NYC-fastest way to LGA from city
 

I'm booking my flight now and wondering if there's going to be a problem getting to LaGuardia from the Upper East Side on Monday afternoon.

The flight I want leaves at LGA at 8 pm. I imagine I need to be at the airport by 6 pm?

Is there still a 2-hour wait time at LGA?

Will the traffic be worse at certain times? I am guessing there's no nonstop, speed train as there is in Tokyo that can bypass all the traffic and get one from the city to the airport without worries about delays.

All the info I've seen talk about lessening costs but nothing about the quickest way possible.

Thanks so much!

Quickest way is by taxi or car service.

Cheapest way is by subway (probably the #6) and transfer to the M60 bus at 125th and Lex.

If the traffic is good, about 40 minute bus ride. If the traffic is not good, might be 70 minutes.

I would NOT recommend taking the MTA bus to LaGuardia. A cab from the UES to Laguardia won't be that expensive, and it will be worth the peace of mind. The bus can take forever, and even upwards of 70 minutes during rush hour. I would play it safe and leave for the airport by 5:15. I haven't see anything approaching even 45 minutes for security at LaGuardia, but better to be safe than sorry.

Agree with Lizzie. Taxi from upper east side or order a car service. I like limores.net

Ask your airline what time THEY want you there. Different terminals, different security. If you can print out a boarding pass in advance, you're ahead of the game.

You will be hitting rush hour so traffic will be bad, but from the UES, not as bad as from midtown. Driver will prob. take the Triborough bridge. If the FDR is crowded you'll have a tour of Harlem. ;)

Arrange for a car service in advance. that way you won;t be fighting everyone else for scarce cabs at rush hour.

That's really the only sensible way. Depending on where upper east side can be 30 minutes. If bad weather and/or huge accident cor something on at Shea can take an hour.

Subway or bus to bus will take at least an hour - and can be considerabley more. (The husband of a friend of mine missed a family flight to FL because he took the subway/bus. He had left almost 4 hours and was still too late for the flight.)

NYtrav makes an excellent point. All the cabs change shift around 5 PM, so it can be next to impossible to find a cab after 5. Definitely book a car service. It will be minimally more money and definitely worth it.

I should say "around 5" not "after 5". Now I'm shutting up:-)

Actually cabs (fleet cabs - not private drivers - but most are fleet cars) shift at either 4 pm or 5 pm. (They all head back to Queens or Bronx garages). So - really do get a car service - since at 5 pm a good number of cabs are in transition - and a lot of people getting out of work.

Thanks So much, everyone!

Leaving Sunday night instead!