Home / United States / New York / John F. Kennedy International Airport
JFK airporttoNew York city center
To Midtown Manhattan at Penn Station · One way · All prices are totals for 1 adult · All service hours
4 transfer optionsCar hire · not ranked
Recommended
20 minutes quicker than the AirTrain and E train to Penn Station, for US$2.25 more.
Train
AirTrain and LIRR to Penn Station
AirTrain→LIRR · Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (AirTrain); Long Island Rail Road (MTA)
30 min rideEvery 10 min
The AirTrain station at your terminal→Penn Station
1 change
US$14total for 1 adultUS$14 eachBuy ticketOn Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
Pickup, hours & luggage
Boards at. The AirTrain station at your terminal, trains to Jamaica
The $8.75 AirTrain fare and a $5.25 CityTicket from Jamaica; $16 in all on weekday trains reaching Penn Station from 06:00 to 10:00. On the AirTrain, a group tapping one card pays $8.75 for the first and $4.50 for each other rider, up to five.
AirTrain→E · Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (AirTrain); MTA New York City Transit
50 min rideEvery 10 min
The AirTrain station at your terminal→34th Street-Penn Station on Eighth Avenue
1 change
US$11.75total for 1 adultUS$11.75 eachBuy ticketOn Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
Pickup, hours & luggage
Boards at. The AirTrain station at your terminal, trains to Jamaica
The $8.75 AirTrain fare and the $3 subway fare, each tapped with a contactless card, phone or OMNY card. On the AirTrain, a group tapping one card pays $8.75 for the first and $4.50 for each other rider, up to five.
Driver meets you in the arrivals hall of your terminal with a name board→Any address in Manhattan
Non-stop24-hour servicePer vehiclePre-book
€78total for 1 adult€78 each · about US$90 in allBook transferPartner link · through Welcome Pickups
Pickup, hours & luggage
Boards at. Driver meets you in the arrivals hall of your terminal with a name board
Charged in euros: €78 for the sedan. Converted at the European Central Bank's reference rate of 15 September 2026 only to compare it with the local fares; your card's rate will differ a little.
Driver meets you at the arrivals exit with a name board→Any address in Manhattan
Non-stopPer vehiclePre-book
€114total for 1 adult€114 each · about US$132 in allBook transferPartner link · through Kiwitaxi
Pickup, hours & luggage
Boards at. Driver meets you at the arrivals exit with a name board
Charged in euros: €114 for the sedan, €277 for the minibus. Converted at the European Central Bank's reference rate of 15 September 2026 only to compare it with the local fares; your card's rate will differ a little.
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How do I get from JFK airport to New York city center?
For one traveler we recommend the AirTrain and LIRR to Penn Station at US$14, 30 min: 20 minutes quicker than the AirTrain and E train to Penn Station, for US$2.25 more. The cheapest is the AirTrain and E train to Penn Station at US$11.75, 50 min. Every option below is priced as a total for your party and says where it leaves you.
A few things for the rest of your trip
Partner offers
Not transport options · Affiliate links
Car hire at JFK airportDiscover Cars
Hire a car for Long Island, the Hamptons or the Hudson Valley at your own hours. You are staying in Manhattan: the AirTrain and the Long Island Rail Road reach Penn Station in about 30 minutes for US$14, and the E subway in about 50 for US$11.75. Discover Cars shows the full price before you book.
A flight three or more hours late, or cancelled at short notice, can be owed up to €600 a passenger under EU and UK rules, depending on the flight. AirHelp charges only if the claim succeeds.
Every terminal (1, 4, 5, 7 and 8) has an AirTrain station: follow the AirTrain signs. Take a train to Jamaica for the Long Island Rail Road and the E subway, or to Howard Beach for the A. It is free between terminals; you pay when you leave it.
Tickets
Tap a contactless bank card, phone or OMNY card at the AirTrain gates at Jamaica or Howard Beach: $8.75, children under 5 free. Tap again to enter the subway, $3. For the Long Island Rail Road, buy a ticket from the station machines or in the TrainTime app before you board.
