Originally Posted by
Blumie
No need to be afraid of shenanigans if you know what to expect. The meter should start at $2.50 when you first get in, plus a surcharge (which will appear separately on the right hand side of the meter) of $1.50 (if between 4:00pm and 8:00pm on a weekday), $1.00 (if between 8:00pm and 6:00am any day of the week), or $0.50 (at all other times). The total metered fare from LGA to your hotel, before adding in the surcharge, will be about $25.00 (a couple dollars more, perhaps, if traffic is heavy, as it often is crossing Manhattan to the area of your hotel). On top of that you'll have to pay the $4.57 toll for the Midtown Tunnel or the RFK Bridge (I recommend the Midtown Tunnel -- it usually will be the fastest route -- although if you really want to save the $4.57, you could ask the driver to take the 59th Street bridge) and a tip (15%-20% is normal on a trip like this; 20%-25% is normal for shorter distance rides around Manhattan). When you add it all up, you'll find that your ride will cost around $35 to $40.
You are way more generous with your taxi tipping than I am. They are doing their job, if they get me there a little quicker, don't have their radio blaring, stay off their phone, etc - they may get a bit more but 20+% - for what????
To the OP, I agree with everyone else that taxi is the easiest and best method. If you are really concerned, make sure the fare display shows a 1 to the right of the dollars, other numbers will only apply if you travel outside the city and they can charge higher rates.