The Super Shuttle can take forever, depending who and where the passengers are staying.

The best is a cab, the cheapest is the Aitrain to to the subway.

Do NOT take the Super Shuttle. In NYC they are VERY unrelaible. They don;t leave until full (so youwill wait onthe bus), it takes mos ot an hour to drive to the city, then you sit onthe bus while they drive from one hotel to another in traffic dropping 1 or 2 people here and there. They are the worst posible chioce.

I find taxi from JFK to the city most conveninet. It is a flat $45 plus tip and toll for a otal of aobut $60. IMHO it is better to take a car service TO the airport (try Dial 7 or Carmel) so you don;t have to stand in the street with your luggage trying to hail a cab.

A less expensive option is to take the large airport bus to a central location - to Grand Central of Port Authority - and then grab a cab or subway from there to your hotel.

The least expesnive option is to take the Air Train ($5) to the subway ($2.25) to the station nearest your hotel. The problem with this is tht subways are often crowded and there may be little room for yuo or your luggage (hold onto it at all times) and when you get to your station you may well hae to haul your luggage up 2 or 3 flights of stairs to the street. (Few stations have escalators and many that have elevators are broken.) If yuo go to hopstop,com it can explain the subway route to the stop closest to your hotel.

Frankly, I would never consider aythng other than cab or car service if you have more luggage than one small carry-on. But I am past the age of being willing to be pack mule woman.

If yo

I would choose a car service or taxi. A car service usually has better vehicles and a flat rate per trip. I prefer it over a cab. I never use Super Shuttle anywhere.i don't have the patience to sit there while they drop off the other passengers.

It really depends on your budget, how many you are and how much luggage you have. If you're on a tight budget, public transportation (Express bus for $15/person to Port Authority or train for $7-13/person) can be fairly simple to Times Square area but less convenient imo to the upper west side. Taxi or car service will be ~$60 ($45 plus toll and tip) total for up to 5 people. Dial7.com is a good car service who will ask you to phone when you're ready to leave the airport and tell you where to meet the driver. For a taxi, go to the official taxi line outside each terminal with a dispatcher. Don't ever accept a ride from anyone who approaches you as there are lots of scams. Don't every use Super Shuttle or any shared van service that takes people to individual hotels. It just doesn't work in NYC.

PS at 4pm a train is likely to be the fastest option.

Oh geezz.I was counting on Super Shuttle..price was right at $20 1 way....I have time on my side going into the city, am more anxious when I have to get back to the airport..can't afford or don't want to afford the taxi ( $120 RT both ways and I have to return 2 weeks later to do the same routine)..but then from what you all tell me I gather taxi's are NYC...even if I take subway to Times Square I would have to taxi to upper west side...

What about staying at a hotel by the airport..? Is Jamaica and Queens really the worst to stay..??

If you stay at a hotel near the airport it will take you at least an hour to get to and fro the city every day. Also - these are not residential neighborhoods - just motels by the side of the highway - with no services withing walking distance. Also, to get to and fro the city easily you will need to take the hotel shuttle to the airport - then hte air train and subway in and out. A really bad idea.

You can take the Air Train and subway to your hotel (about $12.50 each way) as long as you are OK with hauling your luggage up and down stairs.

If you want to risk Super Shuttle go ahead - but enough people here have posted with their problems - including missing a flight - since the shuttle went to 5 or 6 more hotels BEFORE heading to the airport. If you do this you need to e picked up at least 4 hours before your flight time.

Looks like I have to bite the bullet....I googled Dial7.com and they sound good...or rebook a flight so that I have less time to wait at JFK for my connecting....thanks nytraveler, mclaurie and all others ..much appreciative for the help

I may be in the minority, but I still think the best, fastest, and cheapest way to and from JFK airport is the Airtrain, and you can hop right on the two major subway lines that serve the upper west side at Penn Station, making the trip fairly quick. Still over an hour, but much less than by SuperShuttle and sometimes less than by taxi at that time of the day. This only works, of course, if you can navigate the trains with your luggage. If you want to splurge, take a car service BACK to JFK the next day. Otherwise, the Airtrain works just fine.

But definitely NOT SuperShuttle. It's never the "best" way.

Why are you going to the Upper West Side for just the night?

actually cancelled my upper west side and staying around Times Square area....think I'll just take the Dial7.com car svc....save the subway when I don't have to lug a rollon bag..

Try the AirTrain to Jamaica Station, then catch the LIRR to Penn Station. Costs about $13-15 total, so more than the subway, but faster, less crowded, and cleaner.

We recently went from the city to JFK on our first trip to NYC.

4:00pm is the beginning of rush hour, so you'll be in traffic of one sort or another regardless...

It's straightforward and not much of a schlepp to take public transit to Times Square: the connection to the AirTrain at JFK is easy with a rolling bag. And at Jamaica, the station has been renovated to facilitate the connections from AirTrain. I agree that LIRR (commuter rail) is more comfortable, but it will put you at Penn Station (34th Street) instead of Port Authority (42nd Street). You get on the subway close to the beginning of the line, so finding a seat with room for your luggage shouldn't be an issue.

I'll add the caveat that this does depend on *where* your hotel is in Times Square. If you're not particularly close to 8th Ave, you won't want to maneuver the bag through the street-level throngs.

