Driving into NYC at Rush Hour....
 

My travel plans might change and we may arrive in NYC a day early (on a Tuesday). We'd be leaving Albany about 4 PM and my guess is get to NYC about 6ish. Will traffic into the city be a nightmare at this time? Or no worse than usual?

Depends on how you approach the city. If I were driving I would avoid any route that requires you to cross the Tappan Zee. I would use the GW Bridge but I woud approach from the Palisades Parkway. Once over the bridge the Henry Hudson Parkway going to midtown (west side )would be a clear run devoid of major traffic,.

If you want a really scenic drive you could also head east from Albany/Troy and pick up the Taconic Parkway. It takes you to the Sawe Mill River parkway and then onto the Henry Hudson. You will have delays crossing into the city on the GW or the Lincoln Tunnel at that time of day but the lower deck of the GW is probably the best bet - the Lincoln inbounds gets really backed up at that time of day.

Unless you need a car in the city, why not take Amtrak? It takes you right into Grand Central Station.

Actually Amtrak goes to Penn Station, not Grand Central.

If my memory serves, you will need more like 4 hours to drive from Albany to NYC. Maybe just over 3 with absolutely no traffic. However, if you leave at 4 pm you will encounter Albany traffic as well. I would wait and leave Albany around 6 or 7, getting into NYC after 9 pm which means you miss the rush hour on both ends.

I agree with the above poster that you won't need or want a car in NYC. The train takes two and a half hours to make the trip, much faster than driving. Your hotel or a garage will charge between $30-50 per day for parking. Consider taking the train, or driving down Westchester county, parking the car and taking the train the rest of the way. Tarrytown is right off the Thruway, and about a 45-minute train ride to Grand Central. Croton-Harmon would be another choice. Take a look at the Metro North website at www.mta.nyc.ny.us. and see would work, assuming you are coming down I-87/New York Thruway. (Parking in Tarrytown could be a problem, call the number listed under the Tarrytown station on the Metro North website.)

I remember taking the train from Albany which,I believe, ended directly in Grand Central. It was a while ago, however. Check schedules and see if any go directly to GS if that side of NYC is where you need to be.

You'll definately hit some traffic inbound. How bad, is really hard to predict as the unexpected, usually causes the really bad delays. One way can be as good, or as bad as any other. Plan your route, but have an alternative ready in case.

You may want to check the Yankees schedule for the day you're arriving. If they have a 7:05 home game, that could definately cause backup's on the GW, the Major Deegan and other roads around the Stadium.

Thanks everyone. I'll get a map and see what we can do. We don't have to go to NYC on Tues eve. The original plan is to leave Albany early Wed. AM, but are thinking about arriving Tuesday.

We considered a train. But for 3 of us from Albany, round trip costs are about $200...

Amtrak from Albany to NYC definitely arrives at Penn Station. (Years ago this route went to Grand Central, but then all Amtrak routes were unified to run through Penn.)

Austin: How long will you be in NYC? Parking might cost $40 per day, plus the roundtrip tolls the thruway, bridge/tunnel tols, gas, ... the $200 in train costs you mention might be close to the car travel costs.

Ellen - We plan to stay 3 days Tues PM till Friday AM). Staying at the Gorham, parking is $33, but I may use a commercial lot. I think there is one nearby for $17 per day.

Austin, try looking on the website iconparking.com They have affiliated garages all over New York. You may find a deal better than the $17/day.

I agree with the suggestion to leave Albany later than 4. Maybe 6pm. The trip will take about 3 1/2 hrs. While the Taconic & Saw Mill are more picturesque than the thruway, they're winding curvy roads. I'd stick with the boring Thruway. I do agree to check about the Yankee schedule. If there's a home game you want to avoid going near the stadium. Have a great trip!

PS In answer to your original question, rush hour traffic slows down IN the city around 6-6:30 but as someone else said, at 4 you'll be hitting rush hour around Albany. That's why waiting til 6 sounds like a better plan.

I used to go to meetings all the time in Albany...it's 3.5 hours each way. (The train takes 2.5 hours or less.) You're going to experience heavy traffic around the city unless you arrive between 1AM and 4AM. Though I've been stuck in traffic jams during that time too! The best thing to do is listen to the NYC radio stations (1010 WINS, 880) for their traffic reports every 10 minutes.

I may re think my driving to and from... Might save on rental car as well. Need to figure out how to get from Albany airport to the Amtrak...

By the way Suzanne, did you REALLY mean 1 AM and 4 AM? Not worth going to the city at those hours!

Yes, there is typically heavy traffic well into the night, at least from my experience. I can see a couple of bridges from my apartment, and traffic is often dead stopped or moving about 5MPH in the middle of the night. Luckily you won't have to take these particular bridges. But sometimes at night or in the off-peak direction lanes are closed for road work...and then there is the dreaded Yankees game (the stadium is right alongside 87). Just be prepared for the worst...but maybe you'll prove me wrong and have a smooth ride! ;)

Just did some quick research, and a cab from the airport to the Albany/Rensselaer train station will cost about $25. There may be public transportation from the airport to the train station, but I couldn?t find a link. The airport has a website at http://www.albanyairport.com

I can't imagine that paying for a rental car (which you are not going to use for three days), as well as paying for gas, tolls and parking are cheaper than taking the train...

Sigh. There IS a Yankee game that night. 7PM. I'll research taking a train, or just going Wed. early AM as planned.

Thanks for all the advice. I appreciate it!

If you still decide to drive, you could avoid the Yankee traffic by approaching from New Jersey and coming into NYC via the GW bridge or Lincoln tunnel.

Taking the GWB right before a Yankee game is the worst! Either half of NJ is coming in for the game or you just get that extra traffic cobined with the always bad Cross Bronx traffic (which then backs up the bridge).
Lincoln Tunnel would be the better bet in that case

Okay, one more time...

I'm going to try to figure out the logistics of taking the train from Albany. However, when discussing this with DH, he made a point - if we won't get to NYC until about 7:30, will there still be heavy traffic for the Yankee game if it starts at 7? Won't most people be there? Or do many people get there later?

Thanks all.