New York is one of my favourite cities and whenever possible I like to try and get a long weekend in the Big Apple. Today I want to talk a little bit about the best ways in which you can get from the airport to downtown New York, or from the city to JFK. As you can imagine, there are may different transport routes for this well trodden path and the choice comes down to price, experience, speed and comfort. If you are planning a trip to this exciting city, here are the ways and means by which you can make your airport transfer in New York.
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Private Cars
My preferred choice of transfer these days is in a private car. The beauty of privately hiring a car is that you have the reliability and the comfort which you need after a long flight, or a busy few days in the city. I also like the sense of luxury that you get with a driver waiting for you at the airport to show you to your vehicle, top quality cars to travel in and door to door service. Private transfers are much cheaper than you may think and the biggest benefit is probably the flexibility, usually I receive a text message when I arrive, to let me know that I am being waited on.
Drive yourself
A good way to save money and time during your trip is by booking cheap airport parking near the airport, this way you can save a lot of money and guarantee a timely arrival to your destination
Taxi
The New York yellow cab has become incredibly famous across the world and if this is your first time in New York then I’d really recommend that you take this experience. You can easily hail a cab from the airport or from the city and the journey will cost you around $52, as well as any toll payments. Rush hour traffic makes this a 2 hour journey but if you avoid it you can make the trip in around an hour.
Air Train
One of the best transfer options for you if you are traveling on a budget is the Air Train which runs directly from JFK to the city centre. If you are traveling in a group then this may not be the best option but at just $7.25 each, it is the perfect choice for individual travellers or couples. The train takes just over 45 minutes to arrive, making this one of the smartest transfer options when there is heavy traffic.
Shuttles
There are many airport shuttles which go to and from the airport and drop off in many locations throughout the city. The shuttles range in price but you shouldn’t be paying any more than $10 for this service. As you reach baggage claim in the airport, you will see some free, courtesy phones which you can use to request your shuttle. The driver is likely to wait a bit to try and fill up the shuttle and then off you go. This method takes around the same time as a taxi, although it will have more drop offs along the way.
Make sure that you know how you will transfer before you leave home, especially if you are arriving in the middle of the night.
