New York Airport Transfers: Rail, Bus and Taxi

New York’s three main passenger airports are John F. Kennedy International (JFK), LaGuardia (LGA) and Newark Liberty International (EWR). They are separate airports: an airport change means collecting bags, travelling overland, checking in again and passing security again.

JFK’s AirTrain links every terminal with Jamaica and Howard Beach. Jamaica connects with the E subway and LIRR; Howard Beach connects with the A subway. Use LIRR for Penn Station, Grand Central Madison or Long Island, and use the subway when the E or A route fits the final address. AirTrain also serves parking, rental cars and hotel shuttles. (JFK public transportation, checked 2026-09-28; JFK AirTrain, checked 2026-09-28)

LGA has no railway station. The free Q70 LaGuardia Link connects Terminals B and C with Jackson Heights–Roosevelt Avenue and 74 St–Broadway, linking with the E, F, M, R and 7 subway lines; it also serves Woodside and the LIRR. Other MTA buses, including the M60-SBS, reach Astoria, Upper Manhattan, the Bronx and Metro-North connections. (LaGuardia public transportation, checked 2026-09-28; MTA Q70 timetable, checked 2026-09-28)

At EWR, AirTrain connects the terminals with Newark Liberty International Airport Station, where NJ Transit and Amtrak operate. NJ Transit reaches New York Penn Station; PATH connections from Newark Penn serve Lower Manhattan and 33rd Street. CoachUSA’s Newark Airport Express serves Grand Central, Bryant Park and Port Authority Bus Terminal; check the operator’s current booking page for availability and ticket conditions. (CoachUSA Newark Airport Express, checked 2026-09-28) (Newark public transportation, checked 2026-09-28; Newark AirTrain, checked 2026-09-28)

JFK’s operator lists 20 minutes from Penn Station or Grand Central Madison to the Jamaica AirTrain connection. That figure ends before the AirTrain ride, terminal walking, baggage collection, immigration, security and the final journey. AirTrain reaches any airport destination in under 20 minutes and takes under 10 minutes between passenger terminals. (JFK public transportation, checked 2026-09-28; JFK AirTrain, checked 2026-09-28)

For LGA, the airport calls Q70 the fastest public-transport route but does not publish one universal door-to-door time to Manhattan. The MTA timetable gives scheduled times at key stops; traffic, terminal location, the subway ride and the walk to the accommodation remain extra. Check the exact terminal and destination in the MTA app after the flight time is known. (LaGuardia public transportation, checked 2026-09-28; MTA Q70 timetable, checked 2026-09-28)

EWR’s airport operator lists about 30 minutes to Midtown Manhattan by NJ Transit, about 40 minutes to 33rd Street via PATH and about 45 minutes to World Trade Center via PATH or the subway. Newark Airport Express is listed at about 50 minutes to Midtown. These are airport connection figures, not hotel times, and road traffic affects the coach. (Newark public transportation, checked 2026-09-28)

For a complete journey, enter the airport, terminal and final address in the relevant live planner; allow for the final transfer and luggage handling. (JFK public transportation, checked 2026-09-28; Newark public transportation, checked 2026-09-28)

JFK AirTrain costs $8.75 one way between the airport and Jamaica or Howard Beach; children under five ride free. The subway fare is $3.00 and is paid separately. LIRR fares depend on the stations and peak period, so buy the rail ticket through TrainTime, a station machine or a ticket desk. AirTrain accepts contactless cards, mobile wallets and OMNY. (JFK AirTrain, checked 2026-09-28; JFK public transportation, checked 2026-09-28)

The Q70 from LGA is free. Other MTA local and Select Bus Service routes use the $3.00 base fare. OMNY accepts contactless cards, phones and OMNY cards; using the same payment method can qualify you for the seven-day fare cap. LIRR and Metro-North tickets remain separate and are bought through TrainTime or rail ticket machines. (LaGuardia public transportation, checked 2026-09-28; OMNY fares, checked 2026-09-28)

EWR’s AirTrain costs $8.75 when you use it to reach the airport train station without an NJ Transit or Amtrak ticket that already includes the connection. PATH has a separate fare. CoachUSA tickets are purchased separately from rail; the operator’s booking page is the current place to confirm fare and service before travel. (CoachUSA Newark Airport Express, checked 2026-09-28) (Newark AirTrain, checked 2026-09-28; Newark public transportation, checked 2026-09-28)

