Friday afternoon is the worst time of the week to leave New York City by car. Regular commuters head home as weekend travelers leave for the Hamptons, the Jersey Shore, the Catskills and New England — all at once. Traffic typically builds from around noon and peaks between 3 and 7 p.m., especially in summer and before holiday weekends. The best strategies: leave before noon, travel after 8 p.m., go early Saturday morning, or shift the trip to Thursday night.

Where it jams first

Destination Pinch points
Hamptons & North Fork Midtown Tunnel, LIE, Route 27 in Southampton
Jersey Shore Holland/Lincoln tunnels, NJ Turnpike, Garden State Parkway
Catskills & Hudson Valley GWB, Henry Hudson Parkway, Thruway
New England Bruckner Expressway, I-95 through Westchester and Connecticut
Poconos GWB, I-80

Best departure windows

  • Thursday evening after rush hour.
  • Friday before 11 a.m.
  • Friday after 8 p.m.
  • Saturday before 8 a.m.

Coming back

Sunday afternoons and evenings mirror Fridays in reverse, especially on holiday weekends. Returning early Sunday morning or on Monday (if possible) avoids the worst.

Holiday weekends

Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and year-end holidays amplify everything. Read holiday airport travel.

How a chauffeur helps

A chauffeur can’t make traffic disappear, but can pick the least-bad route using live data, and you can work, rest or start the weekend in the back seat. Read NYC traffic by hour, the Hamptons car service guide and our long-distance car service.

Summer vs winter patterns

In summer, Friday traffic heads east to Long Island and south to the Jersey Shore; in winter, it heads north to the Catskills, Vermont and the Poconos for ski weekends. Holiday weekends amplify both.

Working while you travel

If you must leave on a Friday afternoon, a chauffeured ride lets you work through the slow stretches rather than sitting behind the wheel. Read working from the back seat.