Hampton Jitney vs driving
A solo driver to Montauk covers about 232 miles round trip, so the Jitney at $86 round trip beats the car once your car costs more than about 37 cents a mile, before parking or tolls.
Fares and schedules checked October 2026.
There is no single answer, because the cost of driving depends on your car, and the Jitney fare does not. This page uses the Jitney's published fares and lets you set the per-mile cost of your own car. The distances come from OpenStreetMap routing. For the full set of mode-by-mode costs, read what a summer of weekends costs.
| Destination | Round-trip miles | Car at $0.30/mile | Car at $0.50/mile | Car at $0.70/mile | Jitney round trip, prepaid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westhampton Beach | 153 | $45.90 | $76.50 | $107.10 | $64 (Westhampton Line) |
| Southampton | 180 | $54.00 | $90.00 | $126.00 | $86 |
| East Hampton | 204 | $61.20 | $102.00 | $142.80 | $86 |
| Montauk | 232 | $69.60 | $116.00 | $162.40 | $86 |
Miles are twice the Midtown-to-town distance on the OpenStreetMap router. Cost per mile is your assumption; it is not an official figure. Tolls, parking and ferry fares are not included. Jitney fares effective June 25, 2026.
What the table leaves out
- Two or more people in one car split the driving cost, while Jitney fares are per person.
- Parking in the villages and at your Manhattan garage. Check the town or village rules, since they set permit and metering policy.
- Time: the Jitney's own timetable allows up to 30 minutes more for afternoon departures, and a driver absorbs the same delay without a schedule to point to.
- A car at the destination. The car versus no car guide covers when it earns its keep.
Choose the car when
Choose the car when you have two or more passengers, when you carry more than two bags each, or when the house is far from any stop. Choose the Jitney when you are alone, when you would rather work or sleep, or when you stay in a town with a stop. Weekday HOV rules on the Long Island Expressway apply to cars with fewer than two occupants from 6 to 10 AM and 3 to 8 PM between exit 32 and exit 64, and buses are permitted in it.
Common questions
Is it cheaper to drive or take the Jitney to the Hamptons?
For one person to Montauk the Jitney's $86 round trip beats a car that costs more than about 37 cents a mile to run. For two or more people the car is cheaper at the lower per-mile figures in the table.
Can the Jitney use the Long Island Expressway HOV lane?
Buses are allowed in the HOV lane between exit 32 and exit 64 during restricted hours, weekdays 6 to 10 AM and 3 to 8 PM.
Sources
Checked October 2026. Operators revise schedules and fares; use the official pages below for the final word.