Hello.

I'm looking for the most simplest directions (if this is possible) from JFK airport to Harlem (W141th Street)? Any suggestions?

Thanks.

Take a taxi. That's easiest. It's particularly difficult to do this trip by public transit, but you can take thevAirtrain then LongvIsland Railroad then the subway. That would halve the price and double the time. It's really a choice between ease and cost. There are really no other viable options.

A car service might be cheaper than a regular taxi, so do price that option.

By car, taxi, or public transportation?

I'll assume public transportation, and I'll assume simplest means fewest connections from one type of transport to another (which does not necessarily mean fastest).

Simplest: From JFK, take the AirTrain to Howard Beach Station. At Howard Beach station, take the A train toward Manhattan. Get off the A train at 145th Street and walk to 141st Street.

Slightly less simple but perhaps faster: From JFK, take the AirTrain to Jamaica Station, then Long Island railroad, then 1 train to 137th Street, then walk to 141st Street.

The first suggestion given above has the fewest changes but is very inefficient. It will take from 1.5 to 2 hours to get from JFK to 141st St. And you will need to be prepared to carry your luggage up and down several flights of stairs.

For details on all of your options look at hopstop.com

If you have the address I can tell you what the cross streets are to tell you which train is closer the A or the 1. I live close to there.

Simplest, easiest, and cheapest--hardly ever mean the same thing. If the OP returns, perhaps he or she will be more specific about his or her travel needs.

Simplest is a taxi. There's a flat taxi fare of $45 plus toll and tip from JFK to Manhattan. That generally comes to ~$65 total. Just make sure to use an official yellow NYC taxi from the line outside the terminal with a dispatcher. Avoid anyone who approaches you.

If you want to spend less, Maps.google.com gives good directions. Type the trip at the top. You'll get a driving map first. Click the train icon and you'll get directions for using public transportation.

Actually, no, there is no flat fee to this address in Manhattan from JFK.

The flat fee does not apply to addresses that far north in Manhattan. This trip will be completely on the meter, and I"m not sure how much it will cost. Likely more than $45.

Doug, the TLC website says
"Flat Fare from John F. Kennedy (JFK) Airport:

For trips between (to and from) Manhattan and JFK International Airport, the flat fare is $45.00 plus any tolls using Rate Code 2 on the meter"
http://www.nyc.gov/html/tlc/html/pas...cab_rate.shtml

Why wouldn't it apply to ANY address in Manhattan?

It's a good question. Unless they have changed the policy, the flat fare has never applied to destinations above 125th Street. I have never heard that the policy changed, but I can't question the wording on the link to the TLC web site.

The rules as written state a flat fare from JFK to Manhattan without any eceptions. I am surprised to hear that the flat rate would not apply above 125 Street as that would reek of veiled discrimination, a long standing problem of the TLC that they try and counter.

The "anywhere in Manhattan" policy has been in effect for at least a few years. There are places in lower Manhattan on the west side that would take much longer to get to than say 141st street which isn't too far off from the Triboro bridge route from JFK to Manhattan.

By the way, the advisory about taking a subway (how easy/hard is it) would depend on where on west 141st street. That covers a pretty big area from Lenox avenue all the way to the Hudson River. Some addresses would be pretty far from a subway or mean several changes of train line.

We don;t now yet how many people would be making the trip, how much luggage they will have and how willing - or able - they are to schlep it around.

It's hard to make a sensible reco without that info - can only provide options as we have done.