John F. Kennedy International Airport to Manhattan / Times Square
Times Square is about 26 km from JFK. AirTrain plus LIRR is fastest by rail (about 40 minutes, $14โ16); AirTrain plus the E train is cheapest at $11.75; a cab is $70 flat, about $90โ110 all in.
Times Square sits 26 km from JFK, and every rail route out of the airport starts with the same AirTrain. The real decision is what you do at Jamaica - and, if you are taking a cab, knowing that the advertised flat fare is not what you will actually hand over.
How far is Manhattan / Times Square from John F. Kennedy International Airport?
Manhattan / Times Square is 26 km (16 miles) from John F. Kennedy International Airport by road, about 40 min by car outside rush hour. In a straight line it is 22 km. By public transport, AirTrain JFK + Subway E train takes about 1h 10m including a change and costs $11.75.
Every way to get there
Our verdict: AirTrain JFK + Subway E train is the one to take: $11.75 with a change on the way, and only about 20 minutes slower than going by car. Timetable: 24 hours.
What it costs for your group
The metro is charged per person, while a private transfer is one price for the whole car โ so the more of you there are, the better door-to-door value looks.
| Group | Metro (per person) | Private transfer (per car) | Best value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solo ยท 1 traveller | $12 | $80 | Metro |
| Couple ยท 2 travellers | $24 | $80 | Metro |
| Family of 4 ยท 4 travellers | $47 | $80 | Metro |
Which option should you choose?
| If your priority isโฆ | Our pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest price | AirTrain JFK + Subway E train | From $11.75, about 1h 10m, with a change on the way. |
| Speed | AirTrain JFK + LIRR (JamaicaโPenn Station) | 40 min, from $14. |
| A group of 4 | AirTrain JFK + Subway E train | Four tickets still come to about $47 โ less than a car. |
| A late-night arrival | AirTrain JFK + LIRR (JamaicaโPenn Station) | It runs through the night (AirTrain every few minutes; frequent LIRR trains from Jamaica). |
By transport mode
Train
$8.75 AirTrain plus a CityTicket: $5.25 off-peak, $7.25 on peak trains (weekday trains arriving NYC 6โ10am or leaving 4โ8pm). From Penn Station, Times Square is a 10-minute walk or one subway stop.
Where to catch it: AirTrain station at your terminal; ride to Jamaica and change to the LIRR for Penn Station.
Times: AirTrain 24 hours; LIRR runs around the clock with reduced overnight service
Best for budget travellers near a stationMetro
$8.75 AirTrain plus the $3 subway fare. Tap a contactless card or phone (OMNY); MetroCards are no longer sold. Get off at 42 StโPort Authority for Times Square.
Where to catch it: AirTrain to Jamaica, then the E train at Sutphin BlvdโArcher AvโJFK Airport.
Times: 24 hours
Best for budget travellers near a stationTaxi
$70 flat to any Manhattan address, plus $0.50 MTA surcharge, $1 improvement surcharge, $2.50 congestion surcharge, $0.75 congestion pricing toll, $2 airport access fee, tolls, and $5 on weekdays 4โ8pm. With a 15โ20% tip expect about $90โ110.
Where to catch it: Official taxi stand outside each terminal.
Best for small groups in a hurryPrivate transfer
Fixed price agreed before travel; check whether tolls and gratuity are included.
Where to catch it: Driver meets you in arrivals.
Best for families, groups & late arrivalsCar rental
Rarely sensible for a Manhattan stay; Midtown parking often costs more per night than the car.
Where to catch it: Federal Circle rental car centre, reached by AirTrain.
Best for travellers who want to exploreManhattan / Times Square & New York in photos
Buying tickets in New York
The AirTrain links all JFK terminals to Jamaica and Howard Beach stations; the single ride is US$8.75, paid by tapping a contactless bank card, phone (Apple/Google Pay) or OMNY card at the exit gate โ no separate ticket needed. From Jamaica, transfer to the E, J or Z subway (US$3.00 more, with OMNY's weekly fare cap) or take the LIRR toward Penn Station/Grand Central. LIRR adds about US$7.25 peak or US$5.25 off-peak and weekends on top of the AirTrain fare.
Taxi scams & safety in New York
Ignore anyone inside the terminal asking "Need a ride?" or "Taxi?" โ licensed drivers wait at the marked yellow-cab rank on the arrivals curb, never in the hall. Yellow cabs charge a flat US$70 to Manhattan plus tolls and tip (extra rush-hour surcharge), metered to other areas. Uber and Lyft use signed app-based pickup zones. Refuse unmarked "car service" touts quoting a set price; they are unregulated and usually cost far more. Confirm the meter or the posted flat fare before the trip.
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 โ so the specific path matters here.
- AirTrain JFK โ 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 โ 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.
