From Midtown Manhattan, the Hamptons are about 78 miles (126 km) to Westhampton Beach, 90 miles (145 km) to Southampton, 102 miles (164 km) to East Hampton and 116 miles (187 km) to Montauk by road. On a clear road that is roughly 2 hours to Westhampton, 2 hours 10 minutes to Southampton, 2 hours 35 minutes to East Hampton and close to 3 hours to Montauk. On a summer Friday afternoon, every one of those numbers grows.
There are four ways to make the trip: the LIRR, the coach, your own car, or a chauffeured car. Each is the right answer for someone. This guide lays out the drive, the timing, the stops worth making, and the honest costs, including a 10-hour chauffeured Hamptons day trip from Manhattan at a fixed price from US$970 in a business sedan.
How long is the drive from NYC to the Hamptons?
By car from Midtown, allow about 2 hours 10 minutes to Southampton, 2 hours 20 minutes to Bridgehampton, 2 hours 35 minutes to East Hampton and 3 hours to Montauk on a clear road. Summer Friday afternoons and Sunday evenings can add an hour or more. Leaving early morning or after the evening peak saves the most time.
These are routed distances and clear-road times from Midtown Manhattan to each village centre.
| Destination | Distance from Midtown | Clear-road time | What it is known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverhead | 75 mi (121 km) | about 1 h 50 | Gateway to both forks, farm stands |
| Westhampton Beach | 78 mi (126 km) | about 2 h | First of the South Fork villages |
| Southampton | 90 mi (145 km) | about 2 h 10 | Village shops, ocean beaches |
| Bridgehampton | 95 mi (154 km) | about 2 h 20 | Hampton Classic showgrounds |
| Sag Harbor | 100 mi (160 km) | about 2 h 30 | Harbour town on the bay side |
| East Hampton | 102 mi (164 km) | about 2 h 35 | Main Street, ocean beaches, the airport |
| Montauk | 116 mi (187 km) | about 3 h | The point, the lighthouse, surf |
The route is the same for nearly everyone: out of Manhattan through the Queens-Midtown Tunnel or over a bridge, the Long Island Expressway or the Southern State and Sunrise Highway east, then Montauk Highway (Route 27) through the villages. East of the Shinnecock Canal, Route 27 is essentially one road, and that is where summer traffic stacks up.
See Hamptons prices and reserve
When to leave Manhattan
Timing matters more than route. A few rules that hold most summers:
- Friday eastbound is the hardest trip of the week from early afternoon into the evening. If you can leave before noon, or after the evening peak, do.
- Sunday westbound is the mirror image: late afternoon and evening are slow coming back into the city.
- Thursday evening or Saturday morning departures are often the easy compromise for weekend guests.
- Holiday weekends (Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, Labor Day) stretch the peaks across most of the day.
- Hampton Classic week brings extra traffic around Bridgehampton. The Hampton Classic lists the next edition for August 29 to September 5, 2027.
A chauffeur cannot make Route 27 empty, but a driver who does this run every week knows when a back road helps and when it does not, and the time in traffic is time you can spend on calls or asleep in the back seat.
Stops worth making on the way
A chauffeured trip is easier to break up, because nobody has to find parking. Common stops:
- Riverhead. Where the Long Island Expressway ends and the North and South Forks divide. It is a natural coffee and fuel stop, and the farm stands start soon after.
- Farm stands along Montauk Highway. Summer corn, tomatoes and berries for the house, bought on the way rather than on a separate trip.
- Southampton village. Lunch and shops before the last half hour east. The Village of Southampton publishes visitor and parking information.
- A vineyard. The South Fork has tasting rooms such as Wölffer Estate Vineyard in Sagaponack, and the North Fork has many more. With a chauffeur, nobody in the group has to stay sober to drive; the chauffeur follows New York's rules on passengers and alcohol in the vehicle.
For the return on Sunday, the same thinking applies in reverse: a stop at a farm stand or a bakery on the way out of the villages is easy to add, and leaving before the late-afternoon westbound build-up usually saves more time than any back road. Tell the desk the stops when you book. On a one-way trip, short stops on the way are added to the booking; for a longer day, the hourly or day-trip rate fits better.
Private car vs coach vs LIRR vs driving yourself
| Option | What you pay | Time and changes | Luggage | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LIRR, Penn Station or Grand Central to East Hampton | US$33.00 peak, US$24.50 off-peak, per person | Limited Montauk Branch trains, often a change | What you can carry | One traveller, off-peak |
| Coach from Manhattan | Published by the operator, per person | Fixed stops and departures, traffic dependent | Under-bus storage | Solo weekenders with a bag |
| Driving yourself | Rental or your own car, fuel, tolls, parking | You drive both ways in the traffic | Whatever fits | People staying all season with their own car |
| Elly8.net day trip from Manhattan, 10 hours | from US$970 per vehicle (Business Sedan) | Door to door, stops as you wish | Sedan 2 bags, SUV 6 | Day visitors, client lunches |
| Elly8.net one-way, Manhattan to your house | Fixed in the web booker per vehicle | Door to door | Up to 12 bags in a Sprinter | Weekend arrivals, families, groups |
The LIRR. The MTA's fare tables, effective January 4, 2026, list US$33.00 one way at peak and US$24.50 off-peak from Penn Station or Grand Central to fare zone 14, which covers East Hampton. Buy before boarding: the on-board fare is higher. For one person on a weekday with a weekend bag, it is very good value. The catch is frequency and connections, and you still need a ride from the station to the house.
