Might want to Amtrak to NYC then go to JFK, but overwhelmed with options
February 18, 2023 12:39 PM Subscribe
I'm heading to JFK from DC tomorrow, and flights to JFK are expensive/limited. I've booked a backup, but want help and ELI5 with how to get to JFK from Penn Station in NYC.
NYC is, quite frankly, overwhelming. I've been there before, and Amtrak'd before, but doing a transfer to JFK is a bit hard to understand. A lot of instructions online are unclear or outdated, including one that points to a supposedly non-existent Airporter bus (express) from Penn Station.
I saw this, but I'm not clear exactly how to get to Grand Central from Penn, and if I arrive to Jamaica, I'd still need to pay extra for AirTran to JFK anyway, right?
I want to save money, but I also don't want to get anxious or confused, especially in a huge city like NYC. I'll only have a simple carry-on, though, so it shouldn't really be an issue to get around/walk if need be. If it really is too tricky to get to JFK, then I'll just keep my flight, but prefer to try saving money if possible.
Throw directions at me, thank you, but please make it easy to understand (I do better visually and with step by step instructions). Thanks!
NYC is, quite frankly, overwhelming. I've been there before, and Amtrak'd before, but doing a transfer to JFK is a bit hard to understand. A lot of instructions online are unclear or outdated, including one that points to a supposedly non-existent Airporter bus (express) from Penn Station.
I saw this, but I'm not clear exactly how to get to Grand Central from Penn, and if I arrive to Jamaica, I'd still need to pay extra for AirTran to JFK anyway, right?
I want to save money, but I also don't want to get anxious or confused, especially in a huge city like NYC. I'll only have a simple carry-on, though, so it shouldn't really be an issue to get around/walk if need be. If it really is too tricky to get to JFK, then I'll just keep my flight, but prefer to try saving money if possible.
Throw directions at me, thank you, but please make it easy to understand (I do better visually and with step by step instructions). Thanks!
Response by poster: If I were to take a cab, would I just flag one down at Penn Station (yellow) and tell them to go to JFK, and they'd charge a flat rate of $70 plus whatever change/tips?
If that's the case, that might be easier (and the Amtrak+cab cost would still be cheaper than the airfare!). Might seem like such a newbie question, but does yellow cabs accept credit cards as payments? I haven't taken a proper cab in such a long time, and the cabs in DC only accepted cash when I took them (which was maybe 10 years ago?).
posted by dubious_dude at 1:12 PM on February 18, 2023
If that's the case, that might be easier (and the Amtrak+cab cost would still be cheaper than the airfare!). Might seem like such a newbie question, but does yellow cabs accept credit cards as payments? I haven't taken a proper cab in such a long time, and the cabs in DC only accepted cash when I took them (which was maybe 10 years ago?).
posted by dubious_dude at 1:12 PM on February 18, 2023
Best answer: This is very possible and not at all difficult. Don't worry about Grand Central. You don't have to take the subway.
From Penn Station you can take the LIRR (Long Island Railroad) to Jamaica Station. You'll go from the upper level where Amtrak comes in to the lower level where LIRR comes in. Buy a ticket from one of the LIRR ticket vending machines. Trains from Penn Station to Jamaica run very frequently. It's a little more expensive than the subway but a much easier to understand ride. At Penn station also buy a metrocard at one of the metrocard vending machines with $8 to pay for the AirTrain. You can do this later (at Jamaica before the AirTrain) but it will be a wait. You can't pay for the AirTrain with your phone so do buy the $8 metrocard. (you will have to pay $9 since there is a $1 fee for the card)
From Jamaica station take the AirTrain to your terminal. The signage here is clear (or follow everyone else with a carry-on) - you'll be going up an escalator and it's pretty much right there. The AirTrain comes every few minutes.
posted by matcha action at 1:13 PM on February 18, 2023 [10 favorites]
From Penn Station you can take the LIRR (Long Island Railroad) to Jamaica Station. You'll go from the upper level where Amtrak comes in to the lower level where LIRR comes in. Buy a ticket from one of the LIRR ticket vending machines. Trains from Penn Station to Jamaica run very frequently. It's a little more expensive than the subway but a much easier to understand ride. At Penn station also buy a metrocard at one of the metrocard vending machines with $8 to pay for the AirTrain. You can do this later (at Jamaica before the AirTrain) but it will be a wait. You can't pay for the AirTrain with your phone so do buy the $8 metrocard. (you will have to pay $9 since there is a $1 fee for the card)
From Jamaica station take the AirTrain to your terminal. The signage here is clear (or follow everyone else with a carry-on) - you'll be going up an escalator and it's pretty much right there. The AirTrain comes every few minutes.
posted by matcha action at 1:13 PM on February 18, 2023 [10 favorites]
If you're not taking a taxi, I also endorse taking the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) from Penn Station to Jamaica, and then the AirTrain. It's way easier than the subway, and also much nicer and also faster.
