Hello Everyone - I know this has been discussed at great lengths before but I just wanted to make sure I have it down correctly... I am arriving at JFK next week and will be staying at the Travel Inn on 42nd St. I should take the Air Train to Jamaica Station and connect to the E train, exiting at 42nd St/Port Authority Bus station to get to my hotel, right? I'm just trying to make sure I didn't miss a connection somewhere.

For those of you who helped with my previous post of seating at the Minskoff Theatre, I will let you know how good/bad the seats were when I return.

Thanks in advance for the assistance.

Yes be, that's exactly it. I'll find the post I made with detailed info on the Jamaica transfer and post back for you.

You are correct. The E train will drop you at 42nd St and 8th Ave. You will have to walk a few long blocks west, 10-15 minutes depending on your walking speed.

If you see a crosstown bus going west on 42nd St, you could get on for free (a free transfer with your subway fare--you must insert your Metrocard in the bus farebox and it will scan as a transfer).

Or just grab a taxi for a quick ride if you too tired to deal with walking or a bus.

Hi be, I gave a detailed layout of the Jamaica station in this post:
JFK to Midtown at 4pm
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=35051099

Scroll down towards the bottom for the post (8/20, 1:08pm), and then ellenem's clarification below that. The whole thread will be helpful, I think!

The Times Square/42nd Street/Port Authority station is the 5th stop in Manhattan. The middle of the subway train will be the best to exit into Port Authority and thus right on 42nd Street. (For example, the exit at the back of the train will put you on 43rd or 44th Streets, and thus a farther walk once you are above-ground.)

Port Authority is two *avenue blocks* (each are about 1 1/2 regular blocks) east of the Travel Inn. IMO, it's not a bad walk at all from 8th to 10th Aves, but the transfer is free within 2 hours of first swiping the card, so take the bus if you feel like it! If you do decide to take the city bus, you need to cross 42nd Street from Port Authority to catch a westbound bus. Look for the M42 bus - and ask the bus driver if you're not sure. (They're helpful with directions.) City buses are white and blue, and display the bus number above the windshield on the front.

BTW, there's some great food in the area, especially on 9th Ave as you head north from 42nd Street. For one, Amy's Bread on 9th at 47th Street is wonderful for take-away breakfast goodies. Check out menupages.com for restaurants in Hell's Kitchen (part of "midtown west").

Thank you both. Thanks for the suggestion on the bus/cab but if it's a nice day, I won't mind the walk.

...I must have been "previewing" when you posted your reply - so my second response is above!

Hi ggreen - I just read the previous thread and have one more question... I read somewhere that if you don't get your ticket for the AirTrain prior to boarding, it would be $12 instead of $5. Is this correct? and how is this possible if you cannot buy a ticket for the AirTrain in JKF, you can only buy it afterwards at Jamaica Station? Also I was under the impression that I could use the Metrocard for both the E train and the AirTrain?

AirTrain is $5, and you don't pay until you get out at Jamaica.

You can ride it around the terminals for free all day long.

thanks rkkwan.

To get out of the AirTrain at Jamaica, you pay $5. Then you'll pay another $2 to take the subway.

$12? I think you may be thinking of connecting at Jamaica to the Long Island Railroad to Manhattan (Penn Station), which costs more than the subway, and even more if you buy the train ticket on the train.