How to Get From the Buffalo Airport to Niagara Falls

If you are flying into the Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF) and wondering how to get from the Buffalo Airport to Niagara Falls, in this post, we will go over the best transportation options for making the trip to Niagara Falls.

The Buffalo Niagara Airport is located about 25 miles from Niagara Falls, NY (which is about a 35-minute ride by car). The Buffalo Airport is the closest airport to Niagara Falls with regular passenger service. If you plan to cross the border into Canada and stay in Niagara Falls, Ontario, the distance only increases to 27 miles but the border crossing can add another 10 -20 minutes to the journey.

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Picking Your Best Transportation Option to Niagara Falls

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1. Rental Car from Buffalo Airport to Niagara Falls

Renting a car is usually the best way to get to Niagara Falls. If you are on a vacation or sightseeing trip to the region, I would recommend renting a car if you are on the American (New York ) side of the border. The expense of the car can be comparable to the same cost as cab fare or using a private shuttle /limo service to and from the Buffalo Airport and Niagara Falls.

You will want to keep in mind a few hotels charge for parking around the downtown area of Niagara Falls, NY., but these are mainly the hotels that are just steps from Niagara Falls State Park and you will be able to walk to most everything. If you stay in a Hotel on the American side of Niagara Falls, a car can be your best option.

Parking Costs in Niagara Falls Canada

Parking is truly at a premium on the Canadian side of the border in Niagara Falls, Ontario. If you’re planning to stay downtown, it’s crucial to check your hotel’s daily parking rate beforehand.

At some high-end hotels, self-parking can cost upwards of $70 per day, while valet parking can reach as much as $100 daily. Although more affordable options may be available, bear this cost in mind when deciding whether to rent a car that may spend most of its time idle in a parking lot.

Niagara Falls, Ontario, has a pretty decent public transportation system. With four buses circulating through the city during the tourist season, you can get by without a car and save $50 plus dollars a day on parking if you choose to go carless.

Renting a Car for Niagara Falls at the Buffalo Airport

The Buffalo Niagara Airport has a pretty good assortment of rental car agencies on the Airport. Rental agencies that have rental desks and cars at the airport include Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, and National.

After your flight arrives and you pick up your baggage on the ground floor, walk outside the glass doors and cross the pickup lanes to the rental car desks. This is just a very short walk of a few hundred feet.

Be sure to talk with the car rental agencies about any restrictions on crossing the border into Canada with the rental car and how you will handle the cashless tolls on the NYS Thruway (if you plan to use route I-190 the most direct route to Niagara Falls)

After you pick up your contract at the desk, the cars are located inside the parking ramp just a short walk from the rental desks. This is a great feature of the Buffalo Airport; you can grab your bags, pick up your contract and be in your car, all without having to ride a shuttle bus or walk a long distance.

It is very important to consider reserving your rental car before arriving at the airport. During the busy summer tourist season, rental cars are in high demand. It is not uncommon for even large national car rental agencies to run out of rental cars during the summer months.

Driving from the Buffalo Airport To Niagara Falls

As you depart the parking ramp, you will see signs for Niagara Falls. You will most likely be using your smartphone or GPS for directions but the route from the airport to Niagara Falls is pretty well-marked along the way. The drive time to Niagara Falls, NY, should be about 35 minutes.

If you plan to drive to the Canadian side of Niagara Falls, the driving distance will be about 27 miles. You can check the bridge traffic here. If you notice a big delay at the Rainbow Bridge, you can use an alternate bridge, such as the Peace Bridge in downtown Buffalo. You can also take a look at the Lewiston Queenston Bridge. Both of these bridges are good choices if there is a wait time of over 30 minutes on the Rainbow Bridge.

Directions Out of the Buffalo Airport Rental Car Parking Area

As you depart the parking rental car pickup area, follow the signs for “West to 33 and 90 to Buffalo /Niagara Falls. This route puts you onto the Route 33 expressway straight away.

