Trailways is a great example of a private bus operator that you should know about. Once I discovered it, I realized I could make all kinds of trips from New York City to upstate spots, like the Catskills, Adirondacks, and every smaller city in the state, and do so without a car.

Trailways covers just about all of New York State, even going to Canada.

The #1 Selling Point of Trailways: Expands Your Options for Car-Free Travel In and Out of NYC

If you’re like me and live in New York and don’t own a car, that means getting out of the city, you want to know your transit options. Everybody knows about Amtrak and Metro North, but few people realize there are many private bus operators that go to smaller cities, towns, and getaway spots.

If you’re coming into the city, choosing the bus means you don’t have to deal with driving, traffic, parking, tolls, and all of that crap. Go from your upstate town right into Midtown.

And most people, I’ve found, don’t even know Trailways exists and that it’s a reliable bus service.

Here’s My Quick Summary of The Trailways Bus

• Trailways network focuses on covering many upstate towns and small cities that Amtrak and Greyhound don’t cover well or cover enough. It’s a solid choice if you’re going to places like the Catskills, the Adirondacks, college towns like Syracuse and a dozen different SUNYs, or anywhere in New York State, really.
• The ride is reliable, clean, and professional. It’s an uneventful bus ride, and it’s way better than a Greyhound ride.
• The prices are reasonable. And they don’t go way up last-minute.
• The frequencies are decent. Some routes are only once per day. But many of the ones closer to New York City have several options at different times of day, morning, afternoon, and evening.
• It’s not as nice as the Amtrak, and it can get stuck in traffic. It’s a bus, after all. And in the U.S., we don’t give buses priority.
• Compare it with other options before booking. Often, it’ll cover places Amtrak or Metro North doesn’t, or it will do so with a much better price. It may even be faster. Which one is best for you and your route depends.

What Is Trailways? A Quick Company Background

The “Trailways” bus name has been around since the 1930s. Today its split up into separate legal companies, Adirondack Trailways, New York Trailways, and Pine Hill Trailways. But they share operations, are right next to each other at Port Authority, and in my experience, provide the same experience.

The difference is their routes, which we’ll get into next.

Where The Trailways Bus Takes You: From NYC to all over New York State, all the way to Montreal, and Toronto

First, you’ll want to know if the route is actually useful for you. And it’s not easy to find their actual routes.

The Trailways Bus website lies to you about where Trailways buses go.

That’s because their website will show you other bus lines, like Flix, Greyhound, and other regional bus operators. But that’s not what you want.

Those are different companies that will provide a vastly different experience. It’s like how airlines let you book on each other’s website. In this case, all of these companies use the same underlying software platform.

So here’s where the Trailways bus routes actually go. I think this is a complete list, but if I’m missing something, please let me know.

Pine Hill Trailways Trailways: From NYC to Utica through the Catskills

The Pine Hill Trailways is the route I took. There are two daily trips from New York City to Utica, and vice versa. Pine Hill Trailways runs more daily trips that go from NYC to Kingston.

It’s a great route to get to the Catskills.

I took a Pine Hill Trailways bus from New Paltz to NYC.

The gist of the route is it goes from New York City through the Catskills and onward towards Cooperstown before ending in Utica. The total route is 7 hours and 45 minutes.

Here’s its route. I’ve never heard of a lot of these towns, cementing Trailways’ spot as the best upstate New York bus service.

There are so many stops, I built a dropdown menu.

As you can tell from all the stops, it’s going to be slower than driving. The total route is scheduled for 7 hours and 45 minutes.

Adirondack Trailways Route 278: NYC to Montreal

This route goes through Albany nonstop (sometimes with a stop in Ridgewood, NJ), the Adirondacks, and onward to Montreal.

• New York, NY (Hudson Yards)
• New York, NY (Port Authority)
• Ridgewood, NJ
• Albany
• Saratoga Springs
• Glens Falls
• Plattsburgh
• Longueuil, Quebec
• Montreal, Quebec

The total route is just under 9 hours. That’s three hours faster than the Amtrak train, for what it’s worth.

Adirondack Trailways NYC to Albany Routes

Besides the daily Montreal bus, there are lots of routes that go from New York to Albany.

If Amtrak tickets to Albany look expensive, Trailways is probably your best bet to get from New York to Albany and vice versa.

Some have local stops (New Paltz, Tillson, Rosendale, Bloomington, Kingston, Catskill, NY) while others are sort of an “express” option. One of the express options even stops right at SUNY Albany, ideal for college students.

Adirondack Trailways Route 112: Covering Upstate Ground from Albany through Lake Placid to Syracuse

You would never take this all the way from Albany to Syracuse.

It takes a roundabout path to hit Lake Placid, the Adirondacks, and college towns like Potsdam and Canton before swinging down to Syracuse.

