nytraveler

As for arrival time back at the airport, the OP should ask their airline. But they must keep in mind that security lines can be long (I've seen them 45 minutes or longer - it's rare that you can get through in 10 minutes).

Also - for the times they will be traveling airtrain and LIRR are the better choice - in terms of time even if not a LOT cheaper.

And sorry - if someone gives information that is simply incorrect then I think it is perfectly appropriate for anyone else on the board to say so - as long as it's not done in a rude way.

ellenem

At JFK Airport, you will board the AirTrain at your terminal--follow the signs. It might require crossing a pedestrian bridge on an upper level or crossing a street at street level.

There are a few different routes. You will have to choose which route by its destination, either Howard Beach or Jamaica Station as mentioned. You will pay for the trip on the AirTrain when you exit. At the same time you will have an opportunity to purchase a MetroCard (for use on a subway or city bus) if needed.

If you choose Howard Beach, you will connect to the subway, the A train, headed to Manhattan. This might be a good option if everything you want to do is downtown. For example, if you wanted to see the bull as mentioned, get a glimpse of the Statue of Liberty, and the 9/11 Memorial. You will ride this subway train all the way to Manhattan. (Part of the way the train is above ground, eventually it is underground.) Fulton Street would be the best place to get off if you decide to visit the downtown sights I mentioned. HopStop estimates this trip JFK to Fulton Street at 1 hour 20 minutes.

If you choose Jamaica Station, you might connect to the Long Island Railroad as recommended by Doug. After you pay for the AirTrain, follow everyone else out to the left and you will be on an upper level of the Jamaica LIRR station--there are ticket machines here to buy your ticket to Penn Station. From this level, you can access each of the departure tracks. Your Penn Station-bound train will probably depart from track 1 or 2. HopStop estimates the trip JFK to Penn Station at 50-60 minutes.
OR
If you choose Jamaica Station, you might connect to the subway, the E train, headed to Manhattan. Just walk past the LIRR tickets machines and tracks straight to the elevators down to the subway level. You could get off at any number of midtown locations in the 50s. HopStop estimates the trip JFK to 42nd St at 1 hour 20 minutes.

To travel between Penn Station/midtown and the financial district/downtown will take probably 30 minutes depending on actual locations. Therefore, even though the LIRR is faster from JFK to midtown, if everything you choose to see is downtown, the longer A train ride would still be the better option. You might also choose to come into Manhattan via LIRR, see some sights midtown, travel downtown to see the bull or whatever, and then take the A train from Fulton St back to JFK.

In all cases, check online for service delays which may occur on subway lines.

Fireman

Ellenem, your post especially, but everybody's help has been fantastic. A short post on my first time on Fodors. I was driving a rental from D.C. and asked the crew if I dare drive into Manhattan to drop off or drop in jersey and somehow get my family of four into the city. Everyone was adamant that I should not attempt the drive in the city. One pesdon asked me where my dropoff was and what time I would arrive. I told him and he said "simple." Drive in the holland tunnel, turn right at the light and it will be on your right. EZ peazy. I did so and starting looking for a big lot, circled the block three times. Finally asked directions and you guessed it, the drop off was a 20 story building with a tiny entrance. I know, too long winded but that and this experience is why i love Fodors forums. I tell all my friends, they don'y try it but their loss.

ellenem

Glad to help.

doug_stallings

Since you'll need to ride the subway at least twice (whether or not you choose the A Train), put a value of $15 on the Metrocard for each person. This will allow one ride on the Airtrain in each direction ($5 each way) and 2 rides on the subway ($2.50 each). I think you'll end up with a little bonus of a dollar, but that can be your souvenir of NYC, or you can add the balance if you want to take three subway rides.

Now that I've given the route some thought, I'm reconsidering whether it's better to take the Long Island Railroad (about $10 each way during rush hour) or the E Train ($2.50 each way) from Jamaica. In my experience, the E train, which runs express in Queens, is much faster from Jamaica to Manhattan than the A train is from Howard Beach, and it drops you off a the World Trade Center stop, which is pretty close to Wall Street. The bull is about 2 blocks from the subway there, which is also adjacent to the World Trade Center Plaza and the 9/11 Memorial and Museum if that interests you. That might actually be the fastest (and cheapest) route. My experience has always been that the A train takes forever to Fulton (well, it seems to).

