I'm thinking of the best way to get to Manhattan from JFK. How does this one sound?
AirTran to Howard Beach Station, then Subway from there to Inwood 207 St.
Is that a complicated one, and is there a better way? It might be slightly complicated for me as a foreigner, who's never been to US, let alone NYC.
jdtravel
Jul 5, 12, 3:57 pm
I took the air train and transferred to go to Manhatan and it was fine. You need to buy a ticket at howard beach station if I remember correctly. The train had people there to assist and provide directions. I was very pleased but only had one bag with me.
If you're trying to get to Inwood from JFK via public transportation, that is certainly a good way to do so. If you want to save yourself a few dollars, you can also take the Q10 or Q10 Limited bus from JFK Terminal 4 to the "A" train terminal at Lefferts Boulevard and Liberty Avenue, and board the Manhattan-bound "A" train there.
Note that ground transportation options are extensively discussed in the FT Wiki, and there is also an FT New York City forum where such issues frequently come up.
Powka
Jul 5, 12, 4:08 pm
Ok, thanks guys! Just a quick question - isn't there a no-change public transportation option from JFK to any place in Manhattan?
There is an express bus that operates between JFK and midtown Manhattan, but it is privately operated.
chessman
Jul 5, 12, 4:20 pm
Depending on where in Manhattan you're going, it might be faster to take the AirTrain to Jamaica Station and take the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) or the E train.
cordelli
Jul 5, 12, 4:58 pm
Ok, thanks guys! Just a quick question - isn't there a no-change public transportation option from JFK to any place in Manhattan?
Not unless you want to walk.
Best is a relative term. The bus and subway is certainly the cheapest, but others won't go near the bus and subway and take a cab.
Is it complicated to take the train and subway?
It's a pretty simple thing, follow the signs up to the airtrain, and get on one heading to the Howard Beach station. Transfer over to the A train, and it's a single ride from there up to 207th street.
It's like 50 stops from Howard Beach.
Be aware that starting on the 9th for four nights, from 10 pm to 5 am they will be doing track work and the trains won't be running on those lines. If your plans include those overnights, you will need to make other arrangements.
nrr
Jul 5, 12, 6:00 pm
Not unless you want to walk.
Best is a relative term. The bus and subway is certainly the cheapest, but others won't go near the bus and subway and take a cab.
Is it complicated to take the train and subway?
It's a pretty simple thing, follow the signs up to the airtrain, and get on one heading to the Howard Beach station. Transfer over to the A train, and it's a single ride from there up to 207th street.
It's like 50 stops from Howard Beach.
Be aware that starting on the 9th for four nights, from 10 pm to 5 am they will be doing track work and the trains won't be running on those lines. If your plans include those overnights, you will need to make other arrangements.
During the day the A runs express in Brooklyn and Manhattan, so it is <30 stops [at night it could approach 50.]
Ocn Vw 1K
Jul 5, 12, 6:40 pm
Please follow in the Destinations NYC forum and I'll move it there.
doublemazaa
Jul 5, 12, 7:42 pm
Ok, thanks guys! Just a quick question - isn't there a no-change public transportation option from JFK to any place in Manhattan?
A bunch of people said no to this, but isn't this exactly what the A train is? Howard Beach -> Inwood via the West Side? It's a long ride, ~1:15 to lower Manhattan, probably ~1:40 to the Inwood, but you don't have to change, unless you're counting airtrain.
"but you don't have to change, unless you're counting airtrain."
Well, of course you'd count the AirTrain. For one thing, it's not free when taken to either of the two terminals where subway connections are possible; for another, it's not really feasible to walk to the Howard Beach subway station from the JFK terminals.
By contrast, one can get a one-seat ride from airports like PHL and ORD to downtown.
Analise
Jul 5, 12, 9:30 pm
Hello people,
I'm thinking of the best way to get to Manhattan from JFK. How does this one sound?
AirTran to Howard Beach Station, then Subway from there to Inwood 207 St.
Is that a complicated one, and is there a better way? It might be slightly complicated for me as a foreigner, who's never been to US, let alone NYC.That's a long, long ride. Are you in fact going to 207th St?
Powka
Jul 5, 12, 11:41 pm
That's a long, long ride. Are you in fact going to 207th St?
Yeah, wanna see the friend's building :) Will have about 4 hours before hotel check-in.
Analise
Jul 6, 12, 8:05 am
Yeah, wanna see the friend's building :) Will have about 4 hours before hotel check-in.Well, it will certainly be easy. :p
ijgordon
Jul 6, 12, 5:40 pm
Yeah, wanna see the friend's building :) Will have about 4 hours before hotel check-in.
As in the television show "Friends"? That's in the West Villiage, not Inwood.
Your original suggestion is fine, but will probably take longer than AirTrain to Jamaica, LIRR to Penn Station, A train to 207th. Of course this will also cost an extra $3.75-8.75 depending on day/time and involves an extra transfer.
FYI, the A train from Howard Beach to 207th street is scheduled for about 1h15m. Add 15-20 minutes for the Airtrain ride and transfer, so 1h30+ total.
From Penn Station to 207th is about 30-35 minutes. Add about 40 minutes for Terminal to Penn station via AirTrain/LIRR and 5 minutes for transfer at Penn -- total time of 1h15+
So probably 15 minutes faster. May not be worth it.
op487062
Jul 12, 12, 2:50 am
Depending on how tired you feel after a long flight (5+hrs for me), I'd suggest looking at taking a car into the city.
Each time I arrived at JFK from LAX, I was hardly in the mood to get on crowded trains with a couple of transfers to make it uptown to my hotel. Going to JFK from Manhattan was always fine on the subways.