A group of friends and I are traveling to New York City Feb. 26 – Mar 2.

While I realize it is not the most desired airport to travel to, we are flying into Islip. (free tickets on SWA)

We intend to take the shuttle to the train station and take the LIRR into Penn Station. The LIRR website states that all luggage must fit in the overhead bins.

Has anyone traveled this way and had problems with their luggage fitting? Are the overhead bins the same size as airlines? Smaller? Larger?

Thank you in advance for any wisdom you can impart on the subject.

Last I looked (which I grant was not recently) the "overhead bins" were actually open racks. Loads of people use the LIRR train from both Islip airport and also from JFK to NYC. Don't worry.

I noticed the other day there's a special all in one ticket you can buy online (not sold on the airport end) that includes the cost of the shuttle from the airport to the train station and the train ticket.
http://www.mta.info/lirr/Video/MacArthur/

I'll also mention that depending on how many you are, you might want to consider getting a car service. They cost about $100-130 to go into Manhattan. If there are 4 of you, that's not a bad per person price for door to door service.
http://www.macarthurairport.com/page...sportbod0.html

http://www.colonialtransportation.com/specials.html

Thank you, mclaurie. I appreciate your quick, informative response.

I have looked into the car service and we'd love to travel this way, however we fear the length of the ride in, we are arriving at 2:55pm at Islip. After gathering our luggage, we plan to leave the airport by 3:30pm (hopefully).

Do you think it is likely that we will beat the rush hour?

I've read on here that it can take from 1.5 hours to 3. Thoughts?

The traffic on any given day is different. Since your traveling into the city it should take you about an hour and half depending on the tunnel traffic. Taking the train is about the same. You can bring luggage but there is no place to put it. If you sit toward the doors there is uaually more
room to have luggage. If you have alot of luggage a car service is easier.

The overhead bins are fairly large. But if they do not fit most conductors are human and will give you a pass.

I have seen teenage drinking and carrying on and the conductors do nothing.

The Long Island Expressway is one of the more brutal roads in the NYC area. Even though you will going against the traffic, and time is consideration, take the LIRR.

You need to check the train schedule carefully - outside of rush hours there is only one train per hour to/fro Ronkonkoma (the station near Islip).

And the shuttle doesn;t run that often. Unless it is right there, and if there are a couple of you, I would take a cab to the train station.

Where are you staying and what if any appointments do you have on first arriving? If you're staying nearish Penn station or if you have an important appointment early evening, take the train. Otherwise, relax and take a car service. You'll be paying a fixed price (that you should agree in advance). You're going somewhat in the opposite direction of the rush hour traffic. It's not likely you hit terrible traffic and Thurs. is not a particularly bad day.

If you go with the train, I do agree if you find there are no shuttles around and your timing is as you anticipate, get a taxi b/c the train is at 4:11 train.
http://www.lirr.org/lirr/html/ttn/ronkonko.htm

Room for luggage on LIRR varies depending on the type of train. All trains have open overhead racks for luggage.

The single-level train cars have racks with plenty of space to fit any size suitcase you can manage to lift.

The double-decker cars have overhead racks, but the ceiling is much lower, so even a 22-inch suitcase will not fit--you couldn't fit anything much thicker than a briefcase. If you stay at the end of the train car by the doors where there is only one level, you can put your suitcases in the wheelchair area.

Chances are at 3PM the trains won't be too crowded since you will be traveling a reverse-commute by heading west to NYC. Most people will be traveling east at that hour.

Friends of mine must have seen the same bargains on Southwest that you did. They flew from Midway to Islip in December and then made the trek on the train to visit with me in Manhattan. They said that even with the added time and cost of the train, the price was so much cheaper than flying to a closer airport that the agony was worth it. They landed in Islip around 9:30am and reached my place in Manhattan around noon.

Thank you to everyone! This is a wealth of information.

We are staying at the Park Central Hotel around 7th and 56th/57th. (we received a steal of a deal at $129 a night)

We do not have plans for Thursday night - rather it is just an evening to relax and prepare for the next day.

We were thinking of our full day's length of travel when referring to time. We are looking at over seven hours of travel, prior to taking transportation into Manhattan.

At this point, we lean towards taking a car service one way and the train the other. I know two of those going are looking at the train ride as an "experience".

Thank you again to everyone. You have been of tremendous help.

mclaurie - Colonial Transportation quoted me $115 for the sedan. What a deal! Thank you.

The price on that link says $110 but it may be an old price. Have the driver take the 59th st. bridge and you avoid a toll and it's near your hotel. If the driver insists the traffic's too heavy that way, don't argue. He may really know. Driver will expect a tip on top of that price unless you were specifically told that's an all included price.

I think the idea of taking the train back is a good one. You can buy that all inclusive ticket for train and shuttle bus at Penn station.