Welcome2Miami

I wanted to know what's the cheapest and/or easiest way to get from LaGuardia to lower Manhattan?

I was told I can take express trains 4 or 5, but since I'm going for an interview, I want to be as worry free as possible.

How much would a cab run on either direction?

Thanks

clarence5ybr

You have to take a bus from LGA to get to the subway, so if you haven't done it before and you have an interview to get to, a cab is probably best. If you're still interested in taking the bus/subway, there is a fourm you can search in that should already have details: http://flyertalk.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=465

Without knowing exactly where you're going in 'Lower Manhattan', I'd say to allow about $25-30 (plus tip and any toll) for a cab from LGA; your actual fare depends on exactly where you're going, what route you take, whether the route involves a toll, etc.

GUWonder

The cheapest is the bus/subway, which can be done for $2.00 (or even less) each-way via a MetroCard (to be purchased before boarding the MetroBus, perhaps even at a news kiosk at the airport). A cab to lower Manhattan would run closer to $27-$42 bucks each way (tolls included), depending on how bad traffic is to the place you are going to/from and the route taken. If it's rush hour, the subway can be a better option even for the less-price sensitive.

If going from LGA to say down to the Wall Street area, I'd take a cab to the subway in East Harlem or to the Upper East Side and take the 4,5,6 down to City Hall/Brooklyn Bridge or Fulton at most hours other than during rush hour. To the WFC area, I'd take a cab to a nearby subway stop in Queens like Jackson Heights/Roosevelt Avenue and then E-train it downtown. There are several other combinations/permutations that are possible, but I'd definitely avoid doing a cab the whole way during rush-hour unless there were other concerns involved. (One such concern could be to avoid dealing with the heat.)

Welcome2Miami

Thanks for the info.

I'm actually going to Broad Way & Exchange... but I figure having so many things in my mind for the interview, the least I want to do is worry about a bus and the subway.

Thanks again.

cova

If you have time, you can take the Airport Bus to Grand Central Terminal at 42nd and Lexington Ave, then take the subway from there (Lexington Ave Line). The non-stop airport bus is about every 20-30 minutes. Cost is $12 one way or $21 for a round trip. Then the subway is: $2. one way, $7 for a day pass, $24 for a week pass.

If you arrive on the DL shuttle you have to have the attendent radio for the bus to stop at the Marine terminal.

nytango

Really not enough information to help.. What time of day?? I assume weekday for an interview. If it is around rush hour subway might very well be cheapest and least stressfull. Cab from lga to bqe to brooklyn bridge no toll and figure on hour in weekday morning between 8-10 around 30$ but if traffic it can be a nightmare.. after 10am and before 4 not much of a problem.

GUWonder

Cab from LGA to there: $27-$35 bucks depending on how well things worked out for me.

Welcome2Miami

I'll be arriving at 8:45am on JetBlue. I bet that's not the best time to drive around, but the interview is at 11am so I should have plenty of time.

Flight back is at 9:45pm so I think I'll hang around until after rush hour.

Palal

Bus options: M33 will take you to the 7 line, which enters Manhattan at 42nd St and stops at Grand Central and Times Square or M60 which goes to Harlem where you can transfer to any north-south Manhattan trains.

TWA Fan 1

Cheapest and easiest won't be the same, as noted in earlier posts.

Cheapest: Bus & Subway. This will cost you $2.00 each way. If you want to do this, exit the terminal and look for the M-60 bus. For this ride to cost you only 2 bucks, however, you'll have to purchase a MetroCard at LGA, and I can't say with 100% certainty that it is possible to buy a MetroCard anywhere at LGA.

If you can't buy a MetroCard (you can't buy one on the bus), you'll need two dollars in change when you board the bus and then you'll need to pay a 2nd fare when you board the subway (in the old days they used to provide a paper transfer but this is no longer the case).

As far as buying a MetroCard the minimum pay-per-ride MetroCard will run you $4.00. This would be enough for one ride from LGA to lower Manhattan and back. You can always add to the MetroCard at any vending machine (which are in every subway station).