Getting from JFK to Manhattan / Times Square
Times Square is 26 km from JFK, and the real answer to “what does it cost” depends entirely on which number you believe. The yellow cab advertises a flat $70 to Manhattan. Almost nobody pays $70. Meanwhile the train does it for $11.75 and, at the wrong hour, gets you there sooner.
The flat fare that is not the fare
New York taxis charge a TLC-regulated flat rate of $70 between JFK and any Manhattan address, and that part is true โ the meter is irrelevant, and traffic does not raise the base. What the number leaves out is everything bolted onto it: a $2.50 state congestion surcharge, a $0.75 congestion pricing toll, a $2 airport access fee, bridge or tunnel tolls depending on the route your driver takes, the $0.50 MTA and $1 improvement surcharges, a $5 surcharge on weekday afternoons between 4pm and 8pm, and a customary 15โ20% tip.
Add those and the realistic total is $90โ$110. That is not a scam and no one is overcharging you; it is simply what this ride costs once the extras are counted. Budget $70 and you will be unpleasantly surprised at the kerb โ budget $95 and you will be fine.
Ride-hailing is not reliably cheaper. Expect $80โ$110, and more when demand spikes on a wet Friday evening. The cab's advantage is that its base never surges; the app's advantage is that you know the number before you commit.
Pay attention to this if you last visited before 2026
The MetroCard is gone. Since 1 January 2026 it is no longer sold or refillable, and the subway and buses run on OMNY โ you tap a contactless bank card or a phone directly at the reader. There is nothing to buy in advance and no ticket to queue for. If a guidebook or an older blog tells you to pick up a MetroCard at the airport, it is out of date.
The subway base fare is now $3.00. The AirTrain, which you must take to leave the airport by rail, is $8.75, charged when you exit at Jamaica or Howard Beach.
The fast train and the cheap train
Two rail routes leave from the same AirTrain, and they part company at Jamaica.
AirTrain + LIRR is the quick one. Ride the AirTrain to Jamaica, cross to the Long Island Rail Road, and you are at Penn Station in about 35โ45 minutes door to platform โ Times Square is then a few minutes on foot or one stop on the subway. It costs roughly $14โ$16: the $8.75 AirTrain plus a CityTicket fare of $5.25 off-peak or $7.25 at peak. For the price of two coffees over the subway, you save the best part of half an hour. On a weekday afternoon this is comfortably the best-value way into Manhattan.
AirTrain + E subway is the cheap one, at $11.75 all in. Take the AirTrain to Sutphin BoulevardโArcher Avenue at Jamaica and pick up the E train, which runs into Midtown and puts you within a short walk of Times Square. Allow 60โ75 minutes. The E is reliable and runs around the clock โ its drawback is not danger or dirt, it is stairs, crowds and a long ride with luggage on your knees.
Choosing without regretting it
Landing in the afternoon rush with two suitcases and a hotel on 45th Street? The cab will crawl the same as everyone else, and $95 buys you a slow ride. The LIRR ignores the traffic entirely and is the better bet.
Arriving late at night, or travelling with three or four people? The maths flips. Four people on the AirTrain group fare and LIRR still pay around $43โ51, and at 1am you would rather be dropped at the door than change trains at Jamaica. Take the cab, or book a car in advance at a fixed price so no surge can touch it.
Travelling alone, unhurried, watching the budget? The E train at $11.75 is the answer, and it always has been.
What to actually do
Cheapest is AirTrain + E subway, $11.75, in 60โ75 minutes. Fastest on public transport is AirTrain + LIRR, $14โ$16, in 35โ45 minutes โ the best all-round choice for most arrivals. A yellow cab is a $70 flat fare that realistically settles at $90โ$110 once surcharges, tolls and tip are in; worth it for groups, heavy bags and late arrivals. And whatever you do, do not go looking for a MetroCard โ tap your own card instead.
JFK to Manhattan / Times Square โ FAQ
How far is Times Square from JFK?
What is the cheapest way from JFK to Times Square?
What is the fastest way to Times Square?
How much is a taxi from JFK to Times Square?
Do the trains run all night?
What if I land late at night?
Can I still buy a MetroCard?
Is there a group discount on the AirTrain?
Sources
Fares and times on this page were last held against their official sources on 21 October 2026. Operators change prices without notice โ if you spot a difference, the operatorโs own page is the authority. How we check fares.
- NYC TLC โ taxi fares (JFKโManhattan flat fare and surcharges) ยท checked 2026-10-21
- JFK Airport โ AirTrain fares (single $8.75, group fare) ยท checked 2026-10-21
- MTA โ LIRR and Metro-North fares (CityTicket $5.25/$7.25, peak hours) ยท checked 2026-10-21
- MTA โ subway and bus fares ($3, OMNY, MetroCard sales ended 1 Jan 2026) ยท checked 2026-10-21
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