Best NYC Airport for Public Transportation to MSG?

UmphreysJam34 · July 12

What's the best airport to fly into for easy and safe public transportation into the city and close to MSG? Looking at different flights between Newark, JFG, and LGA.

mcgruff10 · July 12

Newark is easy. Take the train directly to msg. I think it’s two stops away. (Secaucus then msg).

No clue about the other two.

tusevun · July 12

Newark 100% assuming all the flights are relatively the same $

RatherStarved · July 12

Newark

UmphreysJam34 · July 12

Thanks everyone, looks like that is the cheaper flight too. You all made it very easy, thanks!

blairs1 · July 12

I was told LGA but didn’t realize people suggested Newark. I’m staying near MSG. will have to look into Newark as an option.

Sugarloafer04 · July 12

depending on what time your flight lands, Newark is NOT the best option. It is also not the most straightforward one. I will generally avoid Newark at all costs, if you miss the public transportation or end up having to take an uber, expect $100+ to get close to MSG, and given the time of day, tunnel traffic.

JFK is my 100% go to and is the cheapest. Airtrain plus subway is like $11. Airtrain to the A train. Sit on the A train to Penn Station. Insanely easy and just as fast as any sort of Newark transportation. Subways come every 10 minutes, there is no transferring or schlepping your stuff. LGA is in a bit of no mans land, you could take a bus to a train but it isn't ideal, and an uber to MSG area will easily run 50-75$ if not more and depending on the time of day, you get to deal with traffic.

josevolution · July 12

Fuck Newark I’d have to go with La guardia since it’s been remodeled it’s an easy airport!

mcgruff10 · July 13

josevolution said:

Fuck Newark I’d have to go with La guardia since it’s been remodeled it’s an easy airport!

How do you get from La guardia to Penn? Lirr?

GlowGirl · July 13

mcgruff10 said:

josevolution said:

Fuck Newark I’d have to go with La guardia since it’s been remodeled it’s an easy airport!

How do you get from La guardia to Penn? Lirr?

You can take an express bus to various subways that go to Penn Station, or you can take a bus to the LIRR.

HailHailVitalogy · July 13

JFK. AirTrain to Jamaica. LIRR from Jamaica straight to Penn Station.

Newark has multiple options but it’s Jersey and it’s annoying. Weird shuttle to the NJ Transit Station and then into NYC Penn Station.
LGA has a bus that takes forever to get to Midtown, this is the worst option.

FYI there are two Penn stations. One in Newark, and the one you want in Manhattan.

F Me In The Brain · July 13

All 3 of those airports suck. I'd vote Newark but agree that time of arrival is a consideration

GlowGirl · July 13

I have tried public transportation for all three in the past, and now just spring for a taxi or Uber. So much easier. Or for Newark I often use Carmel car service.

SHZA · July 13

I'd say LGA and EWR are about the same (JFK isn't really an option from STL). The LaGuardia link bus to the subway is free and probably takes about as long as the airtrain at Newark to get to NJ Transit. I'd pick LaGuardia every time. Better flight options and lounges

yosi · July 14

F Me In The Brain said:

All 3 of those airports suck. I'd vote Newark but agree that time of arrival is a consideration

LGA is actually a great airport since renovated. As someone mentioned earlier, express bus from LGA is super easy.

If going to JFK, air train to subway or LIRR is super easy.

Newark is terrible and not that close to NYC.

F Me In The Brain · July 14

yosi said:

F Me In The Brain said:

All 3 of those airports suck. I'd vote Newark but agree that time of arrival is a consideration

LGA is actually a great airport since renovated. As someone mentioned earlier, express bus from LGA is super easy.

If going to JFK, air train to subway or LIRR is super easy.

Newark is terrible and not that close to NYC.

Yeah, I've flown out of all 3 recently. I cannot speak to the transit from, recently, since I've lived in Jersey for the last 12 years and used to utilize when flying in and out before.
As someone who flies every other week at this point, I don't like any of them. Newark is where I choose generally when I have to utilize one of the three,but that is because I am coming from NJ. I do think it sucks, inside. Big time.

mcgruff10 · July 14

i hate newark so much, I prefer philly.

F Me In The Brain · July 14

mcgruff10 said:

i hate newark so much, I prefer philly.

On a plane from Philly right now. Fly from Philly whenever possible.

