chloedickensonLast Updated on 8th June 2024
This post about the best ways to get from LaGuardia to Manhattan contains affiliate links.
Are you planning a trip to New York and wondering what is the best way to get from LaGuardia to Manhattan? This huge guide includes everything you need to know about getting from LaGuardia to Manhattan via bus, subway, taxi, Uber and more!
I’ve already written detailed guides about how to get from JFK Airport to Manhattan and the best ways to get from Newark Airport to Manhattan, so I thought it was about time that I put together a final New York City airport guide about how to get to Manhattan from LaGuardia Airport!
When it comes to finding the best LaGuardia to Manhattan transportation methods, I’ve got you covered with everything you need to know about travelling by bus, subway, Uber, taxi, private transfer services and more!
Need more help planning your trip to NYC? Get a copy of my Ultimate New York City Travel Guide Ebook and join my New York Facebook Group for more tips, advice and inspiration!
Read more: Best Ways To Get From JFK To Manhattan
Best way to get from LGA to Manhattan
Along with JFK and Newark, LaGuardia is one of the three main airport hubs that service the city of New York. It’s located in East Elmhurst in the NYC borough of Queens and is named after the former mayor of New York City, Fiorello La Guardia.
How far is LaGuardia Airport from Manhattan?
LGA is located approximately 9 miles (14.5km) from Manhattan, depending on exactly which part of Manhattan you’re travelling to and the method of transportation you use to get from the airport into the city.
If you’re wondering how to get from LaGuardia to Times Square, for example, this distance is approximately 9 miles and will take anywhere between 20 minutes and 60 minutes if you’re travelling by car, Uber, taxi or private transfer.
If you’re taking the LaGuardia to Manhattan subway to Times Square, this can take around 40 to 60 minutes.
Read more: How To Use The New York Subway For Beginners
How to get from LaGuardia to Manhattan – summary
For the purpose of the table below, I’ve included information about how to get from LaGuardia to Midtown Manhattan (Times Square), so that I could provide as much accurate information as possible, based on one central Manhattan location.
Please note that costs and travel times will differ depending on where exactly you’re travelling to in Manhattan.
| Cost | Time | Ideal for | |
| Q70 Bus & Subway | From $2.90 | 50-60 minutes | Budget |
| Q70 Bus & LIRR | From $5 | 45-60 minutes | Budget |
| M60 Bus | From $2.90 | 45-60 minutes | Budget |
| Airport shuttle buses | From $40 | 35-60 minutes | Ease |
| Private car services | From $60 | 35-60 minutes | Ease |
| Taxi | From $30 | 30-60 minutes | Ease |
| Uber/Lyft | From $55 | 30-60 minutes | Ease |
1. Q70 Bus & Subway – cheapest way to get from LaGuardia to Manhattan
Once of the quickest, easiest and cheapest ways to get from LGA Airport to Manhattan is by taking the Q70 Bus (also known as the Q70 LaGuardia Link) from Terminal B or C (if you arrive at Terminal A, please see the M60 bus section below for public transportation details) to the Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Avenue/74 St-Broadway subway station.
From there, you can transfer to the E, F, M R, and 7 subway lines that will take you into Manhattan for just $2.90 (the cost of a single subway journey).
The LaGuardia Link Q70 Bus is completely free from LGA to the Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Avenue subway station and then you just have to pay $2.90 to ride the subway into Manhattan.
To pay for the subway ride, you can use the OMNY payment system by simply tapping your contactless debit or credit card, smartphone, or smartwatch. You can also purchase a MetroCard at the airport or subway station for $1 and then top the card up with the correct fare.
The Q70 LaGuardia Link runs nonstop every day, every 8-10 minutes to the subway station. The journey from LGA to the Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Avenue/74 St-Broadway subway station should only take 15 minutes (depending on traffic) and then it will take another 25-30 minutes to get to your destination in Manhattan.
Example public transportation LaGuardia to Manhattan routes/subway lines:
- LGA to Times Square: Ride the free Q70 bus from Terminals B or C at the airport to Jackson Heights subway station, then take the E, R, 7 or F lines to Times Sq–42 St subway station.
- LGA to Grand Central: Ride the free Q70 bus from Terminals B or C at the airport to Jackson Heights subway station, then take the 7 or F lines directly to Grand Central Terminal.
- LGA to World Trade Center: Ride the free Q70 bus from Terminals B or C at the airport to Jackson Heights subway station, then take the E subway line directly to the World Trade Center subway station.
For more routes and subway lines, download a copy of this comprehensive New York subway system map.
Read more: 4 Day New York City Itinerary
2. Q70 Bus & Long Island Rail Road (LIRR)
As well as taking the Q70 Bus from LaGuardia Airport to Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Avenue/74 St-Broadway to switch to the subway line that takes you into Manhattan, you can also take the Q70 LGA Bus to Woodside Station to transfer to the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR).
The LIRR is a commuter train service that runs between Long Island and New York City and is usually faster than taking the subway.
From Terminals B & C inside LaGuardia Airport, you can catch the Q70 SBS Bus that takes you to 61 St-Woodside Station and then you can switch to the LIRR to ride the train to Penn Station.
The exact fare for the Long Island Rail Road service depends on when you’re travelling, but you can usually buy a CityTicket from Woodside to Penn Station for $5 during off-peak hours and $7 during peak hours. Check the MTA website for more details on fares and ticket options.
Read more: 7 Day New York City Itinerary
3. M60 SBS Bus to upper Manhattan – LGA to NYC
The M60 Bus is the best way to get from LGA to NYC if you’re staying in Upper Manhattan or Harlem.
This bus will take you from LaGuardia Airport to 125th Street where you can then get off the bus and head to your hotel (if you’re staying nearby in Upper Manhattan or Harlem) or switch to a subway line that will take you to other parts of Manhattan.
