Washington DC to NYC by Train: Which Option to Pick

Most travelers pick between three options: the Acela, the Northeast Regional and a bus. Amtrak runs both trains. Many visitors also ride the route the other way, from New York for the day. The guide to day trips from New York without a car places Washington among the other easy trips.

Time: Acela vs Northeast Regional vs bus

The Acela is the fastest, at about 3 hours. Amtrak's Acela timetable lists trains from Washington Union Station at 5:55 a.m. and 10:15 a.m. They reach New York at 8:54 a.m. and 1:12 p.m., which is 2 hours 59 minutes and 2 hours 57 minutes.

The Northeast Regional is a bit slower. The seats differ too. Amtrak's Acela page says Acela offers only Business Class and First Class, with seat selection, free Wi-Fi and a Quiet Car. Amtrak's Northeast Regional page lists Coach, with at least 39 inches of legroom, and Business Class, which adds seat selection and extra legroom. So the Regional is the one with a cheaper coach seat to choose. Amtrak does not publish a fare comparison, so check both on your date. In Amtrak's Northeast Regional timetable, a train that leaves Washington at 11:10 a.m. arrives at 2:34 p.m. Another leaves at 8:50 a.m. and arrives at 12:37 p.m. That is a range of about 3 hours 25 minutes to 3 hours 50 minutes.

A bus takes longer and varies more. OurBus lists 3 hours 30 minutes to 5 hours 50 minutes, with 11 buses a day. The spread depends on the bus and the day. Driving is not ranked here, because no official page publishes a drive time. So the train is the fastest option we can show, and the bus is the slowest. A car is not ranked, because no official page gives a drive time.

Pro Tip A weekday Acela leaves Washington Union Station at 8:02 p.m. and reaches New York at 11:03 p.m., so you can spend a full day in Washington and still get back the same night.

Cost: Amtrak trains vs bus

A bus has the lowest starting price. OurBus shows tickets from $23.38, and Greyhound shows tickets from $32.98. Those are starting prices, not what every seat costs.

Amtrak does not publish a fixed fare for this trip. The price changes by date, so check Amtrak for your day. We do not quote a train fare, because no official page gives a fixed one. For the guided day trips from New York, the price is per person: from €96, from €97 and from €115, as the One day section shows.

The cheapest bus is the wrong choice if time matters most. A bus can take almost twice as long as the Acela. If you value your hours, price the Regional and the Acela on your date before you book a bus.

Key Takeaway The Acela takes about 3 hours, while OurBus lists buses from $23.38 and up to 5 hours 50 minutes, so you trade up to almost 3 extra hours for a lower starting fare.

Stations: Union Station and Moynihan Train Hall vs bus stops

The trains are simpler at both ends. Every train in the timetables leaves from Washington Union Station and arrives at Moynihan Train Hall in New York, which Amtrak lists as station code NYP. From there the subway and the walk to your hotel are covered in getting around NYC.

Buses use more places. Greyhound lists Washington Union Station at 50 Massachusetts Avenue NE and New York Port Authority at 625 8th Avenue. OurBus lists pickup spots in New York on 34th Street near 9th Avenue and at Hudson Yards. For Washington it lists the Union Station bus terminal, Dupont Circle and the Stadium-Armory Metro station. OurBus gives these for the New York to Washington direction, so check your ticket for the ride back.

Philadelphia sits on the same train line, if you want to stop on the way. The guide to Philadelphia to NYC by train compares those options.

One day: Washington DC to NYC by train vs a guided tour

A same-day round trip by train works, but it is a long day. On weekdays the Acela leaves New York at 6:50 a.m. and arrives in Washington at 10:04 a.m. The 8:02 p.m. train back reaches New York at 11:03 p.m. That gives you about ten hours in Washington.

You choose your own stops, and you pay only for the ticket and your meals. The price is not fixed, so check Amtrak for your date. On your own, you plan the route and the timing yourself.

A guided tour handles the ride and the plan, which is worth it if you want no planning and you start in New York. If you start in New York, tours to DC from New York are the no-planning alternative to booking trains. The guided day trip by van or bus from €96 runs 15 hours with 90 minutes of free time at the end. The listing says it is run by Interviajes NY, and it meets at 7th Avenue and West 51st Street. Food, drinks and tips are not included, and it is not suitable for wheelchair users.

The Washington highlights one-day tour from €97 lists a guide and free admission to the monuments it visits, and a private option is available. The White House and the Capitol are seen from the outside only. It is run by INTERTRAVEL NY, and the listing shows two meeting points, depending on the option you pick. The bus day trip by Tour America from €115 has an English or Spanish speaking escort guide and lists all admissions. It meets at 1651 Broadway, and meals and drinks are not included.

Things to Do in NYC's count of GetYourGuide listings in October 2026 found 11 guided day trips from New York to Washington DC, from €96 per person, with a median start price of €107. All three listings above show free cancellation, and ratings of 4.6 to 4.7 from 554 to 4,658 reviews. The listings do not state a group size, so we cannot say how big the groups are. The tours are run by Interviajes NY, INTERTRAVEL NY and TOUR AMERICA, and all three sell through GetYourGuide. The tour pickups are in Midtown Manhattan, and the first listing runs 15 hours, so these tours suit people who want a full day and no planning. Skip them if you want to stay in Washington past the early evening, if you need a wheelchair-accessible trip (the first listing says it is not suitable), or if you start in Washington.

The guided tours do not fit a trip from Washington to New York, because they start in New York. If that is your direction, the train or bus is the answer.

A good day trip is one where the travel time leaves enough hours for the place itself.