The coach. The Hampton Jitney runs from Manhattan pickups to the East End villages, with fares and schedules published by the operator. It is comfortable and predictable if you fit its stops and times.
Driving yourself. You control the departure time and you have the car all weekend. You also drive five hours or more round trip in some of the worst traffic in the region, pay the crossing toll out of Manhattan and, on the way back, the toll for entering the Congestion Relief Zone below 60th Street, which the MTA tolls page explains. If you rent, add the rental and fuel. In the villages, parking near beaches and restaurants is limited in summer, so check local rules before you go. Our comparison of chauffeur vs car rental goes through the full cost.
A chauffeured car. You pay more than the train for one person, but the price is for the vehicle and covers the whole group. The car goes from your door in Manhattan to the door of the house, with no change at Jamaica, no station pickup and no driving. For a group of four with luggage, it also means nobody spends the weekend behind the wheel.
The 10-hour Hamptons day trip
For a day out rather than a weekend, Elly8.net's New York price list includes a fixed 10-hour Hamptons day trip from Manhattan: US$970 in a Business Sedan, US$1,245 in a Business SUV, US$1,475 in a First Class SUV, US$1,565 in a First Class Sedan and US$1,935 in an Executive Sprinter, per vehicle, all-in.
A typical day:
- 8:00 Pickup in Manhattan, out ahead of the worst eastbound traffic.
- 10:15 Southampton village: coffee, a walk through the village shops, the ocean beach.
- 12:00 Lunch in Sag Harbor or East Hampton.
- 14:00 A vineyard tasting in Sagaponack or Bridgehampton.
- 15:30 A look at Montauk, or the beach for an hour.
- 16:00 to 16:30 Head west; back in Manhattan in the early evening, traffic permitting.
Ten hours is enough for the South Fork villages; Montauk plus everything else makes for a long day, so pick a focus. More ideas are on our New York car service page, which carries the day-trip package, and on the private city tours page.
Weekend arrivals, departures and group travel
For a summer weekend, most guests book one-way: Manhattan to the house on Friday, the house back to the city or an airport on Sunday. The web booker prices any Manhattan address to any East End address as a fixed, all-in fare per vehicle. Once you are out east, an hourly chauffeur is listed at US$110 an hour in a Business Sedan and US$220 in an Executive Sprinter, with a 3-hour minimum, for dinners and evenings without anyone driving.
If you are flying in rather than starting in Manhattan, our guide to Hamptons airport shuttles vs a private car covers JFK, MacArthur and East Hampton Airport. For a birthday or a house party, see Hamptons party buses and group vehicles. Companies sending staff or clients out east can book through a corporate account with monthly invoicing, and the city to city car service page explains how long one-way runs are priced.
How booking works
- Enter the Manhattan pickup and the Hamptons address, or choose the day trip on the New York price list.
- Choose the vehicle: the fleet page shows seats and bags. Add stops, child seats or a second pickup.
- Press Reserve now or book in the web booker. Confirmation arrives by email, with chauffeur details before pickup.
Rides in The Hamptons are operated by licensed, commercially insured local chauffeur partners vetted through the Limousine Worldwide network; Elly8.net takes the booking, fixes the price and runs the 24/7 desk. Prices include the chauffeur, vehicle, taxes and standard gratuity; tolls, parking and waiting beyond the included time are billed at cost. See the Hamptons car service page and the full prices and packages. Elly8.net is a member of LimousineWorldwide.Directory, LimousineAssociation.International, HotelsWorldwide.Directory and VacationsWorldwide.Directory. For a hotel on the East End, our travel partner BookingWorldwide.net handles rooms; Elly8.net books the car only.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a car service from NYC to the Hamptons?
A 10-hour Hamptons day trip from Manhattan starts at US$970 in a Business Sedan and US$1,245 in a Business SUV, per vehicle and all-in. One-way trips from any Manhattan address to any East End address are priced as a fixed fare in the web booker. Tolls are billed at cost.
What is the best time to drive from Manhattan to the Hamptons?
Early morning or later in the evening. Summer Friday afternoons eastbound and Sunday evenings westbound are the slowest times, and holiday weekends stretch the peaks further. A Thursday evening or Saturday morning departure is often the easiest compromise for weekend guests.
Is the train or a car better for getting to the Hamptons?
For one traveller with a light bag, the LIRR at US$33.00 peak or US$24.50 off-peak to East Hampton is cheaper. For families, groups, heavy luggage or a door-to-door trip with no changes, a car is easier, and its price covers the whole vehicle rather than each person.
Can we stop on the way?
Yes. Tell the desk when you book and short stops, such as a farm stand or coffee in Riverhead, are built into the trip. For a longer day with several stops, the 10-hour day trip or the hourly rate is the better fit, so the car stays with you between stops.
Do you go to Montauk and the North Fork?
Yes. Montauk is about 116 miles (187 km) from Midtown, and North Fork vineyards and villages are also served. Enter the address in the web booker for a fixed price. For a vineyard day, the chauffeur waits while you taste, so nobody in the group has to drive.
What if we need to cancel a summer weekend booking?
Cancellation is free more than 72 hours before pickup, 10% within 72 hours, 50% within 48 hours, and the full fare within 24 hours or for a no-show. Refunds go to the original card. Summer Fridays fill first, so book early and adjust if needed.
