tcreath

I am booking a flight for a coworker who wants to fly to LaGuardia and needs to get to Princeton. I know that Newark is the better airport option (and the one my other coworkers are flying into) but she is extending her trip after the Princeton meetings and wants to stay in the city for a few days before flying back home. However, she doesn't want to rent a car. Is there a good car service or shuttle (other than a taxi service) that can get her from LaGuardia to Princeton and back? I am looking for recommendations before I start looking online. I've never been to the area (other than to NYC awhile back) so I have no idea where to start.

Thanks!
Tracy

nytraveler

I know there is a shuttle service from Princeton to Newark - but am not aware of any to LaGuardia. If your co-worker is willing to do public transit she could take a cab into Manhatan and then NJ Transit train to Princeton. Would cost way less than a limo to Princeton - which I imagine would be at least $150 each way.

MFNYC

Newark is just as convenient to NYC as LaGuardia so not flying into Newark for that reason makes no sense. Car service would be pricey. Mass transit (trains and probably buses too) from NYC would probably be the most economical.

tcreath

The reason she wants to fly into LaGuardia is because she wants to fly into and out of the city. She is actually a member of our Board at the health foundation I work for, so I am not at liberty to argue with her on it. Basically we do what they want. Cost really isn't important, I just need to figure out the easiest way to get her from point A to point B.

Thanks!
Tracy

MFNYC

You can call any car service/limo company, some are allstate, carmel, tel aviv.

Newarks is almost the exact same distance and time to NYC as LaGuardia. to return to the airport, a NYC taxi driver or car service would take you to either for roughly the same price so I still don't understand the rpeference of LaG (but maybe I'm missing somehting here).

Driving from LaG to PRinceton, depending on the time of day, you can hit some horrible traffic while trying to get our of the city (avoided from Newark). I live in NYC and use whichever airport has the most convenient flight sched and price, there's not much difference that I can figure between the 3 metro area airports as far as convenience, distance, and time to NYC.

MFNYC

She can do what she wants, but does she relize that Laq is in Queens and not direclty in Manhattan.

Look up the car service companies in switchboard.

tcreath

She left me a voice mail, told me what she wanted, and I'm booking the flights. I have no idea why she prefers LaGuardia but that is her business. I'm just making the arrangements. She has a cousin or relative who lives in the area who will be taking her to the airport so she will not need transportation back to LaGuardia when she flies out.

Thank you for your help. I am looking at the yellow pages online and there are so many different limo/car services to choose from, which is why I posted the question here.

ellenem

>>She has a cousin or relative who lives in the area who will be taking her to the airport so she will not need transportation back to LaGuardia when she flies out.

This answers the LaGuardia question--it will be more convenient for her relative.

I would think car service for such a trip could be arranged but woulf be costly. A cab from LGA to Penn Station, then a train from there to Princeton, would cost about $50.

KikiLee

I fear a cab would be much more expensive than $50. A cab from LGA to NY is over $20 in itself, and you are talking another hour plus to get to Pton. Also, please note that NJ transit goes to Pton Jct, not Pton. (there's a little train called the Dinky that then takes you to Pton). I think it really depends on whether time or money is more important. Time - take a car service. Money - take a cab or shuttle from LGA to Penn Station, then NJ Transit to Pton Jct, Dinky from Pton Jct to Pton. (Also, are the meetings actually in Pton? Or are they somewhere along Rt 1 that calls itself Pton but won't be accessible even from the Pton train station?)

tpatricco

If money is no object, then take car service door to door. Why on earth would anybody who just got off a plane want to take three or four different trains to get to their approximate destination. Sounds miserable!! At least with a car service you can sit back and relax the whole way. IMO there's no better option.

Ryan

Saying that "She is actually a member of our Board at the health foundation" and "cost doesn't matter" in the same sentance can usually land said person in a boatload of trouble for a variety of reasons.

If she's so callous as to spend a foundations money with little regard for its likely non-profit status, then just book her a car service. It'll be pricey but it doesn't seem to matter.

My firm uses DialCar (718) 743-8200. Numerous other firms exist that provide the same service.

tcreath

Ryan, I didn't post this question to get these kind of remarks, I was generally asking for advice.

Since now I feel like I have to explain my job, I will. We are a health foundation but not totally non-for-profit in that same regard. I don't kow the whole logistics but I believe we are a 501(c)4 as opposed to a 501(c)3. We don't collect any money from outside sources like non-for-profits. We received all of the money we have from the state of Missouri after a major insurance carrier decided to change from a non-for-profit to a for-profit. The court decided that the insurance company could do this on the condition that x amont of money went back into the state to help fund healthcare agencies who are non-for-profits and provide services for the uninsured/underinsured who can't afford medical coverage. So all of our money is sitting in the bank was from this insurance carrier. Our foundation was founded by the Attorney General to give back to the state. We are required to spend a certain percentage each year and we do. We are very careful and follow all laws and regulations accordingly. Our board members (there are 12) take time out of their busy lives (this one being the CEO of an area hospital) to drive to St. Louis from all over the state (her drive is 4 hours) to attend our board meetings twice a month without any compensation because they are interested in helping our community. So when they need to attend foundation meetings, including ones that are out-of-state, we do whats necessary to make them happy and get them where they need to be.

To say that someone is "callous" without even knowing the facts is ridiculous. I hate having to defend myself when all I asked was a basic question. I mentioned that she was a board member simply because I wanted to state that she is in a higher position that I am and therefore I am not going to argue with her because she prefers to fly out of an airport that may not seem logical.

After all that was said, thank you very much for giving me the phone number of the company you use. I do appreciate it and will call on Monday morning to get a quote (while price isn't too much of a concern, I am pricing several companies so I can find the most reasonably priced one).

tcreath

I also wanted to add a big THANK YOU to everyone else who answered my questions. I really appreciate it!

And tpatricco, I'm glad you understand! She is leaving in the morning from Kansas City and has to be in Princeton by a certain time. I'm trying to do what's easiest for her to get to her meetings in a timely matter and without too much hassle on her end.

Thanks again!
Tracy

missjanna

You can also call Carmel, or maybe even find a car service based in Jersey. But whatever you do, don't have her take a yellow cab, as the meter will be running if you hit traffic (which will be likely during the morning rush) and he may even take a longer route. (Plus I believe they charge double the rate for out of state runs, or is that for car service? I don't remember)

A good one I used is Carmel. Her only saving grace traffic wise is that she is heading opposite most of the traffic.