How to get from New York to Niagara Falls

New York City, the City that Never Sleeps, the Big Apple, whatever you call it, there’s no denying that it is one of the most vibrant cities in the world. There’s so much to see and do here that you would never get bored. However, if you do want to leave the city, a great trip to take is up to Niagara Falls.

Niagara Falls is one of the world’s most recognisable and impressive waterfalls. It is a bucket list destination for nature lovers, and around 13 million people visit each year. Apart from being visually and aurally spectacular, these powerful falls are really fascinating too.

There are a few ways to make the journey between the two places. How you get there depends on how you like to travel, what you’re interested in seeing along the way, and how much time and money you have.

Getting from New York to Niagara Falls

Car

The most convenient way to get from New York to Niagara Falls is by car. There are plenty of places in New York to hire a car in case you don’t have access to your own vehicle. Then, you can get out on the highway and start this scenic drive. Without stopping, this 400-mile trip takes anywhere from seven to eight hours, depending on traffic.

To get there, you take the I-80 West or go via I-81 N and connect to I-90 West. Our top tip is to depart early in the morning to beat rush hour traffic.

Tour

If you don’t have a car of your own or can’t drive, then a tour is a great option. New York has loads of tour operators who run sightseeing tours that pick you up and drop you off from your hotel or a central location like Times Square. You can book an overnight tour that takes in both the American and Canadian sides of the falls. Or, if you are short on time, you can take a jam-packed day tour which starts at around 4 am.

Plane

Tight on time but not on budget? Then take a direct flight from the New York airports to Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF), which is a half-hour drive from the falls. From Buffalo airport, you continue the journey by bus, shuttle, taxi, Uber or Lyft. The flight is around one hour and thirty-five minutes, making flying the quickest way to get between New York and Niagara Falls.

Train

Take the train for one of the most relaxing ways to get between the two destinations. You can get on the Empire Service train from New York City to Niagara Falls International Train Station. The Empire Service train runs daily, and the scenic ride takes about eight hours.

To get from the train station to the falls, take the free Discovery Niagara Shuttle or the free hop-on/hop-off Discovery Niagara Shuttle.

Bus

If you are on a tight budget, you can take the Greyhound bus from New York to Niagara Falls. This daily service from the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown also stops in Syracuse and Buffalo. The trip takes about 11 hours.

There is also another bus route; FlixBus picks up in Midtown, near Penn Station, and drops off in downtown Niagara Falls, NY.

Melanie May

Melanie is an intrepid solo traveller, endlessly curious about people, places and food. She is a fan of slow travel and loves exploring the world by mouth, discovering a culture through its food. Having backpacked her way around the world she turned her wanderlust into a career and is now a full-time travel writer.

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