I have been to NYC before , but never arrived in the height of rush hour. I need to be near 26th street and 8th ave at 8:15am and arrive into LGA at 7am, will I have enough time to get there by cab since there is no subway from LGA? My other option is to fly into JFK, but I don't arrive until 7:20am, so I have less than an hour to get there. Suggestions???

You should be ok if your plane arrives on time but waiting for luggage could be a prob. If it's for an important business meeting, it would make me too nervous.

YOur other option would be to take a taxi to the Jamaica station and either take the LIRR to Penn station from there (Penn station is on 34 st. & 8th ave.) OR take the E train subway from there and go to 23 st. & 8th ave.

Thanks for your reply.

I pretty much HAVE to be there no later than 8:15. If I took the 7:20 flight into JFK, would I be okay with the subway into the city? I know I have to take the Airtrain to the subway.

Also, no luggage. Thank goodness.

Either way your chances of getting to that area of the city by 8:15 are iffy - close to impossible if you have checked luggage.
All it will take is a little rain, or an accident or some sort of subway boo boo and you're cooked.

If you really MUST be there by 8:15 you'll have to come in the night before.

Sorry - I travel on business all the time - and have long since learned that unless you can get a plane arriving at least 2 hours before any meeting (and more that that in some instance (ie Chicao in the winter) you always go the night before. Not fun - but necessary.

I agree with NYTraveller, your chances are slim of getting into the city at 8:15. The easiest way from LGA is indeed by cab. If you are worried about traffic, another route is the M60 bus (which can go on special lanes), but I don't necessarily recommend it.

Best of luck!
Andrew
TripTie.com

The easiest and fastest way would be LGA and taxi to your destination. A later flight into JFK isn't better -- it's later AND further. I agree with the others, though, one blip and you won't be there on time. And you absolutely cannot check any bags.

IF you land on time at LGA at 7am, you might make it to your destination by 8:15am, depeninding on traffic & driver's experience.

7 - land
7:15 - off plane
7:30 - in taxi
8:05-8:45 - arrive 8th Avenue

Good luck!

Forgot to say ... you'll never make it if you fly into JFK, and don't even think about the M60 bus from LGA.

It seems I always end up arriving at LGA in a rush hour -- either an early morning flight or a late afternoon flight. But I can't recall the taxi
trip to Midtown ever taking more than an hour despite the traffic. More than once the driver has chosen a specific route because of traffic conditions -- they all seem to be in contact with each other or a dispatcher keeping up with traffic jams.
I'm not saying it can't happen, but chances are good.
The no checked luggage is a good thing. I've remarked that I've often waited longer for my luggage at LGA than the taxi trip took into the city.

Meanwhile anything CAN happen. It once took us well over two hours from JFK, as we literally sat for about an hour without moving right next to Shea Stadium when an oil tanker had overturned ahead of us -- there was no way to escape the total shutdown.

I'd say your chances aren't great and plan on being a little late.

You can forget making it from JFK.

I'd fly in the night before or see if you can move the meeting to 8:45AM.

If (and only if) you don't have to pick up luggage, I think it's possible to do the trip from LaGuardia and make it to west 26th Street in time for your meeting. However, I would urge lizt to have a car service lined up and waiting at LaGuardia rather than relying on a regular taxi. The trip shouldn't take more than an hour. To date, my longest-lasting trip to LaGuardia has taken 1 hour and 15 minutes from Midtown, and that included 35 minutes stuck in Midtown traffic.

Ironically, the trip from JFK to Midtown during rush hour can be much faster than the trip to LaGuardia if (and only if) you use the Airtrain because LIRR trains are frequent and because Penn Station is already on the west side. But I think the 7:20am arrival would be cutting it mighty close, and there would be a 50/50 chance that you wouldn't make it. If your plane were late at all, there would be no chance.

I agree a car service might be a better option, but ONLY if you spend the extra money and have the driver WAITING for you at the gate.

(If you go the normal -- cheaper -- route and call the car service upon arrival, it could take 5-20 minutes for the car to arrive.)

www.dial7.com

Be sure to confirm that the driver will be waiting for you and that you do NOT have to call upon arrival.

Good luck!

I'm a little curious about those car services as I've never done one from LGA. I often see the drivers with their signs meeting people. I always fly American and after getting my luggage I merely step outside around the corner and get a taxi -- I have never stood in line more than a couple of minutes at most. But while standing there I often see these drivers with their found clients walking past the taxis towards a parking garage.

Where do the drivers park if they come inside and how much time might be lost to get to their car -- are they in a pay garage for that time? I don't think they are allowed to leave the car parked at the curb?

I've often used a car service in London and other places, but is there really any time savings (certainly not money savings) by getting one at LGA?

Sometimes, yes.

The taxi lines at LGA can be very long, particularly during the holidays. I've waited 20+ minutes for a cab.

Reserving a car and calling upon arrival can be faster, but often not.

Other benefits of a car service are cleanliness & comfort, as well as the ability to pay by credit card (business travelers).

Oh, and if there's heavy traffic, Yes, a car service from LGA can be less expensive than a taxi, particularly to distant Manhattan destinations (and coupons are available for Carmel & Dial 7).

It's usually more expensive to use a car service, though if you get stuck in slow-moving traffic, a taxi can be more expensive because the meter keeps running in slow traffic.

Depending on the time of year and time of day, I've waited for as long as 15 or 20 minutes to get a cab at LaGuardia, but in general, I think you're right that it doesn't usually take but a few minutes. But having a car on standby can be a time-saver if you don't have any minutes to spare. If you have more of a cushion, it's not really worth the cost to have a car waiting (you'll pay about 25% more for a car service over a cab these days).

It can be a very different story at JFK, though, where I've had to wait in a line for more than 30 minutes a couple of times, especially coming in when a lot of other international flights are arriving, though that was in the days before the Airtrain. Today, I actually wouldn't consider anything other than the Airtrain if I'm actually paying the bill ... and especially if I'm alone and don't have anyone to share the cost of a taxi.

I think it's 6 of one, half dozen of the other. If there is no line at the taxi stand, but you have to walk with the guy to where he parked his car (which is never close!), it is faster to take the cab. On the other hand, if there is a long line at the cab stand, it is faster to have the car service. No way to predict, unless you know you're arriving at a peak time.

NOTE: this is only if you have paid for the guy to wait inside. If you have to call when you arrive and wait for the car, it's almost never faster unless it's a REEEEALLY long line at the cab stand (which has happened to me before).

Incidentally I suppose it isn't insignificant that I mentioned I fly American. The taxi stand right outside their luggage carousels seem to never be busy -- and yes I've flown in on holidays at the height of activity also. I'm not familiar with some of the other taxi stands, but I've heard they can really back up. Meanwhile, since AA is the last airline the taxis pass, I suspect lots of taxis delivering people to the airport, swing into that "American" taxi stand at the far end of the airport to pick up a fare going back. That's just a guess, though.