Getting to NYC
Plan your trip to New York City by airplane, train, bus or car.
By Plane
Below, you’ll find a list of nearby airports, along with the best ways to get from those airports to Manhattan. There are more than 90 air carriers traveling to the New York City area from all over the country and the world.
Air travelers to New York City may arrive at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) or LaGuardia Airport (LGA), both in Queens, or Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) in neighboring New Jersey. LaGuardia primarily serves domestic destinations, and also offers flights to select Canadian destinations. Kennedy and Newark both serve domestic and international destinations. Visitors can reach Manhattan from all three airports by using taxis, buses and subways and/or commuter trains. Other metropolitan-area airports include Stewart International Airport (SWF), Westchester County Airport (HPN) and Macarthur Airport (ISP) on Long Island. For those interested, there are a number of hotels conveniently located near the City’s airports.
Courtesy, John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
Jamaica, Queens, NY 11430 718-244-4444, https://www.jfkairport.com
New York’s largest airport serves more than 70 airlines, most of which are international. It is approximately 15 miles (24km) from Midtown Manhattan. Here’s how to get to Midtown Manhattan from JFK:
• Taxi: $70 flat fare (nonmetered), plus a 50-cent NY State tax surcharge and a New York State Congestion Surcharge of $2.50, a $5 rush-hour surcharge (4pm to 8pm weekdays except legal holidays), a $1.75 Airport Access Fee (for pickups only), bridge and tunnel tolls if any, and gratuity. The new MTA Congestion Pricing toll of 75 cents will also be added for trips below 60th Street. It’s 40 to 60 minutes to Midtown Manhattan, depending on traffic and road conditions (but can be well over one hour in busy periods). For more information, check out the JFK taxi page.
• Ride-share services (Uber, Lyft and so on): For Terminals 1, 4 and 8, follow signs for “Ride App Pick Up” and “Ground Transportation.” Note that rideshare services can only pick up passengers at designated areas (at Terminal 4 you can also use the new Uber Black PIN Dispatch service, with special pickup area at Zone D1). Pickup for Terminals 5 and 7 has been temporarily relocated; check here for the latest.
• AirTrain JFK: $8.75 (children under 5 are free); AirTrain links the airport to the subway, buses and Long Island Rail Road. AirTrain also offers free service between points in the airport.
• Subway: One ride is $3 (in addition to AirTrain fare) from the A subway stop at the Howard Beach/JFK station or the E, J or Z subway stop at the Sutphin Blvd./Archer Ave./JFK station; 40 to 60 minutes to Midtown Manhattan.
• Long Island Rail Road (LIRR): $14–$16, including the AirTrain $8.75 fee; up to 50% off the full one-way peak fare for seniors and passengers with disabilities. Children under five are free; Family Fare is $1 per child for up to four children ages 5–17 per adult; child fare is 50 percent off full adult fare, peak or off-peak.
For the trip between LIRR’s Jamaica Station and Penn Station the least expensive option for individuals is to buy a CityTicket; on Saturday and Sunday (and all off-peak hours), the fare is $5; it’s $7 during peak hours (you’ll have to pay the AirTrain fare in addition to this and to all other LIRR fares). The trip is 20 minutes to Midtown Manhattan (not including the AirTrain ride). The TrainTime app is the most convenient way to plan trips and purchase tickets.
• City bus: For details, visit mta.info.
• Shuttle bus: ETS Airport Shuttle and Go Airlink NYC.
• Car rental: Companies at JFK include Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National and Sixt.
LaGuardia Airport. Photo: Daniel Harel
LaGuardia Airport (LGA)
East Elmhurst, Queens, NY 11371, 718-533-3400, https://www.laguardiaairport.com/
This is New York’s second-largest airport, with 11 airlines serving mostly domestic destinations, as well as Canada, Aruba, and the Bahamas from three passenger terminals. LaGuardia is on the northern shore of Queens, across the East River (about eight miles/13km from Midtown Manhattan). Here’s how to get to Midtown Manhattan from LaGuardia:
• Taxi: Approximately $30–$50 metered fare, plus a $5 airport surcharge, plus 50-cent NY State tax, $1.75 Airport Access Fee (for pickups only), plus Queens Midtown Tunnel toll (if taken; most bridges across the East River are free), MTA Congestion Pricing fees, and gratuity; 20 to 45 minutes to Midtown Manhattan. For more information, check the LaGuardia Airport taxi page.
• City bus: Two express buses serve LaGuardia: the Q70 (which is free) and the M60. From Terminal B and C, follow the signs for public transit to find the Q70, which goes nonstop to Roosevelt Avenue/Jackson Heights and 74th St./Broadway, a major subway hub in Queens. After that it stops at Woodside, where you can transfer to the Long Island Rail Road. The M60 runs to Harlem and connects to all the major subway lines in Manhattan. For details, visit mta.info.
• Shuttle bus: ETS Airport Shuttle and Go Airlink NYC.
• Car rental: Companies at LGA include Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National and Sixt.
Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
3 Brewster Rd. Newark, NJ 07114, 973-961-6000, https://www.newarkairport.com
Newark Airport, with more than 30 airlines (most of which are international), is across the Hudson River (and then some) from New York City—about 16 miles (26km) from Midtown Manhattan. Here’s how to get to Midtown Manhattan from Newark Airport:
• Taxi: Approximately $60 to $80 metered fare, plus $1.75 Airport Access Fee (pickups only), round-trip bridge and tunnel tolls and gratuity; 45 to 60 minutes to Midtown Manhattan, depending on weather and traffic. During weekday rush hours (6am to 10am and 3pm to 8pm) and on weekends (Saturday–Sunday, noon to 9pm), there is a $10 surcharge for travel to anywhere in New York State. There’s a $1 charge for each piece of luggage that’s more than 24 inches (61cm), a $5 charge for any drop-offs on the East side of Manhattan from Battery Park to 145th St. and a 10 percent senior citizen discount (for those 62 and older). For shuttle van services, see Newark Airport’s page.
• Ride-share services (Uber, Lyft and so on): These can sometimes be cheaper than regular taxis for journeys between Newark Airport and Manhattan (depending on the time of day). Follow signs to the designated pickup areas (Ground Transportation, Ride App Pick Up, and/or Passenger Pick-Up).
• AirTrain Newark: AirTrain links to the airport via NJ Transit or Amtrak; about 60 minutes to Midtown Manhattan, requiring a transfer from the AirTrain line to the NJ Transit line (be sure to keep your ticket after using it to exit the AirTrain station, as it is also used for the NJ Transit fare) or Amtrak. AirTrain also offers free service between points within the airport complex, including transfers to other airline terminals and locations for hotel shuttles, car rental and parking. To get to Penn Station in Manhattan via AirTrain and NJ Transit, it’ll cost $16.80 (this includes $8.50 for the AirTrain); the fare for military, senior citizens, disabled passengers and children ages 5 to 11 is $12.20; up to three children age 4 and younger ride NJ Transit for free with a fare-paying passenger.
• Shuttle bus: Go Airlink NYC and Newark Airport Express.
• Car rental: Companies at Newark include Avis, Budget, Dollar, Hertz, National and Sixt.
Stewart International Airport (SWF)
1180 1st St. New Windsor, NY 12553, 845-838-8200
Stewart International Airport is about 60 miles (97km) north of New York City. Here’s how to get to Midtown Manhattan from Stewart:
• Bus: $28.75 on the Megabus Stewart Airport Express; approximately 75 minutes to 41st Street (between 8th and 9th avenues) in Midtown Manhattan.
• Bus/train: Leprechaun Lines runs a shuttle bus on its Newburgh-Beacon-Stewart commuter line on weekdays (except holidays) that stops at the Beacon train station. There, use Metro-North Railroad for direct service to Grand Central Terminal ($20-$24 for peak, $15-17 for off-peak); up to 50% off the full one-way peak fare for seniors and passengers with disabilities. The fare for up to four children ages 5 to 17 is $1 each with a fare-paying adult, otherwise the fare is half the adult one-way fare, peak or off-peak. Children age 5 and younger ride Metro-North for free. Travel time is approximately 1hr 35 minutes to Midtown Manhattan.
By Train
New York City has two main rail stations in Midtown Manhattan: Grand Central Terminal (on the east side) and Penn Station (on the west side). There is access to numerous subway and bus lines from each station. Grand Central is home to Metro-North Railroad, which goes to NYC suburbs in upstate New York and Connecticut (the new Grand Central Madison extension also serves the Long Island Rail Road). Penn Station is home to the following: Long Island Rail Road, a commuter railroad serving Long Island and parts of Queens and Brooklyn; Amtrak, the US national passenger railroad, serving many points throughout the United States and Canada; and NJ Transit, a commuter railroad serving New Jersey and parts of Pennsylvania.
Grand Central Terminal. Photo: Matthew Papa
Rail Terminals
Grand Central Terminal
89 E. 42nd St. (between Vanderbilt and Park Aves.), 212-340-2583, https://grandcentralterminal.com/
Grand Central is the main terminal for Metro-North Railroad service. In early 2023, the Long Island Rail Road began service to and from Grand Central Madison, a new section on the west side of the terminal. Subway lines at the terminal include the 4, 5, 6, 7 and S (shuttle between Grand Central and Times Square). For MTA bus details, visit mta.info. Aside from being a transit hub, Grand Central is also a landmark and an attraction unto itself. The Main Concourse is immense and on sunny days is bathed in light from its giant arching windows. Grand Central’s 12-story-high ceiling is painted with stars and gilded zodiac constellations. Not only might Grand Central be the globe’s most beautiful train station, the 49-acre terminal is also one of the world’s largest. There are numerous shops of all varieties here, including an Apple Store, Banana Republic and Tumi; the lower level has the Oyster Bar restaurant plus a dining concourse that features a wide selection of eateries; and in Grand Central Market, fresh and prepared foods—including meats, cheese, baked goods and gourmet teas—are available.
Penn Station
Seventh to Eighth Avenues (bet. W. 31st and W. 33rd Sts.)