Get_Right · July 14

HailHailVitalogy said:

JFK. AirTrain to Jamaica. LIRR from Jamaica straight to Penn Station.
Newark has multiple options but it’s Jersey and it’s annoying. Weird shuttle to the NJ Transit Station and then into NYC Penn Station.
LGA has a bus that takes forever to get to Midtown, this is the worst option.

FYI there are two Penn stations. One in Newark, and the one you want in Manhattan.

This. The "express" buses from all three airports are the cheapest option into midtown but they are less than comfortable and you will hit bad traffic. It still amazes me that NYC airports do not have direct train service to the city from the airports like they do in England (Heathrow express), Japan (Narita express) and Hong Kong. And watch out for fake Uber drivers. They are all over LGA and JFK.

yosi · July 14

Get_Right said:

HailHailVitalogy said:

JFK. AirTrain to Jamaica. LIRR from Jamaica straight to Penn Station.
Newark has multiple options but it’s Jersey and it’s annoying. Weird shuttle to the NJ Transit Station and then into NYC Penn Station.
LGA has a bus that takes forever to get to Midtown, this is the worst option.

FYI there are two Penn stations. One in Newark, and the one you want in Manhattan.

This. The "express" buses from all three airports are the cheapest option into midtown but they are less than comfortable and you will hit bad traffic. It still amazes me that NYC airports do not have direct train service to the city from the airports like they do in England (Heathrow express), Japan (Narita express) and Hong Kong. And watch out for fake Uber drivers. They are all over LGA and JFK.

The M60 to the UWS from LGA is often very quick. No it doesn’t get you to midtown, but yes it gets you into a VERY residential neighborhood in Manhattan, easily accessible to Midtown.

The from JFK goes to midtown…

ceska · July 15

I took the Airport Express round-trip between Newark and 41st St (One block from Grand Central Terminal) last year and all four rides were smooth and the bus ran on schedule each time. It was very convenient and comfortable. Make sure to get on at 41st Street and do not get on any of the other stops (42nd street, and Port Authority especially) to Newark. The line at Port Authority was very long and not everybody there was able to get on the bus and had to wait for the next bus.

I can't speak to the Penn Station experience. But getting to/from GCT and JFK was a whole big rigamarole involving a very long walk underground from GCT to the new LIRR station, going down a very long escalator, and multiple transfers (the Air Train was undergoing renovations so I had to take two Air Trains). So, my Newark experiences were much better.

Get_Right · July 15

ceska said:

I took the Airport Express round-trip between Newark and 41st St (One block from Grand Central Terminal) last year and all four rides were smooth and the bus ran on schedule each time. It was very convenient and comfortable. Make sure to get on at 41st Street and do not get on any of the other stops (42nd street, and Port Authority especially) to Newark. The line at Port Authority was very long and not everybody there was able to get on the bus and had to wait for the next bus.

I can't speak to the Penn Station experience. But getting to/from GCT and JFK was a whole big rigamarole involving a very long walk underground from GCT to the new LIRR station, going down a very long escalator, and multiple transfers (the Air Train was undergoing renovations so I had to take two Air Trains). So, my Newark experiences were much better.

That works ok in the middle of the day, 7-9 am or 4-6 pm and you will hit bad rush hour traffic. Leaving from 41st ST to the airport is better than leaving from Newark inbound to NYC as the lines can be long. Try to pre-book it.

BlueLedbetter · July 15

Will be doing JFK to midtown in September, subway the best bet then?

Get_Right · July 15

BlueLedbetter said:

Will be doing JFK to midtown in September, subway the best bet then?

The subway does not reach JFK. See posts above.

BlueLedbetter · July 15

Get_Right said:

BlueLedbetter said:

Will be doing JFK to midtown in September, subway the best bet then?

The subway does not reach JFK. See posts above.

Yeah sorry I know it connects to the air train

Never used the lirr is that or the subway better option after the air train?

yosi · July 15

BlueLedbetter said:

Get_Right said:

BlueLedbetter said:

Will be doing JFK to midtown in September, subway the best bet then?

The subway does not reach JFK. See posts above.

Yeah sorry I know it connects to the air train

Never used the lirr is that or the subway better option after the air train?

For getting to midtown the LIRR is probably your best bet, otherwise the subway is probably better.

BlueLedbetter · July 15

Thanks so basically either is fine

RatherStarved · July 15

Sorry but it doesn’t get any easier than the train from Newark that literally lets you out at MSG.

Best NYC Airport for Public Transportation to MSG?

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