• Albany
• Albany Airport
• Saratoga Springs
• Glens Falls
• Lake George
• Warrensburg
• Chestertown
• Pottersville
• Schroon Lake
• Keene Valley
• Keene
• Lake Placid
• North Elba
• Saranac Lake
• Paul Smiths
• Malone
• North Lawrence
• Potsdam
• Canton
• De Kalb Junction
• Gouverneur
• Philadelphia, NY (Yes, there’s a town in New York called Philadelphia)
• Watertown
• Pulaski
• Syracuse

Adirondack Trailways Route 253: Albany to Syracuse

Now, if you want a straight shot from Albany to Syracuse, there’s a route for that as well. It’s three hours and has one trip per day.

• Syracuse
• Utica
• Canajoharie
• Amsterdam
• Schenectady
• Albany

New York Trailways Toronto Route: From NYC to Buffalo and Toronto

The furthest Trailways route goes all the way from New York to Toronto. It has two trips per day in each direction: an early morning NYC departure and a red-eye overnight bus. In total, it’s just under twelve hours.

It’s a great route for college towns.

• New York, NY (Hudson Yards)
• New York, NY (Port Authority)
• Binghamton
• Ithaca
• Geneva
• Rochester
• Batavia
• Buffalo ← Sometimes there’s a 30-minute layover in Buffalo
• Niagara Falls, Ontario
• Mississauga, Ontario
• Toronto, Ontario

New York Trailways Route 810: NYC to Syracuse

Continuing their routes that hit college towns, you can get to Syracuse from NYC on Trailways in just 5 hours and 15 minutes. That’s pretty good. This is probably one of the most competitive New York to Syracuse options, right up there with Amtrak.

• New York, NY
• Newark, NJ
• Binghamton
• Cortland
• Syracuse
• Syracuse (Hancock Airport) ← This is nice.

New York Trailways Route 916: Syracuse to Massena

This New York Trailways bus route makes a tour of college towns and other towns I’ve never heard of. It’s around 4 hours total. It has one daily route in each direction.

• Syracuse
• Syracuse (Hancock Airport)
• Pulaski
• Watertown
• Evans Mills
• Philadelphia
• Gouverneur
• De Kalb Junction
• Canton
• Potsdam
• Massena

Trailways Stands Out Because It Goes Where Other Buses Don’t Take You

Are you overwhelmed by how many small towns these buses stop at? I am.

The bread and butter of Trailways is threefold:

1. Connecting popular, relatively close destinations to NYC, like Albany, New Paltz, the Catskills, and Syracuse
2. Connecting college towns, even if they’re far. This is to serve the younger and often carless college student.
3. Connect NYC to nature towns. That means stopping in small towns.

Once you know about Trailways, you’ll discover you don’t really need to rent a car to get from the city to anywhere in New York State.

Booking The Trailways Bus: A Little Confusing, But Not Bad

As I said before, the routes and destinations are confusing.

They have this footer on the website, but these routes are usually Greyhound or Flix routes, not Trailways routes.

In other words, just because a route is on the Trailways website doesn’t mean it’s a Trailways bus.

When you search the route, make sure it says Trailways.

Here in the screenshot, you can see what I’m talking about. Where it says “Carrier,” you want to make sure it says Trailways.

Now, if it’s a Flix or a Greyhound bus, that’s fine, but it’s a different company. I’ve ridden both of them, and can say with confidence that they’re both worse than Trailways.

If it says “Multiple Carriers” like this example, you definitely don’t want that. That means you’re transferring buses.

Same Route Listed Twice with Different Stops

Often, it will also list the same route twice, from different stops. This is true of NYC, because the buses sometimes start in Hudson Yards before going to Port Authority. Don’t be confused. This is the same bus.

Why Booking from Hudson Yards Doesn’t Make Much Sense

Walking from Hudson Yards to Port Authority is like a 15-minute walk. It’s faster to walk to Port Authority than board at Hudson Yards, even if you literally live at Hudson Yards.

For everyone else, Port Authority will be easier to get to.

Luggage Policy: Take All You Want

Like other buses and trains, you can take two big suitcases with you. If you really need that much. You put your big luggage under the bus yourself.

Pet Policy: Small Dogs Allowed for Just $10

I don’t have a pet, so I can’t comment on this in-depth, but they do seem to brag about their pet policy.

For just $10, you can bring your small dog or (I assume) your cat with you.

Refund Policy: You Have to Upgrade, But You Can Get a Refundable Ticket

I never do. I also choose the “Saver Fare.” But if you may change your departure or cancel, you can get the “Flex Fare.”

Speed: At The Mercy of Traffic

No matter how nice a bus is, if it’s sharing streets with cars, then it’s at the mercy of traffic.

If you’re taking a Trailways bus during busy holiday seasons, that means there might be traffic that’s not on the bus schedule’s timetable.

