How To Get Between Washington, D.C., and New York: Flying, Driving, or Taking the Train 

There are 3 main modes of transportation between Washington, D.C., and New York: flying, driving, or taking the train.

Each comes with its pros and cons, price point, and difficulty level. With how busy the Northeast Corridor is, it’s no wonder there are so many options to choose from!

As a D.C.-based travel expert who frequently travels this route, I’ll share my thoughts on each mode of travel and which one might be best for you!

Flying

While you might think flying is the fastest way to get between D.C. and New York City, you might be wrong. On paper, most flights to New York last less than an hour, wheels up to wheels down, but you also need to factor things such as taxi time, traffic at the airports, and finding a gate … all things that each major airline that serves the East Coast experiences on a daily basis.

As far as airports go, the primary ones you’ll consider are Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) in Arlington, Virginia, just outside of D.C. and LaGuardia Airport (LGA), in the borough of Queens in New York City. These are traditionally considered the commuter airports of the 2 cities.

Both Washington, D.C., and New York City have additional airports, too. For D.C., you can also fly out of Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) or Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI). For New York, you’ve also got John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). These airports are farther from the city center but provide additional flight options.

I prefer to fly into JFK airport because there is a connection to the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR). While the airport itself is farther from the city, I find the combination of taking the AirTrain and LIRR to be quick, easy, cheap, and efficient, and I can always guesstimate a good arrival time into Midtown Manhattan at Penn Station rather than worrying about catching a bus from LaGuardia.

A one-way flight between New York City and Washington, D.C., can cost as little as $75 and go up well north of $500, depending on the day. Monday through Friday, fares tend to be higher, especially when it’s not too early or too late.

Most airlines that serve the city offer first class, which can add to your ticket cost, or you can potentially upgrade on account of your elite status. Since the flight is roughly an hour, a first class ticket isn’t necessary for most people, though there are certain companies that will pay for such an expense.

I purchase my airfare with The Platinum Card^® from American Express to earn 5 Membership Rewards points per $1 spent with the airlines (up to $500,000 per calendar year, then 1x).

When flying, you need to account for transit costs to and from the airport. Washington, D.C., has a very transit-friendly airport, since both the blue and yellow Metro lines serve the station attached to the terminal. At LaGuardia, it’s a bit more complicated, since you need to take a bus to the subway station, and many business travelers don’t want to bother with this transfer.

When you arrive at any airport, you can check your bag and then head through security. Fortunately, both LaGuardia and Reagan National airports have improved their respective security queues dramatically over the past several years, so while there could be long waits, they may not be as long as a couple of years ago. You don’t want to cut it close, however, so leave plenty of time before your flight’s departure, as long lines can and do happen, even when you least expect it.

One of the biggest downsides of flying is that while the flight itself is usually under an hour, the time it takes to take off can be much longer. In New York City and Washington, D.C., it’s common for aircraft to sit for long periods of time waiting for air traffic control clearance. The airspace is incredibly busy, and even the slightest bit of weather can dramatically increase wait times. I’ve had several flights where I’ve waited on the plane longer on the ground than I would have been in the air.

Airline delays can and do happen, so while arrival times are a good estimate, if a flight gets delayed, you want to be sure you’re not scheduling meetings or an important event right after the flight. Leave plenty of time for potential disruption. Fortunately, if things go south, there are other transit options or airports to fly into.

Driving

For years, Americans have been relying on driving between cities as one of the main modes of transportation. Public transit can sometimes be inconvenient, especially if you live farther out from the city centers.

Driving is probably the worst way you can choose to get between Washington, D.C., and New York City, and that’s simply because of the traffic. If you’re departing Washington, D.C., you hit no less than 3 hot spots of traffic, usually more. Going north, you first need to contend with D.C. traffic, which can be an absolute nightmare. In fact, the stretch just below D.C. on I-95 to Fredericksburg, Virginia, is rated as one of the worst stretches of traffic in the country, so you can definitely see how this area can be a problem. Depending on the time of day, you’re going to have a lot of build-up in and around the D.C. area, leading into Baltimore, the next congestion point along the route.

It takes approximately 4 hours to drive from D.C. to New York City without traffic. With traffic, you can likely expect the ride to be longer than 5 hours or even more.

Going past D.C., your next snag is likely going to be in the Philadelphia area, and this sometimes starts as far south as Wilmington, Delaware. North of that, there are sometimes pockets of traffic on the New Jersey Turnpike, especially as you approach the Newark area. If you’ve made it this far, you’re almost for sure going to have backups heading into Manhattan, not to mention a new congestion toll price meant to reduce vehicular traffic.

