New York

Holiday Travels: Tri-State Area Residents Already Hitting Roads, Rails Ahead of Thanksgiving

AAA says the worst time to travel Wednesday in New York is from 5:15 p.m. to 7:15 p.m.

What to Know

  • This Thanksgiving is expected to be the busiest traveling period since 2005, according to AAA
  • At Penn Station, many travelers were faced with an hour wait to get on Amtrak’s Empire Service to Niagara Falls
  • The impending flood of travelers also has many drivers hitting the highways early

The masses are trying to get to get home for the holidays and it's expected to be the busiest traveling period since 2005.

People across the tri-state and country started their “getaway” Tuesday – one of the biggest travel days thanks to the fast-approaching Thanksgiving Day. At Penn Station, many travelers were faced with an hour wait to get on Amtrak’s Empire Service to Niagara Falls.

More than 600 were already cancelled on Tuesday and thousands of flights were delayed. But if you think Tuesday is the worst of the travel days, think again because "getaway" Wednesday is notoriously the busiest travel day of the year. 

The impending flood of travelers Wednesday also has many drivers hitting the highways early.

Meanwhile, regular commuters on tri-state area rails could see record-shattering crowds Wednesday. AAA says the worst time to travel Wednesday in New York is from 5:15 p.m. to 7:15 p.m.

“We are five times as busy,” Metro North President Cathy Rinaldi said.

New Jersey Transit is already planning on adding trains and buses tomorrow.

The commuter rail holiday rush will also be noticeable Thanksgiving Eve when more travelers are expected than the roughly 109,125 passengers seen last year on Thanksgiving Eve from noon to 8 p.m.

With the expected increase in travelers the LIRR is adding 12 extra trains between 12:45 and 4:15 p.m. Wednesday. Metro North will add 18 extra trains between 12:45 and 4:15 p.m. Meanwhile on the New Haven line, travelers can expect longer trains.

According to AAA, more than 55 million people will travel 50 miles or more away from home this week, nearly topping the record-high set in 2005.

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