John F. Kennedy International Airport ground transport
John F. Kennedy International is New York's largest international gateway, in southeastern Queens about 26 km from Midtown. The AirTrain (€8) connects every terminal to Jamaica and Howard Beach, where you pick up the subway (E, J/Z or A) or the fast LIRR into Manhattan. Yellow cabs charge a fixed $70 fare to and from Manhattan (tolls, surcharges and tip on top), while Uber/Lyft and pre-booked car services cover the door-to-door trips. Prices here are converted to euros at about 1 USD ≈ 0.92 EUR; pay transit fares by OMNY contactless tap. This guide compares price, time and frequency for every popular destination.
Where are you heading?
Other airports in United States
Flying into a different gateway? These hubs are covered too.
Step-free access in New York
The rail route into Manhattan is fully accessible end to end, which is not true of the New York subway as a whole — so the specific path matters here.
- AirTrain JFK — every station and every train is ADA-compliant, with lifts to all platforms and dedicated wheelchair spaces on board.
- Jamaica station, where you change, is wheelchair accessible, as is the connection to the E, J and Z subway lines.
- LIRR to Penn Station — both Jamaica and Penn Station are fully accessible, and every LIRR train carries a wheelchair ramp for platform-to-carriage boarding.
Note that accessibility on the wider subway system is patchy: many Manhattan stations still have no lift. If your final stop is not Penn Station, check that specific station before you rely on it, and treat the LIRR route as the dependable one.
Plan your arrival with confidence
Every option compared
Bus, tram, taxi, private transfer and car hire — side by side, not just the ones that pay us.
Real prices & times
Indicative fares, journey times and how often each service runs — so there are no surprises at arrivals.
No sales pitch
We tell you when the bus is the smart choice — and when a transfer is worth it. Honest guidance first.