If you do take the E Train, you just continue straight through the Long Island Railroad outdoor covered concourse from the Airtrain station. At the end of the walkway (past all the stairs on each side that lead down to the LIRR platforms), there's an elevator that will take you straight down to the subway.

Fireman

Thanks Doug. I don't really need to pet the bull, I just thought I might tickle part of his anatomy to help stimulate the economy. We have a famous Mexican food restaurant in Tucson with a dramatic statue of a matador and a Bull. The bull has overly dramatic testicles and scrotum. The bulls testicles are painted every few months according to the season. Easter- Easter eggs, baseball season-a baseball and so on. Hilarious. So our sortie into Manhattan is for our friends who have never been there. Cruise Central Park and Grand Central and all that or 9/11 memorial. Anybody?

doug_stallings

It's not a hard call for me at all. I don't think the 9/11 Memorial gives you much of a feeling for NYC or Manhattan, so I'd always opt for Central Park and Grand Central. And if you do that E train is probably best since it will get you closer, faster.

gmoney

"Neo, I simply think that a staff member calling someone out as 'dead wrong' is aggressive and unbecoming of a person of position on the boards."

I think Doug's response was right on the money! He was trying to drive the point home that taking a taxi was NOT a good idea. I would hardly call it "aggressive and unbecoming". The first thing I thought of was who in god's name would take a taxi from JFK to Manhattan and back if they were on a strict time schedule.

I think he got his point across quite well.

NeoPatrick

I guess, Inakauaidavidababy wanted Doug to blabber on saying "if cost is an issue, you can go to ______.com and there you can look up the train fares and if you go to ______.com you can find the fixed rate of a taxi. If you compare them, you can get an accurate idea of what the actual costs would be for each method".

On the other hand he chose to say it like it is "that response is dead wrong". Period.

Personally I prefer the second method to the first. Why beat around the bush?

Meanwhile, Inakauaidavidababy, you haven't responded to my other question. Would you be equally out off by an editor saying "No, you are dead wrong. The Eiffel Tower is in Paris, not in Rome"? Or would you rather just have them quote some links so they can look it up for themselves?

Inakauaidavidababy

Neo, I have no desire to debate this with you. You clearly find it fine to tell someone you disagree with that they are 'dead wrong' I find the phrase to be crass and uneccesarily aggressive. PERIOD

NeoPatrick

Exactly. I think you are dead wrong. But that's my right just as it's your right to think Doug and I are both dead wrong. Whatever.

NeoPatrick

By the way, you think using the phrase "dead wrong" to someone who is dead wrong is offensive, but calling people's statements "crass", "unnecessarily aggressive", and "disturbing" is just fine. Ok.

nytraveler

"Dead wrong: is simple and accurate. It is not offensive if the facts are such that the info is "dead wrong" rather than a matter of equal choices and opinions.

And if "dead wrong" bothers you SO much, I think you are operating in a very delicate, perhaps even Victorian, atmosphere with euphemisms for normal, straight-forward language. It is certainly not "aggressive" - that would be somehting like - hey jerk, you're on another planet or "disturbing" - how disturbing?

NeoPatrick

"Meanwhile, Inakauaidavidababy, you haven't responded to my other question. Would you be equally put off by an editor saying "No, you are dead wrong. The Eiffel Tower is in Paris, not in Rome"? Or would you rather just have them quote some links so they can look it up for themselves?"

Still waiting for a reply.

>>>>>>>>>

Absolutely, nytraveler.

Inakauaidavidababy

really?????

Fireman

Well it looks like this one finally dies out. I hope no one is offended by the term died out. But thank you thank you thank you to Fodors and the Fodorites for the wonderful response. It is such a comfort to be able to enter Manhattan with a semblance of knowledge and confidence in such a .......well, you know. I am confident i can show my buddies a little bit of Americana while we wait for the airlines to square up their stuff and send us off to Moscow and beyond. What a fantastic luxury Fodorsis and it's all because of you. I'm gonna start crying. Really, thanks to all.
Fireman Brian

MichelleY

Brian - curious as to why you are going to Moscow? Please report back.

Fireman

Well we kind of choked when we bought our airfare. At the time It was $1800 airfare from phx to venice thru heathrow i think. Or it was $1080 thru Moscow and an added 9 hrs to the flight. I chose $1080 and saved over $2900 for the group, Fuel prices have dropped and so have fares. Who would have known?