0
Public transportation in New York City is regulated and administered by the NYCTA (New York City Transit Authority), which is a sub-division of the MTA (Metro Transit Authority). The MTA is the New York State transit authority.
See the Related Links below for more information about the NYCTA and the MTA.
1 answer
You can take the subway to JFK. You take the A train to the Howard Beach Station, or the E or the J-Z to Sutphin Boulevard/Archer Avenue, then get the shuttle, called the AirTrain, which drops you off inside the JFK terminals.
LaGuardia is not accessible by subway, but there are MTA-NYCTA (Metro Transit Authority-New York City Transit Authority) buses that go there. NYCTA is the transit authority for New York City, and they are part of the MTA, which is the New York State transit authority.
Newark Airport is in New Jersey, so it obviously wouldn't be accessible by MTA-NYCTA transit (neither the subway nor the buses).
1 answer
All public transportation in New York City -- buses and the subway -- is operated by the NYCTA (New York City Transit Authority), which is a part of the MTA (Metro Transit Authority), which is the state transit authority.
1 answer
No. As far as I know, there is no bus, either. I cannot find any mention of one on the MTA's website (Metro Transit Authority, which is New York State's transit authority, and of which the NYCTA - New York City Transit Authority - is a subdivision).
A taxi is by far the simplest and easiest way to get between these two airports. However, some airlines may offer bus or shuttle services. Try calling your airline's customer service number.
You can also use Super Shuttle (1-800-BLUE-VAN).
1 answer
You can get a yellow cab at the taxi stand. If time is a factor and you land during high-peak, just call a car service. It will cost about the same, maybe a little more (+$10). Call before you take off from your departure city: Carmel (212-666-6666) and Dial 7 Car & Limo (212-777-7777) are the biggest car service companies in the city.
You can also take Super Shuttle (1-800-BLUE-VAN, or see the first Related Link below). This is your somewhat less simple but more moderately priced option.
Your cheapest (and most complicated) option is public transportation. Unlike JFK, LaGuardia is not accessible by subway, but the MTA-NYCTA operates a bus that runs between LaGuardia and Manhattan (the NYCTA is the city's transit authority, and they are part of the MTA, which is the New York State transit authority).
The M60 bus only makes five stops in Manhattan, and they're all in Upper Manhattan: West 106th Street and Broadway (in the Morningside Heights neighborhood), West 116th Street and Broadway (also in Morningside Heights), West 125th Street and Amsterdam Avenue (in Harlem), West 125th Street and Malcolm X Boulevard (Harlem), East 125th Street and Lexington (East Harlem).
See the second Related Link below for information about the M60 bus, and see the third Related Link for an M60bus schedule.
1 answer
By the late 1970s to early 1980s, virtually all subway cars had graffiti on them, and many were completely covered with it. So, in the early-to-mid 1980s, the MTA-NYCTA started coating the cars with a substance that is resistant to spray-paint, effectively making them graffiti-proof.
In the early 1990s, scratch-resistant windows were installed on the subway cars to prevent vandals and graffiti artists from scratching up the Plexiglass with their tags and marks. The new glass is not scratch-proof, however. It is only scratch-resistant, so graffiti on the windows has not been completely eradicated.
As for the walls and other surfaces of the stations and tunnels, I think frequent repainting is all that can be done.
1 answer
Not exactly, no. Student Metrocards are available for kindergarten through 12th grade students. There are no Student Metrocards for college students. And your school gets the card for you. You do not get it directly from the MTA-NYCTA (Metro Transit Authority, which is the New York State transit authority, and New York City Transit Authority, which is a sub-division of the MTA).
You certainly cannot present a student ID at the subway station and get a discount on your Metrocard, not least because most stations do not have full-time tellers (or any tellers at all), only Metrocard machines. So there is no one to show your ID to, anyway.
Student Metrocards offer either half-fare or full-fare discounts, depending on how far you have to travel to and from school. They can be used only on school days, and only 3 times a day.
See the Related Link below for more details.
1 answer
Unlike JFK, LaGuardia is not accessible by subway, but the MTA-NYCTA operates a bus that runs between LaGuardia and Manhattan (the NYCTA is the city's transit authority, and they are part of the MTA, which is the New York State transit authority).
