Getting From JFK To Penn Station
 

Hi I am arriving on a Tuesday night from Hong Kong this spring at 8:30 PM to JFK. Now I have to get my bags and clear customs and all that. I am sitting in First Class so shouldn't take too long. I have a train I am trying to catch that leaves at 10:05 PM. How long should the ride take? I figure I'll be out of the airport around 9 PM and there should be no traffic that late into Manhattan. Shooting to get into Penn Station around 930ish. Does this sound realistic?

I'd say it's pretty tight, particularly if you are delayed or you are a foreigner without a green card 30 minutes through immigration is pretty fast. You may run into a BA flight at about the same time. If you have checked bags, I think it is really not likely.

Keep in mind holiday traffic in New York is bad and getting crosstown from the midtown tunnel to Penn Station can take a bit.

To use the train, you would have to get to Jamaica Station for a 933pm getting to Penn Station at 955pm. Also tight to go LIRR to Amtrak.

I would have a Plan B - a later train. I would also have car service to get to Penn Station as from time to time there can be a line for taxis.

I agree -- very tight, and you'd have to hit the Airtrain to Jamaica Station just right. If there's no later train to your destination than the 1005pm, better to have a car service lined up to meet you and race you into Manhattan.

It would depend on which Tuesday you are talking about, but no it does not sound realistic, it's gonna be very tight to land at JFK, clear customs and immigration, and be at Penn station an hour after your plane lands.

I would have a plan B.

It's certainly possible that your plan will work. I've been through immigration and customs in less than 15 minutes, but I think half an hour to Penn station is not realistic; figure at least 45 minutes. Nonetheless, if the stars are aligned, you can make the train.

You better hope that you deplane on time, you're a US citizen, that there is no line at immigration, and that the Airtrain is waiting for you and whisks you off to Jamaica. At Jamaica, there will be trains leaving often enough to Penn. You won't get to Penn at 9:30 even under that dream scenario unless you deplane at least 30 minutes ahead of schedule (and that of course is always possible). The train ride from Jamaica to Penn is about 23 minutes. The Airtrain ride is about 10-15 minutes. It's about a 5-7 minute walk to the Airtrain from baggage claim; if you can run, why not. If you have time to buy your train ticket at Penn before boarding the train, you should also buy a lottery ticket. :p Otherwise, buy that ticket onboard. I assume you're taking NJ Transit? If you're on Amtrak, not sure if you can buy a ticket onboard but perhaps you can. Just check their website.

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The 10:05 PM train from NYP is the Amtrak southbound Regional to D.C. There is an 11:15 PM Amtrak Keystone, that only goes as far as PHL; the next Amtrak departure that goes past PHL is the overnight Amtrak Regional, which does not depart NYP until 3:00 AM.

I absolutely would opt for a taxi at JFK over the AirTrain/LIRR.

You have three things even before you exit the airport.

The line at customs (the officer/interview). Make you that you are in first in line.

Getting your bags (although flying F I assume you would have some kind of priority delivery)

And then getting out of the customs hall where you turn in your declaration form. If there are not officers and there was a flight or two before you that can take a little time.

If no traffic you should make it from JFK to Penn Station within 30 minutes. Have a car service waiting for you.

In your experience, how often is a pre-arranged car service actually waiting for you? In my experience, for every time I walk out to the curb and find my car, there are ten times when I have to wait for ten minutes for the driver to drive over from wherever he happens to be parked, since the cops always chase the cars away from in front of the terminal.

Can't one have the driver meet them inside outside of baggage claim with their name on a sign. Of course, its going to cost more but depends on how important the OP needs to make it to Penn Station within an hour.

I'm not sure why having a driver inside with a sign would speed things up. It might make finding the driver easier, but now you've got to walk over to the garage and pay for parking.

If I were going to try to make this work, I'd opt for a taxi. If the taxi line was long or slow, I'd head immediately to the departures level and grab a taxi or a car there. (Yes, I know it's breaking the rules, but it works like a charm when you're in a hurry.)

I wouldn't if he's talking about tomorrow or next Tuesday. Other times? I agree with you. Car service? No way because of the reasons already stated by you above.

I've used both car service and taxis. A good car service inside with instruction to be there at the arrival time of the plane is the best bet. The walk to the T7 parking lot is one of the shortest at JFK literally just behind the taxi stand.

Taxi waits can range from 0 to 15 minutes and some times telling taxi drivers you have to be somewhere by a specific time seems pretty close to a death wish.

If making the train is the ultimate goal I would have either Carey or Empire/CLS with an inside pick up and details about the Penn Station connection. Both can also arrange greeter service at both ends to expedite even further. You will double XYZ, Dial 777, etc. but I would say that is the best shot to get the train, if it's possible at all.

OP mentioned it's for Spring 2011 so holiday traffic isn't a factor, but routine traffic slowdowns due to ongoing constructions on the Belt Parkway (route A to NY Penn Sta.) or Van Wyck-L.I. Expwy/Midtown Tunnel) will stop the fastest taxi/car service driver, no matter what - with less than 45 minutes to 60 minutes, unless .... Kinda like rolling the dice for making it to the Amtrak ticketing/kiosk platform in time without literally running (traveling very light ?)

I would look at Plan C of getting to DC (if that's the final destination) by taking the overnight Amtrack Regional (Keystone) with a 3 AM departure, and not rush to NYP for that 10:05 departure. OP can still get some zzz's & opt for a Business Class seat on the train.

With an advanced Amtrak reservation confirmed, you can pick up tickets at Quik-Trak kiosks inside the Amtrak station. "Use your credit card to activate the kiosk and enter your reservation number, or scan the barcode on your confirmation page or email. The Quik-Trak kiosk will print your tickets and you'll be on your way."

Lastly, MegaBus.com depart on a regular basis outside NYP (9th Ave & 31 Street) and has a regular 11 PM and 1 AM departure for downtown DCA - and could be an additional backup if OP wanted to get to DC overnight.