Transportation from LaGuardia to Grand Central to Pier
 

I am trying or organize family arriving from different locations and all leaving from NYC pier.
Any suggestions are welcome.
I have 1 coming from Pittsburg to LaGuardia.
1 from Hudson Valley to Grand Central Station.
I'd like the 2 to meet up and either travel together to the pier or I will pick them up at Grand Central.
How difficult is it to get from LaGuardia to Grand Central on a Sat. morning? Is there a more direct nons-stop way than the bus? Any ideas on taxi availability and cost that time of day?
Thanks so much for any help.

There are several car services which advertise travel to mid-town at prices near cab rides. Because the cab drivers all insist that you must direct them as to the exact route if you wish to use the mid-town tunnel or the 59th street bridge, taxi's most often inflate the cost by taking the tri-borough bridge. (Amazingly, the roads have changed so little in the 50 years since I lived in NY, I don't often get to see the view from the bridge.) A car service can take the airport arrival directly to the pier or to Grand Central and then to the pier. Because most ships now leave from Brooklyn, it might be less costly to have the two travel seperately.

See http://www.panynj.gov/airports/lga-g...portation.html

Jeff & thurs., thank you both very much. I will check into the car service. That is a good idea. Thank you.

Is it really absolutely necessary for everyone to travel together? The person arriving in Grand Central could take a taxi and be at the pier in 15 minutes. The person coming down from LGA could take a taxi directly to the pier (and easily avoid the Tri-Boro Bridge, which is not a common scam) and be at the pier in less than 30 minutes. The best place for them to meet up would actually be at the pier itself. It's a really easy trip and not at all difficult to arrange. You'll spend twice as long and probably twice as much money trying to coordinate everyone so they can travel together.

If you really insist on this, the easiest way would be for the person coming into LGA to take the New York Airport Service bus to Grand Central, cross the street and meet at the information booth in the middle of the big room. There are plenty of places for the person coming in from upstate to sit downstairs and then he/she can simply walk up and meet the family member, then they both hop in the same taxi and go to the pier. I'd allow about an hour from landing for the person coming from LGA to be in Grand Central. They can coordinate with cell phones on the way.

Taxi from LGA to Grand Central is about $30. Bus from LGA to Grand Central is about $11. Taxi to the pier from Grand Central is about $12 to $15.

By the way, a car service from LGA into Manhattan is actually quite a bit more than the cost of a regular city taxi. I generally pay at least $10 more when I take a car service. It's convenient, but I never take a car service from LGA because it's so easy to take a regular taxi (and then to get another to the pier once the relatives meet up). Even easier on a Saturday morning.

Doug-Thanks. You're right. It would be easier. But, yes, they need to be together. They are my daughters and though they live on their own, they are not both ready to take on the city alone. I talked to the youngest coming from upstate and she doesn't think she's ready to ride the train by herself. Looks like all this planning is for naught now. I will be driving to the Hudson Valley to pick her up a couple of days ahead and we'll all leave from home together after all.
Thank you everyone for the help. I knew I could count on the Fodorites. Thank you!

cristeen ... some of the cruise lines do offer bus service direct to the pier from other locations outside the immediate NYC area on the day of the cruise. You could look into that, and it might be a viable option. NCL used to offer this service, but I don't know precisely from where.

Doug- Thank you. I appreciate all of your help. Organizing 3 kids from different parts of the region can get tricky! LOL
Thank you!