ISP Airport to Manhattan - Quickest/Cheapest Way
Apr 14, 2007, 2:21 am
#1
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ISP Airport to Manhattan - Quickest/Cheapest Way
Starting to have buyer's remorse on what I thought was really cheap tix to NY. So I'll be flying in 5/26 and leaving 5/29 from Islip MacArthur Airport. We booked our stay at the Roosevelt Hotel in MTW. Can someone suggest what would be the cheapest/fastest way to get from one to the other?
Also, this is my first time going to NY!!! (So excited!)
Research I've done so far shows that it'll be a very long ride or it'll be very expensive and long. The options I've thought of so far are:
1. Ronkonkoma to Penn Station on the LIRR.
2. Driving to somewhere near a MetroCard station in Long Island so I can buy one of those Unlimited Fare cards.
My problem is #2, in that I wouldn't know where to leave the car (free hopefully), traffic, or if the idea even seems reasonable. BTW, the flight should be in around 1 PM. I would appreciate any suggestions. TIA!
Also, this is my first time going to NY!!! (So excited!)
Research I've done so far shows that it'll be a very long ride or it'll be very expensive and long. The options I've thought of so far are:
1. Ronkonkoma to Penn Station on the LIRR.
2. Driving to somewhere near a MetroCard station in Long Island so I can buy one of those Unlimited Fare cards.
My problem is #2, in that I wouldn't know where to leave the car (free hopefully), traffic, or if the idea even seems reasonable. BTW, the flight should be in around 1 PM. I would appreciate any suggestions. TIA!
Apr 14, 2007, 7:01 am
#2
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Starting to have buyer's remorse on what I thought was really cheap tix to NY. So I'll be flying in 5/26 and leaving 5/29 from Islip MacArthur Airport. We booked our stay at the Roosevelt Hotel in MTW. Can someone suggest what would be the cheapest/fastest way to get from one to the other?
Also, this is my first time going to NY!!! (So excited!)
Research I've done so far shows that it'll be a very long ride or it'll be very expensive and long. The options I've thought of so far are:
1. Ronkonkoma to Penn Station on the LIRR.
2. Driving to somewhere near a MetroCard station in Long Island so I can buy one of those Unlimited Fare cards.
My problem is #2, in that I wouldn't know where to leave the car (free hopefully), traffic, or if the idea even seems reasonable. BTW, the flight should be in around 1 PM. I would appreciate any suggestions. TIA!
Also, this is my first time going to NY!!! (So excited!)
Research I've done so far shows that it'll be a very long ride or it'll be very expensive and long. The options I've thought of so far are:
1. Ronkonkoma to Penn Station on the LIRR.
2. Driving to somewhere near a MetroCard station in Long Island so I can buy one of those Unlimited Fare cards.
My problem is #2, in that I wouldn't know where to leave the car (free hopefully), traffic, or if the idea even seems reasonable. BTW, the flight should be in around 1 PM. I would appreciate any suggestions. TIA!
When you refer to leaving your car somewhere for free, what car do you mean? I didn't see reference to renting a car unless your option #2 means that you would rent a car and then try to find a metro card, then drive into NYC and park.
Apr 14, 2007, 8:16 am
#3
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Go to www.macarthurairport .com to check out available ground transportation options. There is both taxi and local bus (route S57) service between ISP and the LIRR Ronkonkoma station. The bus does NOT accept Metrocard, so exact fare will be required. Be sure to check out the LIRR Ronkonkoma schedule at www.mta.info, as there may only be one train an hour at the times you are traveling. From Penn Station, the Roosevelt is a short taxi or bus ride (route M4 or Q32, both of which load on 32nd Street, just east of the Penn Station 7th Avenue exit) away. You can purchase either pay-per-ride or unlimited ride Metrocards at the subway entrances that are located within Penn Station.
The only other option you might want to explore is a one-day, one way car rental from ISP to Manhattan. All the majors have locations in midtown, with Avis and Budget being closest to the Roosevelt. Expect to use about 3 gallons of gas for the trip, plus a $4.50 toll for the Queens-Midtown Tunnel.
Enjoy your visit!
