I know about taking AirTrain from JFK to Jamaica Station to transfer to the LIRR to end up at Penn Station. My questions is, do I need a ticket to get on AirTrain at JFK? If yes, where do I purchase it prior to getting on AirTrain. I also know I need a Pey-Per-Ride Metro Card ($5.00) purchased at Jamaica Station to get onto LIRR. Is this a separate ticket from any that I might purchase to get on AirTrain at JFK? Thanks!!!!!

You will see the booth at the Air Tran for your ticket there and LIRR is a different ticket than the Metro Card, which is the NYC subway/bus system.

Have a great time while you are here.

And to further clarify, you will
pay for your AirTrain After you
get off at the Jamaica station.

Do purchase your LIRR ticket before
boarding since there is a hefty surcharge for buying on the train.

There are a couple of machines at Penn Station that will sell you a combination ticket to the LIRR/Airtrain for $10 if you travel off-peak. Otherwise, you buy each ticket separately.

There are many Metrocard machines at the Airtrain on each side of the turnstiles, so coming from JFK you pay before you exit, and coming to JFK you pay before you board. Unfortunately, I've never found a way to buy the combined LIRR/MEtrocard ticket coming out of JFK.

Also note that you can ride between Penn Station and JFK on the LIRR for only $3 on weekends with the CityTicket. But then it's another $5 for Airtrain.

Thank you travelbuff2, Rhea58, Doug_Stallings, and Andrew - Your information clears up my confusion very nicely! I had looked at the AirTrain website about 5 times but could not discern where or when to buy the AirTrain ticket. THANK YOU!!!! Looking forward to a long weekend in NYC with several shows, many museums, wonderful meals and getting totally overstimulated and exhausted!
macinpv

I also take the Air Train from JFK to the E train. If you take the E train into Manhattan just get off at Penn Station/34th Street. It's so easy. Take the Air Train, get off at Jamaica, and switch to the E. You can also do LIRR but then those are specific times when the trains leave or just hop onto the subway. It's $7 total.

I'm flying into JFK at 3:20 PM on Monday, 11/19.

Will be staying at the W Hotel NY on Lexington and 49th.

AirTrain to LIRR seems like a viable option to me.

However, I heard taking luggage (I will either have two carryons or will have to check in one of them) would be a hassle on the AirTrain or transferring to the LIRR?

And then after arriving at Penn, I'd have to get a taxi to get to the hotel, about 10 blocks.

Other alternative is a shuttle service for $17 each way. But I know the traffic is murder at that time of the day.

Would the AirTrain/LIRR/Taxi be faster, cheaper or both?

Actually, it would be $19, minus a 5% discount on the shuttle booked through Viator.

Only LGA is $17.

BTW, is traffic any better from EWR?

LGA is shorter but is the same general direction as JFK?

scrb:
However, I heard taking luggage (I will either have two carryons or will have to check in one of them) would be a hassle on the AirTrain or transferring to the LIRR?

No hassle for me, going the other direction (LIRR to Airtrain to JFK) last month. Very easy dragging a heavy bag and a lighter bag from the LIRR platform to Airtrain - should be no worse going other way. The subway connection may be slightly harder, but the LIRR/Airtrain connection was easy.

Have you considered taking the subway from Airtrain instead of the LIRR? While the connection may be slightly harder from Airtrain (maybe not bad, someone else can comment) and the subway will take longer, you might find a subway connection even closer to your hotel than Penn Station? Then no need for a taxi.

I was just following this thread so I didn't know if the Subway was a better option than the LIRR.

It doesn't seem to be that much cheaper than using the shuttle.

I thought it might be faster, not having to go thru rush-hour traffic like the shuttle would.

But if I have to transfer a couple of times, then maybe the speed advantage is gone?

I agree. Either taxi/shuttle the whole way, or use AirTrain connected to the "E" train. Get out of Lexington/53th and walk to hotel.

I guess it depends on what the shuttle service is. Does it go direct or almost direct from JFK to your hotel? Or will it make numerous stops in between? Will it be waiting when you arrive or will you have to wait 30 minutes for the shuttle? (Vs. probably little or no waiting for trains). If it's almost direct and leaves from JFK often, might be a better option than Airtrain, although I would personally prefer a train than a long shuttle ride. It does sound like there's not much cost advantage to using the subway or LIRR, though. (If you were going on a Sunday, LIRR is only $3, though.)

"E" train runs express in Queens, and should take only 30 minutes to get to Lexington/53th. The LIRR takes 20 minutes to get to Penn Station. I will bet that taking the "E" train and then walk to hotel will be as quick as LIRR/taxi.

It's a shared shuttle so it may not stop at my hotel first.

OK, looking at subway maps and reading further, it appears to be $5 for AirTrain to Jamaica Station and you can pay for a $2 ride on the E line.

What is confusing in this thread is that someone mentioned the E line stopping at Grand Central?

But in the map that I see, the E line goes east-west along 53rdt street, nowhere near Grand Central, which is about 10 blocks south?

How bad is 3 or 4 blocks to walk with a roller carryon?

As long as it doesn't rain, I guess it's fine.

I don't care about paying more for the shuttle. If the AirTrain/E subway avoids the rush hour traffic around 4 PM on a Monday afternoon/eve, that would be fine.

But I imagine the subway gets congested as well around that time?

Oh and can you buy a 1-day metro pass for $7 at Jamaica station instead of a 1-ride one?

You have to buy a MetroCard to exit the AirTrain section of the station right?