Depending on which town you’re heading to, you’re looking at roughly 90 to 125 miles east of Manhattan: Southampton is the closest at about 90 miles, East Hampton around 100, and Montauk closer to 120. That’s not far on a map. In practice, the route funnels all traffic onto one corridor: I-495 East to Exit 70, then Route 27; and during summer weekends, that corridor turns brutal. Welcome to the Hamptons.
The good news is that you have real choices. Each one involves a different trade-off between cost, comfort, and how much of your Friday you’re willing to burn on the road.
If you’d rather not deal with traffic at all, the LIRR Montauk Branch removes that variable completely. Departing from Penn Station and Grand Central Madison, the LIRR covers all the major stops from Westhampton through to Montauk. Most trains require a transfer at Jamaica Station, which adds about 15 minutes to the trip. The direct run to Southampton clocks in at roughly 2 hours and 15 minutes; East Hampton adds another 25 minutes.
Fares run approximately $22 to $35 per person one-way, depending on whether you travel off-peak or during peak times. Weekends count as off-peak, which works in your favor if you’re going Saturday morning and returning Sunday. Keep in mind you’ll still need to get yourself to Penn Station and arrange transportation to wherever you’re actually staying; that can add another cost each way and 20 or more minutes.
The Hampton Jitney has operated this route for 50 years, picking up along Lexington Avenue and Third Avenue in Midtown, with additional stops in select Brooklyn locations. Drop-offs cover the major Hamptons towns.
Fares typically fall between $35 and $50 each way. The Ambassador service, a premium tier with 2+1 seating, extra legroom, and onboard amenities, costs more. The drive time is officially under four hours, though peak Friday afternoons can stretch that considerably if Route 27 backs up.
Hampton Luxury Liner is a second operator on this corridor, offering a comparable experience with pick-up points in Midtown and midday departures during summer. Both services require advance reservations, particularly for weekend dates in July and August.
Knowing how to go to the Hamptons by car comes down almost entirely to timing. The Long Island Expressway (I-495) feeds into Route 27, and that merge point east of Exit 70 is where the weekend grinds to a halt. In 2025, drivers spent an average of 4.2 hours on the LIE during peak Friday driving windows. The 2026 forecast puts that figure even higher.
If you’re heading to Sag Harbor or the northern part of East Hampton, taking Noyack Road or Scuttle Hole Road avoids the Route 27 bottleneck through Water Mill and Bridgehampton; experienced locals use these cutoffs to shave 15–20 minutes off a summer Saturday run.
For the return on Sunday, leave before 9 AM or after 8 PM. Anything between 1 PM and 7 PM on a summer Sunday runs into westbound congestion, mirroring what you faced on the way out.
Best for: Groups with luggage, families, and anyone with a flexible Thursday evening or early Saturday departure.
For visitors asking how to get to the Hamptons from New York without touching traffic at all, a BLADE helicopter flight is the answer. Flights depart from helipads on Manhattan’s West Side, East Side, and Wall Street and land at East Hampton Airport in roughly 30 to 40 minutes. Shared seats run $795 to $1,000+ per person as of 2026; private charters start around $4,500. BLADE also operates seaplanes departing from their Aqua Lounge on East 23rd Street, a popular option for the experience factor alone.
Flying in rather than leaving from the city changes the equation slightly:
The distance between Manhattan and the Hamptons is manageable. The variable is always timing. Choose your departure window before you decide on your choice of transportation, and the rest of the planning falls into place.
