How To Get Between New York and Boston: Flying, Driving, or Taking the Train 

When it comes to traveling in the Northeast, Boston, Massachusetts, to New York City, New York, is one of the most trafficked routes. Boston and New York are home to some of the world’s biggest companies, and many business workers need to get between the cities on a regular basis. You also find folks heading to New York to vacation on Long Island or heading up to Boston to visit Cape Cod and other New England hot spots.

Whatever your reason, you can fly, drive, or train between Boston and New York, and some ways are better than others. We’ll show you the pros and cons of each method to help you decide which one is your best bet!

Flying

There is only 1 airport when flying out of Boston: Boston Logan International Airport (BOS). It’s a relatively short drive from the downtown area, though an underground tunnel separates it from the business district, and this tunnel can be backed up with traffic very easily.

To get from Boston Logan International Airport into the city, you can take the free shuttle bus to the Airport stop on the Blue Line, which then takes you to Government Center, or the free Silver Line bus to South Station. There is no rail station directly at the airport terminals, and all routes require a bus transfer, which can be inconvenient, especially if you have lots of luggage.

For New York City, you’ve got your choice of 3 airports: John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), LaGuardia Airport (LGA), and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), which is actually in New Jersey. JFK is the primary international gateway for New York, though there’s still plenty of domestic traffic. Newark is a huge hub for United Airlines and serves some overseas airlines. LaGuardia is a mostly domestic-only airport, with limited flights to Canada.

LaGuardia is actually the closest airport to Manhattan, but it offers the worst public transit from the airport to the city. For better public transit, fly into Newark or JFK. From Newark, you can take NJ Transit to New York Penn Station, which is about a 30-minute ride. From JFK, you can take the AirTrain to Jamaica Station for the E train or Long Island Railroad, or to Howard Beach for the A train.

Flights are around $100 or so each way, though prices can go substantially higher the closer you get to departure. American Airlines and Delta Air Lines are the primary airlines at LGA, while JetBlue offers the most substantial service to JFK. United Airlines is the top carrier for service at EWR.

Driving

Driving is the worst method to get between New York and Boston and will incur the most frustration from traffic. Fortunately, there is only $10 in tolls, though the drive takes approximately 3 hours and 40 minutes without traffic. This time can easily exceed 4 hours with even the slightest bit of traffic, likely extending north of 5 hours or more during the busy rush hour periods.

Traffic is extremely unpredictable in this stretch, though you’ll likely find slightly less traffic than between New York City and Washington, D.C. You should leave plenty of buffer room on either end of your travels to account for stops along the way.

You also need to account for gas, and since the route is 214 miles, it can use up a considerable portion of your car’s tank. When passing through toll readers, you can either pay by mail or using an onboard E-ZPass device.

Consider driving if:

• You have lots of luggage or are transporting items that you can’t easily take aboard a train or flight (such as when you’re moving).
• You have lots of people, since you save more money the more people you put in a car. Tolls and gas stay the same no matter how many you are transporting (assuming you’re not driving a bus or truck).

One of the biggest expenses is parking. Both New York City and Boston are among the most expensive cities in the world for overnight parking, so have somewhere to drop off your car that won’t break the bank when you arrive.

Train

The train is one of the most popular means of transportation between New York City and Boston. On Amtrak, you have 2 main services to choose from:

• The Northeast Regional is a slower service that makes more local stops along the way. This train features coach class, business class, and a cafe car. The average train trip is around 4 hours and 30 minutes.
• The Acela is a faster service, shaving about half an hour off the total time. These trains make fewer stops (only in major cities) and feature business class, first class, and a cafe car. Most Acela trains clock in at around 3 hours and 45 minutes.

You can grab a coach ticket for about $20 if you purchase many months out from your desired date, while business class would set you back around $72 on the Acela. If you want to spring for first class, this would cost you about $250.

The biggest benefit to train travel is that train stations tend to be in city centers, limiting the need for transit to and from them (which you have to with almost any airport). When you leave New York City, you depart Moynihan Train Hall, a fantastic, modern train station and expansion to Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan. It’s about a 15- to 20-minute walk to Times Square, and you can catch a subway to most points within about 20 minutes. Arriving into Boston, the main station is Boston South Station, though many locals get off at Boston Back Bay Station, which is the second main train station serving the city.

Boston South Station is closer to the airport and downtown Boston and houses the Amtrak Metropolitan Lounge, while Back Bay is closer to the city’s higher-end shopping district. Both stations are within a couple of minutes’ ride from each other. Amtrak generally does not differentiate the fare between the 2, so no matter which one you search for from New York, you should be able to come up with the same price. I lived for a short while in Boston and used Back Bay Station more than South Station, even though South Station had a lounge. Back Bay was more convenient for access to the Green Line T train and was closer to the western end of the city.

If you’re looking to head into the Boston suburbs, Route 128 is the other main Boston station, just south of the city. Some commuters prefer this station if they’re headed somewhere on the outskirts of the city.

Final Thoughts

If you’re traveling between New York City and Boston, first consider the train. With regular service almost on the hour to drop-offs right downtown, it’s the best way to get between the cities. Flying is a great alternative, but because the airspace is busy and it can be difficult to get to the airport, it requires planning.

If all else fails, you can drive. While the tolls are relatively cheap, you need to spend money on gas and parking, and traffic can easily turn what’s supposed to be a 4-hour drive into a nightmare.

Consider the price, convenience, and timing of each option to determine what makes sense for you.