Archive for the ‘Transport’ Category

Question: Heading to New York first week of December, planning on going to Woodbury Common. Do you need to book the bus tickets in advance?

Answer: The busiest shopping period for U.S. and New York in particular is fast approaching. In 2009, Black Friday falls on Friday 27th November. The following five or six weeks leading up to Christmas and the New Year will be prime holiday season shopping in New York. New York retailers are not immune to the recession and as a result they are battling each other for business which can mean only one thing to the Irish shopaholic…..BARGAINS! With this in mind and the dollar at an all time low against the euro, everyone knows of the great bargains to be had in the Big Apple, but also at Woodbury Common Premium Outlet which is home to the world’s largest collection of 220 designer and brand name outlets. .

Everyone going to Woodbury common tends to travel early in the morning and make a day trip out of it which makes complete sense. There are limited buses so our advice for anyone planning a trip to Woodbury Common is to book your ticket in advance so to avoid waiting around Port Authority Bus Terminal when you could be nabbing a pair of Manolo Blahniks at 70% off! There is a lot of ground Woodbury Common is big so another piece of advice is to wear comfortable shoes, bring a light rain jacket and plan your shop assault en route.

VisitNewYork.ie sells Woodbury Common Bus Tickets at €30.00 return. Buses to Woodbury Common depart Port Authority Bus Station at 42nd Street (right by Times Square) at 08.30 on a daily basis. Journey time is approx 1 hour each way.

Happy holiday shopping!

The VisitNewYork.ie Team

Question: We will be shortly visiting New York for a few days. We will be staying in Manhattan and plan to visit some people in Sea Cliff. Rather than take a taxi, is there a Bus Service that goes to Sea Cliff?

Answer: Taking a taxi to Sea Cliff will cost you well over $100. Your best and cheapest option is to catch the number seven subway from Grand Central Station to the last stop Main Street Flushing Station. This journey should take approx 30 mins. Then hop on the Long Island N20/21 bus from Flushing Roosevelt Avenue and get off at Glen Ave and Roslyn Ave which is only a five minute walk from Sea Cliff.  The bus journey should take just over an hour.

Enjoy your trip!

The VisitNewYork.ie Team

Question: Hi, Could you give me the prices for a limo from JFK Airport to Manhattan New York and also from Manhattan to Newark Airport?

Answer: Travel by limousine is a luxury experience and no better place than in NYC! There are lots of limo companies servicing all New York airports. The trick is to shop around but also be sure to go with a reputable company that has modern and CLEAN limos. From experience we recommend  Designerlimo.com and nyclimousine.com. See rates below.

LIMO FROM JKF AIRPORT - MANHATTAN

DesignerLimo.com : $136 + 20% gratuity $27.20 + airport parking $8.00 + tolls $10.00…..Total: $181.20

NYCLimousine.com: $120.60 + 20% gratuity $24.12 + STC $10.85 + airport parking $6.00 + tolls $5.00…..Total: $167.18

LIMO MANHATTAN - NEWARK AIRPORT

DesignerLimo.com : $160 + 20% gratuity $32 + airport parking $8.00 + tolls $13.50……..Total: $213.50

NYCLimousine.com: $115.20 + 20% gratuity $23.04 + STC $10.37 + airport parking $6.00 + tolls $5.00…..Total: $159.61

Question: What is the best way to get from La Guardia Airport New York to Manhattan, New York City?

Answer: La Guardia airport is geographically the closest New York airport to Manhattan. However, it takes roughly the same time of approximtely 40 mins to reach Manhattan. There are a number of transfer options from La Guardia airport to NYC. You should choose an option that best suits your budget and number of persons travelling. The following is a breakdown of your transfer options:

Express Bus or Shuttle Bus: The La Guardia airport express service operates daily from 7.30am to 11.00pm at night. Fares are $12 one way and $21 return. The journey to Manhattan takes approx 40 mins and will drop you off at the following Manhattan locations: Penn Station 34th St, Grand Central 42nd, Port Authority 42nd St.
Alternatively, for an extra few dollars you can take a shuttle bus/mini-van to/from your hotel. Try supershuttle.com or goairlinkshuttle.com.

Taxi: A taxi is by far the most comfortable way to travel to and from La Guardia airport. For $40 plus tip you can sit back , relax and be dropped right to the door. Between 3 or 4 persons this would be the ideal choice. Private Limos start at $70.

Subway Bus combo: Athough this the cheapest transfer method, it is also themost stressful, especially for those travelling with a good bit of luggage and in numbers. La Guardia is not serviced directly by a subway and so requires you to board the M60 (free) bus to the 125th St in Manhattan. There are a number of subway routes from 125th St so your connection depends on where you are staying. Your best bet if you are unsure is to get the 2 and 3 line downtown for $2 as it serves all the tourist hotspots in Manhattan.

Helicopter: For those that want to splash out and/or in a rush, the most convenient method is a 10 minute helicopter ride to and from La Guardia. Prices start at $159 per person.

Question: What is the best way to get from Newark airport to Times Square, Midtown Manhattan, New York?

Newark airport is the smallest of the three New York airports and is located in New Jersey approximately 16 miles west of Manhattan . Just like any of the other airports, Newark is well serviced with many transport options for transfers to and from Manhattan. You should choose one of these options depending on your budget and how many people travelling with etc.

