bjwintl

Need to get an inexperinced traveler from LGA to EWR this Friday evening about 9 PM. It is the start of the 4th of July weekend 2011. Any thoughts on best way for an inexperienced traveler friend to safely get from LGA to EWR where I can meet her?

magiciansampras

Taxi?

RichardKenner

That's about the only practical way. Any other way involves at least two trains and a bus.

YCTTSFM

For one adult passenger, if

1) person is comfortable using urban transportation and
2) not accompanied by more than one other person and
3) doesn't have a large amount of luggage, and
4) time is not at a premium,

googling ewr-lga shuttles will bring up many options. Shuttles may be booked in advance online. Many offer discounts for AAA, airline or credit card membership, online booking, etc. Doesn't take significantly longer

If
1) money is not tight and
2) the person hasn't been to the New York area before,

follow magiciansampras' advice and enjoy the taxi!

RichardKenner

Yes, but what I see there are mostly shuttles from those airports to other places and not from airport to airport. There's no going to be a whole lot of difference between a taxi and a "shuttle" in that situation since it's rare that they'd be able to share a vehicle. It wouldn't surprise me if it'd actually be more expensive using such a service to do that.

mikemey

LGA to EWR is a nightmare at best, and, if there's traffic, a taxi could be prohibitively expensive, unless you agree to a fare in advance (NYC Taxi's will do this when going out of NYC, livery cabs who knows)

It can be done via public transportation. You have to get yourself to Penn Station in NYC (Not Grand Central Terminal) and then you can get New Jersey Transit (NE Corridor) to Newark Airport. They'll charge you $5.00 extra for the privledge, on top of whatever the fares are (If I remember right, my last trip from JFK to NJ via AirTrain and Penn Station was ~$20.00, several years ago.

Good luck!

nasa808

I found this link helpful before...

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/mileage-run-discussion/1197721-transfer-lga-ewr-cheapest-way-do.html

RichardKenner

Which is the hard part. Best is Q33 to E train. (There are also private buses.) Not recommended for an inexperienced traveller.

mikemey

Hell, I'm pretty savvy when it comes to public transportation in and around NYC, and I wouldn't even attempt a public transportation transfer from LGA to EWR.

Tho, tbh, it might be easier to get a cab over to Citi Field and grab a 7 into Manhattan then Cab over to Penn Station. Or, failing that, you can take the S from Grand Central Terminal to Times Square, then hop on a 1, 2, or 3 to 33rd Street.

All in all, I'd rather not. lol

Often1

You don't say when you arrive at LGA, but this is unfortunately a trip which can take 2-1/2 hours in a vehicle. With bad security lines at EWR and LGA subject to all manner of ATC delays on Fridays, you should be planning a minimum 5-hour connect.

I would call a car service and get a specific quote. I use Elite and find them to be reliable and not grotesquely priced. A taxi without a negotiated rate on the Friday of a holiday weekend into the City and then back out can run significantly more.

Last question - Where are you coming from into LGA and headed to out of EWR. May be worth a change fee if you don't have status to get yourself a better routing.

kochleffel

All County Express, $32 http://www.allcountyexpress.com/airport.htm
ETS Airport Shuttle, $32 http://www.etsairportshuttle.com/

YCTTSFM

There are direct EWR-LGA shuttles that don't stop in Manhattan, on the first Google page that pops up. I've used them, and had no better nor worse experiences than taking taxis.

As I have no idea what this person's finances are, I looked for the safest cheapest option. Many of us on FT have been comfortable for so long, we forget what it's like not to be.

Would never send anyone new to NYC on a train on the Friday night of a major holiday (even after rush hour), especially an infrequent traveller who may have a huge/borrowed suitcase! We don't know for certain s/he is comfortable reading/speaking English, either.

My caveat about being comfortable using urban transportation was serious: many perfectly capable people live in areas so rural that even taking a bus is foreign; they never do it, so sorting out the important info from the rest in a busy urban environment is not something to do under a deadline.

Often1 makes some good points about connections and times: if those fees are within budget, it would make a much more comfortable trip.

mikemey

Sure, but you have to either go through Manhattan (nevermind the Tri-Boro bridge) to get to the Lincoln Tunnel, or get on the BQE to hit the Verrazano/Outerbridge or Goethals to get into NJ on that same holiday weekend. Toss in the NJ Turnpike and an outsider might be queasy. Not something I'd want to subject to anyone, new to NYC or a veteran.

10 Years ago or so, I'd agree with you. The alphabet/number soup that is NYC Transit can be daunting. But now, mta.info is quite helpful. If you preplan your trip, you can pretty much figure out where you need to go before hand. Then, it's really no more confusing than say the Washington DC Metro. The sticking point here is LGA, since it's not served by any convenient mass transit. That's why I suggested a cab over to Citi Field, get on the 7 to GCT, S to Times Square, 1, 2, or 3 to Penn Station, NE Corridor NJT line to EWR. It'll take at least 2 hours, probably longer, but might be better than sitting in NYC traffic. Heck, I'll bet the website has a better route that I'm not even thinking of.

I've never ridden a NYC bus, so yeah, I'd be confused too. Sure, this caveat is smart thinking, but I wouldn't call it etched in stone.

I'll throw my +1 here.

saulblum

The Mets are hosting the Yankees starting this Friday evening. Depending on what time the friend actually gets out of LGA, he or she might end up at Citi Field as the game is ending, and the 7 will be swarmed. Not a wise move.

If you're going to go the subway route, probably better to catch a cab the other way, to Astoria, and get the N to Times Square, and then either the 1/2/3 or A/C/E down to Penn Station, or just stay on to 34th Street and walk the few avenues over.

YCTTSFM

Agree, except I'd never-never-ever send my friend, who's lived all her life in a 30-household town in Wyoming, to find the right bus in Times Square, on a Friday night, dragging a 36" suitcase. (I followed her instructions to the letter when housesitting someone else's suddenly sick chickens. Whew.)

OP is the only one here who really knows the friend's particulars. Lots of detailed advice here, so hopefully they can pick and choose whatever will work best.

Now, about those cookies...