this is interspersed with a few brief moments of open views of the city above the rail track, so you aren't completely underground those last few minutes. Hope that helps!

... said Rich on Apr 28, 2016 at 1:47 PM | link

Frankie, if you mean by train, it's only when you get into the city that you get into a tunnel, which is an open trench for the first short bit. They do, however, have to connect to electric power, so there is a moment when the train goes dark. This is the very last part of the trip getting in, so it might not be too bad. I'd say, ball park, it's usually around 10 minutes at most.

On the Megabus, you go through the Lincoln Tunnel, which is not much taller than the bus. It's well-lit, but seems longer and is probably not as good an experience.

... said JayK on Apr 28, 2016 at 2:22 PM | link

thank you for all the comments-
have convinced my wife and gravol in hand should be ok

... said frankie on May 5, 2016 at 11:39 AM | link

My wife lives in NYC so I go down to the city almost every weekend. I've been doing this for a few years. I enjoy taking Amtrak due to the fact that there's very little motion sickness (compared to the bus) and it's quite scenic.
I do drive down very often as well which gives you a lot more flexibility when you leave. I recommend taking the 87S across the GW bridge and park in Washington Heights near the A line. There's free parking on weekends and you can find parking easily enough. From 169th st to Columbus circle is only 20 minutes. I find that to be more convenient then trying to juggle with the MetroNorth. Also, when driving through, doesn't hurt to stop in NJ for cheaper gas and some good food as well.

... said cheez on May 5, 2016 at 2:43 PM | link

Driven there 500 times over the last 25 years. 90 west to exit 12s, route 9 to Valatie, at circle take route 9H, just past x of Route 23 take cty 27 on left, in Churchtown get Churchtown road, turns into churchtown-taghkanic rd, route 82, taconic to sprain, cross cty west, 87 south, university heights bridge,then 9th, 201st, 10th to Harlem River Drive (east side) or 207th, Seaman, Riverside to Henry Hudson (west side) 3:25 (stop hurrying) , no tolls, heart brakingly scenic. If you don't want to find parking in the city, stay in Albany. Tired and/or too baked, leaving nyc, take GW (it's free on the way out), Palisades (1 gas/bathroom/coffee) or Rt4 to rt 17 (hundreds of gas/bathrooms/coffee /food), 87.

... said james on May 6, 2016 at 9:47 AM | link

This chart is great, but could use an update since it's 6+ years old. I'm looking today at various transport options, and Greyhound is beating Megabus on price, Greyhound $35 round trip vs Megabus $44 RT.

... said Tanya on Nov 25, 2016 at 10:16 AM | link

Does anyone know the parking situation if you take a Chinatown bus from central ave?

... said Cailin on Dec 15, 2016 at 2:55 AM | link

Cailin, I don't believe there's parking for this bus, which would be a very strange waste of space as they pick up on Central Ave.

That said, parking is the absolute least of your worries if you take this bus. It's a nightmare. Take the Megabus which is often the same price (depending on when you get tickets) and has parking at the train station.

... said JayK on Dec 15, 2016 at 9:31 AM | link

Why is there no direct transportation between Albany and Poughkeepsie? The perfect alternative would be to take Metro North to Poughkeepsie and then get on a bus to Albany and vice versa. I have been travelling between NYC and Albany for nearly thirty years. I have tried every form of transportation. I have been taking Greyhound/Trailways for the last 10 years. The drivers are excellent. The issue: relentless traffic between the Lincoln Tunnel and entrance to 87N. Metro North would alleviate the traffic. More people would use Metro North. The bus ride between Poughkeepsie and Albany would be one hour with reasonable traffic. Thoughts? Ideas? Opinions

... said Cathleen Zotto on Feb 1, 2017 at 11:27 AM | link