From Heather Cross,
Your Guide to New York City Travel.
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NYC Car Service Listings

Would you like someone to meet you at the airport and bring you directly to your hotel? Perhaps a NYC Car Service is a good choice for you. While more expensive than taxis, booking a NYC car service in advance ensures that you don't have to wait in a line for a cab. This is a great choice for families traveling with young children, business travelers and travelers on a tight schedule. It's also a good choice for groups traveling together, since car services can often provide stretch limos or even vans that can accommodate 10 or more people. Some car services can provide child safety seats when requested in advance (for an additional charge).

Good to Know: Car services provide transportation by phone and reservation. In New York City, you cannot call for a taxi, but you can call a car service to arrange a pickup. Taxis can be hailed on the street, while car services are not supposed to pick up fares unless they have been arranged in advance.

Rates: Always ask for the rate for a trip in advance. Rates are typically exclusive of tolls and gratuity. You can often avoid additional toll charges by asking the driver to take a bridge -- there is no toll to take the Manhattan, Brooklyn, Williamsburg or Queensboro Bridge to or from Manhattan.

Airport Pickup: It'll be easier to find your driver with indoor pickup (your driver will wait outside baggage claim with your name on a sign), but you may have to bring your luggage to the parking lot where he's left the car while he came to get you (& indoor pickup costs extra, plus the additional cost of parking). With curbside pickup, you call the driver when you exit the terminal and he'll meet you at the curb.

Advantages of NYC Car Services:

• Avoid waiting in line for a taxi
• Can be paid for in advance by credit card
• Can accommodate more than 4 people
• Will greet you at baggage claim, and can often provide assistance with luggage
• Can be reserved in advance
• Can be hired hourly to provide you with transportation around New York City

Disadvantages of NYC Car Services:

• More expensive than comparable taxi service (though on many airport trips the difference is just a few dollars)
• Often requires a credit card to book
• Frequently a penalty for cancellation
• Hourly rates normally have 2-3 hour minimums (does not apply to airport transportation)

NYC Car Service Offerings:
These are just representative. Each car service has its own offerings, so confirm availability and the number of passengers when reserving.

• Full Sized Sedan - Can accommodate 1-4 passengers, with a moderate amount of luggage (3+ good sized suitcases)
• Luxury Sedan - Often a Lincoln or Cadillac, same space as a full sized sedan, but more luxurious
• Minivan - Can accommodate 5 passengers and their luggage (sometimes 6 passengers with minimal luggage)
• Passenger Vans - Can accommodate 6-14 passengers and their luggage (more passengers = less room for luggage)
• Stretch Limousine - Can accommodate 6-14 passengers (depending on the limo), but don't have room for tons of luggage. More appropriate choice for large groups traveling around New York City, rather than to/from the airport
• Stretch SUV - Can accommodate up to 14 passengers. More appropriate choice for large groups traveling around New York City, rather than to/from the airport

NYC Car Service Listings