Especially coming into New York, we know how terrible the traffic can be. Be grateful if your bus is on time. This is one area where trains thrive.

However, many of the buses make fewer stops than, say, an Amtrak or Metro North train would. So if it’s traffic-free, it’s probably as fast or faster than any train option.

The Bus Tracker Didn’t Work

They have a bus tracker link. Mine said “No tracking” after Kingston. I boarded at 2pm in New Paltz. So I wouldn’t count on the bus tracker if you’re wondering if your bus is late.

Price: Fewer Fluctuations, Decent Price

I wouldn’t say the Trailways bus is a great deal. It’s a good deal. I think it’s about what you should pay. Here are a few factors to keep in mind with the price.

One thing that annoys me is the $2.99 “processing fee.” Why not just list that in the price? Don’t deceive me like that.

Unlike Amtrak and Greyhound, The Price is Fixed

To maximize their razor-thin profits, the airlines invented a “dynamic pricing model.” You’ve seen this in action. One day, a flight is really cheap, but if you wait two days, all of a sudden the price has doubled.

This means if you’re booking a flight last-minute, during peak travel times, or for a popular route, you’re almost guaranteed to pay more. Both Amtrak and Greyhound have adopted similar practices. While this system can reward early bookers, it often results in eye-popping costs for anyone needing to travel on short notice.

Trailways has fixed prices, so you can book last-minute and not worry about price hikes. It operates more like a commuter train in this regard. Whether you book a ticket weeks in advance or the night before, the price remains the same.  However, Trailways does have slightly more expensive prices around busy travel days like holidays. But at least it’s a fixed price that you know in advance. For example, a $35 bus on a random Tuesday is around $55 the day before Thanksgiving.

Trailways Station and Boarding Experience: Real, If Modest Station

I can’t speak for every Trailways station. In fact, further upstate, many of the “stations” are park & rides and gas stations. But New Paltz was a real station. There was even a coffee shop next to it.

Compared to bus operators like Greyhound and Flix who have sold their holdings in stations even at major cities like Chicago, you’re more likely to have bus station I think on Trailways.

As for Port Authority, the Trailways section of it is not bad.

Have Your QR Code Ticket Pulled Up

The driver was the same, single employee who also helped us board. I recommend having your QR code pulled up and ready to scan.

Came Close to On-Time

Our 2pm bus arrived at 2:02 and departed at 2:09. A few minutes late. For a bus, this is to be expected.

The Trailways Onboard Experience: A Respectable Coach Bus

If you’re taking a bus, the onboard experience can be hit or miss. But Trailways is clean and comfortable.

Will You Get Your Own Seat? Depends.

It seemed like a popular service, and my girlfriend and I got the last empty seat. So you may have to share. However, I’m sure the further upstate you get, the more likely it is that you’ll get your own seat.

Storage: Standard

My bus had the usual coach bus storage space. If you have a big bag, put it under the bus when you board. For small bags, this is enough room.

Seat Comfort: Above Average for a Bus

Again, the exact bus will vary, but our bus was clearly dated on the inside, but the seats had big cushions.

I felt I had enough legroom, more than on many other buses (and planes of course.)

The reading light worked and I liked the footrest.

Bathroom: Yes

There’s a bathroom in the back. It has a real flush, and it had hand sanitizer, which isn’t a guarantee on coach buses like this.

Wifi: Yes. Outlets: Weren’t Working

The wifi was easy to join and worked pretty well! These bus wifis typically have contracts with a cell service company (like Verizon and AT&T) so the quality varies based on the quality of service.

I had decent service the whole way.

While my seat had outlets, on my bus trip, they didn’t work. Don’t rely on buses having working outlets.

General Environment: Tame

The bus ride was uneventful, and that’s a good thing. The bus driver was kind and professional. I have no complaints.

How Trailways Compares to Other Options

So that’s Trailways. Here are my thoughts on how it compares to other options.

Trailways vs Greyhound Bus and Flix

If you have a choice between Greyhound and Trailways, choose Trailways.

Greyhound is owned by Flix, so if you have a choice between Flix and Trailways, choose Trailways.

Now, I’m not against taking either. I’ve defended Greyhound, and I think you can have a fine trip on Greyhound.

But choose Trailways.

First, Trailways is just a way more professional. On a Greyhound, I’ve had drivers who vaped while they drove and who told me that if you caused commotion to “Get the fvck off their bus.” This probably won’t happen on a Trailways

Second, Trailways buses themselves are usually more comfortable. Now this depends. Some newer Greyhound buses are nice with working outlets, but other Flix and Greyhound buses are rundown without much legroom.

If you do find yourself on a Greyhound Bus, be sure to read my article on tips to thrive on the Greyhound (yes, thrive.)

My 16 Tips to Thrive on The Greyhound Bus (Yes, Thrive)

Trailways vs Amtrak for Upstate New York Destinations

Trailways and Amtrak service a lot of the same destinations. Which to choose will depend.