Taxi fares follow different rules. Manhattan–JFK yellow taxis use a $70 flat fare, with surcharges, tolls and tip extra. For yellow taxis, LGA adds a $5 surcharge and a $2 airport-access fee on pickups. NYC taxis cannot pick up at EWR; trips to EWR use the meter, a $20 Newark surcharge, the driver’s return tolls and tip. Ride-app prices are quoted in the app and change with the pickup location and time. (NYC taxi fares, checked 2026-09-28; JFK taxi service, checked 2026-09-28)

JFK AirTrain runs every 5–15 minutes between terminals and public-transport stations. The airport publishes that interval rather than a fixed list of every departure. The E and A subway lines and LIRR have separate schedules, so check the MTA trip planner or TrainTime after confirming the terminal and destination. (JFK AirTrain, checked 2026-09-28; JFK public transportation, checked 2026-09-28)

The current Q70 timetable publishes weekday, Saturday and Sunday material, with key-stop departures rather than every stop’s estimated arrival. MTA says traffic, weather and service alerts can change running times. The M60-SBS has its own timetable and holiday rules, so select the route and direction that match your terminal and final neighbourhood. (MTA Q70 timetable, checked 2026-09-28; MTA M60-SBS timetable, checked 2026-09-28)

EWR combines several operators rather than publishing one airport-to-Manhattan timetable. NJ Transit, Amtrak, PATH and CoachUSA each publish their own departures and fares. Build the complete route in the relevant planner, then allow time for AirTrain or the terminal connection between the airport and the train station. (Newark public transportation, checked 2026-09-28)

A temporary outage notice applies from July 27 through November 13, 2026: on weekdays from 05:00 to 15:00, shuttle buses replace AirTrain between the airport train station and terminals. Allow an extra 10–15 minutes. The notice says terminal-to-terminal AirTrain remains in service and weekend operation is normal; recheck the alert after November 13. Follow the red-banner construction signs and digital bus displays. (EWR AirTrain partial shutdown, checked 2026-09-28; Newark AirTrain, checked 2026-09-28)

New York City’s subway system operates around the clock, but an airport journey can still end when AirTrain, bus, commuter rail or the final connection has a different service window. JFK publishes the AirTrain interval but not one universal last connection to every Manhattan address. Check the E or A train, LIRR service and the final local route together. (JFK AirTrain, checked 2026-09-28; JFK public transportation, checked 2026-09-28)

For LGA, the Q70 timetable includes overnight and Sunday service periods, while M60-SBS publishes its own Sunday timetable. Neither timetable guarantees a door-to-door journey: terminal stop, route direction and the final subway connection still matter. Check the current MTA departure after the flight time is known. (MTA Q70 timetable, checked 2026-09-28; MTA M60-SBS timetable, checked 2026-09-28)

EWR’s airport page does not promise one universal overnight rail or coach pattern to Manhattan. NJ Transit, Amtrak, PATH and Newark Airport Express publish separate schedules. If the chosen train or coach is unavailable, use the authorised taxi or ride-app pickup area rather than assuming another connection continues after midnight. (Newark public transportation, checked 2026-09-28; EWR transportation options, checked 2026-09-28)

Sunday service is published for Q70 and M60-SBS; EWR’s temporary advisory says AirTrain operates normally on weekends. Check dated schedules and alerts before travel. (MTA Q70 timetable, checked 2026-09-28; MTA M60-SBS timetable, checked 2026-09-28; EWR AirTrain partial shutdown, checked 2026-09-28)

At JFK and LGA, follow signs to the official taxi stand. JFK also directs Uber and Lyft users to designated pickup areas and warns passengers to reject unsolicited offers inside the terminal. Construction can relocate ride-app pickup points, so follow the current terminal signs. Licensed taxis are outside every EWR terminal, while Uber, Lyft, Uber Shuttle and authorised car services use their designated areas. (JFK taxi service, checked 2026-09-28; JFK ride-app information, checked 2026-09-28; EWR transportation options, checked 2026-09-28)

JFK and EWR AirTrain stations are accessible, and LGA’s airport buses have wheelchair ramps. The final subway or rail station may have different accessibility facilities, so check the complete route before choosing a transfer. With large luggage, a taxi or app-based vehicle removes the rail-station changes but adds traffic and a variable fare. (JFK AirTrain accessibility, checked 2026-09-28; Newark AirTrain, checked 2026-09-28; LaGuardia public transportation, checked 2026-09-28)