Go to www.macarthurairport .com to check out available ground transportation options. There is both taxi and local bus (route S57) service between ISP and the LIRR Ronkonkoma station. The bus does NOT accept Metrocard, so exact fare will be required. Be sure to check out the LIRR Ronkonkoma schedule at www.mta.info, as there may only be one train an hour at the times you are traveling. From Penn Station, the Roosevelt is a short taxi or bus ride (route M4 or Q32, both of which load on 32nd Street, just east of the Penn Station 7th Avenue exit) away. You can purchase either pay-per-ride or unlimited ride Metrocards at the subway entrances that are located within Penn Station.
The only other option you might want to explore is a one-day, one way car rental from ISP to Manhattan. All the majors have locations in midtown, with Avis and Budget being closest to the Roosevelt. Expect to use about 3 gallons of gas for the trip, plus a $4.50 toll for the Queens-Midtown Tunnel.
Enjoy your visit!
Last edited by guv1976; Apr 14, 2007 at 8:18 am
Apr 14, 2007, 11:05 am
#4
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Yes, it's an older thread, but why start a new one when you could just update the existing one?
http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=346447
http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=346447
Apr 15, 2007, 3:06 pm
#5
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Starting to have buyer's remorse on what I thought was really cheap tix to NY. So I'll be flying in 5/26 and leaving 5/29 from Islip MacArthur Airport. We booked our stay at the Roosevelt Hotel in MTW. Can someone suggest what would be the cheapest/fastest way to get from one to the other?
Also, this is my first time going to NY!!! (So excited!)
Research I've done so far shows that it'll be a very long ride or it'll be very expensive and long. The options I've thought of so far are:
1. Ronkonkoma to Penn Station on the LIRR.
2. Driving to somewhere near a MetroCard station in Long Island so I can buy one of those Unlimited Fare cards.
My problem is #2, in that I wouldn't know where to leave the car (free hopefully), traffic, or if the idea even seems reasonable. BTW, the flight should be in around 1 PM. I would appreciate any suggestions. TIA!
Also, this is my first time going to NY!!! (So excited!)
Research I've done so far shows that it'll be a very long ride or it'll be very expensive and long. The options I've thought of so far are:
1. Ronkonkoma to Penn Station on the LIRR.
2. Driving to somewhere near a MetroCard station in Long Island so I can buy one of those Unlimited Fare cards.
My problem is #2, in that I wouldn't know where to leave the car (free hopefully), traffic, or if the idea even seems reasonable. BTW, the flight should be in around 1 PM. I would appreciate any suggestions. TIA!
Fly into ISP, take a taxi to the Ronkonkoma train station, take a train into Penn, then buy your unlimited metrocard (weekly might be cheaper than a bunch of daily unlimiteds) at Penn.
Apr 16, 2007, 8:20 am
#6
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But don't take a taxi from the line at ISP: either call for one on the courtesy phone or take the Colonial shuttle if you see it (the difference is $5 versus about $12-14).
I would not recommend renting a car just to drive into Manhattan; it will not be cost-effective and you won't want one while you are here.
I would not recommend renting a car just to drive into Manhattan; it will not be cost-effective and you won't want one while you are here.
Apr 16, 2007, 9:16 am
#7
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But don't take a taxi from the line at ISP: either call for one on the courtesy phone or take the Colonial shuttle if you see it (the difference is $5 versus about $12-14).
I would not recommend renting a car just to drive into Manhattan; it will not be cost-effective and you won't want one while you are here.
I would not recommend renting a car just to drive into Manhattan; it will not be cost-effective and you won't want one while you are here.
While a car will certainly be more expensive, it may save an hour or so, especially if there is only one train an hour from Ronkonkoma to Manhattan when the OP and his party are traveling.
Apr 16, 2007, 3:50 pm
#8
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Until we know how many people are in the OP's party, I don't think one can generalize about taking a taxi or renting a car one-way from ISP to Manhattan.
While a car will certainly be more expensive, it may save an hour or so, especially if there is only one train an hour from Ronkonkoma to Manhattan when the OP and his party are traveling.