Options: Trailways Serves More Towns

It’s worth calling this out: Trailways’ network is more extensive than Amtrak’s in New York State. Trailways hits lots of towns that Amtrak simply doesn’t.

Often, there won’t be an option to take Amtrak.

Comfort: Amtrak Wins

All else equal, there’s no doubt Amtrak is a better experience. You have wider seats, more storage, a cafe care where you can get up and walk around.

A coach ticket on an Amtrak train will be more comfortable than the fanciest coach bus service you can find.

Punctuality: Amtrak (Usually) Wins

While Amtrak’s long-distance trains have poor on-time performance, its regional and state-supported routes do better.

That means if you’re going to Albany or Syracuse, Amtrak is more likely to be on time.

That’s just because the bus can get stuck in traffic.

Speed: Trailways for Most Routes, but it’s Close

With the exception of New York to Albany, Trailways will be a bit faster on most routes.

For New York to Syracuse, Trailways takes 5 hours and 15 minutes. Amtrak’s Empire Service takes 5 hours and 40 minutes to get between the cities.

Similarly, getting to Toronto and Montreal is actually faster on the bus. With that said, I’d choose the comfortable train for those long routes. But it’s worth calling out that, without traffic, the bus is actually faster in many cases.

Price: Trailways, Unless You Book Well in Advance

If you’re booking for tomorrow or next week, I can almost guarantee that Trailways will be much cheaper. By a lot. Whether you book for a bus in one hour or one year, Trailways will be close to the same.

A $30 bus ticket can quickly shoot up to $70 or $90 for the same Amtrak train.

But if you can book in advance, book that Amtrak train and lock in a lower price.

Who Trailways Serves: The Neglected Role of Car-Free Options

Trailways serves a group of people who often get overlooked in American transportation planning: those who don’t drive, or don’t want to. That’s about 30% of Americans.

That includes college students going home for break, older adults who’ve stopped driving, people with disabilities, and plenty of New Yorkers like me who just prefer not to own a car.

In a country where everything is built around cars, bus lines like Trailways quietly keep a lot of communities connected.

They make it possible for small towns to stay accessible to the rest of the state. They let people reach the Catskills for a weekend hike, or get from a SUNY campus back to the Bronx to see their family. They give rural towns, places that Amtrak and Metro North skip entirely, a way to connect with New York City.

It’s not just for the budget traveler or the person who can’t afford a car. It’s for anyone who believes that being able to travel without driving should be normal, that we shouldn’t have to burn gas and sit in traffic just to see more of our own state.

When I rode Trailways, the bus wasn’t full of one “type” of person. It was a mix: students, older folks, day trippers, families, and a few solo travelers like me with backpacks and laptops. That’s what good transit does. It connects everyone.

Trailways might not market itself as part of the public transit ecosystem, but in a lot of upstate places, that’s exactly what it is.

FAQ

Are Trailways and Greyhound The Same Thing?

No. Trailways and Greyhound are completely different companies. While you will see Trailways buses and Greyhound buses (and Flix buses) on the Trailways website, understand that they’re different companies.

Can I Book Trailways and Greyhound Buses Together?

You can, but I discourage this. Transfering buses is a recipe to get stuck at a gas station or parking lot waiting for a delayed bus (or having missed your connection).

Bus stations in the U.S. are not airports.

Can I Bring Food and Drinks on the Trailways bus?

Yes. In fact, I recommend it. Bring everything you’ll need for your trip.

Does Trailways Have Assigned Seats? The Option to Pick Your Seat?

No, Trailways doesn’t have assigned sets. They’re first-come, first-served. No, you can’t pay extra to pick your seats either, which means if you’re traveling with somebody, you can’t guarantee a seat together. (Although you can ask your fellow bus-riders nicely to switch.)

Should I Book My Trailways Bus From Hudson Yard or Port Authority?

Trailways recently opened the option to board at Hudson Yards in Manhattan, rather than Port Authority, New York’s main bus station.

All buses that start at Hudson Yards also stop at Port Authority. Leaving the city, they start at Hudson Yards, then go to Port Authority.

Walking from Hudson Yards to Port Authority is like a 15-minute walk. Meanwhile, Trailways has the stations scheduled 30 minutes apart. It’s faster to walk to Port Authority than to board at Hudson Yards, even if you literally live at Hudson Yards. I can’t think of many good reasons to book from Hudson Yards. I would book from the Port Authority.

How Are the Border Crossings on Trailways?

I have not crossed a border on Trailways, but I have on Greyhound, and I know it’s the same process.

Unlike flying, where they process people before boarding, here it’s more like when you drive yourself over a border. Except, since it’s a busload of people, it takes a busload of time. Everybody gets off the bus and waits in a line to talk to border crossing officials.