Mote

Hi, can you help me with JFK Air Train ? we will be two ( 30 y.o. ) arriving JFK at 3 p.m. and heading to Manhattan, Bowery with Houston, with two large Samsonite plus two cabin crew, all with wheels. Air train says tickets are 11 $ to Penn Station, changing at Jamaica Station. How much is a taxi, flat rate ? will it be heavy traffic on a saturday 4 p.m. ? What would you take ?

Tim_and_Liz

I would take a cab. The flat rate is $45 or $50. It will be difficult with all of your luggage to take the trains.

nytraveler

From JFK to Manhatan the flat rate for a cab is $45 plus toll (if they use the Tunnel) and tip - I give $8 - more if they help with a lot of luggage.

Have never take the Air Train - but understand its not bad. Just be aware that once you get to Penn Sta you will either have to take a cab to your hotel - or manage the subway with your luggage. So be sure you can easily carrry your bags up and down a lot of stairs.

IMHO - if you have more than a carry on you can easily tote a cab is the only realistic answer.

mclaurie

I agree with Tim and Liz that a cab will be easier since you're going no where near Penn Station. Just so you know, you'd have to take the Air Tran at JFK to either a subway stop or a LIRR train stop, then take that train into Penn station and then go downtown.

A taxi is flat rate of $45 + toll and tip= ~$60 for door to door service. You could also try the supershuttle. Here's the website with all the options. It has links to the supershuttle info

http://www.panynj.gov/aviation/jgtsmain.htm

The downside to the supershuttle is you go with other people and you're likely to be the last people dropped off so you may get a tour of Manhattan. If you're not in a rush, it could save you about $20-30. BTW, pronounce Houston as Howstin. Tell the driver you're going to Houston AND the Bowery (not with-makes no sense). That's a busy intersection. If possible, you should know which corner you want. (ie ne,nw,se,sw)

HowardR

A no-brainer. With all that luggage, take a cab. It's worth the extra $20-25.
You should have no traffic problem at 4 p.m. on a Saturday.

tom42

I take the Air Train from JFK to Jamaica Station whenever I go to visit family on LI. It runs very frequently and is clean and easy. However, I usually only have one carry-on piece of luggage. I agree with the other posters that if you have a good amount of luggage, you should just get a cab or car service. The Air Train won't be the problem but it will be a hassle to get on a subway or the LIRR and then lug your stuff through Penn Station.

rkkwan

It's only $5 for the AirTrain and $2 (or slightly less if you buy a Metrocard with $10+ value) for subway per person. The J & Z trains run from Sutphin Blvd to Manhattan, with a stop on Bowery (a few blocks south of Houston, but not too far). The $11 fare probably means taking the Long Island RR to Manhattan rather than the subway.

That's under $14 for two persons, compared to ~$60 for taxi, as others have stated. It's a $40+ savings.

There're escalators and elevators at the Sutphin Blvd AirTrain/Metro exchange, but of course, once in Manhattan, you'll need to haul the luggage up to the street yourself. I'm not familiar with the Bowery subway stop on the J/Z line, but most subway platforms in Manhattan is just one flight of stairs under the street level. So, if you can take your luggage up a flight of stairs unassisted, then you should be okay.

mclaurie

Slight disagreement with Howard on traffic at that time. You WILL have traffic from LIers going into the city for Saturday night, but no way around it. Sit back and relax. That's the nice thing about the flat rate fare FROM Jfk into the city. On the way back TO the airport, you pay whatever's on the meter so traffic can matter.

mclaurie

I agree with rkkwan too. If you want to try the Air Tran, it only makes sense for you if you take it to the subway. Cheaper and closer to where you want to go. At that hour you shouldn't have a problem with room on the subway for luggage. As rkkwan says, the only issue is whether the 2 of you can manage stairs with the luggage and perhaps a few blocks walk when you get out of the subway.

QC

I would STRONGLY reccomend against taking the "J" to the Bowery. (The Z does not run on weekends)

Bowery is the LEAST USED stop in the entire Subway system. It is isolated and in very bad repair. Trains frequently skip this stop. AVOID IT.

The "J" train as a whole travels through isolated neighborhoods that are not tourist-friendly (Cypress Hills, City Line, Bushwick). Furthermore, it is a LOCAL and makes about a million stops before you get anywhere near Manhattan. It does not intersect well with other parts of the system (you have to go almost to the end of the line to make a useful transfer).

Don't do it- instead take the "E" to Lexington/53rd Street and transfer to the downtown "6". Take that to Bleecker Street and you will be a short walk from your destination.

HowardR

OK, mclaurie, I'll split the difference about traffic. There'll be some, but it won't be that bad!
As for a transportation choice, it really boils down to these two main choices:
1. If you want to save money, then take public transportation and put up with the inconveniences of lugging all the luggage, etc.
2. If you want a no-hassle trip, take a cab.

sognatrice2

I fly out of JFK to Europe several times a year and use the "Blue Shuttle" which is IMO a good deal going. They charge about 20-25$ and take you to your door. Or pick you up at your door to go to the airport. You're in a van with a few others.
1 800 BLUE VAN. You can get this at the ground transportation area at JFK.

Mote

All right, thank you all ! I remember back in 2.001 with my parents booking a Lincoln Town Car, with driver of course, for the trip from JFK to Manhattan. Just can not remember where . . . Any help ? web sites ?

Patrick

While I learned years ago that it just doesn't make sense for two of us to come into or out of midtown from LGA any way but by taxi, this past year we had to depart to Europe out of JFK after spending time midtown. In a fit of being "cheap" we wheeled our luggage to Port Authority (only three short blocks from our apartment) and took an airport bus direct to American Airlines at JFK. Our luggage went below the bus and the ride was quick, efficient, and less than half the price of a taxi for the two of us. I'd do it again.

mclaurie

Patrick I agree it made sense for you from where you were staying but Mote is all the way downtown, not convenient IMO for public transport.

Mote, the 2 most well known car services are Carmel and Tel Aviv. They're both listed on that website I gave you. Their websites are

carmellimo.com and telavivlimo.com

The regular cars they send are not always new model or fancy though. I think there are better cos. but can't provide info. The potential problem with ordering a car in advance is if your flight is delayed, they may charge you for waiting time. Just a heads up. Also, sometimes they want you to phone when you've landed. If you'll have a cell phone that works, you'll be fine.

Sarah

cab it remember our crowds and stairs along the way. there are some stairs to get on the air tran. It is easy and convienent but it is really a better option if you are leaving the city inmo. I taking leaving but coming home I hop a cab