For the purpose of air travel, Stamford is considered part of the New York City hub. Kennedy International Airport in Queens and LaGuardia in New York are an hour's drive from Stamford and offer full international, domestic, commuter, and freight service. Newark International Airport is a little more than an hour away.
Stamford commuters to New York City travel on the Metro-North Commuter line of the Metropolitan Transit Authority, which runs dozens of trains daily throughout the greater New York region; the MTA also operates a bus service in the region. In 2005 construction was underway on a new Downtown Transportation Center for rail, bus, and taxi service. Train service is also available to Boston, Washington, and beyond via Amtrak. Commuters can also use the Bridgeport-Port Jefferson Long Island Ferry, which runs from mid-May to the end of December. Other bus lines into Stamford include Greyhound.
Motorists can approach the city via two major north-south routes. I-95, the Connecticut Turnpike, runs along the coastline. Connecticut Route 15, the Merritt Parkway, is located further inland. I-287 runs southwest, connecting the Connecticut Turnpike with White Plains, New York. The northeast-southwest route is I-84.
Running east-west through the city and handling much of the automobile traffic are the Merritt Parkway in the northern portion of the city and the Connecticut Turnpike, closer to the harbor. Major north-south surface streets are Long Ridge Road and High Ridge Road. Stamford also maintains a bus public transportation system. Stamford Transportation Center is the hub for rail, bus, and taxi traffic.