Burning Man is located 2,500 miles from New York City and this is unlikely to change. Getting there can be a logistical and financial challenge, but the community works together to make it as simple as possible.

Getting YOU there

Most New Yorkers either fly to Reno (the nearest large city) or California (where you may have a couch to crash on) and rent a car for the week to drive out. One night stays the day before and after at hotels or with friends are recommended. There are Burner Express Buses from San Francisco and Reno which can save you the time and expense of renting a car.

Getting YOUR STUFF there

The NYC Community Container project which ships cargo en masse from New York City directly to Burning Man, great for tents, bikes, and art projects that might not fit under the seat in front of you. Some camps make their own shipping arraignments; the best way to know if you can use them is connecting with your local community

How can I make this happen?

For most New Yorkers, it costs north of $1,500 to attend Burning Man, primarily as part of ticket cost and transportation costs. If you can get a deal on airfare or a lower price ticket, you may be able to reduce this significantly.

Tickets

Main sale tickets to Burning Man currently cost $575 (for the 2024 Event). There is a ticket aid program offering cheaper tickets to lower income participants, available through application process. See the Burning Man Ticket page for more information.

Airfare

Departure airports are LGA, EWR or JFK. The sooner you get your tickets the better, and sometimes you have to get your plane tickets before your Burning Man tickets.

Transportation to Playa

The Burner Express Bus travels between playa, Reno and San Francisco and ticket sales close in mid-August. It's more environmentally friendly, more convenient, and you get to hang out on a bus with a lot of burners.

Alternatively, if you have a good friend on the west coast who is driving out in their car or RV and would love to have you along. If not, get some friends together and split a car rental as many ways as possible.

Car Rental Pro Tips:

• Read your rental and insurance policy carefully and find out what the terms are regarding bringing your rented vehicle out of state.

• Some credit card companies provide supplementary insurance coverage if you use their card. However, they may specifically exclude certain vehicle types such as pick up trucks. Check with them ahead of time to confirm.

• You may be charged significantly more if you are under 25 or are not an American citizen. There are sometimes additional charges depending on your zip code.

• Be sure to return rented vehicles in spotless condition, or you will be charged extra. A lot extra.

• Some have gotten their car rental reservations canceled, so if you can help it, don’t mention where you’re headed.

• Driving to playa, police will ticket and search you for minor infractions and driving even slightly over the speed limit in the towns (and middle of nowhere) surrounding Black Rock. Beware!

• People sometimes take taxis from Reno to playa.

Shelter

If an RV or trailer isn’t an option, it is advised to use a shade covered tent without any mesh areas that cannot be zipped closed. Tents without closable mesh are sometimes labeled "4 season" or "All Season"

Food

Bring all the water and all the food you need and like to eat that is full of protein and will keep you going. You will want salty things. Tequila is good too.

Have fun in the dust!