The M60 bus only makes five stops in Manhattan, and they're all in Upper Manhattan: West 106th Street and Broadway (in the Morningside Heights neighborhood), West 116th Street and Broadway (also in Morningside Heights), West 125th Street and Amsterdam Avenue (Morningside Heights), West 125th Street and Lenox Avenue aka Malcolm X Boulevard (Harlem), East 125th Street and Lexington (East Harlem).
See the first Related Link below for information and schedules for the M60 bus.
Once you're in Manhattan, you can transfer to the subway. Without knowing where in the Bronx you're going, I can't give precise directions, but not many subway lines run into the Bronx, so I can give directions for transferring to each one. See the second Related Link for a subway map.
If you need to take the 4, 5 or 6 trains (the dark green line), get off at the 125th and Lexington stop, and board the 4-5-6 at the 125th Street Station (at 125th and Lexington).
If you need to take the 1, 2 or 3 trains (the red line), get off at the 125th and Lenox Avenue (aka Malcolm X Blvd) stop, and board the 1-2-3 at the 125th Street Station, at 125th and Lenox/Malcolm X Blvd.
If you need to take the B or D trains (of the B-D-F-M, the orange line), get off at the 125th Street and Amsterdam stop. Then walk 2 blocks east to 125th and St. Nicholas Avenue (Amsterdam Avenue ---> Morningside Avenue ---> St. Nicholas Avenue), and board the B or D trains at the 125th Street Station (at 125th and St. Nicholas Ave).
1 answer
The cheapest way is to take the subway. You can also take a cab or an airport shuttle like Super Shuttle (1-800-BLUE-VAN).
First, take the shuttle (called the AirTrain) from inside the JFK terminals, to the Howard Beach Station of the A train (of the A-C-E, the blue line). Then take the Manhattan-bound A train to 34th Street-Penn Station.
5 answers
One can find information on public transportation in NYC by looking at TripAdvisor for example. There are two main options for public transport in New York City and these are the subway and the bus system. The subway is the fastest method apart from late at night but the great taxi service makes up for this. The bus system is great for people who don't like hundreds of stairs and also for getting up and down the avenues. There are many "Hop on Hop off Bus Tours" available as well whom often have good deals on ticket prices. If you want more information then search for the New York Metro Card and it will provide more information on both the subway and the buses.
There is also a wealth of information on the MTA's website (see the Related Link below). The MTA (Metro Transit Authority) is New York State's public transit authority. The NYCTA (New York City Transit Authority) is part of the MTA.
On the MTA's website, you can find schedules and maps for the New York City buses and subways, as well as the LIRR (Long Island Railroad) and Metro-North Railroad. You can also find information on Metrocard rates/fares, planned service changes, disability ("accessibility") issues (such as a list of wheelchair accessible subway stations), and a ton of other info.
1 answer
Subway/Bus Combo to LGA - Cheapest Method
With a little exercise, you can travel to La Guardia Airport for just $2. There are two basic ways to do this - the first is to get to any New York subway station where you can make a free transfer to the M60 LaGuardia bus - This bus runs across 125st in Manhattan and then into Queens and up to La Guardia Airport - the most optimal subway stations to get this bus are Astoria Boulevard in Queens (N and W lines) or one of the three 125 Street stations in Manhattan that serve 4,5 and 6 lines, 2 and 3 lines or the A,B,C,D lines. If you exit one of these stations you will find an M60 MTA bus that is both regular and reliable. Many of our subway testers have found the Astoria Boulevard route is the best, but that assumes that the N and W lines are running properly. This method of getting to La Guardia Airport will take about 45 minutes from midtown Manhattan, longer if you use one of the more westerly subway stations. If that section of New York is having problems (The 2006 power outage in Queens that lasted 5 days played havoc with the New York Subway system) a popular alternative is to take the 7 train out to 74th Street in Corona (it has escalators, and the E, F, G, R, and V trains also stop there), go downstairs, and ride the Q33 bus to LGA (also a free transfer with your MetroCard). It, too, takes about 20 minutes after your 15-minute ride on the 7 train. If it's a weekday, remember to take a local 7 train, as express trains bypass 74th Street. Keep in mind, however, that if you're going to the Marine Air Terminal, you need to take the Q47 bus from 74th Street, since the Q33 does not stop there.
