Is there any relatively fast yet cheap way to reach the Bronx, NYC, from JFK?

score:7

Accepted answer

You could take a taxi for the flat JFK-to-Manhattan fare to 125th St and Lexington Avenue, which would be about $65 including tip if you avoid tolls, and then take the 5 train from there to Morris Park or Pelham Parkway.

Starting with the train and continuing by taxi doesn't really make much sense: from anywhere you can get to on a train, the best way to get to your destination is by train. For example, to get from Woodside station to your destination by taxi will take about as long as getting there from JFK with a taxi, and it's only a few minutes faster than taking the subway. A shuttle bus to La Guardia similarly doesn't save very much time.

At the cost of a few extra minutes, you could do a three-seat ride by taking the LIRR to Atlantic Terminal from Jamaica and changing there to the 5 train; the transfer is pretty short. If you have a lot of bags, you can save yourself from having to change levels by taking the 2 or 3 from Atlantic to Nevins and changing across the platform to the 5. Otherwise, go downstairs from the LIRR platform and then up directly to the 4/5 platform.

The E/R/5 option from Jamaica isn't much worse, though; the E-to-R change at Queens Plaza is also across the platform.

Upvote:2

If it were me, I would take a particular route via Subway.

  1. Air Train to Jamaica (Really Fast)
  2. E train to Queens Plaza (E Train is an Express Train)
  3. R Train from Queens Plaza to Lexinton Ave / 59th St
  4. 5 Train to Morris Park

The Air Train and E train are very quick, and will get you most of the way in a hurry. The wait for the R and the ride on the 5 train will be a little longer. However, Subway in general is more efficient in the evening.

Probably the fastest method after 8 pm would be to take a Taxi/Lyft from Jamaica across the Whitestone bridge to the Bronx. Alternatively, taxi or Lyft from Queens Plaza across the Triboro might be a good idea.

A crazy alternative would be the Q44SPS Bus from Jamaica to the Bronx. It would probably be the cheapest method!

Upvote:4

Unfortunately, there aren't a lot of great options for this trip.

I'd expect it to take at least an hour by private car (Google estimates 50 minutes-1.5 hours, and it will take a bit of time to get a taxi or car). I checked Lyft at 5pm Eastern today, and while the prices will vary depending on demand and traffic, they're currently $66 for a regular ride and $58 for a shared Lyft Line ride (slower, as it will pick up and drop off other passengers). One of the other apps like Juno may be a bit cheaper. A taxi would be on the order of $55+tip with light traffic, but bad traffic at that time could increase that cost up to $80+tip, per TaxiFareFinder (and possible tolls depending on route). A car service like Dial7 will be about $55 plus tip (and any applicable tolls depending on route) less a $7 coupon if you book online, and you'll get a flat rate with them. That's somewhat expensive indeed, but coming off an international flight with bags and looking to avoid hassle, you might find it worthwhile.

There are also shared ride vans like SuperShuttle. You'd have the convenience of no transfers at a lower cost, but I would personally avoid that during rush hour given the time that could be involved in making lots of stops and going out of your way.

Phoog already has you covered on public transit. If you're willing to spend the fare for a taxi to Manhattan, you might as well go all the way by car to your destination and save the hassle of a transfer. I'd say it comes down to cost vs hassle vs time:

  • Car, ~1-1.5 hours, ~$60-65, least hassle
  • Public transit, ~1:45-2:00, ~$7.75-$15.25 (higher price including LIRR), multiple transfers

For me, a deciding factor might be exactly how far the AirBnB is from the subway. If you have to lug your bags a ways, that could tip the balance pretty quickly.

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