Day Trips from New York to Boston: Bus, Train, Car or Tour

Boston is just 4 hours from NY. If you have a couple of extra days, a trip to the most European city in the United States is an excellent plan.

There you can visit Harvard, Cambridge, MIT, the Red Sox and the beautiful New England coast (if you plan on doing a lot of sightseeing, consider buying the GO Boston Pass discount card).

Below I'll walk you through the different ways to make this lovely trip:

1. Boston tour from New York

If you don't want to deal with the logistics of the trip, there are guided tours from New York to Boston.

Do the math and this day tour may come out cheaper (US$ 85) than traveling on your own.

This tour leaves from Manhattan and stops at Copley Square, Cambridge, home to the MIT and Harvard University campuses, the elegant Beacon Hill neighborhood where the Kennedys lived, and also Quincy Market, the cultural heart of Boston.

2. Taking the train to Boston

If you like to travel on your own, the train is one of the most comfortable options.

The bad news is that the fastest trains are very expensive. Imagine, a one-way ticket alone can cost between $70 and $165! (you can check prices on the Amtrak website)

3. Road trip through New England

If you have time to spare, renting a car and driving from New York up through New England, on to Niagara Falls and then back to NY via Pennsylvania is a great experience.

I did it, and it's one of the best experiences I've had traveling around the United States.

You get on and off ferries, cross forests, lakes and national parks, and sleep in towns straight out of a Stephen King story… Think about it 🙂

Visiting Salem

Whichever way you choose to travel from New York to Boston, try to visit Salem and its Witch Museum, where history and legend blend together, just like in Sleepy Hollow, only 50 minutes from New York…

4. Taking the bus to Boston

Taking the bus to Boston is the cheapest option. Compare prices on Bolt Bus, Greyhound or Megabus. A round-trip ticket can run you between 50 and 80 dollars.

The downside is that you're at the mercy of traffic and the ride can get loooong. So you should spend the night in Boston at least once, otherwise you'll barely see anything.

More day trips from NYC

If you're reading this page, you'll be glad to know which other cities and towns you can visit from New York in a day. Have a great trip!