Stay on Route 33 for 1.3 miles and exit onto I-90 E / I-290 to Niagara Falls, and you will be on your way to Niagara Falls.

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2. Ride Share Buffalo Airport to Niagara Falls

A second affordable option, and maybe the quickest option, is to take a ride share such as Lyft or Uber to Niagara Falls, NY. ( For those going to the Canadian side, Currently, Uber and Lyft policies state that they do not cross international borders.

The Rideshare pickup area is just a short walk outside the baggage claim area. Exit the Baggage claim area and turn left and walk to the end of the platform and the rideshare waiting area is midway down the sheltered waiting area. The average cost for a rideshare to Niagara Falls, NY Hotels will be in the $35 -$50 range. These prices for rideshares change depending on supply and demand, so take a look at the fare as your arrival date gets closer for the most accurate fare estimate.

Ride Share to Niagara Falls, Canada

If you are heading over to the Canadian side of Niagara Falls, and your driver is unable to cross the border, you can get dropped off at the “Visitor Center parking Lot #1” (397 Prospect Street Niagara Falls, NY). You can now walk across the Rainbow Bridge into Canada. Follow the signs for “Rainbow Bridge – Pedestrians to Canada.”

This may seem like an odd workaround but trust me, hundreds of people walk across the bridge each day during the busy tourism season. Just be sure to have your passport or enhanced license with you, as you will clear customs on the Canadian side.

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3. Taxi from Buffalo Airport to Niagara Falls

The only transportation option to Niagara Falls that requires no pre-planning is to take a cab to Niagara Falls. As you exit the baggage claim area, walk through the sliding glass doors into the pickup area. Walk across the traffic lanes at the crosswalk, and on the left, you will see the cab Stand for “airport taxi Sevice ” The cabs are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Plan on a fare of about $75 to a hotel on the American side of the border. The fares to a Canadian hotel in Niagara Falls, Ontario, could reach close to $100. If you have a delay at the border, such as being put into secondary inspection, the driver will most likely charge for waiting time in 15-minute blocks of time at a rate of $30 per hour. You will also be expected to give your driver an additional tip of about 15 to 20 percent of the total fare.

Plan on total cab fare with the tip being around $100 for a hotel in Niagara Falls, USA, and about $125 for a hotel in Niagara Falls, Canada.

Ask your driver or the cab standard attendant for a flat rate fare to your hotel. This is commonplace and you can ride to Niagara Falls without having to watch the fare meter run for 35 minutes.

4. Regional Bus Service from Buffalo Airport to Niagara Falls

The regional bus service is probably the best-kept secret for getting from the Buffalo Airport to Niagara Falls. You can check bus schedules below on the BusBud widget (we are not an affiliate of Busbud) for the buses running on your day of arrival.

The following bus lines offer daily trips from Buffalo Niagara Airport to Niagara Falls. I have used the Greyhound bus from the Buffalo Bus Terminal in downtown but taking a bus right from the airport way faster.

Ourbus currently has service to Niagara Falls from the Buffalo Airport at the following Times. 6:10 am, 12:45 pm, 4:20 pm, and 11:05 pm

FlixBus at 1:30 pm to Niagara Falls, Canada (Fallsview Casino)

You can check the Busbud Widget below for Buses, Fares, and Times. Be sure to check if the Bus is departing from the Buffalo Niagara Airport or the Downtown Buffalo Station. (this is not an affiliate link)

Busbud

From baggage claim on the ground level, walk out the sliding glass doors and turn to the left following the signs for “Buses/ Ride Sharing.. Ourbus and FlixBus will pick up past the rideshare and shuttle bus area.

Greyhound, FlixBus, and Trailways also offer service to Niagara Falls from the downtown Buffalo bus terminal. You can take NFTA bus 24 – GENESEE to the downtown Buffalo bus station ($2) and either take NFTA us 40 to Niagara Falls, NY ($2) or select a regional bus (Greyhound, FlixBus, Trailways, etc.) to Niagara Falls, Canada if you do not want to walk across the Rainbow Bridge.

