Bob Brown

I am scheduled to fly into New York City for the first time in quite a while. Coming from Atlanta I have the option of which airport I fly into -- La Guardia or Newark.

Are there any airport factors per se that might influence my choice? e.g. ease of ground transportation into the city.
I am headed for a hotel on 75th street near Broadway. Anticipated arrival is noonish.
Certainly no later than 2 PM, but after 10 AM.

Ted

Without a doubt, fly into LaGuardia (LGA). You can grab a cab and be at your hotel in under 30 minutes for about $25 (possibly less).

Newark, as the name implies, is located in New Jersey and involves MUCH greater travel time, expense and/or inconvenience.

Easy decision -- LGA.

Owen O'Neill

If planning to take a cabe it will be about $20 more expensive (ballpark) from Newark than from LGA. Travel time is faster from LGA when conditions are ideal but there is more construction on east side of Manhattan than on NJ side - slightly greater chance of traffic delays from LGA (maybe). At that time of day shouldn't be much problem from either. Newark now has the skytrain - $11.25 (vs ~$45-50 EWR cab and $25-35 LGA cab). Direct aiport monrail to NJ transit gets you to Penn Station at 33rd and 7th. Subway from there to near your hotel will run another $1.50. Cab from there to hotel about $10 w/tip. Skytrain is nice because it's not affected by traffic. Also... Newark is far less subject to flight delays than LGA (based on personal experience, some may dispute this but it's a statistic available in public records). Price being equal or cheaper... I'd choose Newark. if far better fare availabel through LGA it's worth doing.

Ted

Although I respect Owen's opinion, I strongly disagree. With LGA you take a quick taxi ride to your hotel -- no hassle, quick, and relatively inexpensive. The maintenance/construction on the Triborough Bridge is almost complete and delays are minimal, especially at that time of day, so don't worry about traffic delays. And since 9/11, delays at LGA have been almost non-existent (I fly it all the time and haven't had a noteworthy delay since winter 2000-2001.)

Flying into EWR, especially if you're going to the Upper West Side, is a pain in the neck and not worth the aggravation. Schlepping your luggage, monorail to Penn Station to subway or cab, Forget it! Time is money, after all. Like I said, an obvious & easy choice.

To go where you're going, even if I had to pay an extra c-note for the ticket, I'd choose LGA.

Bob Brown

Thanks guys. It looks like Air Tran from Atlanta has good prices and flies to La Guardia. In general, prices are about equal.
Our hotel is actually at Broadway and 75th street.
Luggage is a consideration. In December, there is always the extra weight of a winter coat.

barb

I am flying into Newark airport at 5:00pm Friday. Would it be easier to take a taxi or the skytrain you mentioned? What exactly is the skytrain?Where does someone catch it and where does it let you off in New York?

xxx

This link gives all the details:

www.panynj.com/aviation/monorailframe.htm

And at 5 p.m. on a Friday, I would definitely take the train.

rqf

Your best bet would be LGA. In non peak traffic times the trip will take just about 25 minutes and will cost about $25. I live near 94th and Broadway. Made it to LGA in 20 minutes last week, midday. A taxi from EWR will cost more than $45 and will take at least 30 minutes, probably longer. 75th and Broadway - Beacon?. If so, good choice.

To Barb: from the airport terminal you take the airport monorail to the Newark Airport train station where you transfer to the airtrain. The airtrain takes you to Penn Station in NY. FRom there you would need a taxi to your hotel. The airtrain costs $11 and change - trip takes less than 30 minnutes. This might be your best option at 5pm on a Friday.

xxx

A taxi from Newark is a flat rate of $35. The people who are telling you it is $45-50 are wrong. I do agree that LGA is easier.

xxxxx

No, No, No to the flat rate from Newark. Info above is wrong!!!!

The cost from Newark to Manhattan is about $40-50. It is JFK that has the flat rate

xxx

From the website:

Taxi fares to west side range from $34 to $51, plus tolls. East side of Manhattan is additional $4.

www.panynj.com/aviation/ewrtaxiframe.html

Owen O'Neill

At 5 PM on a Friday don't even think about ground transportation from EWR to NYC - all us Bridge & Tunnel people are heading into the city for evenign shows, dinner etc. - it's the absolute worst time of the week to be driving into the city (other than morning rush and sometimes it's as bad as that).

Not sure about taxi to NYC from EWR having flat rate but to other destinations from EWR, the taxi dispatcher writes your fare price on a receipt before you get in the cab - the driver is obligate to charge you that amount for your committed destination. Even if a cab is only $35 from EWR, the passenger pays the $5 or $6 tunnel toll, the small NJ Turnpike toll(for both directions) and then pays a tip. To my house in NJ it's about $40 including the NJ Turnpike toll and the tip and I'm a bit closer to EWR than midtown NYC by about three miles.

I was unaware that the on-time performance of LGA had improved so much and also unaware that the bridge work is nearly complete. With those factors considered and an upper West side hotel, I agree that LGA is the best choice.

xxx

xxxxx, There is a flat rate from EWR to Manhattan Island.

Sue

We went to NY for the first time in April and flew into Newark. It was great. Got in about noon.

rqf

Fare by taxi from EWR is according to zones. THe least expensive is midtown - WEst side - $34. THe further away from midtown west the higher the fare. IN addition to the fare there is a $6 tunnel toll plus a $1 and change charge for the Jersey TUrnpike. Cost before tip is going to be around $42. Add what you think is a satisfactory tip and you will have the cost of using a cab to MIdtown

Mina

As the above poster said, from Newark, there are flat rates based on zones. I paid pretty much what rqf said...around $40-$45 plus tip. This was to about 43rd and Broadway.

On the return, you're at the mercy of the meter, which usually means more money on the way back.