Please excuse my ignorance- I have read a lot of posts on JFK to Mid town, and I think I just need a little clarity
We are 2 people arriving JFK Saturday noon -1 bag on wheels each. I thought we might take the Airtrain, then I think we get off at Jamaica station? and get on to a subway train? which one? where do we get off and do we change trains? Staying at Hotel Mela. I am very embarassed to say I have never used the New York subway before! Do I buy 1 ticket for the train and the subway at JFK

Thank you all for your patience with such basic questions as these!

Your hotel is at W 44th @ 6th Ave. And this is the subway map:

www.mta.info/nyct/maps/submap.htm

The subway train that you want to end up at the end is the "F" train and gets off at either "47-50Sts-Rockefeller Ctr" or "42St-Bryant Pk". This line runs directly under 6th Ave.

To get on the "F" train, you take the AirTrain to Jamaica ($5), and then switch to the subway train "E" (standard metro fare, whatever it is now), and then transfer to "F" at either "Forest Hills-71Av" or "Jackson Hts-Roosevelt Ave". Sorry, I don't know which of these transfer have shorter walks.

You may see there's a "V" train that can also get you there in stead of the "F", but the "V" is weekdays only.

rk you are a star - you are helping me sort out all the logistics of the big SE Asia family trip on the Asia forum and this up coming New York trip as well - thank you , people like you make a difference!

Your other option is to take the LIRR from Jamiaca to Penn Station and then grab a cab to the hotel for a few dollars. IMHO - much more convenient than taking luggage on the subway. (I do take the subway all the time - but I won;t do it with luggage - just too much hassle dealing with all those stairs and passageways.)

For $40 you can save a lot of time & aggravation by reserving a car service.

http://www.carmellimo.com/

After you tally up the cost of 2 train tickets & two subway rides, a car is worth it.

I should have added, the MTA does 99% of subway service on weekends, and service interruptions are common. If you choose to attempt the train/subway option, which is a mistake in my opinion, keep that fact in mind.

Also, even when everything if running on weekends, service is less frequent.

I've done the subway with a bag and although it is a bit of a shelp, it can be done. Airtrain and subway is not as difficult as it sounds.

You get the airtran ticket at the airpot and then change to the subway at Jamaica STation. YOu can also take the A train there and get off at 42nd ST (Times Square), and you will be at 8th AVe and 42nd St. From there you can walk up two blocks and over 3 blocks to your hotel. Taking the A train you don't have to change trains, and this may make it a bit simpler.

The other option is a taxi or service car from the airport to you hotel, and that is a set price not including toll and tip.

Have a great time while you are here.

Agree: $40. + toll + tip to E. 28th from JFK on Friday 18 May.
Would never deal with the hassle of busses, etc.
FD: use the subway in Manhattan.
M

NY Airport Service (bus) costs $15 one way or $27 round trip from JFK to GCT or mid-town hotels...lots less complicated than airtrain + subway transfers.

Up to you whether the convenience of a taxi or car service (taxi set rate is actually $45 plus tip plus possible $4 toll, depending on route taken ) is worth it to you--it is to me!
One thing most people agree on--Supershuttle is a pain--you're much better off with the bus (convenient for your location) or Airtain/subway if you are trying to save some money

<<Taking the A train you don't have to change trains, and this may make it a bit simpler.>>

If you stay on the E train from Jamaica (without changing to the F), you will end up at exactly the same place as the A train (8th and 42nd) in much less time. The E train runs a much shorter route with fewer stops to midtown Manhattan.

Most NYers would probably take just one train and walk the extra few blocks from 8th and 42nd to 6th and 44th rather than go through the agony of chaning from the E to the F.

I don't know how far one has to walk from the E train to F train, but it has to be shorter than walking from 8th Ave to 6th. That's a very very long two blocks to walk, especially with luggage.

I agree that the change from F to E might be easier than the long walk. But I did want to make the point the the E could take you to the same stop as the A, and probably faster.

E is definitely faster than A for anyplace north of Financial District. E runs express through Queens (F as well), so very few stops between Jamaica and Mid-town. A, on the other hand, is local through Brooklyn.

Thank you to the folks here who helped us with a similar query, about from JFK on the A Train to 94th St. We arrived late (after a bumpy airborne wait, on United from Frankfurt) at JFK on the second wettest night ever, apparently, and by the time we got to the Station (Howard Beach) from the airtrain, it was already after 11pm, when we had planned on getting to the Days Inn,by about 10pm.
Anyway, with a roll-on case each, we waited a bit apprehensively, in pouring rain, and eventually a train arrived, and we boarded with six other travellers. A woman told us we would have to change to a bus , and change back to the train at Jay St, and this turned out to be true. Climbed a staircase more like a waterfall, and got soaked getting on the bus, which was slow and stopped at every traffic light, in pouring rain (surely the train must be faster everytime?) and had to cross a flooded, very uneven road to get back on the train, and change again at Columbus, so that it was well after 1am when we arrived at 94th/Broadway, but the hotel was close, and the adventure had re-energised us after the long trip. I had been worried about the safety angle, but at no time did we feel threatened, and our stay in New York was great. The Days Inn was fine too, when they upgraded us the next day to the double room we had ordered, from the tiny single one.
We left from Newark, so took the train to the Port Authority Terminal at 42nd, and the shuttle bus from there.

Must comment though, that after Germany, the infrastructure that we saw was very shabby and run-down. Obviously, the politicians never use it, but it did the job.
We also met a New Yorker whilst waiting for luggage at JFK, who offered us $100 to pay for a taxi, when he heard of our public transport plan. Very nice of him, don't you think? But we would have missed out on the adventure.

Dear Capetownfolk, we visited your lovely city on the way to Germany, and loved it - the freeways into your city are really good.Didn't use public transport.
The Airtrain ticket from JFK was $5 each, and we bought it when we got off, at the same time (the same ticket) as buying a reloadable ticket for the Metro. Have fun in New York, and Bon Voyage!

Thank you everyone for your advice. Carrabella, I know what you meanabout re energising after your trip - I think that's where we were heading with the idea of the AirTrain.
However, I think I need to consider that we would have taken and 11 hour overnight flight from Cape Town to London, then a 3 hour wait in London and then a 7 hour flight to New York! So we will be more tired than we realise, so perhaps a car service is the way to go, at least we can save our energy for a quck explore later on before we crash.
You have all been very helpful. Thank you