Train destinations and major stops (Jamaica is one such) are posted on screens in Penn Station. You'll want a Babylon, Long Beach, Port Jefferson, or Ronkonkoma train, they all stop at Jamaica, and between those four they're leaving all the time. You can take any of them once you have a Penn->Jamaica ticket, which you can buy at a machine in Penn.
posted by BungaDunga at 1:19 PM on February 18, 2023 [3 favorites]
Train destinations and major stops (Jamaica is one such) are posted on screens in Penn Station. You'll want a Babylon, Long Beach, Port Jefferson, or Ronkonkoma train, they all stop at Jamaica, and between those four they're leaving all the time. You can take any of them once you have a Penn->Jamaica ticket, which you can buy at a machine in Penn.
posted by BungaDunga at 1:19 PM on February 18, 2023 [3 favorites]
Best answer: I forgot to say which LIRR line you should take - ALL LIRR trains (except ones bound to Port Washington) go through Jamaica. Examples of trains that are fine to take are Babylon, Ronkonkoma, Oyster Bay, Long Beach, Hempstead, Huntington, Far Rockaway and Patchogue.
posted by matcha action at 1:19 PM on February 18, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by matcha action at 1:19 PM on February 18, 2023 [3 favorites]
Best answer: matcha action beat me to it. I would 100% take LIRR in your situation and there is no need to go to Grand Central under any circumstance.
A couple of add-ons to their answer:
- Penn Station can be confusing. This is the best map of Penn Station I have found. In the worst case scenario if you get hopelessly turned around (the signage has been improved, but it can still be confusing), the easiest way to reset is to leave the station entirely to street level and then walk to 7th Ave and 33rd or 34th and renter the station.
- You can buy a ticket for the LIRR (from Penn Station to Jamaica) in the MTA's TrainTime app. You want to buy one of the following tickets:
> "Peak" ($10.75) if your train departs Penn Station between 4pm and 8pm tomorrow
> "City Ticket" ($5.00) if your train departs Penn Station at any other time -- this ticket is cheaper but cannot be used during peak times
Note: there is also the "Off Peak" ($7.75) ticket, but any time that you can use that ticket for a trip from Penn Station to Jamaica, the "City Ticket" is also valid. So there's no point buying the $7.75 "Off Peak" because the $5.00 "City Ticket" is cheaper.
Note you should download ahead of time as you do have to create an account to buy tickets, though not for other functionalities. I also recommend downloading the TrainTime app (which, contrary to many public-sector apps, is actually pretty good) because you can personally check when is the next train from Penn Station to Jamaica and see what track it is departing from.
posted by andrewesque at 1:24 PM on February 18, 2023 [2 favorites]
A couple of add-ons to their answer:
- Penn Station can be confusing. This is the best map of Penn Station I have found. In the worst case scenario if you get hopelessly turned around (the signage has been improved, but it can still be confusing), the easiest way to reset is to leave the station entirely to street level and then walk to 7th Ave and 33rd or 34th and renter the station.
- You can buy a ticket for the LIRR (from Penn Station to Jamaica) in the MTA's TrainTime app. You want to buy one of the following tickets:
> "Peak" ($10.75) if your train departs Penn Station between 4pm and 8pm tomorrow
> "City Ticket" ($5.00) if your train departs Penn Station at any other time -- this ticket is cheaper but cannot be used during peak times
Note: there is also the "Off Peak" ($7.75) ticket, but any time that you can use that ticket for a trip from Penn Station to Jamaica, the "City Ticket" is also valid. So there's no point buying the $7.75 "Off Peak" because the $5.00 "City Ticket" is cheaper.
Note you should download ahead of time as you do have to create an account to buy tickets, though not for other functionalities. I also recommend downloading the TrainTime app (which, contrary to many public-sector apps, is actually pretty good) because you can personally check when is the next train from Penn Station to Jamaica and see what track it is departing from.
posted by andrewesque at 1:24 PM on February 18, 2023 [2 favorites]
I'm seconding that based on your craving for simplicity you should skip the whole Airtrain approach (whether by subway or LIRR), although other posters have done a good job of explaining it. Take a cab from Penn to JFK and take all the transfers and tickets and looking at schedules out of the equation.
Any place you exit Penn Station will have a bunch of yellow cabs nearby (31st street and 8th Avenue is a particularly good place to catch one) and they will take you to JFK with ease, they've all been there and back thousands of times. You can pay with a credit card. Unlike on the various trains, you will have the vehicle all to yourself and you can kick back, zone out, and enjoy the ride.
