Things to do / Travel Guide
All roads may have once led to Rome, but today they lead to New York City (NYC). The most important hub in the northeast United States, New York City is served by three major airports, two train stations, a bus depot, and countless highways.
Flying to New York City by Air
Two of the airports serving New York City are in New York City proper, John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and LaGuardia Airport (LGA). The third, Newark Liberty International (EWR), is across the Hudson River in New Jersey. Of the three, JFK is the largest, and LaGuardia is generally (but not necessarily) domestic. A benefit of flying through LaGuardia is its proximity to Mid-town and upper Manhattan.
You can get from the airports to New York City via several means of travel - train, bus, subway, taxi, or even limousine. Private transportation can cost a lot more than public transportation for this trip.
- Both JFK and Newark offer rail transportation to central points in the city.
- JFK and LaGuardia offer shuttle services that connects with the subway's A line.
- The New York Airport Service operates a shuttle bus every 20 minutes that connects JFK and LaGuardia with Penn Station, the Grand Central Terminal, and the Port Authority. The cost is around $15 for all destinations in Manhattan.
- SuperShuttle offers door-to-door service 24/7, 365 days a year. Be advised, however, that a SuperShuttle may make a number of stops to pick up or drop off passengers along the way. The cost is less than $20 for destinations in Manhattan.
- If you want to make your way into or out of the city in style, travel by limousine. While they cost more, they make the best time and are much more relaxing than any of the other means of transportation.
If you take a taxi from the airport, be aware that there are lists of flat fares from each airport to major NYC destinations. Either ask for the fare before getting into the taxi, or ask for a metered ride.
Getting to New York City by Train
Amtrak runs routes from many major East Coast cities, including Boston and Washington DC, to Penn Station, but the ride can be quite pricey. Depending on the distance, flying might actually be the cheaper option. Commuter rail service is available from Long Island, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Upstate New York. Also to be mentioned is PATH - The Port Authority Trans-Hudson Corporation. This rail train system connects New Jersey to Manhattan and all the urban railways, transporting literally hundreds of thousands of people a day.
Getting to New York City by Bus
Busing into NYC is the cheapest, but also the most time-consuming option. Greyhound, Trailways, and Peter Pan operate regularly-scheduled routes from major cities on the East Coast, like Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington DC, into New York City's Port Authority.
If you are traveling into New York City from Boston and you are looking to save some money, try one of the Chinatown bus lines, but be aware that you'll probably be sitting on a rather old and uncomfortable bus for four hours. Operating out of borrowed space in storefronts, these companies offer bus services from Chinatown in NYC to Chinatown in Boston.
For a much more luxurious trip from Boston into NYC, though at a much higher cost, take the LimoLiner. The 28-seat vehicle is designed for comfort. The seats are large, comfortable, and even recline. Passengers will likely appreciate unlimited mobile phone service and free Internet access during the four hour trip. There is even a meeting room in the back of the bus. You can also just sit back and enjoy free snacks and reading material, or watch a DVD movie or satellite TV.
Driving to New York City
Below you'll find the approximate distances and driving times to New York City from other major cities.
- Washington DC: 230 miles, 5 hours
- Philadelphia: 90 miles, about 2 hours
- Boston: 200 miles, 4.5 hours
To get to Manhattan and the Bronx, take I-95 North and cross over at either the Lincoln Tunnel or the George Washington Bridge. For Staten Island, take I-95 North to the Korean War Veterans Parkway. For Brooklyn or Queens, take the Korean War Veterans Parkway to I-278 (Pow-Mia Memorial Highway) over the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. Once across, you can take the Belt Parkway to all locations in these two boroughs.
Airports Serving Manhattan and New York City
Getting-There
John F Kennedy Intl Airport (JFK)
Long Island-MacArthur Airport (ISP)
Westchester County Airport (HPN)
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