CJS

Inadvertently planned a holiday in NYC starting Sunday, Nov. 3, Marathon day. Our hotel is between what I see is the Marathon route (which uses 1st and 5th, I think). Hotel is in the 70's, betw. Lex and 3rd.

Any advice? Will the cab from LaGuardia be able to go there? Near there? Should we be dropped at a subway station and then take subway to get close? Our arrival time is 1:30 pm.

Thanks!!

doug_stallings

Marathon traffic delays are still a problem in the early afternoon ... up to about 4 pm. Although there are no closures that will affect you (a taxi can come over the Triborough Bridge and directly onto the FDR Drive going south), you'll still be affected by crosstown traffic that slows to a crawl when it crosses the Marathon route. The worst will be over by 2, but there are still a lot of people running then.

If you can handle your luggage, the better course would be to take the M60 Bus, get off at Lexington/125th Street, and then take the 6 train down to your hotel. You won't have to deal with the marathon traffic as much (though things will still move slowly since the bus does have to cross the marathon route at some point).

You can avoid the marathon traffic entirely by taking the M60 bus to the N train at Astoria Blvd., taking the N Train to 59th/Lex, and then switching to the 6 train up to your hotel's nearest subway stop. But it can be painful to say the least to make the subway change with a lot of luggage.

nytraveler

Your problem is that your hotel is between the marathon runners going up First and then back down Fifth - and since they go into the Bronx (I beleive) there is no clear way to get to Lex (goes downtown).

Also the street will be mobbed (sidewalk to store front) with pedestrians as well as runners (it's estimated that a million people line first ave to see the runners come down off the 59th St bridge and head uptown. And while quite a few pedestrains are from east and upper Manhattan - not all are.

I would get a cab and have it take you to York ave and the cross street the hotel is on - and then walk over from there.

nytraveler

Sorry - that will be a walk of 3.5 LONG blocks - perhaps easier than hauling luggage around on buses and subways - or not. Depending on how much you will have.

But when crossing First be sure not to get in the way of any runners.

mclaurie

To my knowledge, there is no hotel in the 70's between Lex and 3 rd. Which hotel is it? Regardless, I would order a car from allstatelimo.com. The driver should know how to navigate to get you close.

CJS

This is the Inadvertent Booker, CJS, who posted the question. We travel fairly light with just small roller bags. Walking from some cab drop-off point should be something we can do. As for the hotel, it's the Franklin on E. 87th. I goofed on the earlier posting of the address. Sorry.

CJS

Oh, and ordering a car sounds like a good idea. Thanks, mclaurie for the link.

doug_stallings

Well, since it's the Franklin, the hotel is very close to the subway. It's a particularly easy walk if you do that. You could probably save money with a regular taxi.

mclaurie

The car service will charge a fixed price regardless of delays or traffic. The taxi from LGA is on the meter so delays could cost money. On that day in particular I'd be willing to gamble and perhaps pay a few dollars more for a fixed price. And while it's true that the Franklin is near the 86 st. Subway station for the 4,5,6 subway, LGA is not directly connected to the subway so you'd have to take a bus to the subway which is likely to take twice as long on a Sunday. You can use maps.google.com to get exact directions if you want to try it. Type the trip at top and then click the train icon on the upper left corner. The car icon will show you est.time for car service. The car service will be cheapest if you phone them when you arrive (vs having them meet you inside) so they can tell you where to meet the driver. You also avoid paying his parking that way.

panecott

IMO, your best bet is to take the airport bus to Grand Central Station and from there, take the 4, 5, or 6 train up to 86th St.

It will be 2 stops on the 4 or 5 and about 5 stops on the #6.