The M60 bus connects to various subway stations along 125th Street that you can use to switch to the A, C, B, D, 2, 3, 4 and 5 subway lines.
The fare to ride the M60 bus from LGA to Manhattan is $2.90 (the same as a single subway journey). You can pay on board the bus using the OMNY payment system (which accepts debit and credit cards), with a MetroCard or in exact change at a curbside kiosk (you will need to keep your receipt as proof of payment before you board the bus).
Ground transportation LaGuardia to Manhattan examples using the M60 Bus and subway system:
- LGA to Times Square: Take the M60 Bus from LaGuardia to the 125 Street subway station then switch to the 2 or 3 subway lines to get to Times Square.
- LGA to Penn Station: Take the M60 Bus from LGA to the 125 Street subway station then switch to the 2, 3 or A subway lines to go to Penn Station.
- LGA to World Trade Center: Take the M60 Bus from LGA to the 125 Street subway station then switch to the 4 or 5 subway lines to go to the World Trade Center.
Head to the MTA website for more information on routes, schedules and fares.
Read more: How To Plan Your New York Itinerary With Google Maps
4. Airport shuttle buses – best transportation from LaGuardia to Manhattan
If you’d prefer to have your transportation from LaGuardia Airport to Manhattan pre-booked and arranged before you even land, you can take advantage of the several airport shuttle services that operate from LGA.
GoAirLink is one of the most popular airport shuttle services in NYC and I also recommend their services for travelling to/from JFK and Newark Airport as well.
Shared airport shuttle services with GoAirLink start at around $40 per person and you can pre-book a transfer in advance so that it will be waiting for you when you arrive at LaGuardia. As these are primarily shared shuttle services, you will likely be sharing the transfer with several other passengers, so the length of time it will take to travel to your hotel in Manhattan from LGA will vary depending on how many other people are being dropped off.
GoAirLink also offer private transfer services if you’d prefer not to share the journey with other passengers, but you will need to bear in mind that these will likely cost a lot more than the shared transfer option.
Read more: 50 Fun Things To Do In NYC With Kids
5. Private car services –
best way to get from LaGuardia Airport to Manhattan
As well as several shared LaGuardia to Manhattan shuttle services, there are also plenty of private car services that can take you from LGA to Midtown Manhattan (as well as elsewhere in New York City).
The cost of a private car service will vary depending on the company you choose, the time/day you arrive and your final destination in Manhattan, but you can typically expect a private car transfer to cost upwards of $60.
I’ve put together a list of the most popular/best-rated private airport transfer companies that can take you from LaGuardia to Manhattan below:
Read more: 40 Best Hotels In/Near Times Square NYC
6. Taxi from LaGuardia to Manhattan
If you’re looking for the best way to get from LGA to Midtown Manhattan that’s relatively quick, cheap and convenient, you can take a New York taxi directly from the airport straight to your hotel in NYC.
The cost of a LaGuardia to Manhattan taxi will vary depending on the time of day you arrive and your exact destination in NYC, but you can usually expect to pay between $30 and $50, plus taxes and tips, for a taxi from LGA to Manhattan.
The drive from LaGuardia to Times Square, for example, can take anywhere between 30 and 60 minutes, depending on traffic conditions, but taking a taxi from the airport into the city is usually a preferred method of transportation for many people due to the ease and convenience of being picked up directly outside the airport doors.
Read more: 40 Fun Things To Do In New York At Night
7. Lyft or Uber from LaGuardia to Manhattan
You can also take an Uber or Lyft to get from LaGuardia Airport to Manhattan. However, these app-based ride services are usually one of the most expensive means of travelling to the city from LGA.
An Uber from LGA to Times Square, for example, costs upwards of $60, whereas the same taxi journey can cost as little as $30 (plus taxes and tips), so it’s usually much cheaper to take a New York taxi, rather than an Uber.
If you do prefer using Uber as your method of transportation in NYC, take a look at the pick-up points from LGA below:
- Terminal A: Pick-up is located directly outside and across the street from the Terminal A entrance.
- Terminal B: Pick-up is located on Level 2 of the Terminal B Parking Garage. Follow “Car Services” sign to get to the pick-up area.
- Terminal C: Pick-up is located at ground level of the terminal. Follow “Car Services” sign to get to the pick-up area.
Read more: 10 Best New York Observation Decks For The Best Views In NYC
FAQs – LaGuardia transportation to Manhattan
What is the easiest way to get from LGA to Manhattan?
The easiest way to get from LaGuardia to Manhattan is probably via taxi private car transfer. These methods of transportation can take anywhere between 30 and 60 minutes, depending on the time of day you arrive at the airport and how bad the traffic is.
What is the cheapest way to get from LGA to Manhattan?
The cheapest way to get from LGA to Manhattan is by using the free Q70 bus and the subway or by taking the M60 bus to Upper Manhattan and then switching to the subway if you need to travel further down Manhattan.
Both of these means of transport will only cost $2.90 per person and should take around 45-60 minutes, so it’s an incredibly affordable way of getting to/from the city.
Is it cheaper to Uber or taxi from LaGuardia?
It’s typically cheaper to get a taxi from LaGuardia as a taxi can cost as little as $30-$50, whereas an Uber or Lyft can cost upwards of $60 from LGA to Times Square, for example.
How to get from LGA to Manhattan – conclusion
Hopefully this post about the best ways to get from LaGuardia to Manhattan by train, subway, bus, Uber and taxi has helped you plan your trip to NYC a little bit better! If you still need help planning your trip, please feel free to join my New York Facebook group or check out my other NYC guides and itineraries on my blog!
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What’s your preferred method of transportation from LGA to Manhattan? Let me know in the comments or on my New York Facebook Group!
