For those of us lucky enough to call New York City home, we know there are few better feelings than leaving behind the long work week and trading in the sticky city air for a warm sea breeze. While the concrete jungle and Long Beach Island may seem like worlds apart, the LBI Bus Service makes the 101-miles between them accessible in just over two hours.
The Transportazumah bus runs regularly from Memorial Day Weekend to Labor Day Weekend, with a convenient schedule that will make commuting possible for even the busiest New Yorkers.
The bus departs from New York Port Authority and makes five stops on the island, spanning from Surf City to Beach Haven (see bus route visual below). By special request, a stop to Newark airport can be added, making it convenient to pick up out-of-town guests on the way.
During prime summer season, the bus runs regularly on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evenings, and most mornings throughout the week. I can usually be found on the Thursday evening bus and although it is one of the busiest routes, I have always had a pleasant experience.
As for departing the island, while you’ll likely be surrounded by a host of sunburnt New Yorkers licking their final Skipper Dipper cones, it’s just as easy to get back to the city, with consistent timing on Saturdays and Sundays. The bus pickup starts in Holgate and makes three stops before heading North up the Parkway.
The most direct route from NYC to LBI comes at a premium – $110 roundtrip, to be exact, but the convenience makes it a great investment in your weekend. Plus, the bus is clean, comfortable and filled with locals and friends who all share a common excitement for another weekend ahead on Long Beach Island. If you become a regular like myself, you’ll start to recognize some fellow bus riders, making the journey more familiar.
If you have any questions or need to make changes to your itinerary, feel free to email the bus service directly at joel@transportazumah.com — in my experience, they’re incredibly responsive.
Below is the full schedule along with a link to purchase tickets. Who knows — maybe we’ll end up sitting next to each other on the way to the island.
Wishing you a wonderful summer and safe travels!
Sam Melnick is a New Yorker by week and an islander by weekend. She grew up spending her summers on Long Beach Island, where she rode her beach cruiser to her first jobs. She graduated from Syracuse University in 2019 and now works in New York City at a financial services firm. In the summer, you’ll find her catching the Thursday evening bus to LBI, enjoying a 5 PM spritz and cheeseboard on the beach after work on Fridays, and kicking off Saturdays with a Black Sheep class before biking to Pearl Street Market and then heading to the beach. Her family has been growing their presence in Beach Haven and now lives right next door to her cousins—making impromptu front porch happy hours a staple of the weekend. Sam is passionate about fitness and wellness, her career, fashion, travelling, and, of course, achieving the perfect summer tan. Her favorite part of the season is bringing friends to the island and sharing the magic of Long Beach Island.