Because the Green Mountains of eastern Vermont and the Taconic range of western Vermont run north-south, most fast highways and railroads run north-south as well (map). You may find yourself going north or south quickly, then slowing down to cross the mountains east-west to reach your destination.

Car

For speed, take the Interstates: I-95 from New York City and Connecticut, I-93 to I-89 from Boston, and Canada 10 to 133 to I-89 if you're driving from Montreal.

For charm and beauty, and to see Vermont's fine old villages and towns, take Vermont Route 100, which winds through the center of the state from north to south, linking many of the state's ski resorts and summer recreation areas.

Train

The Vermonter

Amtrak's Vermonter train runs daily from Washington DC, New York City (Moynihan Train Hall at Penn Station), New Haven CT, and Hartford CT, to Brattleboro VT, Bellows Falls, Claremont NH, Windsor-Mt Ascutney VT, White River Junction, Randolph, Montpelier-Berlin, Waterbury-Stowe, Essex Junction (For Burlington), and St Albans VT, near the Canadian border. Here's a map.

The Ethan Allen Express

Ethan Allen Express Train Route Map

Amtrak's Ethan Allen express train from New York City's Moynihan Train Hall at Penn Station serves stations in Castleton, Rutland, Middlebury, Ferrisburgh-Vergennes, and Burlington VT. The journey from New York to Burlington takes about 5.5 hours. More...

Train + Bus

Amtrak's Adirondack, Berkshire Flyer, Empire Service and Maple Leaf trains run daily between New York City and Albany-Rensselaer NY. You can get off the train at Albany-Rensselaer and take the Vermont Translines bus to Bennington VT and up US Route 7 all the way to Burlington and Colchester VT (see Intercity Bus below).

To go by train from Boston MA to cities in Vermont, you take an Amtrak train to Springfield MA, New Haven CT, or New York City and change to one of the trains headed for Vermont. This makes a long travel day. Direct intercity bus from Boston is a faster journey.

Intercity Bus

Buses run from Albany NY, Boston MA, Hartford CT, Manchester NH, Montreal QC and New York City to several Vermont cities and towns, where you can transfer to Vermont state, regional and local transit authority buses to reach smaller communities.

Greyhound serves several Vermont cities and towns. MegaBus runs buses between Boston and New York City and Burlington VT.

Vermont Translines, the successor to the defunct Vermont Transit, runs daily buses from Albany NY and Albany Airport along NY Route 7 to Bennington VT, then north along US Route 7 to Burlington and Burlington Airport. See the map below. More...

Vermont Translines Bus Route Map:

Vermont Local & Regional Buses

If your destination in Vermont is not one of the towns mentioned above, check for local and regional (county) bus services that may get you there. Here are Vermont's major local and regional bus services:

—Bennington: Green Mountain Community Network

—Brattleboro: Bee Line, DVTA MOOver

—Burlington: Chittenden County Transportation Authority

—Middlebury: Addison County Transit Resources

—Northeast Kingdom: Rural Community Transportation

—Rutland: Marble Valley Regional Transit and Vermont Translines

—St Johnsbury: Rural Community Transportation

—Stowe & Mad River: Green Mountain Transit Authority

—White River Junction: Advance Transit

—Wilmington: DVTA MOOver

Plane

Burlington (BTV)

Burlington (VT) International Airport (BTV) is served by Allegiant Air, American Airlines, Delta, JetBlue Airways, Porter, and United Airlines, with service to Atlanta GA, Boston MA, Charlotte NC, Chicago IL, Cleveland OH, Detroit MI, Newark NJ, New York City, Orlando FL, Philadelphia PA, Toronto ON, and Washington DC.

Rutland (RUT)

Rutland-Southern Vermont Regional Airport (RUT) serves mostly general aviation and flight-school operations, but Cape Air flies to and from Boston daily.

Albany NY (ALB)

Albany is in New York state, not Vermont, but busy Albany International Airport (ALB) serves Allegiant, American, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest and United airlines (here are the flights), and is only 40 miles (64 km, 1-hour drive) southwest of Bennington VT. From the airport, Vermont Translines buses travel daily to Bennington and north up US Route 7 all the way to Burlington VT. More...

Ferryboat

Lake Champlain Transportation Company operates car-and-passenger ferries between Grand Isle VT and Plattsburgh NY; and between Charlotte VT and Essex NY.

The Fort Ticonderoga Ferry sails between Charlotte VT and Essex NY and in the warm months (map). Ticonderoga NY is served by Amtrak's Adirondack train.

The ferry route between Burlington VT and Port Kent NY suspended operations in 2019, and may never resume operation.