While a car will certainly be more expensive, it may save an hour or so, especially if there is only one train an hour from Ronkonkoma to Manhattan when the OP and his party are traveling.
Anyway, I think I've figured out what we'll be doing. We'll probably take the shuttle to Ronkonkoma ($10)(10 mins), the LIRR train to Penn Station($18.04 webticket, off-peak)(100 mins), unlimited metrocard from Penn to Roosevelt Hotel ($14)(~15mins). Pricing is for 2, so it'll be around $42, and approx. 2 hours just for the rides. We'll probably have to catch the 1:43pm LIRR train so that means it's about a 3 hour trip to NYC.
If traffic is good, and there is a free park and ride lot in Long Island, it may not be that bad a deal, as it's only $50-60 more, and we'll save an 1 1/2 hours. Also, I should say that we plan on visiting the Brooklyn/Queens/Flushing area on 5/28, so I thought the car may be helpful there. I don't know if parking/driving around in those areas are as bad as NYC though.
Apr 16, 2007, 8:57 pm
#9
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I don't understand your reference to a park and ride lot. The only reason to rent a car at ISP is to drive yourself into Manhattan. (That's how you would save 1 1/2 hours.) But if you are going to drive yourself to Manhattan, why would you need a park and ride lot on Long Island?
Depending on where you are going in Brooklyn and Queens, you may find public transportation to be very convenient. The Long Island Rail Road serves several Queens stations with frequent service from Penn Station. And the subway goes to several parts of Queens, and most of Brooklyn.
I don't understand your reference to a park and ride lot. The only reason to rent a car at ISP is to drive yourself into Manhattan. (That's how you would save 1 1/2 hours.) But if you are going to drive yourself to Manhattan, why would you need a park and ride lot on Long Island?
Depending on where you are going in Brooklyn and Queens, you may find public transportation to be very convenient. The Long Island Rail Road serves several Queens stations with frequent service from Penn Station. And the subway goes to several parts of Queens, and most of Brooklyn.
Apr 16, 2007, 10:51 pm
#10
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I don't understand your reference to a park and ride lot. The only reason to rent a car at ISP is to drive yourself into Manhattan. (That's how you would save 1 1/2 hours.) But if you are going to drive yourself to Manhattan, why would you need a park and ride lot on Long Island?
Depending on where you are going in Brooklyn and Queens, you may find public transportation to be very convenient. The Long Island Rail Road serves several Queens stations with frequent service from Penn Station. And the subway goes to several parts of Queens, and most of Brooklyn.
I don't understand your reference to a park and ride lot. The only reason to rent a car at ISP is to drive yourself into Manhattan. (That's how you would save 1 1/2 hours.) But if you are going to drive yourself to Manhattan, why would you need a park and ride lot on Long Island?
Depending on where you are going in Brooklyn and Queens, you may find public transportation to be very convenient. The Long Island Rail Road serves several Queens stations with frequent service from Penn Station. And the subway goes to several parts of Queens, and most of Brooklyn.
Plus, if you look at the fees for public transportation, its only for one way. Renting may not be cheaper, but I don't think the difference will be that great. Not to mention, that if traveling during off peak times, you'll save 3 hours total.
Apr 17, 2007, 5:52 am
#11
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You would only save three hours total if you drove the car to and from Manhattan. If you drove the car to a rail station somewhere on Long Island and then took public transportation, your time savings would be less (you'd have to wait for the next train to come along) plus you'd have to pay the cost of the LIRR train into Manhattan. There are no free park and ride lots associated with subway stations in Brooklyn or Queens.
I think driving a car one way into Manhattan (and immediately turning it in at a Manhattan car-rental location) is a reasonable alternative, but renting a car for the weekend is not, at least if you are staying in Manhattan.
If you decide to take the LIRR into Manhattan, be aware that once you get to Penn Station, the $7 unlimited daily Metrocard may not be your best deal: it is only cost effective if you take at least 5 rides per day. When you purchase or refill a pay-per-ride Metrocard with $10 or more, you receive a 20% bonus, which effectively brings the cost of each trip down to $1.67. And you get free transfers between buses and subways within 2 hours of the start of each trip.
