From New York City, the Long
Island Railroad (leaving from Penn
Station) and Metro North (leaving
from Grand Central Station)
shuttle commuters to and from the
suburbs of Long Island and
Westchester County respectively.
For journeys further north,
Greyhound and Adirondack Trailways
buses run to all the major
towns, while Amtrak operates a
train
service along a beautiful route
through the Hudson Valley to the
state capital,
Albany ;
from there trains continue north
to Montréal via the Adirondacks,
and west along the Erie Canal to
Buffalo and Niagara Falls. Many
bus and train
stations are
several miles out from the town
centers; the necessary walking can
be unpleasant in the muggy heat of
summer (not to mention the
freezing winter).
Car rental in and around
New York City is expensive, and
restricted to drivers over 25
years of age; lower rates can be
found by taking public
transportation away from the
metropolitan area. Be aware as
well that the New York State
Thruway (I-95 and I-87) is a toll
road , which adds up to around
$15 end-to-end. Flying ,
with occasional special deals of
$150 for a New York to Buffalo
round-trip, is another option,
though you'll miss a lot of nice
scenery; if you do decide to fly,
the discount carrier serving the
largest number of destinations in
New York state is JetBlue (tel
1-800/JETBLUE or 801/365-225, ). Cycling
is best enjoyed as a means of
exploring areas such as the Finger
Lakes or Catskills, and if you
have a lot of time you may want to
consider renting a canal boat
and cruising the Erie or Champlain
canals; contact the state tourist
office for details on either of
these options, and for general
information on visiting New York
state.
