LaGuardia to Manhattan: Bus, Train or Taxi

Five choices cover almost every arrival, and the table shows how they differ. You can take the Q70 bus with the subway, the Q70 bus with the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), the M60 bus, a yellow taxi, or an app ride or booked car. If you are still working out the whole city, our guide to getting around New York covers the subway, buses and ferries.

Cost: LaGuardia to Manhattan by free bus vs taxi

The cheapest trip costs $3, because the Q70 bus is free and only the subway ride is paid. The airport's own page says the Q70 LGA Link bus serves Terminals B and C and connects to the subway hub at Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Av and 74 St-Broadway. The MTA lists the subway fare at $3, paid by tapping a contactless card or phone.

Pro Tip Tap the same card or phone for every subway and bus ride in a week, because the OMNY fare cap of $35 counts rides only on one payment method.

The LIRR from Woodside to Penn Station or Grand Central costs $5.25 off-peak and $7.25 at peak, according to the airport's page, and the Q70 ride before it is still free. A yellow taxi costs more, and no official page publishes a flat or total fare for LaGuardia. As of October 2026, the TLC's fare page says a trip to or from LaGuardia pays the standard meter plus a $5 surcharge. A $2 airport access fee applies to pickups. A ride to Midtown adds a $1 improvement surcharge, a 50 cent state surcharge, a $2.50 congestion surcharge and a 75 cent congestion toll.

The fixed parts of a taxi ride to Midtown look like this.

Together, those fixed parts come to $14.75 before the meter counts distance and time. Tolls and tip are extra. Weekday rides between 4 and 8 p.m. add $2.50, and rides between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. add $1. App rides are priced by each company, and no official page publishes a fare.

Key Takeaway LaGuardia to Manhattan can cost $3 a person by Q70 bus and subway, while a taxi starts at $14.75 in fixed charges before the meter runs.

Speed: Q70 and subway vs LIRR vs road

The first leg is quick, but no official page gives a total time to Midtown, so this guide cannot give one. Per the MTA, the Q70 runs about every 8 to 10 minutes and takes about 15 minutes in typical traffic to reach Jackson Heights. Add the wait for your subway or train after that. No official page gives the distance to Midtown in miles either; the nearest official figure is the airport's taxi estimate of $30 to $52 to Times Square, which is based on distance and time.

The LIRR runs from Woodside to Penn Station and Grand Central, and the airport's page points riders to the LIRR TrainTime app for schedules. No LIRR ride time appears on the MTA page read for this guide, so check the app on the day. A taxi has no change, but the trip time depends on traffic. The 4 to 8 p.m. weekday surcharge shows when the city treats the roads as busy.

Every airport ride into New York trades some money for some effort.

Where you end up: Midtown trains vs the M60 to Harlem

Your hotel decides the route, because each public way drops you in a different place. The Q70 reaches two hubs. The subway hub at Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Av and 74 St-Broadway has lines running into Manhattan, and our NYC subway map guide explains how to read them. Woodside has the LIRR, which runs to Penn Station or Grand Central in Midtown.

The M60 bus goes to Upper Manhattan. It stops on Broadway at 106th, 116th and 120th Streets and along 125th Street, where it meets Metro-North at Harlem-125 St. It suits a hotel in Harlem or near Columbia University far better than a Midtown address. The regular bus fare is $3, per the MTA. A taxi, an app ride or a private car goes to the door.

Not booked a bed yet? Our page on where to stay compares the main areas.

Bags and groups: public transit vs a private car

With heavy bags, a late flight or small children, a taxi or a booked car is easier than a bus and a train. Taking public transit means one change with all your bags, and no official page lists the walking distance between the bus stop and the platform. The TLC says a yellow taxi charges nothing extra for passengers or luggage. Things to Do in NYC's count of GetYourGuide listings in October 2026 found 6 transfer listings, and only 1 serves LaGuardia, against 3 for JFK. The other two are an outlet-mall car and a ferry pass.

The single LaGuardia listing is the private LaGuardia transfer from €100 for a group of up to 3, one way. It lists free cancellation and a 4.7 rating, but only four reviews, so treat it as new. Didatravel runs it. The listing says it includes a driver, porter service, and 60 minutes of free waiting for arrivals. Overtime costs $18 per 15 minutes, and tips are extra. The pickup point is not fixed, and the driver contacts you the day before.

Is a private car worth it? A yellow taxi to Times Square is listed at $30 to $52 before tips and tolls, per the airport's taxi page. For a solo traveler with a carry-on, the $3 trip is hard to beat. For three people with large bags, one car at about €100 may cost less than a taxi and saves the change. A fourth traveler does not fit,, so a group of four should take a yellow taxi or two cars.

First day: bus tour vs an early night

After a long flight, an early night is a fair choice, and a bus tour works best once your bags are at the hotel. The five-hour Manhattan bus tour from €71 per person is a guided ride past the main landmarks, with live guides in English, German, Italian and Spanish. It meets at the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel, 811 7th Avenue. Entrance tickets and tips are not included, and the listing says it is not suitable for people under 77 lbs (35 kg).

The listing carries a 4.6 rating from 1,530 reviews and free cancellation, and OPENTOURS runs it. To ride at your own pace, compare the hop-on hop-off New York buses on our bus tour page. The bus tour suits first-time visitors who want an easy overview. It does not suit anyone who wants to go inside sights, since entrance tickets cost extra. On your own, the airport trip costs $3 and needs no booking. The tour adds a fixed five-hour block at €71 per person, so it is worth it only if you want a guide and an overview more than free time. Neither is needed on arrival day, so book one after you know when you land.