Driving your car is really only appropriate for 2 scenarios:

• If you’re carrying large items that can’t possibly be taken on a plane or train. For example, if you’re moving a heavy mattress or boxes, there’s no way you’re going to be able to take any form of public transit.
• If you’re headed beyond the city center and away from any public transit station, you may just need to drive. Even still, you might consider taking a train or plane to New York or D.C. and then taking a ride-share or rental car from there, but there are certainly circumstances that would dictate the use of your own car.

In addition to traffic, you need to account for tolls and gas, which can easily equal the cost of a train or plane ticket. Tolls on the drive are around $40 if you use an E-ZPass reader.

It’s a common misnomer that driving will be cheaper. In fact, it is often more expensive, especially if you need to park your vehicle. Parking costs in Manhattan are nothing short of a nightmare, and it’s not uncommon to pay over $75 a night to park your car in a hotel garage.

Train

Taking the train is by far the best way to get between Washington, D.C., and New York. Trains depart D.C. from Union Station, a short walk from the U.S. Capitol, and arrive at New York’s Moynihan Train Hall, the new complex that’s an expansion of Penn Station.

Amtrak is the only company that serves the route, and you can take either the Northeast Regional or Acela.

The Northeast Regional is the slower of the 2 services and makes more local stops along the way. This train ride takes roughly 2.5 hours to New York, and usually stops at BWI; Baltimore; Wilmington, Delaware; Philadelphia; Trenton, New Jersey; EWR; Newark; and New York City, with some trains making even more local stops than that. The Northeast Regional features both a business class and coach class layout, both in a 2-2 configuration, with the business class car having a little more legroom and access to complimentary nonalcoholic beverages.

These regional trains are the cheapest way to travel. Coach fares can be as low as around $25 one-way, a true steal. Business class tends to start at around $100 each way.

For a slightly faster ride, consider the Acela, which takes around 3 hours end-to-end. The Acela stops in only major cities, and calls at Baltimore, Wilmington, Philadelphia, Newark, and New York. The Acela can travel faster on certain lengths of tracks, but also gets its speed from stopping at fewer stations, too.

Acela trains offer a business class and first class cabin, and there is no coach class. Business class, the lowest class of service, is in a 2-2 configuration, and unlike its Northeast Regional counterpart, does not offer additional amenities. First class is a 1-2 configuration with seats in various setups, such as single seats, conference table seats, pairs, and so on. First class tickets include access to the Metropolitan Lounge in Washington, D.C., and New York City, and also include a meal service with a full bar.

Acela fares start at around $60 one-way between the cities in business class and around $250 one-way in first class. Though the first class fare is high, it provides the most privacy and is the easiest in which to get work done, something that is highly valued on such a businessperson-heavy ride.

I purchase all of my Amtrak tickets using the American Express^® Green Card* to earn 3 Membership Rewards points per $1 on travel.

*The information regarding the American Express^® Green Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

Riding the trains comes with several perks:

• Unlike with air travel, you don’t need to get to the airport obscenely early. Amtrak ends boarding 2 minutes prior to departure, so there isn’t a need to get to the station far in advance.
• There is no security screening, so while you still can’t bring any major prohibited items, things like liquids won’t be a problem.
• Taking the train means you’re leaving from one city center and arriving at another city center. Because of this, it’s easy to hop on public transit, or, in some cases, walk to your hotel or final destination, something I routinely do in New York City. I get into Moynihan Train Hall and then walk to Times Square in about 20 minutes without stressing over a cab.

One thing to note is that you’re certainly not immune to train delays. While Amtrak owns the rails between D.C. and New York, there have been several instances where I’ve been severely delayed for reasons outside of Amtrak’s control.

On a recent trip to Singapore, I decided to book the Singapore Airlines nonstop flight from JFK to Singapore. Because I live in D.C., I booked an Acela train to New York, which was due to arrive 6 hours before my flight time, which was plenty of padding — or so I thought. In northern New Jersey, something had fallen on the power lines on the tracks, so trains started to back up. We were delayed over 4 hours, sitting helplessly on the tracks, and the only reason I was able to make my flight was because we eventually backed up into a nearby station and were allowed to get off. While you may think that flying is more prone to delays, I’ve learned that traveling on Amtrak, even in the Northeast Corridor, can still come with lots of issues.

Final Thoughts

For me, I always prefer to take the train, since I can leave from a city center and arrive in a city center. Trains are cheap, convenient, and offer spacious accommodations. If I can’t take the train, flying is my next preferred method of transit, as I can avoid the hassles of traffic. If all else fails, or if I’m carrying heavy luggage, I might drive.

No matter which method you choose, be sure to research the schedule and cost before you decide so you know which will be best for you!