Just FYI, Megabus is not currently running to Buffalo or Niagara Falls. You will see a sign for the bus outside the airport; however, buses are not currently scheduled for our area.

5. NFTA-Metro Bus from Buffalo Airport to Niagara Falls

As mentioned above, the local metro transportation public bus system for the Buffalo Niagara Region is called NFTA-Metro and has an hourly bus service to Niagara Falls, NY. The only catch is you have to first take a bus from the Buffalo Airport to the downtown Buffalo bus Station at 181 Ellicott Street. This is not an ideal transportation option as it will take between 2-3 hours to cover the distance to Niagara Falls, NY.

The only good part of using the NFTA-METRO is the entire trip from the airport to Niagara Falls will cost only about$4 per person and is the cheapest way to get to Niagara Falls.

To take the NFTA-METRO to Niagara Falls, you will use NFTA bus 24 – GENESEE to the downtown Buffalo bus station ($2) and e take NFTA us 40 to Niagara Falls, NY ($2).

Bus 24 will be a pickup in the Bus/ Ride Share area outside the terminal. After you pick up your baggage, walk through the glass doors and follow the signs for the Bus/rideshare Area. Look for the location marked NFTA-METRO Buses Only. Bus 24 runs about every half hour until early evening, then switching to hourly. Ask the Bus driver where the best stop will be for the Regional Bus Station.

The NFTA Runs Several Bus 24 Options from the Buffalo Airport to the Downtown Bus Station

I would only recommend using this NFTA-METRO bus option to those who are experienced city bus riders. Although the cost will only be $4 to get to Niagara Falls, NY, the trip can take upwards of 3 hours.

From the main Downtown Bus Station, you will take NFTA -METRO bus 40 to Niagara Falls. Bus 40 departs hourly to Niagara Falls, NY. from the downtown bus station.

You can find the NFTA-METRO bus schedules for buses 24 and 40 here.

6. Shuttle Bus Service from Buffalo Airport to Niagara Falls

I am going to categorize into this group of transportation options any ground transportation that requires a prior reservation. This includes shuttle buses and vans, limos, sedans, and car services. Even tour operators offer transfers to Niagara Falls, NY, and Niagara Falls, Ontario.

On the Buffalo Niagara Airports ground transportation website are listed a large number of operators that can take you to Niagara Falls, USA, and Niagara Falls, Ontario. There are over a dozen options listed on the Shuttle Van and Taxi page and another dozen or so listed on the Canadian Transport page.

Some popular Shuttle Services:

Buffalo Airport shuttle is probably the best-known shuttle service to Niagara Falls. You can set up a private or shared ride to Niagara Falls through their website. The shuttles can be more expensive than a cab to Niagara Falls but the service will be a bit more comfortable. You can plan to pay close to $150 for a trip to the US or Canadian side.

Niagara Airbus. Niagara Airbus specializes in trips not only to Niagara Falls, Ontario, but also services stops all the way up to the Greater Toronto Area (GTA)

Grey Line Tours offers rides to Niagara Falls, NY, and Niagara Falls, Ontario, as well as service to the Toronto Airport. The rates are listed on their webpage. The fares are reasonable. You can get a ride for 1-3 people for under $100 and if you have a group of 4-9 people, you can get a ride for everyone for under $150 (excluding tips). That’s not bad when you think what three cabs would cost.

7. Amtrak Train from Buffalo Airport to Niagara Falls

Taking the train from Buffalo to Niagara Falls is not exactly a great option, as you will have to get over to one of Buffalo’s two train stations. There are only three trains a day to Niagara Falls, NY, and Just one train a day to Niagara Falls, Canada, and continuing on to Toronto.

Amtrak’s Buffalo Depew station is only 3 miles from the Buffalo airport. You should be able to catch a rideshare for $10-15 dollars or a cab for about $20 over to the station. A train ticket will cost about $14 to Niagara Falls, NY, or about $20 to Niagara Falls, Ontario. You should reserve your ticket online, but there are usually seats available from Buffalo Depew station to Niagara Falls for last-minute purchases.

