I need to go to the Upper East Side from JFK on Friday afternoon rush hour and since I was a subway rat when I was a kid, I believe that I am clear on how to get there by rail. I take the AirTrain to the LIRR station, walk the few blocks to the Sutphin Blvd IND line station, and take the F train to a new stop at Lexington and 63rd. When I get there it appears that there is some way that I can get to the IRT Lexington Avenue Local up to 77th Street. Is there a passageway to the Lex stop at 59th?

A couple of questions for the regulars;

1 - In the old days, there were certain times when the F ran express and only the E stopped at Sutphin Blvd so you needed to take it to Union Turnpike to get the F. The current map makes it appear that the F now stops at Sutphin Blvd full time. Is that correct?

2 - How do you pay for this trip? Can you buy a card at JFK or only at the end of the line in Jamaica? How much is the card for the AirTrain and the one subway ride? I don't want to buy a ticket for rides that I will not use although if I could buy a ticket that would work on the Third Avenue Bus uptown, that would be an added bonus since it is my best public transport option from 63rd and Lex. If not, do the buses only take the cards or can you still use exact change?

I know that this is the place where I can get this info and am thanking the NYC gang in advance for their help.