This is the season for rediscovering the outdoors by bike—beyond Central Park, beyond Manhattan—where there are fewer people, less traffic, and vistas that don’t include concrete, glass, or steel.
If you were wondering where or if you can bring your bike aboard the trains heading out of Grand Central or Penn Station, the answer is yes and the options are endless.
For those who rarely bike off the beaten paths there are dozens of bicycle clubs—in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut—that schedule rewarding rides for every level, from a beginner’s outing of ten miles over easy rolling terrain to a day trip through killer hills. There are hundreds of clubs across the Tri-State area that would welcome new riders at any time for a nominal fee.
But how do you get there? The good news is that all trains heading out of New York City allow bicycles on board at certain times. Take a look at the websites below, which provide the rules, regulations, and costs for taking your bicycle on trains to Long Island (great flat riding), Westchester and points north (varied terrain), and New Jersey (scenic mountain trails).
- New York subways, MTA Metro-North Railroad, and Long Island Railroad (LIRR) Regulations (Allowed on subways all the time, allowed on MTA and LIRR with $5 lifetime pass during most non-rush and holiday hours)
- Bicycles on NJ TRANSIT (Trains, Buses, and Ferries, including Staten Island)
- PATH Rapid Transit System (Allowed during certain hours)
If you’re out of shape and need a little more encouragement, consider the fact that you burn between 500 and 1,000 calories an hour (depending on your speed, terrain, and your own weight, of course), and this eco-friendly activity causes less strain on your joints than walking or running. And—after you buy a bike—the cost of using it is almost zero. What are you waiting for?
*Author’s Bike Route Pick for Intermediate Riders: One of my favorite biking destinations is the Westchester Bike Trail that runs from Yonkers to Northern Westchester County. You’ll traverse a smooth mostly level, car–free road that has very few well-marked street crossings. You’ll be distracted by the beautiful blooming landscapes (including a number of small towns) so you won’t realize how much your working those quads. Purchase a $5 permit to ride Metro North (good forever) and get off at Hastings-on-Hudson. From the Hasting-on-Hudson train station, ride up Main Street until you come to route 9 which is also called Farragut Avenue. Make a right and follow the road until you come to Ravensdale Road. Make a left turn then proceed east down to the Saw Mill River Parkway. Just east of the parkway, you will pick up the bike trail, which runs north and south.
Photo: Courtesy of Feref García
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Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain 
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram