LGA to Doubletree on Lexington, Subway?

[Lizzzys]

Hi we are flying in to LGA for a cruise on Wednesday, January 11 and will be staying at the Doubletree Metropolitan by Hilton on Lexington Avenue. What would be the best way to get there from La Guardia? And if we can manage our luggage on our own, is it possible to use the train system or subway?

 

Also, we will be sailing on the Breakaway from the Manhattan cruise port on Sunday, January 15. It looks like there is a bus (M50) that will take us fairly quickly to within a 6 minute walking distance to the cruise port. Can we take our luggage (one large piece each, plus a backpack) on a city bus on a Sunday morning? Or what would it cost to cab it that distance? Any other suggestions?

 

Thank you!

Tracey

[baggal]

IMO NYC buses and subways are always crowded - NYC is a 24/7 city. Each fare is $2.25 (?) per person and you would need to buy a metro card in order to board the bus (no cash fares). Not to mention that there's really no space for your luggage on the bus. I would avoid the hassle and take a cab. Its not that far from Lexington across town to the pier.

[mking8288]

It's doable from LGA to to DoubleTree @ Lex/51 Street - key is whether OP can handle her/his "large" suitcases & backpack, climb up & down stairs, with bus transfer from LGA airport - depending on the scheduled arrival time (off-peak, it's not too bad) ... might have to stand for the 20 - 30 minutes subway train ride into Manhattan's 1st. stop at Lexington Ave @ E. 53rd Street, where there is escalators/elevators - up from train platform level to underground & then to street level for exit. Then, walk 2 - 3 blocks to hotel.

 

Fares has been $2.75 p/p for a ride, free transfer bus-subway (vice versa) when using MetroCard (up to 4 riders can share a single MetroCard & swipe when boarding/going thru the turnstiles, $1 for the MC purcharse @ LGA's automated Kiosk or "Hudson" newstand inside the terminal)

 

Here's the info http://web.mta.info/nyct/service/airport.htm#fare - make good use of the map (download PDF to smartphone) & trip planner and the schedule. There are luggage racks on the limited stops Q70 bus serving the airport, E subway train is below ground once inside the 74/Roosevelt Ave. station (signage is very good.) although the station can be quite crowded with multiple subway line pax doing transfers & rushing.

 

The M50 crosstown bus is slow, even on a Sunday & scheduled service is infrequent - and it is NOT luggage friendly at all, especially non-carryon sized rollers/spinners. A quick taxi ride with tips should run about $15 in about 10 minutes, curbside from hotel to the MCT @ Pier 88, highly recommend doing it or book a car service like Dial7 or Carmel for comparable fares - cost you about $9 or $10 more than the bus fare / and you will still have to walk those long city blocks - NYC's winter in January can be nasty cold & windy, not to mention slippery sidewalk if there's snow on the ground. It's OP choice - about the cost of a "drink" on the BA.

[navybankerteacher]

City busses are pretty tough to use with luggage, and getting from LGA to the hotel would require a transfer and eat up a lot of time. Cheapest viable route would be nycairporter.com bus from LGA to Grand Central Station at $14 per, then about a 10-15 minute walk to hotel. I would spring for a taxi at probably $50+\-.

 

Also a taxi to cruise terminal the next day, say $25-30 would make more sense than city bus.

 

You should keep in mind that the point of the entire exercise is to have a good time. If spending minimum money trumps all other considerations, stay home.

[markeb]

Sunday morning is a cab or car service without a doubt, for all the reasons previously given.

 

Getting to the hotel, you absolutely can get there by subway, but let's clarify a few points:

 

1) I don't know about the E Train in Queens, but I find E Train platforms to almost always be crowded, and the trains can be very crowded.

 

2) You exit in Manhattan at 53rd/Lexington, and have escalators to station level, but the elevator is actually at 51st/Lexington. At 53rd you're hauling your bags up the stairs to ground level. But it is a center platform station, so you don't have to haul your bags through an underpass to get to the escalators.

 

3) I'm taking you at your word on "large bags". Large bags don't go under the turnstile. You have to get the station manager to let you through the accessible gate. That's doable, but it's not an intuitive procedure.

 

If you had made this trip a couple of times without bags or with just an over night bag, I'd say no problem. If I'm in Manhattan by myself, I almost always take the E Train from Penn Station to 53rd/Lexington on my way to the W or the Marriott; with my wife, we take a cab. I also take the E Train all over Manhattan without bags when I'm in town, so I know that route very well.

 

Honestly, from LGA, I'd get a car service. Price out Carmel and Dial7. Yes, it'll be close to 10X the cost of the subway, but it will be quick, comfortable, and painless.

[Brighton Line]

M60 SBS and the Q70 LTD (Soon to be SBS or might be) both have luggage racks. (SBS Select Bus Service, use Metrocard to get a ticket/board any of 3 doors/ LTD Limited) Both make limited stops and you can transfer to the subway.

 

M60 SBS to 125th street stop of the 4/5/6 but your closest stop is the local 6 train at 51st Street right at the Hotel. Transfer from the express to local would be on two different levels at 86th or 59th street so it means riding the local or using stairs to get the local maybe an escalator from express lower level to the local upper pretty sure there is but I don't ride the number lines much and I am not sure.

 

Q70LTD to 74 St/Roosevelt Av stop and take the E train to Lexington Ave as Mark said happens to be also the stop of the 6 train at 51st). Entering at Roosevelt Ave you have stairs, exiting at Lex you have escalator from platform to mezzanine then stairs to street or over to the 6 train and the elevator.

 

You do have the option of taking the local M train, which is much less crowded then the E and makes the same stops. Read the signs, Roosevelt Ave has four subway lines stopping at the lower level and the 7 train on the elevated.

 

Agreeing with Mark, Lex lines 4/5/6 is always crowded and the E don't board in the front of the train (where you want to be) because this is where all the people getting off at 34th street for the Long Island Rail Road pack the car and Lex stop on the E is very busy.

 

Here is the MTA site on public transportation to LGA http://web.mta.info/nyct/service/airport.htm

 

That said I would take a taxi when having more than carry on luggage.

[mking8288]

M60 SBS or Q70 LTD/SBS ? bus services from LGA to Manhattan is "doable" for many lightly packed season business travelers but more I look, not advisable for OP ... having Googled their flight scheduling.

 

Without non-stop services, earliest arrival as a domestic flight is mid afternoon & by the time they exit luggage, the afternoon rush hour is well underway & subway trains are packed - take a yellow metered taxi or better yet, book / get a car service pickup by Dial7 or Camel. I show a quoted price with Carmel of $30 for a full-size sedan (typically a Nissan Altima or Toyota Camry, or higher/bigger) good for 2 to 3 pax and 3 checked luggage + smaller cabin bags, one-way + toll, curbside @ airport door-to-door dropoff at the DT on Lexington/East Side, just add tipping. Easy & simple.

 

From DT Hotel on Lex to Pier 88/90 - Carmel's quote is only $16 only - under $20 with tipping included (no tolls.). Metered taxi fare should be slightly less.

 

Online coupon discount code is not applicable/valid for trips booked on smartphone using Carmel (Dial7 too)'s free mobile App on iOS and/or Android - however, the "trick" is to use mobile browser to go the website to book, once confirmed - use the App to track the car/drive assigned (updated within 30 minutes of scheduled pickup time.)

 

Folks will sometimes try anything in moving things around town with the subway, once saw a full size sofa, stood vertically on a mover's dolly being transported onto the subway train, Queens into Manhattan ... many riders didn't even blinked & had their heads buried with their smartphone (yes, many/most "key" subway station platforms & concourse levels are now free WiFi equipped, coming next to many elevated subway stations in the outer boroughs.) Here's a 26" suitcase riding the subway train in Queens toward Manhattan, off-peak - they exited in LIC area for one of the chain's boutique hotel. https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/64025118/IMG_20140821_105102.jpg

[Roseflyer]

Kind of like what others are saying, I would not try to do a bus/subway combination from LGA. In case it is not clear, there is no train service to LaGuardia. You can only get there on a bus or in a car. The nearest subway station requires a bus ride to get to LGA. The buses are slow and difficult with luggage especially when you are going to have to do a transfer. To be honest I would just take a taxi. You can take a car service or uber. If you pay for a driver to meet you in the terminal it is easy, but trying to find an uber driver at LGA can take a while. They are doing construction and traffic is a complete disaster depending on terminal so it is not easy to find the driver.

 

With regards to getting to the cruise terminal from your hotel, again I think a taxi is best. There are few crosstown subway lines and not particularly close to the cruise terminal. You could take a bus, but you are only going about 2-3 miles. Taxis are metered in the city, so your taxi will only be about $15 or less. Uber is also an easy option to get around in Manhattan. Is taking the bus and walking really worth $10?

 

New York has great public transit and subways/trains, but unfortunately neither the cruise terminal nor LGA are well connected. While LGA is closest and usually the fastest airport for those going to Manhattan, JFK and EWR have train service. JFK has the most options for travelers to take the train or Subway into the city with the least number of potential transfers although it can take 45-60 minutes depending on where you go.

[Langoustine]

Each fare is $2.25 (?) per person and you would need to buy a metro card in order to board the bus (no cash fares).

 

No, the fare is $2.75 (unless you're 65, in which case it's $1.35). The bus does take cash (or a MetroCard).

Edited June 15, 2016 by Langoustine

[navybankerteacher]

No, the fare is $2.75 (unless you're 65, in which case it's $1.35). The bus does take cash (or a MetroCard).

 

The only way you can pay cash fare is with exact change - no bills, no pennies.

[Langoustine]

The only way you can pay cash fare is with exact change - no bills, no pennies.

 

Quite right. Forgot to mention that.