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Introducing
AirTrain JFK
Make the connection.

By Subway:
E J Z to Sutphin Blvd
A to Howard Beach

By Rail:
LIRR to Jamaica

 

The subway or the Long Island Rail Road and AirTrain are the new, fast, economical ways to JFK International Airport.

AirTrain is a light-rail system that links the Howard Beach A and the Sutphin Boulevard E J Z subway stations, and LIRR's Jamaica Station directly to JFK. It takes about an hour from most parts of the city, and about 15 minutes from LIRR's Jamaica Station — with no traffic or parking worries ever.

And just like the subway, AirTrain runs 24/7.

AirTrain stations are fully enclosed, heated in winter and air conditioned in summer. They feature wide escalators and glass enclosed elevators. Transfers between the subway and AirTrain at Howard Beach and between the Long Island Rail Road and AirTrain at Jamaica are ADA-compliant; the transfer between the Sutphin Boulevard subway station and the Jamaica AirTrain station will be ADA-compliant when construction is completed later this year. At the airport, convenient moving walkways take you and your luggage to any one of nine connecting airline terminals.

On weekends, you can use CityTicket to save money and speed your trip to or from JFK Airport. Use the $3.25 CityTicket for Long Island Rail Road travel to or from Jamaica Station for travel within New York City for your AirTrain connection.

The Fare

Travel to and from JFK via AirTrain is $5 each way. Children under 5 ride free. You pay the fare with Pay-Per-Ride MetroCard at either the Sutphin Boulevard or Howard Beach station (unlimited ride cards are not accepted for AirTrain).

Be sure you add additional money to your Pay-Per-Ride MetroCard to cover the cost for the subway and AirTrain.

At the Howard Beach A station

The A train stops at Howard Beach every 5 to 10 minutes during rush hours and every 15 to 20 minutes evenings and weekends. AirTrain stops at Howard Beach every 4 to 10 minutes. Most subway lines connect to the A train. Just be sure you take the A marked "Far Rockaway," NOT "Lefferts Boulevard." It's about a 12-minute ride from the Howard Beach station to the airport.

At the Sutphin Boulevard E J Z station in Jamaica

E J Z trains all stop at the Sutphin Boulevard station where you connect to the AirTrain Jamaica Stop. E  J Z trains run every 5 to 10 minutes during rush hours and 8 to 12 minutes evenings and weekends. AirTrain travels to the airport from Jamaica every 4 to 10 minutes and the trip takes no longer than 12 minutes.

At LIRR Jamaica Station

There is an in-station link to the AirTrain platform — AirTrain travels to the airport from Jamaica every 4 to 10 minutes. The AirTrain ride takes about 12 minutes. The AirTrain is connected to the Railroad's hub by escalators, elevators, people movers and an overhead mezzanine bridge.

Sample Travel Times and Costs
(using full $2 subway fare and $5 AirTrain fee)

To JFK
Total Cost
Time
E at 53 St/Lex Av station via Jamaica
$7
50 min.
A at Fulton St station via Howard Beach
$7
1 hr. 5 min.
E at West 4 St station via Jamaica
$7
1 hr. 5 min.
A at Jay St station via Howard Beach
$7
55 min.
 
Long Island Rail Road
Penn Station to Jamaica via LIRR express train
$12*
35 min.

Save money on weekend travel to Jamaica by using CityTicket. CityTicket costs just $3.25 for Long Island Rail Road travel that begins and ends in New York City (excluding travel to or from Shea Stadium, Belmont Raceway or Far Rockaway), then transfer to AirTrain at Jamaica Station. See CityTicket for more information.

Remember that if you are traveling with LIRR Zone 3 (see list of stations), your railroad fare during off-peak hours is $2.50 ($1.75 for reduced-fare customers, 75 cents for children 5 to 11, and free for children under 5).

*$7 peak time LIRR fare and $5 AirTrain fee.

For more AirTrain information, call 877-JFK-AirTrain or log on to www.panynj.gov

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