Traveling from NYC to Montreal
- Thread starter IamNY
- Start date
my own travel experiences from NYC to Montreal...
I usually drive up from NYC, but on my last trip (mid-Nov. 2006) the border checkpoint delay coming back to the USA (on a sunday afternoon) was over an hour...ugh...so on my next trip I'm going to try Amtrak. It's the cheapest mass transit (about $112 RT with AAA discount) but slow - 10 hrs, avg. 40 MPH. There's only one train each way daily, arriving Montreal at 6:30PM, I would rather arrive a little earlier in the day. The bus (look on the Greyhound website) is faster and there are several trips daily, but a little more expensive. I don't like that the bus does not guarantee you a seat like the train or airline does. I've never tried flying in to Montreal. I would rather save my money so I have more for the ladies. Taking mass transit means I will be all relaxed and rested up for fun on the evening of my arrival.
What I'd really like to do is carpool up - anyone interested? I like to go up on a Friday, leaving 9AM right after the morning rush, and arrive about 5PM, then head back sunday morning. Split driving & parking costs evenly. How about a mid-July weekend? I usually stay at whatever downtown 3-star hotel I can get on Priceline.
BTW, Amtrak does not offer sleeper car service to Montreal, only coach w/ snack car - but a nice idea anyway TD.
I usually drive up from NYC, but on my last trip (mid-Nov. 2006) the border checkpoint delay coming back to the USA (on a sunday afternoon) was over an hour...ugh...so on my next trip I'm going to try Amtrak. It's the cheapest mass transit (about $112 RT with AAA discount) but slow - 10 hrs, avg. 40 MPH. There's only one train each way daily, arriving Montreal at 6:30PM, I would rather arrive a little earlier in the day. The bus (look on the Greyhound website) is faster and there are several trips daily, but a little more expensive. I don't like that the bus does not guarantee you a seat like the train or airline does. I've never tried flying in to Montreal. I would rather save my money so I have more for the ladies. Taking mass transit means I will be all relaxed and rested up for fun on the evening of my arrival.
What I'd really like to do is carpool up - anyone interested? I like to go up on a Friday, leaving 9AM right after the morning rush, and arrive about 5PM, then head back sunday morning. Split driving & parking costs evenly. How about a mid-July weekend? I usually stay at whatever downtown 3-star hotel I can get on Priceline.
BTW, Amtrak does not offer sleeper car service to Montreal, only coach w/ snack car - but a nice idea anyway TD.
After taking the plane direct to Montreal, and taking Amtrak, and driving solo, in a couple of weeks I will be flying out of NY to Burlington Vermont and driving to Montreal from there. For me, this may be the best overall way to get to Montreal. I can leave JFK at 3:30 in the afternoon after work, and arrive in Vermont around 5 pm. From there I jump in the rental car and I am on my way. Airfare is cheap (a little over $100 round trip) and the car only costs $20 a day.
Questions:
How far is it to the border from Burlington Vermont?
Are there any tolls?
When is the best time to avoid traffic crossing the border? Coming or going to NY was always a minimum of a 45 minute wait regardless of the time and often was well over an hour.
Questions:
How far is it to the border from Burlington Vermont?
Are there any tolls?
When is the best time to avoid traffic crossing the border? Coming or going to NY was always a minimum of a 45 minute wait regardless of the time and often was well over an hour.
thegreatwalooo said:
1. About a half hour
2. No
3. There is a website which tells you border wait times and it's here (Highgate Springs Crossing)
http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/general/times/menu-e.html
M Day weekend traffic at the border is going to suck, no matter what time you get there that Friday.
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I finally took the trip from NY by flying into Burlington Vermont and renting a car and driving to Montreal. Flying into Burlington Vermont and then renting a car to Montreal is probably the best way to go from NYC. Having completed the trip recently, you can't beat the round trip airfare of about $100 and the $20 per day rental car. It takes a little longer than flying in directly, but you can totally save some $$. The flight was about an hour and a half and the drive was about the same.
smuler said:
Newark may have the same options... not sure but check it out.
Also be-aware such flights are not jets, they are propeller plains. Some who have flying issues may be extra stressed in a propeller plane.
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But then you have to take into account the time to get to and from the airport, waiting, etc. Sometimes things come out almost even.Emanuelle Wild said:
These days, I drive from my home near NYC to Montreal, but I've had experience with all these options. As suggeset above, though the flight itself is barely one hour, you have to factor in at least a couple hours both before and after for ground transportation, check-in, customs, etc. For me, there's hardly any time saving between the 6 hour drive and the flight, and the drive arguably costs a good deal less, depending on the time of year. The car also gives me lots of freedom on the ground.
Of course, I do arrange to reach the NY State border crossing either very early in the morning or very late in the day. (At midday, I've had the experience of a 3+ hour wait to get back into the states.)
If you have the stamina for it, and are able to catch some sleep, the overnight buses from NYC to Montreal are an affordable option. The train is the slowest trip of all, but obviously a little less of a downer than the bus.
Of course, I do arrange to reach the NY State border crossing either very early in the morning or very late in the day. (At midday, I've had the experience of a 3+ hour wait to get back into the states.)
If you have the stamina for it, and are able to catch some sleep, the overnight buses from NYC to Montreal are an affordable option. The train is the slowest trip of all, but obviously a little less of a downer than the bus.
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