How to go from the NY JFK to Manhattan
John F. Kennedy International Airport is the largest airport in New York City and one of the busiest in the country in terms of passenger volume. If you are coming from outside the United States, it is the airport where you are going to land; however, if you are from the US, you may want to consider other options since JFK is the farthest away from Manhattan of New York City’s three main airports, even further than Newark’s airport in New Jersey.
When planning a trip one of the things that people more usually forget to plan is how to get from the airport to the city center, or what is the same, to the hotel. In this case there are many options and you must consider your budget and how much commuting you can manage.
Transport | Duration | Price | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Subway | 60-90 minutes | From $10.50 | If you are on a budget | |
Train | 35 minutes | From $15.50 | If you want to go as fast as possible | |
Taxi | 45 minutes | From $50 | Most secure but expensive | |
Airport Shuttle | 90 minutes | From $19 | Easy and on a budget |
The subway looks intimidating, but if you’re comfortable with public transportation, it’s the most affordable way into the city and doesn’t take too long.
To go from NY JFK to Manhattan, taxis are the most convenient mode of transportation, but they are expensive, and traffic can delay what would otherwise be a short trip. The New York commuter train or an airport shuttle are two options that are easier than the subway yet less expensive than a cab.
From NY JFK to Manhattan by Subway
While it may not be the cleanest or most timely metro system in the world, it is surprisingly straightforward to use for going from JFK Airport into Manhattan and is unquestionably the cheapest choice. The entire trip time is greatly dependent on where you want to go in Manhattan, but before you get on the subway, you must take the AirTrain out of the airport.
We’ve made a post about “how to use the NY metro” for you to get an idea of how to use it and some tips and tricks.
One thing we must say is that, for us, NY metro is the worst metro we’ve ever been in terms of cleaning. It is dark and nasty and it does not feel safe. However, we used it a lot because it is the best way to move through NY when you have to go from one point to another in a limited time frame. It is easy to use and the indications are pretty good so, even though it may seem scary at first sight, do not let this feeling keep you away from it.
The AirTrain is a tram that rings all of JFK’s terminals and links to two distinct transit stations with city service outside of the airport: Jamaica Station and Howard Beach. If your end destination is in Manhattan, you will almost certainly need to change trains at Jamaica Station.
While the AirTrain is free when traveling between terminals, there is a $7.75 cost if your starting or terminating place is outside of the airport. After exiting the AirTrain at Jamaica Station, look for the Sutphin Boulevard-Archer Avenue subway stop. A metro ticket, which costs an extra $2.75, is required in addition to the AirTrain ticket.
🎟️It is very easy to take the tickets, at the beginning we couldn’t figure out where we had to pay but the thing is that the tickets have to be taken after the trip. Once you get to Jamaica Station you are going to find ticket machines where you pay and you get a ticket that will allow you to get out of the station. We recommend getting the metro ticket there as well to make things easier.
Which subway should I take?
The available train options are the E, J, and Z lines, and which one you take depends on where you’re going in the city.
E Train
To go from NY JFK to Manhattan, specially if you have to go to either Midtown, Times Square, Penn Station, West Village or the World Trade Center, the E Train is the one for you.
After coming out of the AirTrain and getting to the metro, take the E train to Manhattan/World Trade Center. The train travels through Queens before arriving in Manhattan at Lexington Avenue/53rd Street. The train continues downtown on 8th Avenue until it reaches its final destination, the World Trade Center. The trip would take roughly 50 minutes if you took the metro all the way to the finish.
J or Z Train
J and Z trains to the Lower East Side, Little Italy, Chinatown, and the Financial District
Go to the subway and take a J or Z train to Manhattan/Broad Street. Take into account that the Z train is express and only runs during weekday rush hour. The train’s first station in Manhattan is at Delancey Street/Essex Street in the trendy Lower East Side area, and it continues through Chinatown until it reaches Broad Street, directly near to Wall Street. Catching the J line from Jamaica to Broad Street would take around 50 minutes (or faster on the Z train).
Other locations
To other Manhattan neighborhoods you’ll have to change trains at least once along the way. Enter your destination’s address into Google Maps or Apple Maps. Either one should provide you with the best path with the fewest transfers.
📌For example, as explained in our post “New York in 5 days: Best Essential Itinerary”, our hotel was at Bryant Park so we had to take first the E train to Queens Plaza and then change to The M train to Bryant Park Station. We also had the option to take the E train to Kew Gardens and there change to the F train to Bryant Park Station.
Things to take into account
Time
The New York City subway and AirTrain are both open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Unfortunately, subways operate less often late at night, so you may have to wait a bit if your aircraft arrives at 3 a.m.
The journey may appear lengthy, but if you’re traveling during rush hour, it may be faster than taking a cab. Usually it is not more than an hour.
Your situation
If you’re going with luggage, it might not be the most comfortable journey, so keep that in mind if you’re bringing more than one suitcase or traveling with kids.
Security
Taking the subway might be intimidating, especially if you’re new to the city and don’t know where to transfer, what fast lines are available, or which way is downtown and which way is uptown. Every station, however, is manned by MTA professionals who are happy to assist you. If you arrive at the station and are completely lost, simply ask someone for help. New Yorkers aren’t as bad as they’re made out to be, actually we were quite surprised because they helped us, sometimes even without having to ask for it.