Going to LGA on the Subway/Bus At Night
At night, the options available to those using public transit to reach LaGuardia Airport change a bit. On the West side, only the 2 train runs to 125th Street, and on the East side only the 4 and 6 trains go to 125th. The 7 train always runs to 74th Street, day or night. After midnight, the trains run every 20 minutes, and the buses to LaGuardia are almost an hour apart. If you're catching a red-eye out of LGA, consult www.mta.info before you go. During the day, the buses and trains run about 8-10 minutes apart. Don't forget to enjoy the spectacular views of Manhattan if you're riding the 7 train, right after it emerges from Hunterspoint Avenue.
All in all, using the bus/train combination to get to LaGuardia is usually relatively painless, except of course during the 7-10 AM and 4-8 PM rush hours, when crowds will make movement with luggage challenging.
2 answers
The first "subway" lines in NYC were in fact elevated lines. In Manhattan, these ran along 2nd, 3rd, 6th and 9th Aves. None of these elevated lines exist anymore; the last of them were torn down in the 1950's or so.
The first true underground subway (aside from a few short experimental lines) that exists to this day was the original IRT line in Manhattan, which ran from City Hall (the current 4/5/6 station) up to Grand Central, then west across 42nd St to Times Square (using what are now the tracks for the Times Square - Grand Central Shuttle), then north (on the current 1/2/3 line) to 145th St and Broadway. This line first opened in 1904 and was operated by the Interborough Rapid Transit company, and in the next few years this line was gradually extended northward.
Later on, the track connections at 42nd St were mostly severed, and both north-south lines extended into the "H" configuration that exists today. Extensions were also added into the Bronx and Brooklyn, and the (7) line was built in the so-called "Dual Contracts" era where subway service was provided by the IRT company and the Brooklyn Rapid Transit / Brooklyn Manhattan Transit (BRT / BMT) company, before the operations of both were taken over and unified by the city.
One track connection still remains between the Times Square-Grand Central Shuttle and the uptown (1) track just north of Times Square - you can see this looking out the right-hand side of an uptown (1) train after it leaves Times Square, or at the extreme west end of the Times Square Shuttle station - there is a segment of the platform which is hinged so it can be lifted, and underneath it is a track extension from the shuttle to the uptown (1) line. It's not used for revenue service, but only occasionally in order to move cars from one line to the other.
4 answers
The simplest way is to just take a cab. Of course, this is also the most expensive way. You can get a yellow cab at the taxi stands, or you can call a car service: Carmel (212-666-6666) and Dial 7 Car & Limo (212-777-7777) are the biggest car service companies in the city.
You can also take Super Shuttle (1-800-BLUE-VAN, or see the first Related Link below). This is your somewhat less simple but more moderately priced option.
Your cheapest (and most complicated) option is public transportation. Unlike JFK, LaGuardia is not accessible by subway, but the MTA-NYCTA operates a bus that runs between LaGuardia and Manhattan (the NYCTA is the city's transit authority, and they are part of the MTA, which is the New York State transit authority).
Unfortunately, the M60 bus only makes five stops in Manhattan, and they're all in Upper Manhattan: West 106th Street and Broadway (in the Morningside Heights neighborhood), West 116th Street and Broadway (also in Morningside Heights), West 125th Street and Amsterdam Avenue (in Harlem), West 125th Street and Malcolm X Boulevard (Harlem), East 125th Street and Lexington (East Harlem). So you will have to transfer from the bus to the subway.
See the second Related Link below for information about the M60 bus, and see the third Related Link for an M60bus schedule.
All five of these stops are near subway stations that will take you to Lower Manhattan, but you will want to get off at one of the 125th Street stops, so you can get an express train. All of the express trains stop at 125th Street. The subway ride from Upper Manhattan to Lower Manhattan will be 45 minutes to an hour on the local trains, and only 10 to 15 minutes on the express trains.