If you decide to do this, take the M-60 bus to the stop in Astoria, Queens where you can pick up the N/W subways (ask the driver to announce when the stop is coming up). You'll be getting off at Astoria Blvd & 31st Street

Get off the bus and climb up to the subway platform. Even though the subway is usually underground, it runs elevated in this part of Queens.

If you already had your MetroCard from the bus, simply swipe it through the tunstile and you'll get a free transfer. If not, you'll have to buy a MetroCard at one of the vending machines (they accept cash, credit cards and bank ATM cards).

Go to the Manhattan-bound platform and take the W (not the N, but the W) to Rector Place. That's 19 stops.

When you exit the Rector Street station you'll be one block from Broadway and Exchange Alley. You can either walk downtown (south) one block on Trinity Place and then turn left (east) on Exchange Alley or you can walk one block east on Rector Street and turn right (south) on Broadway and walk one more block to Exchange Alley.

Easiest: Hail a cab at LGA and let him/her do all the work. A cab will run you about $35. If you decide to take a cab, I'd suggest taking the Brooklyn Queens Expressway (BQE) to the Brooklyn Bridge. Most cabbies will take you via the Midtown Tunnel and the the FDR Drive or one of the eastside avenues, but the BQE tends to be a little less congested (although there will still be lots of traffic).

Good luck!

nytango

I am not sure that is enough time. It is most likely possible but you are counting on flight getting in on time and no traffic. I wouldnt cut it so close for an important interview. If anything goes wrong you will not make it. Any possiblity of scheduling the interview after noon? At least then you will be relaxed.

seat 50J

They are for sale at the Hudson News store in the food court near the AA ticket counter. THey are probably for sale at other Hudson News stores throughout the airport.

The Metro Cards are $10 for 6 rides compared with $2 if you pay for rides separately on the bus or subway. If the person is arriving in the am and leaving that same day, it will probably be useful (2 rides-bus then subway- to the interview, 2 rides back, 2 rides to be used during the middle of the day)

mcgahat

I do have a question as I dont normally do the subway. If I get a $10 metrocard can I use that for multiple people in my party? Also, if I am going to LGA from the Millenium Hilton could I just take the 4,5,6 straight up to the upper east side and cab it from there and save some bucks? Thanks and sorry for hijacking but seems like the topic is pretty close to something I have bene wondering for a while.

guv1976

Yes, a pay-per-ride Metrocard can be used by multiple passengers. You will swipe (or dip, if you board a bus) the card one time for each passenger in your party. The card will also store up to four free transfers (from subway to bus, bus to subway, or bus to bus). If you wish to take advantage of the free transfer feature, when you transfer to the connecting bus or subway, be sure to swipe (or dip) the card only once; the system will recognize how many free transfers are stored on your card. If you are transfering to a bus, the fare box will beep one time for each free transfer, so that the bus driver knows how many in your party to let board; if you are transferring to a subway, the turnstile will remain unlocked for the number of rotations necessary to accommodate your party. If, when transferring, you swipe or dip the Metrocard more than once, additional fares will be deducted from your card. And remember: all pay-per-ride Metrocard purchases of $10.00 or more come with a 20% bonus, so you will actually get a Metrocard worth $12.00.

From the Millenium Hilton, the cheapest way to get to LGA is to take the E train from Chambers Street/WTC station to Roosevelt Avenue/Jackson Heights, and transfer (for free) to the Q33 bus to the LGA terminals (or to the Q47 bus to the Marine Air Terminal if you are flying on the Delta Shuttle). Subway ride takes about 30 minutes; the connecting bus takes about 25 minutes, and runs frequently.

Rapunzel1701

You could also look at taking M60 to 125th & Lexington then the 4 or 5 (express) subway to Wall Street. $2 with a MetroCard.

Now I don't live in New York, but for the past couple of months, I've been taking M60/Metro-North from LGA to Stamford, CT and back. My flight arrives at 1020-1030 and with one exception have been on the platform at 125th Street by 1117 for the express train.

The M60 going into Manhattan is always around 30 minutes. The trip to LGA has taken from 20 minutes to 1.5 hours depending on the time of day.

I've only taken the green line from Lower Manhattan to the M60 once and the worst part was the wait for the bus.