The taxi rank
Yellow taxis wait at the official taxi stand outside each terminal. To Manhattan they charge a flat $70 plus fees, tolls and the tip; refuse anyone offering a ride inside the terminal, who may be unlicensed.
Uber and Bolt
Uber and Lyft pick up at signed areas after baggage claim. From Terminals 5 and 7 the pickup has moved to a lot at the Howard Beach AirTrain station: take the AirTrain there, free within the airport.
Which terminal
Flights use Terminals 1, 4, 5, 7 and 8, all on the AirTrain loop. Construction around the terminals slows taxis and pickups, and the airport recommends public transport.
Before you travel
Where each one starts, how long it runs, what it carries
AirTrain→LIRR · Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (AirTrain); Long Island Rail Road (MTA)AirTrain and LIRR to Penn Station
From
The AirTrain station at your terminal, trains to Jamaica
To
Penn Station, Seventh and Eighth Avenues at 31st to 33rd Streets, in Midtown
Journey
30 min
The $8.75 AirTrain fare and a $5.25 CityTicket from Jamaica; $16 in all on weekday trains reaching Penn Station from 06:00 to 10:00. On the AirTrain, a group tapping one card pays $8.75 for the first and $4.50 for each other rider, up to five.
At Jamaica, take a westbound train to Penn Station: some go to Grand Central Madison or Atlantic Terminal instead.
Buy the train ticket before you board: bought from the conductor it costs $7.75 to $8.50 more.
AirTrain→E · Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (AirTrain); MTA New York City TransitAirTrain and E train to Penn Station
From
The AirTrain station at your terminal, trains to Jamaica
To
34th Street-Penn Station on Eighth Avenue, in Midtown; the E runs on to the World Trade Center
Journey
50 min
The $8.75 AirTrain fare and the $3 subway fare, each tapped with a contactless card, phone or OMNY card. On the AirTrain, a group tapping one card pays $8.75 for the first and $4.50 for each other rider, up to five.
At Jamaica, leave the AirTrain and go down to Sutphin Blvd-Archer Av-JFK Airport for a Manhattan-bound E.
Late at night the E runs local and takes about 10 minutes longer.
Subway cars have no luggage racks and can be crowded at rush hour.
AirTrain→LIRR · Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (AirTrain); Long Island Rail Road (MTA)AirTrain and LIRR to Grand Central
From
The AirTrain station at your terminal, trains to Jamaica
To
Grand Central Madison, beneath Grand Central Terminal on East 42nd Street
Runs
05:10–01:13
Journey
30 min
The $8.75 AirTrain fare and a $5.25 CityTicket from Jamaica; $16 in all on weekday trains reaching Grand Central from 06:00 to 10:00.
Fewer trains run to Grand Central than to Penn Station: check the board at Jamaica.
Trains leave Jamaica for Grand Central Madison from 05:10 (05:36 at weekends) to 01:13, every 10 to 15 minutes by day. Outside those hours, take a train to Penn Station.
transfer · Welcome PickupsWelcome Pickups transfer to Manhattan
From
Driver meets you in the arrivals hall of your terminal with a name board
To
Any address in Manhattan
Runs
All night
Journey
35 min
Charged in euros: €78 for the sedan. Converted at the European Central Bank's reference rate of 15 September 2026 only to compare it with the local fares; your card's rate will differ a little.
The price is fixed and paid when you book, tolls included. From 21:00 to 04:59 the sedan costs €96 instead of €78.
The sedan seats three: larger vehicles are quoted when you book. Rush-hour traffic can stretch the ride past an hour.
Driver meets you at the arrivals exit with a name board
To
Any address in Manhattan
Journey
95 min
Charged in euros: €114 for the sedan, €277 for the minibus. Converted at the European Central Bank's reference rate of 15 September 2026 only to compare it with the local fares; your card's rate will differ a little.
Up to 90 minutes of waiting after the scheduled landing is included. Book at least 16 hours ahead.
What is the best way from JFK airport to New York city center?
