Hampton Jitney vs LIRR
The train is faster on paper and cheaper off-peak; the bus is easier on a Friday evening, goes door to town from Manhattan and Brooklyn, and reaches towns the train does not.
Fares and schedules checked October 2026.
Both are scheduled, both stop in the same villages, and neither is a clear winner. The right choice depends on where you start, where you end, and what day it is. Use this page as the framework and the route pages for the exact times.
| Hampton Jitney | LIRR | |
|---|---|---|
| Fare to Southampton or Montauk, one way | $43 prepaid, $51 on board | $33.00 peak, $24.50 off-peak ($41.00 and $33.00 on board) |
| Scheduled time to Southampton | 2 h 00 min to 2 h 30 min from Midtown | 1 h 52 min on the Friday express from Penn Station; about 2 h from Jamaica on other trains, plus the ride to Jamaica |
| Scheduled time to Montauk | 3 h 00 min to 3 h 30 min from Midtown, per the current timetable | 2 h 31 min on the Friday express; 3 h 17 min on the 5:13 PM weekday train |
| Starting points | East Side 96th to 40th St., West Side, Brooklyn (Park Slope, Boerum Hill, Brooklyn Heights) | Penn Station for two weekday trains; most trains start at Jamaica |
| Seats | Reserved; Ambassador class available | Unreserved on regular trains |
| Towns served | Southampton to Montauk, plus Water Mill, Wainscott, Sag Harbor and Napeague; Westhampton Line adds Westhampton, Quogue, East Quogue, Hampton Bays | Speonk, Westhampton, Hampton Bays, Southampton, Bridgehampton, East Hampton, Amagansett, Montauk |
| Bags, bikes, pets | Luggage over two pieces $25; bicycle $15; pet $15 | Follow MTA rules; check before you travel |
| Trips per day, current schedule | 18 eastbound and 21 westbound on the Montauk Line | 7 through trains toward Montauk Monday to Thursday; 5 on weekends |
Jitney figures: schedule effective October 15, 2026 to January 6, 2027, fares effective June 25, 2026. LIRR figures: MTA timetable data through February 28, 2027 and the fare chart effective January 4, 2026.
Where the train wins
- Friday afternoons, when the Penn Station express skips the road entirely. See the Montauk Friday comparison.
- Off-peak cost: $24.50 against $43. A weekend day pass between the city and Zone 14 is $49.00.
- Westbound Sundays if you can catch a train from Montauk at 7:00 AM, 3:12 PM, 5:04 PM or 7:55 PM on the winter timetable.
Where the bus wins
- Reserved seats, and pickups on the East Side, the West Side and in three Brooklyn neighborhoods.
- Brooklyn, with three pickup areas the LIRR does not match without a transfer.
- Towns without a station: Water Mill, Wainscott, Sag Harbor, Quogue and East Quogue.
- Late-night eastbound options: the Jitney has trips leaving Midtown at 10 PM daily and 11:59 PM on Sundays on the current timetable.
A practical split
You can mix them: the express on Friday and a reserved Jitney seat on Sunday, or the reverse. The Sunday return options page lays out the choices. If you are weighing cost for a whole season, the summer cost guide does the arithmetic.
Common questions
Is the Hampton Jitney or the LIRR cheaper?
The LIRR is cheaper off-peak ($24.50 against $43), and about $10 cheaper at peak ($33.00). The Jitney's value packs bring a Montauk Line ticket to about $28.25.
Which is faster to the Hamptons?
On paper the Friday LIRR express, at 1 hour 52 minutes to Southampton and 2 hours 31 minutes to Montauk. Other trains start in Jamaica and need a connection.
Sources
Checked October 2026. Operators revise schedules and fares; use the official pages below for the final word.