I recently received an invitation to attend a function in Syracuse, NY during Thanksgiving week. As we all know, traveling during Thanksgiving week is not always easy, and most flights coming in and out of SYR are quite expensive.

I did some research and found decent fares to ALB, BUF and ROC. Does anyone have any suggestion as which of the cities above would be a nice option for me as an alternative way to get to SYR?

Any suggestion for ground transportation to SYR from that airport as well?

Thanks!

Our Mid-Atlantic travel forum, has active threads on upstate NY travel plans, and let me move this there for further discussion. Ocn Vw 1K, Moderator, TravelBuzz.

Hello badpuppy. You are right! Syracuse is an expensive airport. I usually have the best luck with JetBlue.

ROC to downtown SYR is about 80 miles.

BUF to downtown SYR is about 146 miles.

ALB airport to downtown SYR is about 130 miles.

All are pretty easy routes via the NYS Thruway. Good luck!

Syrasnow,

Thanks for the reply.

I plan take a bus/train from one of those airports to get me to Syracuse. What is the cheapest and easiest option that I have?

Thanks!

I imagine Amtrak services Syracuse along the line that goes to ROC and BUF as well. Whether the schedule even remotely lines up and whether Amtrak is running remotely on schedule is a completely different story.

ROC is consistently pretty expensive unless you're going to/from BWI in particular (AirTran). BUF is usually relatively cheap if you're covering a WN market in particular. SYR is about the same ballgame as ROC. Not sure about ALB - only been there once but of the four I'd say ALB probably has the most service.

I just took a quick glance at the amtrak website, and it looks like ROC/SYR is about $36 each way. There were 3 or 4 trains on the dates I plugged in. I have no idea if the ROC train station or bus station is anywhere near the airport. It isn't in Syracuse.

What part of SYR are you staying in? University area? Carrier Circle?

It's downtown somewhere - would have to take a cab - probably 20 bucks or thereabouts.

The problem is that the last daily Eastbound Amtrak train (from Buffalo or Rochester to Syracuse) departs fairly early in the afternoon. That train, which originates in Toronto, is sometimes late, and sometimes on time. So unless you were to arrive in Buffalo by late morning, or in Rochester by about 1:00 PM, you probably could not be assured of connecting to the last Amtrak departure to Syracuse. That said, it is possible to get from the Buffalo Airport to the (downtown) Buffalo Amtrak station at Exchange Street, and from the Rochester Airport to the Rochester Amtrak station by very cheaply, by local bus. Here are links to the local bus schedules and trip planner. In each case, just enter "Airport" as your origin, and "Amtrak" as your destination, and you will be given the necessary options. (FYI: The Buffalo Airport is in "Cheektowaga.")

Buffalo bus schedules and trip planner:
http://www.nfta.com/metro/index.asp

Rochester bus schedules and trip planner:
http://www.rgrta.org/

It is also possible to get from either the Buffalo or Rochester airports to those cities' intercity bus terminals by local bus. Intercity service is provided by Greyhound and Trailways.

Service from Rensselaer (where the Albany Amtrak station is located) to Syracuse is more evenly spaced throughout the day, but getting from the Albany Airport to the Rensselaer train station requires either three buses, or one fairly expensive taxi ride (I'm guessing about $30 or so, with the tip). So I would try to make Buffalo or Rochester work, if at all possible. From what city is your trip originating?

University area