By plane
International travelers will almost certainly come in via one of New York City's airports; while the major upstate cities have airports that can accommodate international flights, they are now fairly rare. Domestically, travelers will usually be coming from hubs such as Chicago, Atlanta, Charlotte, Philadelphia, or Boston. Flights into the smaller airports will likely connect through the larger ones.
By train
There are many trains that go through New York, especially through Pennsylvania Station in New York City.
From New England: Acela Express is a high-speed train connecting Boston, Providence, and New Haven to New York CityNortheast Regional is a train that also follows the same route but cheaperLake Shore Limited goes from Boston to Albany and BuffaloEthan Allen Express comes from Vermont to New York City via AlbanyVermonter is a train from Vermont to New York City via Springfield and Hartford
From other states in the Mid-AtlanticAcela Express is a high-speed train through New York City from Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C.Northeast Regional is a train from Virginia that follows the same route as Acela Express but cheaperKeystone Express comes from Harrisburg to New York CityPennsylvanian goes from Pittsburgh to New York City
From the MidwestLake Shore Limited goes from Chicago through Cleveland, Buffalo, and Albany to New York City.Cardinal comes from Chicago via Cincinnati and Washington, D.C.
From the SouthCarolinian goes from North Carolina through Virginia to New York CityPalmetto, Silver Meteor and Silver Star go from Florida to New York CityCrescent goes from New Orleans to New York City via Atlanta
From CanadaAdirondack goes from Montreal to New York City via AlbanyMaple Leaf comes from Toronto through Buffalo and Albany to New York City
By car
The route you take depends on where you're coming from:
From Lower Ontario, Toronto, and points west including Detroit: Take the QEW; it ends at the Peace Bridge US$3/CA$3 and puts you on I-190 in Buffalo. You could also take the QEW to the 420 for the Rainbow Bridge (US$2.50 Canada-bound only to Niagara Falls) or the 405 for the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge (US$3.25 Canada-bound only to Lewiston). Both of these will connect up with I-190 as well. Visitors from the Detroit area sometimes cut across Lower Ontario rather than going south around Lake Erie.
From Ohio and Western Pennsylvania: I-90 becomes the New York State Thruway see Get around for details at the PA-NY border. I-86 splits off shortly before the border, allowing you to avoid tolls.
From Pennsylvania and New Jersey: U.S. 219 heads north near Olean, headed for Buffalo. U.S. 15 connects with I-86 in Corning; you can continue north on NY 15 or I-390 to Rochester. I-81 connects with NY17 in Binghamton, headed for Syracuse. I-84 passes through the lower part of the state. I-95 is the major east coast route and passes through New York City.
From New England: I-95 connects Boston to New York City; I-90 does the same to Albany. More northern routes are rare.
From Quebec: Autoroute 15 is your route south from Montreal; it becomes I-87 at the border.
From Eastern Ontario: Highway 401 passes close to the border at the Thousand Islands; take Highway 137 to the Thousand Islands Bridge to pick up I-81.