Penn Station is the main terminal for Long Island Rail Road, and a terminal for Amtrak and NJ Transit. Subway lines here include the 1, 2, 3, A, C and E. For MTA bus details, visit mta.info. Penn Station features information booths, restaurants, waiting rooms and public restrooms to accommodate the more than 600,000 passengers who pass through the terminal each day. In 2021, the Moynihan Train Hall opened opposite the existing Penn Station complex; it provides additional access to the underground platforms from Eighth Avenue. Car rental offices and departure/arrival points for bus companies are nearby. The Moynihan Food Hall can be found in the new train hall, while sports and music venue Madison Square Garden is located above the main Penn Station complex.
Rail Services
Amtrak
800-872-7245
Amtrak is the national passenger railroad of the United States. New York City’s Penn Station is its busiest station in the nation. The company recently introduced NextGen Acela, a new high-speed rail service in the Northeast Corridor that connects Washington, DC, New York, Boston and destinations in between. Book here for travel on this line.
Long Island Rail Road (LIRR)
718-217-5477, 511
This commuter railroad, the busiest in the United States, operates out of Penn Station and serves 126 stations on 11 branches over nearly 700 miles (1127km) of track in Nassau County, Suffolk County, Queens, Brooklyn and Manhattan, transporting more than 75 million passengers a year. Destinations include Citi Field (via the Mets–Willets Point station), Belmont Park racetrack and popular Long Island destinations like the Hamptons and Montauk.
Metro-North Railroad
212-532-4900, 877-690-5114, 511
Metro-North operates out of Grand Central Terminal. Part of its roots date back to 1832, with a horsecar line in Lower Manhattan that operated under the name New York and Harlem Railroad. Today, with 787 miles (1267km) of track, Metro-North goes to 124 stations in seven New York State counties—Dutchess, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Bronx and New York (Manhattan)—and Connecticut’s New Haven and Fairfield counties and serves nearly 70 million customers annually.
NJ Transit
973-275-5555, TTY 800-772-2287
This commuter railroad features 12 lines with service throughout much of New Jersey (Atlantic City and the Jersey Shore are popular destinations) and even in New York (Rockland and Orange counties) in partnership with Metro-North Railroad—and, of course, into and out of New York City via Penn Station and accommodates more than 250 million passenger trips each year.
PATH (Port Authority Trans Hudson)
800-234-7284
PATH provides rapid transit between several stops in New York City, along with locations in Newark, Harrison, Jersey City and Hoboken in New Jersey. Air travelers from Newark Liberty International Airport can connect to the PATH via AirTrain Newark to Newark Liberty International Airport Station and by taking an NJ Transit or Amtrak train from there to Newark Penn Station (not the same as Manhattan’s Penn Station). At Newark Penn Station, catch a PATH train that goes directly to Lower Manhattan. For service to Midtown Manhattan, transfer to the 33rd St service at Journal Square. The PATH’s 33rd Street station (on Sixth Avenue, in Herald Square) in Manhattan is one avenue from Amtrak, Long Island Rail Road and NJ Transit trains at Penn Station.
Photo: José A. Alvarado Jr.
By Bus
There are a number of affordable, convenient bus lines that travel to New York City from around the United States and parts of Canada. These include FlixBus, Megabus and Greyhound.
By Car
Use Google Maps or Waze for driving directions to New York City. Wherever you go in the City by car, make sure you know where to park: take a look at apps like ParkWhiz or SpotHero to find and compare parking spots and locations and make reservations.ok at apps like ParkWhiz or SpotHero to find and compare parking spots and locations and make reservations.
Congestion Pricing
Congestion pricing is now in effect for areas of Manhattan south of 61th Street. This excludes FDR Drive to the east, the West Side Highway/Route 9A to the west and the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel connections to West Street in Lower Manhattan. If renting a vehicle, make sure you inform the rental company if you intend to drive in this area and get a car with a E-ZPass transponder.
Passenger and small commercial vehicles will be charged $9 to enter the zone during peak hours (5am–9pm weekdays, 9am–9pm weekends). The cost is reduced to $2.25 during overnight hours (9pm–5am weekdays, 9pm–9am weekends)
This charge is assessed once per day per vehicle with a valid E-ZPass, meaning you can enter and leave the zone several times a day and only be charged $9 max.
The peak rate charge will increase to $12 in 2028 and $15 in 2031.
Drivers without an E-ZPass will pay more: you’ll get a “Tolls by Mail” bill (sent to the registered owner of the vehicle) and pay $13.50 for peak hours and $3.30 off-peak.
Motorcycles are subject to the same schedule as above, but the cost is $4.50 and $1.05 respectively.
Passenger vehicles (with a valid E-ZPass) entering Manhattan via the Lincoln Tunnel, Holland Tunnel, Hugh L. Carey Tunnel or Queens-Midtown Tunnel will receive a $3 credit during peak, added to your E-ZPass account. For motorcycles the credit is $1.50. There is no credit for overnight hours.
Taxis and other for-hire vehicles have a surcharge for trips taken to, from, within or through the zone: $1.50 for for-hire vehicles (Uber, Lyft and so on) and $.75 for cabs.
For more information, including the full toll schedule, visit mta.info.