dave_SEA

I'm heading to Manhattan in July. Arriving on a Friday at noon, and leaving Monday morning 6-7 AM.

Which would be the most convienient and affordable airport? JFK vs. LGA vs. EWR?

Blumie

Me again. Where exactly in Manhattan are you heading?

dave_SEA

Upper West side...Columbus Circle.

I'm unsure at this time whether I'll rent a car yet, so I'm interested in drive times.


The flights to EWR are slightly less expensive than LGA.

Thanks man.

B71115

isnt JFK the only one close to a subway station that will take you to manhattan?

Blumie

Well, I assume you are not arriving from SEA, because you wouldn't be arriving at noon. As someone pointed out on the AA board, if you are flying from SEA, you may want to choose JFK just to be able to get the non-stop.

It's actually pretty easy to get to Manhattan from any of the airports. Here are the best options, IMHO:

LGA: Purchase a MetroCard at one of the Hudson News stands before leaving the airport (paying for the bus using a MetroCard will permit a free transfer to the subway). Go outside on the baggage claim level and look for the sign for the MTA buses. Take the M60 bus (which should run about every 10-20 minutes) to 125th Street and Saint Nicholas Avenue (after crossing the Triboro Bridge, the bus will cross Manhattan on 125th Street, so you just need to ask the bus driver to point out when you get to Saint Nicholas Avenue). Right where the bus drops you off you can go downstairs into the subway and catch any downtown train (A, B, C, or D) to 59th Street/Columbus Circle. Total cost: $2. Travel time should be about an hour.

EWR: Take the free AirTrain to the NJT/Amtrak rail station at EWR, where you can catch a train to Penn Station. Then follow the signs to the 8th Avenue subway and take the A or C train uptown to 59th Street/Columbus Circle. Total cost: $2 plus the cost of the train. Probably about $15 all in. Maybe someone can provide exact numbers.

JFK: Take the AirTrain to Jamaica Station. You have to pay $5 to exit; you can purchase a MetroCard before you exit, and load it with enough value for your subway rides over the weekend, too. From Jamaica, the faster, but more expensive, option is to take the LIRR to Penn Station, and then the subway to Columbus Circle (see EWR directions above for subway info from Penn Station). This will cost $11 (iirc), $9 for the train plus $2 for the subway. The slower, but less expensive, option is to take the subway all the way from Jamaica Station. Follow the signs to the E train towards Manhattan. You can either take the E train to 50th Street and walk to Columbus Circle from there, or you can take the E train to 42nd Street, cross over to the uptown side of the tracks (you will be on the downtown side), and take the A train uptown to 59th Street/Columbus Circle.

(Note that another option from JFK is to take the AirTrain to the Howard Beach station -- also $5 -- and then take the A train from there -- $2 -- all the way to Columbus Circle. It's been more than 15 years since I've taken the A train to Howard Beach, but my recollection is that it stops about every 50 feet until it gets to Manhattan, making the trip very slow.)

In my mind, the LGA option offers the best combination of convenience and cost. The EWR option is more expensive and, in my experience, is no quicker unless the stars and the moon are aligned exactly right.

themicah

Do NOT rent a car if you are going to Manhattan, unless you absolutely need it to get somewhere in the suburbs or boonies during the course of your trip.

A rental car will cost you $60-100/day for the car, plus $20-50/day for parking, plus gas, plus the associated hassles of having a car in the city.

Public transit:

• LGA = $2 (~60 minutes)
• JFK = $7 (~90 minutes)
• EWR = <$5 (~90 minutes) OR $13 (~45 minutes)

Taxis:

• LGA = ~$25-30 (15-45 minutes, depending on traffic)
• EWR = $50++ (20-60 minutes, depending on traffic)
• JFK = $45++ (30-90 minutes, depending on traffic)

Assuming you'll probably take a taxi, I'd probably go with LGA unless EWR was at least $50 cheaper, in which case it's a toss-up.

Blumie

I forgot to address the car rental issue. I agree with themicah 100% on that issue, and on the rest of his post.

Note that if you do take AA to LGA and decide to catch a cab, there are two cab stands, one that often has a line and one that rarely does. To get to the "secret" cab stand with no line, instead of exiting the baggage claim area through the main doors, turn to the right (as you are facing the main doors leading outside) and exit the terminal using the side door at the very end of the terminal. There is a cab stand right there where you are unlikely to find a line.

themicah

One more advantage to LGA: if you're coming from DFW on AA, LGA has a lot more flights than EWR, so you'll have more options for standing by if something goes awry.

dave_SEA

This is excellent info. Maybe a candidate for a sticky on this board....

I was thinking of a car since my firends and I are considering going to Atlantic City Saturday night thru Sunday afternoon. Are the other affordable ways to get to AC?

Thanks again for all the info...dave

Blumie

Thanks. There is an excellent sticky on the London board that covers transportation to London from the several London-area airports. We clearly need something similar on the NYC board. But my post here would need to be dramatically blown out to cover all of the permutations and combinations. I hereby nominate themicah and Analise, both of whom are far more knowledgeable than me, to do the work!


Although I have no details, there are lots of bus services, and I think also train/bus combos. Depending on cost, renting a car to drive to AC may not be a bad idea, but instead of renting at the airport and having to worry about parking in Manhattan, I would rent a car in Manhattan just as I was getting ready to leave, and then return it as soon as I got back. Both Hertz and Avis operate rental locations close to the Lincoln Tunnel, so you can get in your car and get out of the city without having to do a lot of Manhattan driving.

[I was about to post a warning about the AC casinos being closed, but I just checked nytimes.com before doing so and see that the budget impasse has been resolved.]

JeremyZ

I live on the Upper West Side, and like EWR the best. It's just easier, and the CO frequencies are great. Blumie's EWR train directions are good, but I'd add that you can take the 1 train from Penn Station to Columbus Circle, as well - that would be my choice, as the frequencies are a little better, and the entrance is right by where the New Jersey Transit train (from EWR) will drop you off.

For the AC trip, why not rent the car in town when you need it and return it when you get back? Parking can be pretty expensive.

guv1976

When the casinos are open (they are currently closed because of a shutdown of New Jersey state government), both Greyhound and Academy Bus operate frequent service from Manhattan's Port Authority Bus Terminal (8th Avenue and 41st Street) to various A.C. casinos. The roundtrip fares are very reasonable (around $30/person), and include casino rebate packages that vary depending on the casino and the day of travel. (Rebates for Saturday arrivals may be less than those offered during the week.)

jordyn

It's not that bad. The A runs express through most of the trip and it only takes about 30-35 minutes from Broadway/Nassau (last stop in Manhattan) to Howard Beach.

I live downtown, and if I'm relying on public transportation, the A to Howard Beach is the fastest way to any airport, at about an hour from my apartment to the terminal.

Last time I tried to do the subway + bus combo to LGA, it took 20-30 minutes longer... If you're travelling to Midtown, the JFK Airtrain->LIRR to Penn Station is surely the fastest overall route. I've done it in 35-40 minutes, although 45-60 is probably typical.

dhammer53

Airport to town info is requested here weekly; and responded to accordingly.

dave, whatever you do, do not attempt to drive to NYC from AC on a Sunday afternoon. Your 2 hour trip will take 4 hours.

salut0

Not exactly comprehensive! In fact:

-- if you get on at the front of the train at EWR you end up on the 7th avenue side of Penn Stn (1 line)
-- if you get on at the back of the train at EWR you'll be on the 8th avenue side of Penn Stn for the A/C train