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Before the Railroad, travelers would reach the East End by horse and carraige. Bumping over rough roads, the trip from New York took as long as 10 hours, roughly equivalent to modern times in heavy traffic
By Car
From Manhattan, take the Queens Midtown Tunnel onto the Long Island Expressway (Route 495). Once you are on the LIE, you will simply drive east, for about 1 hour and 30 minutes, to Exit 70.
Exit at Exit 70, and head south about 4 miles, which flows naturally onto Route 27 (also called Montauk Highway). After about 12 miles of driving through pine trees, you will start to see signs announcing the different Hampton villages.
Drive for a few miles until you actually drive by Southampton. You will not actually see the village of Southampton (not here anyway) and you should continue on Rt 27 for another mile or two until you come to the village of Water Mill. At the center of Water Mill is a giant windmill............you can't miss it. From here, continue just a little LESS than one mile until you come to Mecox Road on your right. Here turn right onto Mecox Road...............just 100 feet and, presto, you will see the entrance to Boxfarm! Welcome home!
With no real traffic, this trip will take you less than 2 hours. With heavy traffic, it could take the weekend. Almost.
Click here for the mapquest map!
By Bus: The Hampton Jitney
Believe it or not, the Hampton Jitney is an express luxury bus service that leaves Manhattan every hour, with Southampton as its first stop. Many, many, many New Yorkers use the Jitney each week to go back and forth from the city without the hassle of driving. It is run more like an airline than a bus service (sometimes just as crowded), serving coffee, snacks, and papers, as part of their service. Some of the most interesting people in the world ride the Jitney regularly.
It begins its run every hour at 86th Street, stops briefly at 69th, 59th (opposite Bloomingdale's) and then 40th street and Lexington, before heading into the tunnel and out to Long Island...... to Southampton, Water Mill, Bridgehampton, East Hampton, Amagansett and Montauk.
Fares are $27 one way, $46 round-trip.
Call 800-936-0440 for reservations and schedules.
By Train: Long Island Railroad
The train theoretically will also get you to the Hamptons. The problem is that it leaves from Penn Station, which for most people is on the other side of town -- and then will make more stops than there are towns on Long Island. There is an exception. On Thursdays and Fridays, there is an express, the Cannonball, which leaves Penn Station at 4:01 and proceeds non-stop to Westhampton and beyond. Some trains also have 'parlor cars', which are much roomier (but $17.50 more) than the standard seats.
For timetables, call 718 - 217- LIRR
Airports
East Hampton Airport 631 537-1130
East Hampton Airlines 631 537-3737
Montauk Airport 631 668-3738
North Fork Helicopters 631 734-5515
Islip / MacArthur Airport 631 467-3210
Taxis
Atlantic Taxi 631 283-1900
Kane's Cabs 631 204-1169
Car Rentals
Avis (800) 331-1212
Budget 631 283-7042
Enterprise 631 283-0055
Hertz 631 537-8119
Ferries
South Ferry Inc. - North Haven to Shelter Island -631 749-1200
North Ferry - Greenport to Shelter Island - 631 749-0139
Viking Lines Ferry - Montauk to Block Island - 631 668-5709
Cross Sound Ferry - Orient Point to New London, Connecticut - 631 323-2525