Best transportation from La Guardia to downtown Manhatten
 

Checking out taxis and shuttles for our trip from the airport to a Times Square Hotel. Any thoughts?...we may well be arriving just in time for rush hour.

I like using a car service--the cars are, to us, nicer than taxis.

It is spelled Manhattan and Times Square is considered midtown.

If you fly American or are near that end of that terminal there is a taxi stand around the corner on the right. There are usually scores of taxis waiting there as opposed to those in front on the airlines exits on the islands. Ask the dispatcher if the driver knows the back way through the streets to the 59th Street Bridge.

Public transportation to Times Square from La Guardia is a royal pain. Do not take the shuttles, you have no idea in what order you will dropped off.

Agreed, a car service for hire will be a nicer car, but personally I prefer to use a taxi at LaGuardia. With a car service you need to find the specific driver in the black Lincoln, and after a while all 1000 black Lincolns circling LGA start to look alike. The traffic lanes at LGA are a zoo.

With a taxi, you just go to the taxi queue as Aduchamp said and hop in when it's your turn. I like the mindless, hassle free nature of the taxi queue. At JFK a car service is easier, in my experience, since things are much more spread out.

I like a car service TO LGA, but agree that it's easier to just grab a cab FROM the airport.

Taxi. Quick and easy.

Taxi it will be then.I gather it's approx $60.00 with tip from LG to TS?
Thankyou everyone.

Times Square is NOT downtown - it is Midtown. In Manhattan downtown is below 23rd St and is the financial district, East adn WEst Village SoHo, chinatown, south ferry, government center etc.

Midtown, where Times Square is is theaters and primarily a business district with tradtional department stores.

Uptown in Central Park, many of the museums - and mid//upscale residential areas on the east and west side.

The best choice depends on how many people you are. For one person a shuttle (but NOT the Super shuttle which is very unreliable) is cheaper than a cab. For two to 4 people (the latter assuming not a huge amount of luggage) cab or car service (which you have to arrange in advance) is the best option. I always take a cab since it's easier than searching for the car/driver. If you prefer to do the latter check out the websites of Carmel or Dial 7 for coupons. the cost is basically the same as the cab. In addition to the meter or car service fee you have to pay for the bridge toll and a 20% tip is appropriate - esp if the driver helps with luggage.

And no - from LGA to Times Square is more like $40 or so.

I agree: Metered fare from LGA to Times Square should be $23-$30. Add in tip and toll (if needed and you are at $30-$40. The fare is based on distance as well as extra time for slow traffic.

(Since the airport bus and shuttles cost about $15 per person, most recommend a taxi for a group of two or more people--the cost is only slightly more to get the door-to-door service of your own taxi.)

Taxi!

We took a car service last time we were there, and I agree that finding your particular car is not an easy task. That said, once we were in the car, it was very nice, and FWIW, ours was a new Lexus SUV, not a black Town Car.

Definitely taxi

My daughter and I will be flying into LGA at noon tomorrow. I was initially considering a car service but now am not too sure after I noticed that Carmel Limo has received some negative reviews:

http://www.google.com/m/place?cid=17...ed=0CD0Q4gkwAA

sf7307, what car service did you use?

Our hotel is on the Upper East Side near 61st St. Should we just take a taxi?

Many thanks!

For the upper east side, taxi to me is no brainer as you are on the "right" side of the city (closer to LGA) and it shouldn't take too long or have too much traffice midday.

I prefer dial7.com or allstatelimo.com to Carmel. If you dont mind if you happen to get a fast driver, a taxi is fine too. Just make sure it's a yellow official NYC taxi and never accept a ride from any tout who approaches you. The taxi dispatcher will hand you a piece of paper with fare info. SAVE IT. It will have the cab no. on it should you leave something, lose something or have any reason to track this car down.

We've used Carmel (both to and from Manhattan) and not had any problems.

To the OP: If you are arriving during rush hour (I'm assuming you mean evening rush even though most people are leaving the city at that time), then consider a pre-booked car service instead of a taxi. It might very well cost you $60 on the meter if you get stuck in bad traffic, and car services are unmetered, though the base price is usually considerably more than the cost of a taxi. Still, to the west side, it's to your advantage. In the morning rush, it's even more important to book a car service since most people are coming INTO the city, and traffic can be extremely slow.

On the meter, you should be able to get this trip for under $45 (including the tunnel toll and tip); it's likely to cost more by car service.