I need help
 

Hey it's my first time traveling to New York I will arrive there at 12:30 am this Saturday at the JFK airport but I want to go to Connecticut.
What can I get to take me there that is near to the JFK I mean like a bus, taxi or train? And how far it is from the airport?

Are newbies now allowed in the lounge?

This isn't the Lounge.

There are 9 Amtrak stations in CT. I hope your destination is close to one of them.
The first NE Regional of the day leaves New York Penn station at 2:40AM (#66). The next one is at 6:55AM (#190).
New Haven is about $41 for a coach seat.
If your plane is on time, you should be able to make it to NYP in less than 2 hours in the early morning hours.

You also can use a car service to CT.

There are also Metro North commuter trains leaving from Grand
Central Terminal. Where are you going in Connecticut?

Sorry. Thought I was lounging. Still too early for me:)

The obvious question is: Where in Connecticut? It's hard to given worthwhile advice without knowing this key fact!

Danito, JFK to Stamford (the part of Connecticut closest to NY) is 42 miles, but JFK to Stonington (the part of Connecticut farthest from NY) is 137 miles. Getting to the latter at the hour is probably out of the question (although I guess a car service would be happy to go there for a huge price). Getting to Stamford might be doable, although still not easy at that hour. More information is needed.

At that time you will probably be stuck with a car service (call Dial 7 or Carmel to get a price) of some sort of CT based shuttle.

But without knowing where in CT you will be going it's impossible to make recos.

There is a train - but at that hour it runs once per hour and before that you would have to take an hour and a taxi (or subway if you are brave) and an hour to get to the train station in Manhattan. Not sure if the Airporter buses run at that hour - you can go to the airport web site and check them out. You would have to take the one that goes in Grand Central in Manhattan. Do NOT look at Super Shuttle which is very unreliable.

<<What can I get to take me there that is near to the JFK I mean like a bus, taxi or train?>>

Generally, you can take the Airtrain to Jamaica station, take the E train to 42nd and 8th, take the Times Square shuttle to Grand Central and take the Metro-North New Haven line into Connecticut - www.mta.info for schedules.

Or you can take the Airtrain to Jamaica station, take the LIRR to Penn Station, take either Amtrak to New Haven (for far more than the Metro-North line) or work your way to Grand Central (one stop north on the 1/2/3 from Penn Station, take Times Square shuttle to Grand Central) for the New Haven line.

Either option will take 3-4 hours in all likelihood. Cabs may not go to Connecticut.

At the hour you're arriving, you probably need to do car service to your destination (not going to estimate that cost), or taxi to Grand Central. The last train to New Haven leaves at 1:47 a.m.

Until such time as the OP answers the question as to exactly where in Connecticut she wants to go, it seems a waste of time to offer further comments.

Still, one thing for sure: Since she doesn't arrive at JFK until 12:30 a.m., it is a near impossibility that she could make any last late night Metro North train leaving Grand Central to any Metro North station in Connecticut.

I agree that if someone is arriving a half-past midnight, getting to Connecticut any way other than by a car service is probably not even remotely possible. However, many times people say "12:30 am" when they mean "12:30 pm". I'll be interested to see if the OP comes back to offer some clarity.

A regular NYC taxi is unlikely to want to go to Connecticut at this hour and doesn't have to. So the best option is a private car service arranged in advance. You'd need to do that by Thursday to assure having a car in place in time for this trip.

But I guess to answer the question more directly ... I'd probably rent a car and drive. A one-way car rental could be cheaper than a car service, which will definitely cost in excess of $100 and probably considerably more.

It would have been nice if the OP had said where in CT.


I just want to point out that rail service at that hour is rather limited:

MetroNorth has trains leaving Grand Central for
Stamford & New Haven at 1:07 AM, 1:47 AM and to Stamford only at 1:10 AM and 1:53 AM

Amtrak trains from Penn Station are virtually non-existent at that hour. There is a train leaving at 2:40 AM but it is an express to New Haven - the first stop being Old Saybrook.

LIRR service from Jamaica station (take the AirTrain to Jamaica), then the LIRR to Penn Station is very limited at that hour.

While the subway runs 24/7, after midnight service slows to about one train every 12 to 20 minutes (or more depending on the route/line) The 42nd St Shuttle between Times Square & Grand Central does not run at that time - use 7 train service.

As much as I am staunch proponent of public transportation - I would agree with some of the others and either take a car service or rent a car - regardless of the cost).

Why are we wasting our time with someone who provides none of the important information then disappears?

Ackislander,

Danito just joined and this is the first question (which was posted only yesterday).

From what I have observed an OP doesn't always respond as quickly as "we"(us Fodorites) might.

I am of the opinion that many travelers from outside the U.S. (and even from within the U.S.) do not realize just how big a state or city may be or the distance between point A and point B is.

We have to be understanding and do the best we can with what information is provided by the OP.

Are we taking bets yet if we ever hear from this poster again?

Probably waiting for an email saying there is a response.

Nycguy, the "nyc" has to be pronounced "nice"!

You are. I am old and cynical.

>>Why are we wasting our time with someone who provides none of the important information then disappears?<<

>>Probably waiting for an email saying there is a response.<< exactly.

Many if not most newbies assume (incorrectly) that they will be notified if there is activity on their threads. other sites do that so its understandable.