If you pay by MetroCard (instead of coins) you will get a free transfer from the bus to the subway, so the total cost would only be $2.25, which is the current bus and subway fare (as of November 2010). I'm assuming that you won't have a New York City MetroCard with you when you get off the plane, so, unless you can buy one at the airport, the total cost will be $4.50 for one bus fare and one subway fare. Still, $4.50 for a ride from LaGuardia to Lower Manhattan is by far the cheapest price you'll get.
The 1-2-3 (the red line) and the A-C-E (the blue line) will take you to Lower Manhattan on the West Side, and the 4-5-6 (the dark green line) will take you to Lower Manhattan on the East Side.
From West 125th Street and Amsterdam, you would walk two avenue blocks east to 125th Street and St. Nicolas Avenue (it'll go: Amsterdam Avenue ---> Morningside Avenue ---> St. Nicolas Avenue). At 125th Street and St. Nicolas Avenue, get on the Downtown A train (the A is express, the C is local, and the E is also local, but it doesn't run this far Uptown in Manhattan).
The stops on the A train, from 125th Street to Lower Manhattan, will be: 125th Street ---> 59th Street-Columbus Circle ---> 42nd Street-Port Authority Bus Terminal (connection available to the 42nd Street-Times Square Station) ---> 34th Street-Penn Station ---> 14th Street ---> West 4th Street ---> Canal Street ---> Chambers Street.
You will want to get off at either 14th Street (at 14th Street and 8th Avenue, at the northern edge of the West Village), West 4th Street (at 6th Avenue, in Greenwich Village), Canal Street (at 6th Avenue, at the western edge of Chinatown) or Chambers Street (at Church Street, in the Financial District, near Battery Park).
From West 125th Street and Malcolm X Boulevard, you can get the Downtown 2 or 3 trains (the 2 and 3 are express, the 1 is local). The station is at 125th Street and Malcolm X Boulevard, but it's called the 125th Street-Lenox Avenue Station because Lenox Avenue becomes Malcolm X Boulevard at 125th Street.
The stops on the 2 and 3 trains, heading Downtown from 125th Street, are: 125th Street-Lenox Avenue ---> 116th Street-Lenox Avenue ---> 110th Street-Central Park North ---> 96th Street ---> 72nd Street ---> 42nd Street-Times Square ---> 34th Street-Penn Station ---> 14th Street ---> Chambers Street.
You will want to get off at either 14th Street (at 7th Avenue, at the northern edge of the West Village) or Chambers Street (at West Broadway, in the Financial District, near Battery Park).
At 125th Street and Lexington, you can get the Downtown 4or 5 trains (the 4 and 5 are express, the 6 is local). The stops on the 4 and 5 trains, heading Downtown from 125th Street, are: 125th Street ---> 86th Street ---> 59th Street ---> 42nd Street-Grand Central Station ---> 14th Street-Union Square ---> Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall.
You will want to get off at 14th Street-Union Square or Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall. The 14th Street-Union Square Station is at 14th Street and Park Avenue, at the northern edge of Greenwich Village and the East Village. As the name suggests, the Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall Station is in the City Hall neighborhood, at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge (at Centre Street).
See the fourth Related Link for a complete New York City subway map.
1 answer
Yes, Penn Station is close to Grand Central Station. They are less than a mile apart.
But, if you are asking because you are planning on walking or taking a bus or taxi from one to the other...don't. You can just take the subway: take the Uptown 1-2-3 (the red line) one stop, from 34th Street-Penn Station to Times Square. Then transfer at Times Square to the S shuttle train (color code grey) east across 42nd Street, from Times Square (West 42nd) to Grand Central (East 42nd).
You can also take the Uptown A-C-E from Penn Station to Times Square, but this will require you to walk through a long, hot, smelly underground tunnel. Since the Times Square Station is at 7th Avenue, while the A-C-E line runs up and down 8th Avenue, the A-C-E does not stop at Times Square. It stops at 42nd Street-Port Authority Bus Terminal. The underground tunnel connects the Times Square Station to the A-C-E line, so you can transfer without exiting the subway system.
So, it is preferable to take the 1-2-3 from Penn Station to Times Square, so you won't have to walk through the tunnel. But if you can't find the 1-2-3 or something (or if the A-C-E just happens to be right there when you get off your train) you CAN take it to Times Square.
5 answers