You would only save three hours total if you drove the car to and from Manhattan. If you drove the car to a rail station somewhere on Long Island and then took public transportation, your time savings would be less (you'd have to wait for the next train to come along) plus you'd have to pay the cost of the LIRR train into Manhattan. There are no free park and ride lots associated with subway stations in Brooklyn or Queens.
I think driving a car one way into Manhattan (and immediately turning it in at a Manhattan car-rental location) is a reasonable alternative, but renting a car for the weekend is not, at least if you are staying in Manhattan.
If you decide to take the LIRR into Manhattan, be aware that once you get to Penn Station, the $7 unlimited daily Metrocard may not be your best deal: it is only cost effective if you take at least 5 rides per day. When you purchase or refill a pay-per-ride Metrocard with $10 or more, you receive a 20% bonus, which effectively brings the cost of each trip down to $1.67. And you get free transfers between buses and subways within 2 hours of the start of each trip.
Last edited by guv1976; Apr 17, 2007 at 10:55 am
Apr 17, 2007, 9:31 am
#12
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Well it's been a few days and I still don't understand what the car is for. You're going to pay each day you have the car as it sits in some parking lot but you'll use it when you want to drive around Queens and Brooklyn? Ok, this makes no sense so I must be missing something.
With buses and subways, you can access much of Queens and Brooklyn without paying for a car you'll barely use.
With buses and subways, you can access much of Queens and Brooklyn without paying for a car you'll barely use.
Apr 17, 2007, 10:15 am
#13
Join Date: May 2006
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This is an incredibly easy call. The LIRR train station area abuts the airport fence. Due to typical ingenious NYC area transportation policy the terminal is clear on the other side. Nonetheless it's about 2 miles tops.
Cab from the airport to LIRR is $5 per person flat rate shared, so they'll wait for four of you and then go. It takes about 3 minutes. Train from there is direct to penn with no transfers and leaves often. There's an adjacent station with a waiting room and a few restaurants and so on if you have to wait, which is never more than an hour or so daytime. It's the end of the line so the station is big and you don't need exact change, get tickets from the machine which is simple. It's around 2 hours in transit.
It's impossible to beat this unless you want to rent a car and pay for manhattan parking, which is quite simple also, just fairly expensive (expect $25-$45 a day minimum with no in-and-outs).
Cab from the airport to LIRR is $5 per person flat rate shared, so they'll wait for four of you and then go. It takes about 3 minutes. Train from there is direct to penn with no transfers and leaves often. There's an adjacent station with a waiting room and a few restaurants and so on if you have to wait, which is never more than an hour or so daytime. It's the end of the line so the station is big and you don't need exact change, get tickets from the machine which is simple. It's around 2 hours in transit.
It's impossible to beat this unless you want to rent a car and pay for manhattan parking, which is quite simple also, just fairly expensive (expect $25-$45 a day minimum with no in-and-outs).
Apr 17, 2007, 10:54 am
#14
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If the OP decides to drive a rental car one way from ISP to Manhattan, Budget has a compact available for $50, including taxes and fees, but excluding gas and tolls. The base rate is $40 using the Entertainment Card discount; similar discount codes should yield a similar rate. The car could be dropped at Budget's office on East 43rd Street in Manhattan, just a few blocks from the Roosevelt Hotel.
Apr 17, 2007, 4:57 pm
#15
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If the OP decides to drive a rental car one way from ISP to Manhattan, Budget has a compact available for $50, including taxes and fees, but excluding gas and tolls. The base rate is $40 using the Entertainment Card discount; similar discount codes should yield a similar rate. The car could be dropped at Budget's office on East 43rd Street in Manhattan, just a few blocks from the Roosevelt Hotel.
One company I know is OK with ISP pickup and NYC drop with no fee is enterprise. However enterprise is off-airport for ISP and it's a total hassle to get to their lot which is probably 3-4 miles away, so I wouldn't recommend.
If you want to just ditch the car in manhattan there are also $15/day outdoor lots on the far west side, and lastly it's relatively easy to park in the city on Sundays with on-street parking. Saturdays it's not all that hard, and weekdays no chance in hell unless you're a local. Read the signs *really* carefully though.