NYC: Taxi vs car service
 

We are flying into LGA and staying at The Kimberly at 145 E. 50th St. Do you think a car service or a taxi is the better way to go to get there? One car service I called said $55 + tolls and parking.
Thanks!

Assuming there are no more than 4 of you, taxi. $35. Simple. Do NOT accept a ride from anyone. Go to the taxi line.

Yes, and the taxi will be roughly half the cost of that car service.

Tel-aviv car service (800-222-9888) quotes $29 from LGA to manhattan (+tolls), $34 from 8pm to 4am.

Let me know how you like The Kimberly, we have reservations to stay there in August (diplmat 2br suite).

Have a great time.

The car services also charge for waiting time, so if your flight is delayed, they will charge you extra, sometimes per minute.

Taxi is the easiest, cheapest, and most convenient way to go.

Sorry, I shouldn't say "cheapest", because there are other cheaper options, but compared to a car service, it is cheaper.

Carmel and Tel Aviv don't charge for waiting time. They ask you to phone them once you have your luggage.

Thank you for the info and I will certainly let you know how I like The Kimberly! There are two of us and we have a one brd. suite!

In NYC there are car services - which are usually sedans several years old and do most of their business to/fro airports (not allowed to pick up people on the street - but will if they have no calls from the dispatcher - except in midtown). Their cost is similar to a cab.

There are also limo services - which have newer, nicer cars(many stretch limos) - most of their business is corporate/weddings etc - and they charge much more.

I think the quote you got was from the latter - it's sometimes hard to tell which is which from web sites or ads.

It was Executive Car service and it is who my company does business with on a regular basis.
I will try checking a couple of the companies mentioned above!

Don't know if this is a factor for you, but a taxi ride from LGA to midtown always makes me queasy (all that left-foot braking in a rough-riding car). Last week we took a car service for the first time, and it was so much better! Worth a little more, I thought.

The other virtue of the car service is that the price is fixed. A taxi stuck in traffic with the meter running can be depressing.

If you can afford the extra $20 or so the car service is definitely worth it just for the comfort factor. The long lines at the LGA taxi stand can be fierce especially around 5 PM when the cab drivers change shifts and there are not so many of them.

Another benefit - being met at baggage claim and help with bags out to the car. Just a much nicer way to arrive in the city. Worth it - especially if you can find a discount coupon.

I think a car service is sounding more and more attractive! Any ideas where I could get a discount coupon?
Thanks!

Reese there is a coupon on the website for Carmel that McLaurie mentioned it's at http://carmellimo.com/index.html

Thank You Margo!
Does anyone recommend Carmel over Tel Aviv or are they both pretty good?
Thanks!

Tel Aviv is in the process of changing its name to Dial 7.

www.dial7.com

It & Carmel are about equal, but I prefer Dial 7 over Carmel because Carmel acted dishonorably during the transit strike.

And I'm not sure if anyone mentioned it, but, depending on when you arrive, the taxi line can be very long, so it saves time having a car reserved.

Finally, I usually pay the extra $5 for the "deluxe" sedan. As a generalization, the cars are newer and the drivers more courteous.

Enjoy NYC!

Thanks Gekko. I guess $55 is the going rate! Dial 7 was $55 plus tolls, same as the original car service!

What? Where are you getting $55??

From LGA to Manhattan is $31 for a regular car, $36 for a deluxe car.

http://www.dial7.com/rates.html