When you get up early in the morning, it’s probably for work , let’s say you’re running late. What’s the fastest way to get anywhere in New York City? I could give you a straightforward answer, but it’s more complicated than that. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll tell you which mode of transportation is technically the fastest, but here’s the thing…it’s New York. With about 8.6 million people, the odds of hitting traffic or dealing with major train delays are about 50/50, depending on which borough you live in. I’m going to break down  the best and worst-case scenarios for cars, trains, and airplanes.

Let’s start with what some people argue is the “fastest” mode of transportation: air travel. But is it really? A lot of folks think airplanes are the fastest way to travel, but then there’s the maglev train in Shanghai. That train gets you from Shanghai to Beijing in just 2.5 hours, while a flight takes around 3 hours. Unfortunately, we don’t have maglev trains in New York, so that comparison doesn’t help us much, but it’s still worth noting 

The quickest flight from New York is about an hour-long trip to Boston, Massachusetts. If you took that flight and then got on another one back to New York, you’d be looking at a two-hour round trip. So, even after flying, you’d probably still be running late. Just for kicks, let’s say you walk the rest of the way to work—imagine that: the “fastest” mode of transportation can’t even get you to your job on time!

Now, let’s talk about cars, trucks, buses—basically anything with wheels on New York’s streets.

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