Friday traffic to the Hamptons
No official source publishes Friday drive times, but the Jitney's timetable builds in up to 30 minutes for afternoon departures and the expressway's HOV lane is enforced from 3 to 8 PM on weekdays.
Fares and schedules checked October 2026.
Friday afternoon traffic out of New York is widely described as the worst of the week, and Secret NYC called a single trip "bumper-to-bumper traffic for five hours" in a 2026 story about the Cannonball. That is one outlet's description, not a measured figure. What can be verified is what the operators do about it.
What the Jitney schedule shows
| Leaves Midtown | Scheduled | Days |
|---|---|---|
| 9:00 AM | 2 h 00 min | Daily |
| 9:30 AM | 2 h 00 min | Fri |
| 10:00 AM | 2 h 15 min | Sat |
| 10:30 AM | 2 h 15 min | Mon–Sat |
| 11:30 AM | 2 h 15 min | Mon–Fri |
| 12:00 PM | 2 h 15 min | Daily |
| 1:45 PM | 2 h 15 min | Daily |
| 2:15 PM | 2 h 15 min | Daily |
| 3:00 PM | 2 h 30 min | Thu, Fri & Sun |
| 4:00 PM | 2 h 30 min | Daily |
| 5:00 PM | 2 h 25 min | Daily |
| 6:00 PM | 2 h 15 min | Daily |
| 6:30 PM | 2 h 15 min | Mon–Fri & Sun |
| 7:00 PM | 2 h 15 min | Daily |
| 8:15 PM | 2 h 00 min | Daily |
| 8:30 PM | 2 h 00 min | Sun |
| 10:00 PM | 2 h 00 min | Daily |
| 11:59 PM | 1 h 46 min | Sun |
Effective October 15, 2026 to January 6, 2027. The 3:00 PM and 4:00 PM departures are scheduled 30 minutes longer than the 9:00 AM and 8:15 PM ones.
What to check
- The LIE HOV lane, exit 32 to exit 64, is restricted from 3 to 8 PM on weekdays to buses, motorcycles and cars with two or more people.
- 511NY shows live incidents and camera views for the expressway and Sunrise Highway before you leave.
- If you can leave Thursday evening, see the Thursday versus Friday comparison.
- If you can skip the road, the Friday LIRR express leaves Penn Station at 4:07 PM; see the Montauk Friday comparison.
Several car-service blogs advise leaving before about 10 or 11 AM or after 8 or 9 PM on a Friday. Treat that as practical advice, not a measurement.
Common questions
What is the best time to leave NYC for the Hamptons on a Friday?
No official source says. The Jitney schedules its 3:00 and 4:00 PM Montauk Line departures 30 minutes longer than its morning and late-evening ones, which indicates afternoon is slowest.
Is there a way to skip Friday traffic?
The LIRR's Friday express from Penn Station avoids the road entirely, and Thursday departures avoid the Friday peak.
Sources
Checked October 2026. Operators revise schedules and fares; use the official pages below for the final word.