Ski Bus Trips from NYC to Nearby Slopes

Your chariot awaits! Take the bus from NYC to nearby ski/snowboard areas including Hunter Mountain, Windham Mountain, Gore and Mountain Creek, and have fun on the slopes and apres ski without the hassle of driving.

Skiers and snowboarders can board busses in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens, and in Long Island for daytrips, and also weekend trips to nearby Vermont resorts includng Mount Snow and Killington.

The deal usually includes discount lift tickets, some operators offer and on-board snacks and ski movies, and you ride in comfort on modern, luxury coaches.

January is Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month, so it’s a great time to learn how to play in the snow.

Reservations are required, since busses sometimes sell-out.  Read the fine print on each site about cancellations – theirs or yours.

Arrive at the bus stop at least 15 minutes before departure to ensure you are not left behind.

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Ski bus trips from Manhattan

Urban Sherpa

This company has the most bus trips from Manhattan, with day-trips to both Hunter and Windham every day of the week in peak season (except Mondays), and occasional overnight trips to Windham, including midweek. Buses leave from Union Square and Times Square.

Urban Sherpa owns the buses they operate, with staff drivers who know the routes well.

• Trips start at $49 ($55 on weekends) for bus only, $85/$95 including an all-mountain lift ticket. Overnights are $259, and there are discounts on lesson packages.
  
• Urban Sherpa is recommended by NYCOTC

Paragon Sports Express 

The sporting goods store offers day-trips to Hunter Mountain on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and to Windham Mountain on Sundays. Buses leave at 6:30am directly from Paragon Sports store on 18th Street and Broadway, and return at 7:30pm. Fare includes a light breakfast on board, and a movie, usually a ski movie.

• Rates start at $47.50.
• NYCOTC Warning: Paragon is arguably the largest and best sporting goods retailer in NYC, but it is definitely not the best bus tour operator. Paragon cancels trips the afternoon before the booking if there are not enough passengers to make the trip profitable – it happened to NYCOTC Editor Evelyn Kanter (I rebooked with Urban Sherpa, and was delighted with their promptness and service, which is why I’m recommending them).
• Also, Paragon will cancel a ticketed passenger if a bus is bought out by a group – it happened to an acquaintance of NYCOTC Editor Evelyn Kanter.

Island Ski Tours

Day-trips to Windham on Wednesdays. Buses leave at 6am from the Grand Hyatt Hotel on 42nd Street, next to Grand Central Terminal.

The bus starts in Medford, Long Island, with pick-ups in Holbrook, Hicksville and Roslyn, before Manhattan.

• Rates start at $55.
  

Sourced Adventures

Day-trips to Hunter on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, and on Mondays of three-day weekends such as MLK and Presidents. The first pickup location, at  Adventure Cafe, 85 Delancey Street, offers a discount on breakfast.  The second location, at West 45th Street at Eleventh Avenue, does not.

• Packages start at $99, for bus, lift ticket and rentals ($139 on holidays).
• NYCOTC Warning: There is no information on the website for price of bus only, without lift tickets or rentals, so this is not the bus trip for skiers or boarders with their own equipment or lift ticket passes or vouchers.

NYC Snow Bus from Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens

NYC Snow Bus

A busy schedule that includes Hunter, Windham and Mountain Creek on weekdays, and Windham, Hunter, Whiteface and Gore on weekends. Buses will pick you up from Downtown Brooklyn, Williamsburg, Astoria, and Union Square.

• Rates start at $59.90 for bus only, $99 with lift ticket (weekends are more), plus numerous packages including lessons and/or rentals.

Specifically for Snowboarders

OvrRide 

This is a collective of snowboarders from around the world that have started the first and only rider-owned and -operated tour program in Manhattan. Buses pick up riders from   locations including Park Slope, Cobble Hill, Dumbo, Soho, Union Square, the Upper West Side and the Upper East Side.

Trips include Hunter, Windham, Mt. Snow and Killington, although day-trips to Vermont are a very, very long day.

• Rates start at $99.95, including lift ticket.

See you on the slopes!

This article was published first in 2016 and is updated annually for the winter sports season.