AirTrain JFK: Public Transit between JFK and Manhattan

Budget travelers who don't mind carrying their own luggage will find the new AirTrain JFK a welcome addition to New York City's extensive public transit offerings. For $7 and in just an hour, visitors can make it between JFK and Manhattan.

You Should Know: AirTrain JFK requires transferring to a subway or train in order to reach Manhattan -- the AirTrain does not travel directly to Manhattan.

Pros

Cons

The Port Authority of NY & NJ has touted the virtues of the new AirTrain JFK, offering service from JFK to Manhattan, with an extensive ad campaign, but I was curious about just how easy it would be to use. Taking the bus from LaGuardia to Manhattan seems easy, until you realize how difficult it is to get a MetroCard at LaGuardia airport, as well as find out which bus to catch, but I was hopeful that the AirTrain experience would be easier.

Upon exiting my flight, I followed signs toward ground transportation and the luggage claim. I was pleasantly surprised to see an AirTrain sign, with an arrow pointing me outside. Paying careful attention to the signs, I was lead around a building and up an elevator to the AirTrain entrance. (AirTrain signs were placed fairly close together and made the otherwise complicated navigation easy, but watch for the signs.)

There are three AirTrain routes, and the arriving AirTrain announces its route clearly and loudly, so just listen to make sure you get on the correct train.

The Airline Terminal route (Inner Loop) offers free service between the various terminals.
The Howard Beach(A) and Jamaica Station(D) routes circles the terminals in the opposite direction, both stopping at Station C/Federal Circle. The Jamaica Station route can be used to access the E and LIRR at Jamaica Station (2nd to last stop on E in Queens).