Getting around Saratoga Springs without a car

This guide is for visitors arriving without a car and for residents trying to drive less. Saratoga Springs is more car-dependent than its walkable downtown suggests, but with a little planning you can get here by train or bus and get around the center on foot. Here is what works and what does not.

Getting to Saratoga Springs

There are three practical ways to arrive without driving.

By train

The easiest arrival point is Saratoga Springs station, which Amtrak serves at 26 Station Lane, off West Avenue on the West Side. Two routes stop here: the Adirondack, which runs between New York City and Montreal, and the Ethan Allen Express, which runs between New York City and Vermont. The ride to New York’s Penn Station takes roughly four hours, with stops in Schenectady, Albany-Rensselaer and down the Hudson Valley. The current station building opened in 2004. Amtrak lists an enclosed waiting area, parking and an accessible platform.

By bus

Intercity buses stop at the same station. Trailways of New York connects there. The Capital District Transportation Authority’s Northway Xpress route 451 also connects there, giving commuters an option toward Albany.

By plane

Albany International Airport is the closest major airport, about 40 minutes south by car. From there you will need a taxi, rideshare or rental car to reach Saratoga Springs.

Getting around on foot

The core of Saratoga Springs is compact. From Congress Park, these walks are all practical:

• Up Broadway through downtown to Van Dam Street, about 15 minutes.
• Along Union Avenue from Congress Park to Saratoga Race Course, about 20 minutes.
• From Broadway west to the Beekman Street Arts District, about 10 minutes.
• From downtown to the train station, about 20 to 25 minutes across the West Side.
• From downtown north to Skidmore College on North Broadway, about 30 minutes.

Getting around by bike

A bike widens the car-free range. Saratoga Spa State Park, with its paved paths and trails, is an easy ride from downtown. The lake is reachable but less pleasant, since Route 9P has no shoulder along much of the east shore and heavy summer traffic.

Where a car is still hard to avoid

Be honest with yourself about these trips:

• Saratoga Lake restaurants and marinas, which are several miles from downtown.
• SPAC, which is inside the state park south of downtown. It is walkable from South Broadway hotels but a long walk from Broadway at night.
• Big-box shopping around Exit 15 and the Wilton area.
• Most newer neighborhoods on the city’s edges.

Event shuttles

Several big events have run free shuttles, which makes a car-free visit easier. In 2025 CDTA ran a free shuttle for the Beekman Street Art Fair from the Saratoga Casino Hotel to Beekman Street, and Chowderfest in February 2026 offered free shuttles all day from the same lot. Check event pages for current shuttle details.

Where to stay without a car

Staying downtown makes a car-free trip easy. The Adelphi Hotel at 365 Broadway and Spa City Motor Lodge at 413 Broadway are both on Broadway. On the south end, The Gideon Putnam inside the state park is a short walk from SPAC but farther from downtown.

Good to know

Train schedules change seasonally and service can be affected by track work. Check Amtrak’s current timetable before you book, and allow extra time for connections in August, when trains and hotels fill.

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