Getting Around Buffalo
Buffalo is a compact, walkable city with a small rail spine, a bus network that reaches the airport and the suburbs, and plenty of taxis and ride-hailing options. Most visitors find they can cover downtown and the waterfront on foot, use the Metro Rail for the main commercial corridor, and fall back on buses or a car for outlying sights.
On Foot
Downtown Buffalo, Canalside, and the surrounding neighborhoods are laid out on a manageable grid, so walking is a practical way to move between hotels, restaurants, and waterfront attractions. The city's core sights cluster closely enough that many visitors never need a vehicle for a day of sightseeing.
Metro Rail
Buffalo's rail system is the NFTA Metro Rail, a light-rail line that runs through the city and connects downtown with the neighborhoods to the north. It is the backbone of public transit in the city and is the easiest way to travel between the downtown core and the areas along its route. Fares and passes are handled by the NFTA, the same agency that runs the buses, so a single fare medium covers both modes.
Buses
NFTA Metro Bus routes form the wider public transport network, reaching neighborhoods, suburban areas, and the airport. The downtown hub for both local and long-distance buses is the Buffalo Metropolitan Transportation Center at 181 Ellicott St., which is also a stop on most NFTA Metro Bus routes and the city's main taxi terminal.
Several bus routes are useful to visitors:
- Bus #24 — Genesee serves the airport. The #24B and #24L run between the airport and Canalside via Genesee Street, also stopping at the Municipal Transportation Center. The #24L is advertised as a limited-stop service, but in practice the travel time difference between the two is negligible, so either works.
- Bus #24X is an express service running Monday through Friday, with morning trips into the city and afternoon trips back out, cutting travel time to roughly half an hour.
- Bus #24A should be avoided if you are heading back to the airport — its route ends at the city line rather than at the terminal.
- Bus #46 — Lancaster reaches the Buffalo-Depew Amtrak station, though the connection is awkward.
Buffalo-Exchange Street station downtown is directly served by a number of NFTA Metro Bus routes.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Taxis are available in the city, with the main taxi terminal at the Buffalo Metropolitan Transportation Center. At the airport, Buffalo Airport Taxi operates a stand directly across from the terminal's main exit on the arrivals level. Ride-hailing services including Uber and Lyft also operate in Buffalo; at the airport they pick up at the bus lane on the east side of the terminal, on the arrivals level.
Getting from the Airport into the City
Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF) serves Buffalo along with Niagara Falls, the rest of Western New York, Northwest Pennsylvania, and Southern Ontario, and is a popular choice for Canadian travelers seeking lower fares than Toronto Pearson. It is served by American, Delta, Frontier, JetBlue, Southwest, and United, plus seasonal international charter flights.
From the airport, you have several options for reaching the city:
- NFTA Metro Bus #24 — the #24B and #24L run to Canalside via Genesee Street, also serving the Municipal Transportation Center. The #24X express runs on weekdays only, with morning inbound and afternoon outbound trips.
- Intercity buses — a number of long-distance bus lines also serve the airport directly.
- Taxi — Buffalo Airport Taxi's stand is across from the terminal's main exit on the arrivals level.
- Ride-hailing — Uber and Lyft pick up at the bus lane on the east side of the terminal, arrivals level.
- Rental cars — rental facilities are located directly across from the terminal's main exit on the arrivals level.
All buses, both NFTA and long-distance, board at the bus lane on the east side of the terminal on the arrivals level.
Arriving by Train or Intercity Bus
Amtrak serves Buffalo at two stations. Buffalo-Exchange Street (BFX) is downtown at 75 Exchange St., near the Buffalo Metropolitan Transportation Center, and is directly accessed by several NFTA Metro Bus routes. Note that it has no QuickTrak machine and the ticket office is not open for certain departures, so buy or print tickets in advance. Buffalo-Depew (BUF) is east of the city and can be reached by cab or, with considerable difficulty, by NFTA Metro Bus #46. The Lake Shore Limited does not stop at Exchange Street.
Intercity buses arrive at the Buffalo Metropolitan Transportation Center downtown, which is served by Adirondack Trailways, Fullington Trailways, and Greyhound, among others, with connections to New York City, Toronto, Niagara Falls, Cleveland, and points in between.
Arriving by Car
The New York State Thruway (Interstate 90) runs east–west through the region, linking Buffalo to New York City, Albany, Syracuse, and Rochester to the east and Erie and Cleveland to the west. It is a toll highway over most of its length, with a toll-free stretch roughly corresponding to Buffalo's inner-ring suburbs. Tolls are paid via E-ZPass or billed to the registered address; cash is no longer accepted. Interstate 190 runs from I-90 into downtown and then north along the Niagara River toward Niagara Falls and Canada, while I-290 and I-990 serve the northern suburbs.
From Ontario, the Queen Elizabeth Way is the best approach, with the Peace Bridge at Fort Erie being the most direct crossing into Buffalo. The Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls and the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge in Lewiston are alternatives, all easily reached from the QEW. Border wait times vary: at the Peace Bridge and Rainbow Bridge, waits over 30 minutes are unusual except on holiday weekends, while the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge typically runs 30–60 minutes, longer on holidays.