In case it helps, reputation aside, the people on the ground in NYC will be friendly and happy to guide you if you ask, although I suspect you will be more than fine on your own.
posted by clownschool at 1:25 PM on February 18, 2023
Any place you exit Penn Station will have a bunch of yellow cabs nearby (31st street and 8th Avenue is a particularly good place to catch one) and they will take you to JFK with ease, they've all been there and back thousands of times. You can pay with a credit card. Unlike on the various trains, you will have the vehicle all to yourself and you can kick back, zone out, and enjoy the ride.
In case it helps, reputation aside, the people on the ground in NYC will be friendly and happy to guide you if you ask, although I suspect you will be more than fine on your own.
posted by clownschool at 1:25 PM on February 18, 2023
Response by poster: Thanks so much for all the super helpful responses!
I've went ahead and booked an Amtrak ticket. I did notice by the website andrewesque shared that there's some ongoing construction, so I'll wing it once arriving to Penn Station, and see if I can easily find the LIRR trains; if so, I'll take that route, then take the AirTran at Jamaica, which sounds pretty easy. If I'm not feeling it, I'll just hoof a taxi to the airport. The ticket I have on Amtrak will, barring any delays/cancellations, get me into NYC with plenty of time until my flight, so I'll have some buffer time to decide.
I'll keep you all updated with what happens; not in the spirit of threadsitting, but to help others who might have similar questions in the future.
posted by dubious_dude at 3:18 PM on February 18, 2023 [4 favorites]
I've went ahead and booked an Amtrak ticket. I did notice by the website andrewesque shared that there's some ongoing construction, so I'll wing it once arriving to Penn Station, and see if I can easily find the LIRR trains; if so, I'll take that route, then take the AirTran at Jamaica, which sounds pretty easy. If I'm not feeling it, I'll just hoof a taxi to the airport. The ticket I have on Amtrak will, barring any delays/cancellations, get me into NYC with plenty of time until my flight, so I'll have some buffer time to decide.
I'll keep you all updated with what happens; not in the spirit of threadsitting, but to help others who might have similar questions in the future.
posted by dubious_dude at 3:18 PM on February 18, 2023 [4 favorites]
I have done exactly the route matcha action has explained, and I will say that it's not exactly difficult but is a little stressful, especially when trying to buy a ticket from the machine with impatient regular commuters around. Just give yourself plenty of extra time and remember not to be hard on yourself for feeling a little discombobulated in the moment.
posted by desuetude at 9:50 PM on February 18, 2023
posted by desuetude at 9:50 PM on February 18, 2023
Response by poster: Hello from a swanky lounge at JFK, sipping champagne. Report time!
Ended up taking the Amtrak to Penn Station in NYC. Went smoothly. LIRR was a bit of a confusing mess — ended up having to ask someone to help point me in the right direction, but it was super easy to purchase the actual ticket itself in the app. Was onboard within about 5 minutes and just caught the train. Was told very nicely by the conductor that I had to move one train ahead (I was on the last train, I think, so the doors wouldn't open), so other than that tiny blip, I was able to arrive to Jamaica effortlessly. AirTran was easy peasy. Overall was smooth; there were tiny moments where I did feel a bit discombobulated, but nothing major at all. Everyone was friendly and very helpful. I love NYCers!
Honestly, this was incredibly smooth, and I'm so glad I chose this over flying/taxi. Saved over $150! It was also pretty fast—the time it took for me to get to JFK from Penn Station was about 30-40 minutes, including walking. 100% would do again. It might be stressful for those in a super rush, but I had plenty of time, so that helped.
Hope this helps anyone else who might have a similar question.
posted by dubious_dude at 8:36 AM on February 19, 2023 [7 favorites]
Ended up taking the Amtrak to Penn Station in NYC. Went smoothly. LIRR was a bit of a confusing mess — ended up having to ask someone to help point me in the right direction, but it was super easy to purchase the actual ticket itself in the app. Was onboard within about 5 minutes and just caught the train. Was told very nicely by the conductor that I had to move one train ahead (I was on the last train, I think, so the doors wouldn't open), so other than that tiny blip, I was able to arrive to Jamaica effortlessly. AirTran was easy peasy. Overall was smooth; there were tiny moments where I did feel a bit discombobulated, but nothing major at all. Everyone was friendly and very helpful. I love NYCers!
Honestly, this was incredibly smooth, and I'm so glad I chose this over flying/taxi. Saved over $150! It was also pretty fast—the time it took for me to get to JFK from Penn Station was about 30-40 minutes, including walking. 100% would do again. It might be stressful for those in a super rush, but I had plenty of time, so that helped.
Hope this helps anyone else who might have a similar question.
posted by dubious_dude at 8:36 AM on February 19, 2023 [7 favorites]
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If you can just fly from DC I advise you to do that.
Second option is to take a cab from Penn Station to JFK as advised above.
posted by profreader at 1:08 PM on February 18, 2023 [1 favorite]