Trains currently depart for Niagara Falls, NY, at 3:18 pm, 6:32 pm, and 9:16 pm. The trains take a little over an hour to make the journey due to a stop en route at the second Buffalo train station in downtown Buffalo.

Once you arrive at the Amtrak Niagara Falls, NY, train station, you will still most likely need to catch a ride to your hotel or to the Rainbow Bridge if you will be crossing the border.

There is one train a day to Niagara Falls, Ontario, departing Buffalo Depew Station at 3:18 pm. and arriving in Nagara Falls, Ontario, at 4:51 pm (the time frame of an hour and a half is due to the entire train having to pass through customs at the Canadian border). The train then travels on to Toronto Union Station.

As you can see, traveling from the Buffalo Airport to the Amtrak station, then spending an hour or more on the train, and finally taking a second cab or rideshare can become quite a hassle. The total cost will likely approximate what you would have spent on a direct rideshare from the Buffalo Airport to your hotel in the first place.

That Just About Sums It Up

That should cover the most obvious ways to get from Buffalo Airport to Niagara Falls. I was once asked if you could ride a bike from the airport to Niagara Falls. I have actually done most of this ride a few times. If you are a good rider and you have some decent weather, it is possible. The only issue is even if you spend as much time as you can on bike trails, there is still a lot of street riding involved to get to Niagara Falls. So unless you are a true diehard and you are at home with a 25-mile ride, I would not recommend trying to ride from the airport to Niagara Falls.

Good luck on your trip to Niagara Falls, and be sure to take a look at our article on What to wear to Niagara Falls, along with a few packing ideas.

FAQ:

Q: What are the best options to travel from Buffalo Airport to Niagara Falls?

A: There are several options to travel from Buffalo Airport to Niagara Falls. Renting a car, taking a taxi or ride share, or scheduling a shuttle bus is the most popular way to go; you can also use several different bus services that run throughout the day, or as a last option, there are three Amtrak trains a day to Niagara Fall departing from either of the Amtrak stations in Buffalo

Q: Can I take an airport shuttle from Buffalo Airport to Niagara Falls?

A: Yes, you can take an airport shuttle from Buffalo Airport to Niagara Falls. This is a convenient and affordable option for transportation.  There are many providers of this service and you can get a complete list on the Buffalo Niagara Airports webpage. 

Q: What is the cheapest way to travel from Buffalo to Niagara Falls?

A: The cheapest way to travel from Buffalo to Niagara Falls is by taking the public bus. This option is budget-friendly at only $4 but this requires taking two separate buses from the Buffalo Airport (Bus 24) to downtown Buffalo, then catching (Bus 40 ) to Niagara Falls.  This Journey can take between 2-3 hours, so other alternatives are preferred. 

Q: Is there a bus route from Buffalo to Niagara Falls?

A: Yes, there is a bus route from Buffalo to Niagara Falls. You can take the public bus service: NFTA-METRO.  Depart the Airport for downtown Buffalo on bus 24.  Then once downtown, catch Bus 40 to Niagara Falls.  There are also a few nonstop or one-stop bus services provided by FlixBus and Ourbus that are much more convenient and cost less than $15

Q: How can I book a transportation service from Buffalo Airport to Niagara Falls?

A: You can book a transportation service from Buffalo Airport to Niagara Falls online. There are various websites and apps that offer this service for your convenience.  The Buffalo Niagara Airport has a complete list of shuttle buses, car services, taxis, and tour operators that provide this service to Niagara Falls, NY, and Niagara Falls, Ontario. 

Q: Which is the best airport to fly into for visiting Niagara Falls?

A: The best airport to fly into for visiting Niagara Falls is Buffalo Niagara International Airport. The Buffalo Niagara Airport is about 25 miles or a 35-minute car ride from Niagara Falls. Buffalo Niagara Airport (BUF) is the closest airport to Niagara Falls that offers scheduled passenger service by the major airline carrier.