My husband and I will be arriving in JFK coming back from Italy. I haven't landed in JFK in YEARS might I add!(We live in CA now). We know a cab is out of the question since most will never go into Jersey...
So here's what I heard we can do. Take the Airport Express Shuttle to Penn Station, which is at 34th St right? I know we can take the path by the Empire State building at 33rd to Hoboken, then a taxi to our place... So is that the way to go??
Also..we'll be picking up someone from JFK the next day, should we use the same method??

Thanks in advance,

Samantha

Another thing I'd like to add is that we have a show to see at the Orpheum theater..I think it's in the village, at 8pm that night, and my friend lands around 630pm...so we might not have enough time?

Once you get into Manhattan, you can get a cab to Hoboken.

I wouldn't chance trying to get to an 8:00 show unless the tickets were so cheap I could afford not showing up.

If we took a cab straight from JFK to the show...could we make it then? It was cheap tickets...but we still want to go! lol

Whooaah. this sounds like a nightmare. The Airport Express bus from JFK does not go directly to Penn station. You'll have to change buses at Grand Central. This is all too complicated and I think you'd be crazy to go back out to JFK from Hoboken to "pick someone up" at rush hour and then expect to get to Manhattan by 8. If that someone's plane is delayed, you're sunk.

Apart from not staying in Hoboken period, which may or may not be an option, here are some alternative ideas.

The PATH train in Manhattan that goes directly to Hoboken without having to change is at the WTC site.
http://www.panynj.gov/CommutingTrave.../html/map.html

So you could take the AirTrain at JFK to the A train subway to the Broadway/Nassau St. stop in Manhattan and walk a short way to the WTC PATH train. Just check to make sure the train runs at the hour you're arriving.

Another option is to take the AirTrain to the E train subway OR the LIRR to Penn STation--both at Sutphin Blvd. (faster than the Express bus) and take the PATH train at 33 st. But it looks like you'd have to change trains for Hoboken.

There are also ferries between Manhattan and Hoboken that might be more pleasant, but not sure of cost and timing.
http://www.panynj.gov/CommutingTravel/ferry/html/

Lastly, you could price renting a car. It might be worth your while to rent a car to get yourselves to Hoboken, use it to go back the next day and drop it there and take public transport back to the city. Have you thought about what your friend will do with luggage before the concert?

Sorry, I looked again and the PATH from 33 st. is direct to Hoboken. But I think the real issues you have to grabble with are:

>after a flight from Italy, do you really want to muck around with trains, planes and automobiles. Do yourselves a favor and either stay in Manhattan or get a car service to pick you up and take you where you need to go in comfort. I like
limores.net

>going out to JFK to pick someone up and then have to go back to Manhattan with luggage to make a concert is not a good idea. Either have your friend meet you in Manhattan or hire a car service to take you and bring you back.

Thanks for all the info!
Well it turns out we only have to worry about getting from JFK to Hoboken ourselves....I think we'll just take the shuttle and Path since we won't be in a rush.
I just found out that my friend will be flying in Newark!! So that actually might be a little easir to just take a cab?