How bad is the traffic into NYC on a Monday morning?

Ok, so I know the best answer is "come a day early" but here's the situation: We wanted to do a weekend wedding in the port of NY but were just told there are no weekend dates available - in fact, the only date available is a Monday departure.

We're chartering a bus to transport friends and family from Massachusetts to NYC the morning of the wedding. We can't afford to bring them in a day early and pay for their hotel rooms, so that's just not an option.

What I want to know is this: I know that it will suck transporting people into NYC on a Monday morning. I just want to know if it's even possible. Google maps says the trip takes 3 hrs 21 mins - if we budget for 4 1/2 hours, would we have a chance of making it?

The traffic can be very unpredicatable. Where would you be leaving from and what time do they have to be in NY? The problem with a bus is that it has limited road choices. It either has to come I95 or I84/I684/I87. When it gets to the South Bronx it has to cut across one of the Harlem River Bridges and take local Manhattan streets to the cruiseport. Any kind of accident along these routes can significantly delay it because a bus cannot switch over to one of the cars only parkways. I think the regular Boston/NY bus service is scheduled at almost 4 1/2 hours and it is not always on time.

Thanks for the reply. We'd be picking people up at the Route 20/Mass Pike/146 Interchange, in central Massachussetts and it depends when the cruise ship clears customs but most likely they'd need to be to the port by noon.

Thanks for the reply. We'd be picking people up at the Route 20/Mass Pike/146 Interchange, in central Massachussetts and it depends when the cruise ship clears customs but most likely they'd need to be to the port by noon.

from where you are picking people up, 4 1/2 hours should be fine. you will probably make it in a bit less than that.

Thanks so much! That's great news :) I think we will go ahead with the plans then.

Thanks so much! That's great news :) I think we will go ahead with the plans then.

i would plan on leaving very early though, you dont want to get stuck in ny rush hour traffic.

Yes - 4 1/2 hours should be OK. Are you chartering a bus? You want to be sure the bus driver knows his way around NYC. It seemed to me that each time I took the bus to or from Boston, the route was slightly different. I saw parts of Manhattan and the Bronx that I hadn't seen in years, if ever.

When is the wedding? If it is in the summer, traffic is lighter. During holiday season and certain events it will be heavier.

Plan for 6 hours. If you get there early that is one thing. If you plan for just 4.5 hours and there is a problem you literally could miss the boat. remember almost all cruise lines require you be on board at least 90 minutes before the scheduled sailing and NCL requires 2 full hours(Department of Homeland Security regulations require a final manifest to be received and accepted 60 minutes before the ship sails. The cruise line has to complete it, format it, and send it in and receive a message back that it has been accepted). This am was fairly light until a truck went onto a parkway and traffic was unusually light because the limo cars were on a work action.

those that say plan only for 4.5 hours are imo wrong....and I used to drive a cab in NYC...

The timing is for the ceremony/priority boarding, so if guests were late they at least wouldn't miss the boat, just our wedding would probably be cut short. I think we have to have them there by noon, so we'll probably try a 6:30 departure from central MA (Yikes - early!). But if people don't like it, they can drive themselves and pay for a hotel :P

I've lived in the NYC area all my life and have never driven in Manhattan .

The bad part is trying to pass through the outer-boroughs at morning rush-hour (7-10). With a noon deadline, you're not likely to do that prior to 10:30 so I think you're safe...of course you can be on a bridge or a turnpike with any kind of accident which will be impossible to predict. Your bus driver should be familiar with the ins and outs and alternate routes. Presumably he'll come down the West Side Highway from NE and the cruise terminal is right there at 50th. I regularly take the highway at both rush hour and off-peak. Anything can happen, but it generally moves pretty well and the tie-ups are further south near the tunnels. As long as you stay out of midtown with that bus you should be fine.

.... Presumably he'll come down the West Side Highway from NE and the cruise terminal is right there at 50th. ...

no buses on the west side highway. They have to stick to truck routes. They need to either come down the Thuway extension to the Major degan over the triboro(RFK Bridge) and then use the streets or continue down I 278(the Brooklyn Queens expressway) to either the Queensboro bridge(Ed Koch Bridge) or the Queens midtown tunnel....and then by city streets to the cruise terminal...

BTW NY City is no worse than Boston Atlanta Chicago or LA...In fact personally I find LA and Atlanta much worse....

Buses are allowed on the FDR until 132nd street

The buses I've taken from Boston haven't done either of those routes. They have either come south on the Major Deegan (I87) or north on the Major Deegan from I95/I278 (thus completely avoiding the I95 Cross Bronx Expressway section) and crossed into Manhattan on the 145th St. bridge. Then they go south to the north edge of Central Park and west over to one of the downtown avenues and then south to Port Authority. That's what I meant by saying I saw parts of Manhattan and the Bronx that I hadn't seen in years or never saw. Each time I did this the route seemed to vary a bit to allow for traffic patterns.

I think you should be very sure your bus company/driver really knows their way around NYC in a bus. These are not the normal routes you would just pull up on Mapquest, however they are the routes used by Peter Pan & Greyhound to get their buses in and out of NYC.

The buses I've taken from Boston haven't done either of those routes. They have either come south on the Major Deegan (I87) or north on the Major Deegan from I95/I278 (thus completely avoiding the I95 Cross Bronx Expressway section) and crossed into Manhattan on the 145th St. bridge. Then they go south to the north edge of Central Park and west over to one of the downtown avenues and then south to Port Authority. That's what I meant by saying I saw parts of Manhattan and the Bronx that I hadn't seen in years or never saw. Each time I did this the route seemed to vary a bit to allow for traffic patterns.

 

I think you should be very sure your bus company/driver really knows their way around NYC in a bus. These are not the normal routes you would just pull up on Mapquest, however they are the routes used by Peter Pan & Greyhound to get their buses in and out of NYC.

I am sure the bus drivers have better ways if they do this every day/week. I understand the route they took- it avoids two bridge-tunnel tolls. Fifth avenue beginning at 110 street is a no truck route so they have to jog left to either lexington avenue or second ave(where there is much construction for a new subway going on)....if you think its hard driving a car in Manhattan try a truck with all these restrictions.... I wonder if its faster going right at 125th street to Columbus avenue down to 61 street to the west side and then the cruise terminal?....probably is better and faster too- a much wider street...

Rush hour can be a real mess. I would rather be safe than sorry

and give myself 5-6 hours.

Are your wedding guests cruising with you? If they are, why not try to get a discounted hotel rate for the group with you providing the transportation to & from? You may find they prefer that to getting up at 4:00 am to meet their transportation............