Forgive my ignorance, but in all the threads about the AirTrain at JFK I've yet to get a clear picture of precisely what is involved at both the terminal and the connection to the subway.
I'll be arriving in NYC for the first time on 9/20 at 4.05pm (at least that's what BA says, but I'm not holding my breath
). As I'm staying at a hotel in West 44th St in Manhattan, I believe the E train to Lexington Ave/53rd St with a V to 42nd St is my best bet on the subway, so I plan on taking the AirTrain to Jamaica-Sutphin Bvld and connecting to the E from there.
My question is, precisely what directions do I have to follow to do this? Obviously the AirTrain runs on its loop above the main arrivals level, so what signage and/or stairs do I have to look for once I clear customs and get out into the hall?
So from there I have to get a Jamaica-bound train, get off at Jamaica and buy a $7 Metrocard from the vending machines before the ticket barriers to pay for the rides. But how do I get to the westbound E train platform once I'm through the ticket barrier? Apparently you can either go down to the street and enter the subway station by going around a corner, or now there's escalators down to the LIRR station from where you can now also access the subway platforms without going outside?
I've tried to make sense of what FTers have said in other threads, but I always get confused as to what directions to follow to make it. In addition, is the subway going into Manhattan likely to be jam-packed at 4.30 in the afternoon? I'm sure the outbound trains will be, but I'm interested to know whether I'll be squashed like a sardine in the process!
I'm sure it'll all be simple once I get there, but some guidance would be appreciated.