Getting to and from Connecticut
Travel to Hartford or New Haven by Road, Rail, Air or Ferry
Jun 14, 2007
Connecticut stands northeast of New York City, and is in easy reach of New York and Boston. The southwest corner of the state forms part of the New York commuter belt and has excellent transport connections. The state is served by two airports, Amtrak, Greyhound and Peter Pan buses and has good Interstate road links.
Airports
Bradley International Airport (Windsor Locks)
Bradley Airport is about 12 miles north of Hartford. There are regular flights to many destinations in the US and Canada including New York, Chicago, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Toronto and Montreal. From July 2007, the first regular flight from Bradley to Europe takes off with Northwest Airlines offering a daily service to Amsterdam.
There are convenient road and rail links; Interstate 91, exit 40, is next to the airport and Amtrak trains run from nearby Windsor Locks station to destinations including New York, Philadelphia and Washington DC. Lodging Magazine rated the Sheraton Hotel, which is in walking distance of the terminal building, as one of the ten best airport hotels in America.
Tweed Airport (New Haven)
Tweed Airport is much smaller than Bradley, with just a handful of flights each day to short haul destinations including Washington DC, Baltimore and Philadelphia. The airport is in easy reach of the I95, take exit 50 if travelling north and exit 51 if heading south.
Rail Services
Amtrak
Amtrak services from Washington, Philadelphia and New York City pass through Connecticut. After stops at Bridgeport, Stamford and New Haven the line splits. Most trains continue through New London and Mystic to Providence and Boston, while others take the line through Hartford and Windsor Locks to Springfield Massachusetts and St Albans Vermont.
Metro-North Railroad
Metro-North Railroad runs regular commuter services from New York’s Grand Central Station to Danbury, New Canaan and New Haven. A bus connection meets the train at Stratford for Waterbury.
Shoreline East
Shoreline East provides a service along the Long Island Sound between New Haven, Old Saybrook and New London. Trains connect at New Haven with Amtrak and Metro-North Railroad with through tickets available
Bus Services
Greyhound Buses provide links from Hartford and New Haven to Boston and New York, where connections to the rest of the US and Canada can be made.
Road Links
Connecticut is well served by the following Interstates:
- I84 Starts near Sturbridge just over the Massachusetts state line and passes through Hartford and Danbury before heading west across New York State.
- I91 starts near New Haven, where it links with the I95, and passes Hartford and Windsor Locks before going north through Massachusetts and Vermont.
- I95 follows the shoreline through Connecticut en route from New York City to Providence and Boston.
Ferries
Passenger and car ferries cross Long Island Sound daily, removing the need for a long drive round the edge of New York. Crossing take, on average, between 1 and 2 hours on the following routes:
- Bridgeport - Port Jefferson
- New London - Orient Point
- New London – Montauk
- New London - Glen Cove
Neighboring States
Getting to and from Massachusetts
Getting to and from Rhode Island
Things to do In Connecticut
A visitors' guide to Connecticut
Connecticut Tourist Information