Traffic that far south of the marathon route should not be a problem and the train will leave you a block from your hotel.

nytraveler

But how does the bus get to Grand Central? Doesn;t it usually use the 59th St bridge - which will be full of runners, It can't take the FDR and York doesn;t go far enough south. Think the bus will be held up in mobs of traffic.

mclaurie

And in my opinion if you're going to bother to schlepp bags on a bus to a subway, I sure wouldn't take the often unreliable airport bus for $12/person and THEN schlepp on the subway for another $2.50. To save what?? If you want to be frugal, take the NEW LGA M 70 bus to a subway station. It will cost $2.50/person for the whole trip.
http://web.mta.info/nyct/service/New...e_brochure.htm

doug_stallings

The airport bus goes through the midtown tunnel, so traffic never has to cross 1st avenue, as direct and quick a route as any taxi might take. It would also be a good and much cheaper option.

mclaurie

What will be cheaper Doug?? Which airport bus are you talking about and how do you define "much cheaper"? If you mean the $12/person shuttle, I don't think the shuttle and transfers is worth saving $10. Do you?

doug_stallings

I know that some people in this forum think it's never worthwhile to save up to $20 by taking public transportation. I do, so I think it's a viable option.

This is the NYC Airporter Shuttle, which goes nonstop from LGA to Grand Central (though it stops at each LGA terminal, including the Marine Air Terminal, first). This is generally a faster option than the M60 city bus, which connects to the N/Q train at Astoria Blvd. and the 6 line at 125th Street in Manhattan). It costs $13 per person (not $12). Then you'd have to buy your Metrocard to get to the hotel ($2.50 each if only one ride, or some unlimited card if you do that). So up to $31 total. A taxi might cost up to $42 with tolls and tip.

panecott

No, NYT, the airport bus goes thru' the Midtown tunnel so it will not be affected by marathon traffic.

And, mclaurie, I recommended it based on practicality, not on trying to save money. It's the best way to get into the city and not have to worry about getting crosstown across the marathon route, even on foot to get to the hotel.

If I were going to be traveling into the city on Marathon Day, I would not take a private vehicle of any kind, including a taxi or car service, and I would take the route I suggested.

panecott

And, FTR, the schlepping of the bags on and off the airport bus is done by the driver.

And the subway station is right at Grand Central, across the street from the bus stop. There will be minimal walking and schlepping involved.

panecott

Just one more thing for the OP. If you insist on taking a taxi or car service, make sure you tell the driver to take the Midtown Tunnel. I would still ask to be dropped off at Grand Central Station, where you can get the subway, as I said above.

If you want to be taken directly to your hotel you are likely to be stuck in very slow traffic up Third Avenue for the approximately 50 blocks from the tunnel exit to your hotel.

The subway is usually the fastest way to travel in the city on ordinary days. On Marathon day, I really think it's the only way. JMHO.

doug_stallings

I"m not sure I agree with that advice on routes. On Marathon Day (and going to the Upper East Side), I think the Triborough Bridge is a much better route and much less likely to be tied up with traffic than the tunnel. Though it's hard to know.

But in a taxi, when you come out of the Midtown Tunnel, you have to travel on city streets back around and across First Avenue to get onto the FDR Drive going north. With parade disruptions, that can take 15 minutes alone if there is a traffic snarl. And First Avenue, the normal northerly route, will be blocked off still in the early afternoon. And because of that all uptown traffic on avenues will be a mess.

But I generally agree that the bus to subway may offer the least problems, whether it's the airport bus or the M60.

panecott

You are assuming that traffic will be able to exit the FDR and I'm not sure that's possible south of 125th St.
I think the exits will be closed. Where are the cars going to go?

Even if they could exit, they can't go any farther west than York Avenue so that's not going to help the OP.

Traffic cannot cross First Avenue at all during the marathon -it is completely blocked off. Even pedestrians are very restricted, so it will be very difficult for them to cross if they wind up east of First Ave.

If they take the Triborough they will have to travel on city streets and the marathon will still be in progress both east and west of them, which should made for a traffic nightmare.

That is why I suggested the Midtown Tunnel and the subway from Grand Central. The tunnel is away from the marathon route and the subway will avoid the surface traffic congestion up to 86th St.

Again, that's how I would do it and that's all I have to say. Good luck to the OP.