Have you looked into the express buses? Now that you're staying in Times Square, one of their hotel dropoffs, or Port Authority, might work well for you - and be a nice compromise between public transit and car service... Note I am not talking about a shuttle like SuperShuttle, but a standard bus route with specific dropoff locations:
http://www.nycairporter.com/
http://www.nyairportservice.com/

On the return to JFK, take the car service for less stress!

fantastic ggreen..das what I need...a good copmpromise. Now from 42 street to my hotel then taxi..or walk better..? I am close to 8th ave. on 250 west 43rd street.

If you take the bus, you'll find that this address is around the corner from the port authority (where the buses arrive) if you take one there (just don't take the bus that lets you off at Bryant Park, which is also on 42nd Street but on 5th Avenue rather than 8th).

got it ..thanks Doug...

Glad to help! Note that of the two links I gave you, you should not take the NY Airport Service on this trip because it's only pickup/dropoff location in Manhattan is adjacent to Grand Central Terminal. Better to go right to 8th Ave.

Times Square proper (where 7th Ave and Broadway intersect) is a total zoo thanks to its popularity with tourists - not fun with rolling luggage! So your best bet is to take a bus to Port Authority Bus Terminal, walk up slightly less congested 8th Ave and turn right to get to your lodgings. I think the airport bus drops you right on 42nd Street instead of inside PABT, but that may have changed since the last time I took it.

FYI, PABT spans two blocks, so if you do get dropped off at a gate inside, there's a possibility it could be closer to 41st than 42nd Street... Still shouldn't be a big deal to walk an extra block.

Not that you asked, but since it's lunchtime I can't help but add some food suggestions LOL. Walk west to 9th Ave if you're looking for a casual, good meal for dinner. Lots of "ethnic" and other options...

A personal favorite for takeaway breakfast (or sit in the small dining area with your purchase) is Amy's Bread on 9th Ave between 46th and 47th Streets. This is the location from which they bake goodies to be distributed throughout the city. They are justifiably renowned for their breads, not to mention red velvet cake! Good panini-esque sandwiches too. www.amysbread.com

YUp got it.. I clicked the link as soon as I got your first email and saw that PABT was the dropoff and pickup for me...easy as can be from there to the hotel...I think I'll take the early mornming NYC airporter back from PABT also...got time to spare my flight doesn't leave till 10:00am...figure I take PABT around 6:00am give me plenty of time without stress..

thanks for Amy's I will check it out when I'm there..and the ethnic foods area...right on for me...

I like (and frequently recommend) the cheap Thai places in the area; Pam Real Thai "home cooking" is my favorite of these (the original location on 49th more than the newer one on 47th). There's also good Brazilian; one of the few Indonesian restaurants in the city (Bali Nusa); decent Tibetan; and more...

If you don't know about it, the site menupages.com is a great resource for food in NYC.

Enjoy!

OK..thanks

Can I take it that these same suggestions apply from LGA to Times Sq hotels? Dial7 appears a bit cheaper, but since they use a system of calling when you've retrieved your luggage, I'm a bit concerned about the wait time for pickup. Can anyone elaborate? TIA

With LGA, there's not a flat rate from the airport like at JFK, but a cab should be about $30-35 to Times Square. Never took SuperShuttle from the NY airports since I always had a ride. Cabs from LGA are easy to come by, and by that I mean the yellow cabs that NYC is so famous for. They have a specific waiting area for cabs that are constantly brimming with cabs, so the wait will never be long.

The car services from an airport can be a real and hit and miss situation and not recommended. It is whomever is there.

Can I take it that these same suggestions apply from LGA to Times Sq hotels?

Generally, yes. But the public transit route is entirely different, and not very good! The private airport bus transfer companies do operate out of LGA, the car service (e.g., Dial 7) and taxi info is roughly the same though prices are different, and IMO the feedback about Super Shuttle remains the same (don't do it!).

Depending on which East River crossing your driver chooses to take, if you use car service or taxi you may have to pay a toll (RFK/Triboro Bridge, Midtown Tunnel).

My only fear with a cab is that our flight arrives at 3:35pm, so by the time we retrieve luggage, we are talking prime rush hour, hence running up a big tab.

Thanks for your replies. Looks like we shall head for the taxi rank!

Well, the NY Airporter bus is $12.50/pp from LGA to Port Authority. Same traffic - but better price!
http://www.nycairporter.com/

Well, the NY Airporter bus is $12.50/pp from LGA to Port Authority. Same traffic - but better price!

__________________

I did look at that and would suit us just fine, but I'm wondering if the distance between the drop-off at PABT and our hotel is too short for a cab. Staying at the Millenium Broadway (145 W 44th) and as someone stated above, I'm past the age of dragging luggage down the street, although I could do it if I have to.

Which brings me to the question, is there a minimum cab ride in NYC? I've run into that a time or two in Paris but don't know if that's a universal thing.

No minimums on cab rides. They'll take you around the corner or down the street if that's what you desire...

Thanks for that answer mcmyc!

Last question and I'm finished with this topic. Anyone know if there's a taxi rank at PABT or will I have to hope I can hail one?

There is a taxi rank there - but typically more people needing them than there are cabs - but except at rush hour the wait isn't usually more than 5 minutes or so. Be sure you get on the taxi line and only take the cabs in the order they come in - no jumping the line either way. (All of the bus and train staions have taxi ranks - but typically lines for a cab aren't long - except rush hour in the rain.)