Budget
It is obvious that taking the subway is the cheapest way to get to Manhattan, it costs around $10.50 per person. However, if you are traveling with a large group, or with kids, maybe it is worth it to pay a little bit more and take a taxi.
From NY JFK to Manhattan by Train
The Long Island Railroad, or LIRR, is a commuter train that connects all of Long Island—including JFK—to Manhattan, and it is the quickest route to get into the city from the airport. Like the metro, you must first ride the AirTrain from the airport to Jamaica Station.
Jamaica is one of North America’s biggest train hubs, so if you arrive during weekday rush hour, expect a lot of foot activity in the station.
🎟️Tickets may be purchased at the ticket office, at one of the machines, or on your phone using the MTA eTix app. The tickets from JFK to Manhattan can also be purchased on the train, although they will be more costly.
Things to take into account
Time
All Manhattan-bound trains arrive at Penn Station in approximately 25 minutes. From there, you may take the A, C, or E subway lines to another section of town, or take a cab to your final destination. It is quicker than the subway even if you have to take a subway after arriving at Penn Station.
Your situation
If you’re going with luggage, it might not be the most comfortable journey, the same that happens with the subway, so keep that in mind if you’re bringing more than one suitcase or traveling with kids.
Security
It is as secure as the subway but cleaner. In the end the difference is not here but mostly in the time and money you are willing to spend..
Budget
If you’re going alone, riding the train to Penn Station and getting a cab from there will save you money over taking a cab all the way from the airport. If you’re traveling in a group of three or four, splitting a cab from the airport is less expensive than purchasing individual LIRR tickets.
From NY JFK to Manhattan by Taxi
Getting a taxi from the airport to Manhattan is the least stressful option for sure, especially for people who have never been to the city before and are concerned about navigating the subway. But, depending on traffic circumstances, it will be the most costly and maybe the slowest.
It is true that for some people, riding a yellow taxi is an experience that they do not want to miss when in NY city. You want to feel as in the movies. In our opinion, this is the time for using a taxi if you want to use it no matter what. THis is the moment because this is a trip that will be both enjoyable and useful, whereas if you use it inside NY there is a high chance that you are just using it as an experience but not as something of good use.
Things to take into account
Getting a taxi from the airport to Manhattan is the least stressful option for sure, especially for people who have never been to the city before and are concerned about navigating the subway. But, depending on traffic circumstances, it will be the most costly and maybe the slowest.
It is true that for some people, riding a yellow taxi is an experience that they do not want to miss when in NY city. You want to feel as in the movies. In our opinion, this is the time for using a taxi if you want to use it no matter what. This is the moment because this is a trip that will be both enjoyable and useful, whereas if you use it inside NY there is a high chance that you are just using it as an experience but not as something of good use.
Time
With taxis you never know, at the end it depends a lot on the traffic that you find and on the hour you are taking the taxi.but it should go from 45 minutes to 1 hour. .
Your situation
If you’ve just come off a long trip or have a lot of luggage, you might want to sit back and relax as someone else takes you directly to the door with your lodgings. If you’re going with a group of friends or family, splitting a taxi costs about the same as buying individual rail tickets.
Security
Taking a taxi is pretty much the most secure way of traveling from JFK to Manhattan, if you are using an official taxi. Official taxi drivers are subject to strict regulations; their cars must meet a certain standard and they’re part of a larger organization.
There are signs at JFK that point you to the Taxi Stand which you won’t miss as there usually is a long line of awaiting yellow taxis. A dispatcher will usher you to a taxi and give you a piece of paper with the information of the driver. Absent that, take a photo of the Taxi number which is clearly posted inside the Cab as well as the name of the driver, in case of a dispute.
Budget
Thankfully, while taking a taxi from the airport JFK to Manhattan, you don’t have to worry about the unknown element of taxi meters because all cabs from JFK to any section of Manhattan have a set charge of $52. But, that is not likely to be the only cost. There is an extra $4.50 cost if you travel during “peak hours,” which are from 4 to 8 p.m. on weekdays. If there are any tolls along the way, these will be charged to your fare as well. Finally, tipping your driver 15-20% is typical if you had good service, so budget another $10 or so for that.
From NY JFK to Manhattan by Airport Shuttle
If you don’t want to pay $60 for a cab but also don’t want to carry your baggage on the train, various private firms operate shuttles throughout the day that transport you straight to key transit hubs in Manhattan such as Grand Central, Times Square, Penn Station, or even your hotel.
You may secure a seat with GO Airlink if you want flexibility with your drop-off location, including the option of being dropped off directly at your hotel door. It is somewhat more expensive than shared buses, but you may pick your own drop-off spot, exactly like in a cab.
Things to take into account
Time
It’s a shared shuttle, so the travel time can really vary depending on if you’re the first person dropped off or the last one. Usually you will take between one and two hours to get to your hotel
Your situation
If you’ve just come off a long trip or have a lot of luggage, you might want to sit back and relax as someone else takes you directly to the door with your lodgings as well as with a taxi but cheaper.
Security
To go from JFK to Manhattan this is probably, the most secure way because you cannot be scammed if you have made a reservation in advance and paid by card on the application.
Budget
It is a really cheap option if you consider that it is like a shared taxi. Usually the cost is around $19 per person so if you are traveling alone or as a couple this might be the most cost-efficient way to get to manhattan.
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