So you’ve had a fantastic time in the Big Apple and the moment has arrived when your thoughts are turning to heading to the airport for your flight home. Due to the sheer size and popularity of New York, as you can imagine there are numerous options available to you for making your way from Manhattan to JFK and to help you make your decision a little easier, here is a break down of how you can make the journey.
Taxi
One of New York’s most iconic images is that of the famous yellow cabs that grace the city’s roads, there are thousands of cabs driving the streets everyday in New York and these are a great and relatively inexpensive method of getting to the airport. The New York cabbies are known for their sense of humour, their local knowledge and their friendly attitude, unless you are a fellow road user! On top of the experience of riding in one of the notorious taxis, you will have a friendly and helpful driver who will take you safely to the airport.
Private Car
Hiring a private car to take you to the airport will not only give you peace of mind that your transport is planned, but the service will collect you from the door of your accommodation and take you directly to the airport. Companies such as Blacklane offer fantastic services and rates with sleek cars and incredibly helpful drivers. Hiring an NYC car service can be easily done online and the communication of a private firm is second-to-none with many offering email and text message alerts when your driver is arriving. The other benefit is that with private rentals you can have far more flexibility if your flight is delayed.
Bus
Public busses to JFK aren’t really a viable option for you as they take a long time and require quite a few changes, not a good idea if you are heavy laden with bags. There is however a shuttle service put on by the airport that leaves Manhattan every 30 minutes from various locations, costs about $12 and runs between the hours of 5am and 11pm. The bus will take around 40 minutes and doesn’t stop on the way which means that you can go directly to the airport. The bus is comfortable and air conditioned and will take you to the terminal of your choice.
Subway
Taking the subway to the airport is a great option if you are travelling light, if you have several large bags then this option is not recommended as the subway becomes increasingly busy and can create some awkward situations and angry passengers. There is a dedicated train that travels from Manhattan to the airport which is the AirTrain, it stops at less stations and will get you to the airport in around 35 minutes. The subway is a great mode of transport and is full of interesting characters. Another benefit of taking the subway is that it will give you a wonderful insight into New York way of life before you leave for home.