JFK TO Midtown

dizzyn

Hi guys,

Heading to New York in a couple of months. Did some research on the best way into the city from JFK, cabs seem like the way to go. We are a group of 5, is UBER a good option for us? We have budgeted about $80 dollars for the trip. Any other suggestions welcome!

whomitconcerns

dizzyn wrote: »

Hi guys,

Heading to New York in a couple of months. Did some research on the best way into the city from JFK, cabs seem like the way to go. We are a group of 5, is UBER a good option for us? We have budgeted about $80 dollars for the trip. Any other suggestions welcome!

Just get a cab. It's a fixed fare and it's a great experience

coylemj

whomitconcerns wrote: »

Just get a cab. It's a fixed fare and it's a great experience

Most NYC taxis can only take four passengers.

whomitconcerns

coylemj wrote: »

Most NYC taxis can only take four passengers.

Aye but the 5 seaters should be available at the airport. $52 plus tolls plus tip op

dizzyn

whomitconcerns wrote: »

Aye but the 5 seaters should be available at the airport. $52 plus tolls plus tip op

Great! Thanks a mil

kerry4sam

Thread moved to where it would be better suited.

Thanks,
kerry4sam

knockoutned

Is it five adults, or two adults and 3 kids? How many suitcases and what size? Most taxis and Ubers are Toyota Camry’s or similar size so you may have trouble squeezing into a car. The larger taxis mentioned above have small boot space and I don’t believe take more than 4 people. Actually, I don’t think any taxis do unless some of your companions are small.

If you think you can manage, i’d go with an Uber, especially if flying with Aer Lingus to terminal 5. Uber can pick you up from right out the front. With a taxi, you have to take either two escalators or a lift, then numerous travellators, then more lifts / escalators. Pita with a lot of luggage. Prices would be similar to what was mentioned above ~$70

If you don’t think you would fit all you and your luggage, book a large SUV (Chevy Suburban) with the likes of Carmel. It will cost more than a regular taxi (last time it cost me $115, including tolls and tip), but will save you getting two cars. These can also pick you directly outside the terminal.

Last option would be superbus. They normally go from jfk to midtown hotels, however I have never used them.

coylemj

knockoutned wrote: »

The larger taxis mentioned above have small boot space and I don’t believe take more than 4 people. Actually, I don’t think any taxis do unless some of your companions are small.

The NYC taxi and limousine commission website says there are five seater taxis and there's no qualification on passenger size, except to say that if a child under 7 is carried on someone's lap on the back seat, it won't count in terms of passenger capacity .....

The maximum amount of passengers allowed in a yellow taxicab by law is four (4) in a four (4) passenger taxicab or five (5) passengers in a five (5) passenger taxicab, except that an additional passenger must be accepted if such passenger is under the age of seven (7) and is held on the lap of an adult passenger seated in the rear.


https://www1.nyc.gov/site/tlc/passengers/passenger-frequently-asked-questions.page

aaronm13

The train is pretty painless getting downtown. Get the AirTrain to Jamaica Station then change to the subway.

coylemj

aaronm13 wrote: »

The train is pretty painless getting downtown. Get the AirTrain to Jamaica Station then change to the subway.

Jamaica or Howard Beach, depending on which station has the better subway connection to your hotel.

I've done that on the way back and agree that that for one or two people, it's worth considering but OP is in a party of five so I'd say taxi is the best option because it will drop them and their bags to the door of the hotel.

knockoutned

Thanks for posting that, however, the chances of a 5 seater cab being available when you get off your plane are slim to none. Yes, dispatch can call you up one, but you could be waiting anywhere from 5 minutes to over an hour. 5 seater cabs account for around 10% of taxicabs.

If it was me, I’d pay the extra $35 and know after a ~ 7 hour flight a car was waiting to pick me up.

ThunderCat

Jamaica Station felt a bit sketchy to me the last time I was there but overall the subway is great. Also nothing beats stepping out of the subway already in the heart of the city with the hustle and bustle and skyscrapers towering over you. Not quite the same in a cab as the city slowly opens up as you get nearer, although that does also have its merits.

coylemj

ThunderCat wrote: »

Jamaica Station felt a bit sketchy to me the last time I was there but overall the subway is great. Also nothing beats stepping out of the subway already in the heart of the city with the hustle and bustle and skyscrapers towering over you. Not quite the same in a cab as the city slowly opens up as you get nearer, although that does also have its merits.

If it's a cold, wet day and the hotel is more than 100m from the subway station, you're definitely better off arriving in a cab.

Lugging your bag up the narrow, wet steps of a subway station and then having to walk 200-300m to the hotel in the rain is no way to start your break in NYC.

rossie1977

Subway isn't really a viable option if you have lots of luggage as space is limited and those cars fill up fast

Cab is best option but you might be waiting a while to get 5 seater as they are much rarer than normal cabs that work the airports.

coylemj

Option: pile all the luggage and four of you in the yellow cab. Send one of the party to the hotel via the AirTrain and the subway.