Express Bus: The Newark Liberty Express Bus is a good option for those travelling alone or on a tight budget. The bus operates trips to and from Newark airport every 30 mins from 5am in the morning to 1.30am. The fare is $13 one way and takes approx 50mins to 1 hour depending on traffic. Drop off and pick up points in Manhattan are as follows:
- Port Authority Bus Terminal on 42nd St and 8th Ave i.e. this is right beside Times Square.
- 120 East 41st Street at Grand Central Station

Shuttle Bus or Mini-Van: This is another transport option for those on a tight budget but would like to be dropped to the door of their hotel rather than having to walk a few blocks with luggage. Prices start at $17 one way depending on which operator you choose. We hope to have a discount deal with a shuttle bus operator for visitnewyork.ie customers very soon.

Taxi: Taking a taxi is a good option for those travelling in a group of 3 or more. You end up paying about $50 - $60 but it is hassle and strees free and drops you right to your door. Again, depending on traffic, journey time is approx 45 mins.

Amtrak Train: Although regarded as the quickest option, taking the train comes at a cost of $28 one way. This includes your AirTrain connection from Newark airport to the Amtrak train station which is only a 22 minute journey to Penn Station on 34th St. The service runs every half hour from 5am until 1.30am.

PATH NJ Transit: This is the cheapest method by far costing only $9 but involves connecting train with a total journey time of approx 90 mins. From experience, you are better off paying the extra $4 getting the Express Bus for $13.

Enjoy your trip to NYC!

The VisitNewYork.ie Team

Question: What is the best way to get from JFK airport to our hotel in Manhattan?

Answer: JFK airport is located in south east Queens only 15 miles from Manhattan. As it is New York’s busiest airport, there a many transport options to get you to and from JFK airport.

Taxi: Getting a cab is the most convenient and comfortable method. This option is a no-brainer if there are 3 adults or more as it works out as the same as the bus and it drops you door-to-door. There is a flat rate of $45 from the airport to JFK. You must also pay the toll which is $4.50 and of course a tip for the cab driver.

Shuttle Bus/Mini-Van: Using the shuttle bus is another option for those who don’t have the numbers or cash  to spend on a cab but would like to be dropped to their hotel. Prices are approx $21-25.

Airport express bus: This service runs every 15-30 mins between 6am-10pm from JFK-Grand Central-Port Authority-Penn Station-JFK. Depending on traffic, journey time is approx one hour 15 minutes. Tickets: $15 single./ $27 return. Children under 12 are free. Limit one free child per full fare adult. Only downside is you are not dropped to your door.

Airtrain and LIRR Train combo: Best option since it is by rail and so it is the most reliable as well as for the budget conscious.  All you need to do is to pick up an AirTrain ticket at the airport for $5 and take the 15 min train journey to Jamaica/Sutphin stop. You then need to get the LIRR (Long Island Rail Road) train $5-7 to Penn Station 34th St which takes approx 45 mins. Note the AirTrain runs 24hrs a day.

Airtrain and Subway combo: Cheapest option is to take the Airtrain to Jamaica/Sutphin blvd stop and instead of taking the LIRR you opt for the E subway which will take you right into Midtown Manhattan. Subway ticket is $2 and AirTrain is $5. Total journey should cost a mere $7! E subway just like AirTrain operates 24hrs a day.

Limo/Chauffeur: The most comfortable, stress-free option. Door-to-door service. Prices vary and start from $50 but this all depends on the size of car and number of passengers. There are plenty of operators so shop around for the best deal.

Whichever option suits, we hope you enjoy your trip!

The VisitNewYork.ie Team

There is no better way to get around New York than use the subway just like any other New Yorker. This will save you a lot of money and of course is cheaper than taxis and many cases a lot quicker. Sure 20 million New Yorker’s can’t be wrong? You will be surprised the number of times you will use the subway.

Navigating the system is not rocket science and contrary to those 80’s movies (Crocodile Dundee) it is very safe. The key thing to remember is that uptown trains travel north and downtown trains travel south. Once you have mastered this, than you will reap the benefits of being able to get from one neighbourhood in Manhattan to the other in a matter of minutes. Go to your local subway station and ask for a FREE New York Subway Map at the subway station booth. You will need this to help plan which lines to connect to and which is the best stop to hop off. Don’t worry if you lose your map as you can just pick up another for free.

The next thing you need to do is to buy a prepaid MetroCard from the automated touchscreen ticket booths in the station. There are a number of options here, but since most Irish people tend to be in New York for at least 4 days or longer, best go for the 7 day unlimited pass at $12.50 USD rather than buying 4 x 1 day fun passes at $7.50 USD each. The 7-Day Unlimited Ride MetroCard is good for unlimited New York subway and local bus rides until midnight, 7 days from day of first use.

One more thing to note is whether your local subway station near your hotel and destination stop is an express stop or a local stop. Reason being is that you can choose to jump on an express train which by-passes all the local stops and gets you to your destination even quicker. Just make sure that your destination stop is also an express stop.

If you ever unsure or have any questions on which is best stop be sure to ask a fellow passenger on the platform. New Yorkers are extremely friendly and helpful! To help plan your trip to New York trip can customise and print your very own New York Guide (shopping, attractions, restaurants and nightlife).