Ski Bus Trips to Nearby Slopes From NYC & LI

The mountains await, and so does the bus to get you there and back without driving anything but your skis or snowboard.

Take the bus from NYC to nearby ski/snowboard areas including Hunter Mountain, Windham Mountain and Catamount, and have fun on the slopes and apres ski without the hassle of driving.

Skiers and riders can board buses in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and Long Island for daytrips for the 2021/2022 season now underway.

The ski bus 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.

NOTE – Ski bus operators may require proof of Covid vaccination to board.

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 buses sometimes sell-out.

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

Hunter was purchased recently by Vail Resorts last season and is now on the Epic Pass.

Windham now is a member of the Ikon Pass.

If you are an Epic or Ikon Pass holder, you ski free, up to five days or more, depending on the type of pass you have.

Ski bus trips from Manhattan

Urban Sherpa

This company has the most bus trips from Manhattan, with day-trips to both Hunter, Windham and Catamount nearly every day of the week 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 $59 for transportation only – which is actually down from $75 last season.
Prices with lift ticket range from $140 to $179, depending on location and whether it is weekday or weekend, up from $129 last season.
There are discounts on lesson packages.
Urban Sherpa is recommended by NYCOTC

Paragon Sports Express

The sporting goods store used to offer day-trips to Hunter Mountain used to operate trips Wednesdays and Saturdays, and to Windham Mountain on Sundays.

Paragon did not operate a bus program for the 2020/2021 season, and since there is no information on the website, we can only assume Paragon is NOT operating bus trips this season.

This company used to operate day-trips to Windham on Wednesdays, with buses that left at 6am from Medford, Long Island, with pick-ups in Holbrook, Hicksville and Roslyn, and then 42nd St. and Lexington Avenue, next to Grand Central Terminal.

The website now gives a “Warning: Potential Security Risk Ahead” and we are not doing that, so good luck if you choose to.

A Google search brought up a Facebook page, but there is no entry more current than March 2021, so we can only assume Island Ski Tours has gone out of business.

Last season, rates started at $55 for transportation only, and lift tickets were an additional $34, and rentals were $35.

Sourced Adventures

This company is no longer offering day-trips to Hunter Mountain because of the restrictions new owners Vail Resorts have placed on groups – which now include bus groups.

Instead, Sourced Adventures has increased service to Mountain Creek, in New Jersey, although its website continues to be full of information about its trips to Hunter.

After a few clicks, you’ll find this information:

Mountain Creek trips start December 31st! Vax card or neg. test required to board. Masks required and buses are sanitized. Flexible cancellation and reschedules on all local trips. Due to limited capacity we recommend booking early this year to reserve your spot! Read more about our Covid Safety Protocols

Most Saturdays the Mountain Creek snow bus Union Square or W45th and 11th Avenue before heading to Mountain Creek.

Pricing starts at $129, including a lift ticket.

NOTE – As a longtime and experienced skier, NYCOTC Publisher/Editor Evelyn Kanter does not recommend Mountain Creek to anybody except a beginner, and not on weekends, when it is beyond crowded with the residents of local second-home developments.

FWIW, last season, Sourced Adventures offered Hunter for the same $129 price. There is no comparing a real mountain in the Catskills with real challenging runs and long cruisers for $129, and a hill in New Jersey for the same price.

NYC Snow Bus

For the last few years, this company has operated a busy schedule to Hunter, Windham and Mountain Creek on weekdays, and Windham, Hunter, Whiteface and Gore on weekends.

Last season they switched to private groups only, 50 people minimum.

This season, the website brings up a 404 error message, so let’s assume they have gone out of business.

So it doesn’t matter that last season rates were $59.90 for bus only and $99 with lift ticket, which would be a positive bargain this season

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.

Last season, trips were to Hunter, Windham and Mountain Creek, plus to Mt. Snow and Killington, although day-trips to Vermont are a very, very long day.

This season again there are day-trips to several of those mouuntains and hills, on weekdays and weekends – PLUS to Bellayre, and Stratton and Okemo have replaced Killington.

Prices start at $99.95 for transportation only, and $219.95 for a package including rentals and lift tickets. That’s for a day-trip to Hunter.

A day-trip to Stratton s $10 more in each category.

Stratton Jitney

Returning this season is this service to and from Stratton, Vt., with service to and from Manchester and Stratton from Manhattan.

Prices range from $69 to $99 each way, depending on demand.

This is a jitney, not a ski bus, so there are no packages for lift tickets and/or rentals.

It leaves Midtown Manhattan at 5p, so you better have a hotel reservation or reservation with ski house buddies for the next morning.

It leaves Stratton at 4:45pm, so you have time to collect your jammies and toothbrush from the hotel or ski house before boarding

See you on the slopes!

This article was published first in 2016 and is updated annually for the winter sports season, including updated in December 2021 for the 2021/2022 season.