For one traveler, the AirTrain and LIRR to Penn Station at US$14, 30 min. 20 minutes quicker than the AirTrain and E train to Penn Station, for US$2.25 more. The same holds for a group of up to eight. How we weigh price against time is set out on the fares page, in numbers.
What is the cheapest way from JFK airport to New York city center?
For one traveler, the AirTrain and E train to Penn Station at US$11.75. Per-person fares multiply with the size of your party and per-vehicle fares do not, so check the total for your group rather than the single fare.
How do I get from JFK airport to New York city center by train?
One train reaches Midtown Manhattan at Penn Station: the AirTrain and LIRR to Penn Station, US$14 for one traveler, 30 min, to Penn Station. It is not the cheapest way in: the AirTrain and E train to Penn Station at US$11.75 is. See every option by train
How do I get from JFK airport to New York city center by metro?
One metro reaches Midtown Manhattan at Penn Station: the AirTrain and E train to Penn Station, US$11.75 for one traveler, 50 min, to 34th Street-Penn Station on Eighth Avenue. For one traveler that is the cheapest way into New York by any means. The fastest way overall is the AirTrain and LIRR to Penn Station, 30 min. See every option by metro
How do I get from JFK airport to New York city center by taxi?
For one traveler the cheapest taxi is the Welcome Pickups transfer to Manhattan at €78, 35 min, and it is also the fastest. It is not the cheapest way in: the AirTrain and E train to Penn Station at US$11.75 is. The fastest way overall is the AirTrain and LIRR to Penn Station, 30 min. See every option by taxi
How long does it take to get from JFK airport to New York city center?
AirTrain and E train to Penn Station: 50 min. AirTrain and LIRR to Penn Station: 30 min. Welcome Pickups transfer to Manhattan: 35 min. Kiwitaxi transfer to Manhattan: 95 min
How far is JFK airport from the city center?
JFK Airport does not publish a distance to the city. By time: the fastest way in, the AirTrain and LIRR to Penn Station, takes 30 min; the cheapest, the AirTrain and E train to Penn Station, 50 min.
Where is the train station at JFK airport?
Every terminal (1, 4, 5, 7 and 8) has an AirTrain station: follow the AirTrain signs. Take a train to Jamaica for the Long Island Rail Road and the E subway, or to Howard Beach for the A. It is free between terminals; you pay when you leave it.
Is there Uber or Bolt at JFK airport?
Uber and Lyft pick up at signed areas after baggage claim. From Terminals 5 and 7 the pickup has moved to a lot at the Howard Beach AirTrain station: take the AirTrain there, free within the airport.
Where do I catch the AirTrain and E train to Penn Station at JFK airport?
The AirTrain station at your terminal, trains to Jamaica. Follow the signs from arrivals. It leaves you at 34th Street-Penn Station on Eighth Avenue, in Midtown; the E runs on to the World Trade Center.
Does the AirTrain and LIRR to Grand Central go to Midtown Manhattan at Penn Station?
Grand Central, on the east side of Midtown, not Penn Station: the one to take if you are staying near Grand Central or on the East Side.
Does the AirTrain and A train to Lower Manhattan go to Midtown Manhattan at Penn Station?
Lower Manhattan and the Financial District, not Midtown: the A reaches 34th Street-Penn Station too, but slower than the E from Jamaica.
Worth knowing
Every way into the city starts with the AirTrain, free between terminals and $8.75 when you leave it at Jamaica or Howard Beach. Tap a contactless bank card, phone or OMNY card at the gates.
The Long Island Rail Road from Jamaica is the quickest way to Midtown: $5.25 to Penn Station or Grand Central Madison, $7.25 on weekday trains reaching Manhattan from 06:00 to 10:00. The E subway is cheaper at $3 but slower.
Yellow taxis charge a flat $70 to Manhattan, plus $4.75 in state, improvement and congestion surcharges and the congestion toll, a $2 airport pickup fee, $5 more on weekdays from 16:00 to 20:00, bridge or tunnel tolls and a tip.
GO Airlink's Grand Central Express shared van leaves the terminals hourly from 08:00 to 21:00 for East 41st Street and Park Avenue, 60 to 90 minutes; the fare is quoted when you book.
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