Posted: 5/20/18 at 3:31pm
Okay New Yorkers -Landing at LaGuardia at 4:19 p.m. on a Friday. If I take a cab, can I make it to a Times Square hotel and an 8 p.m. curtain? 7 p.m.?
Posted: 5/20/18 at 3:37pm
Posted: 5/20/18 at 3:42pm
Posted: 5/20/18 at 4:20pm
Posted: 5/20/18 at 5:46pm
Landing time isn't your problem.
Your problem (among others) is when you get off the plane and into the terminal. (And which terminal).
If its a small plane, you might not be able to get off until they sort off the gate checked luggage.
Also, with the construction, you might not even be able to get to a gate. In which case you get off the plane and onto a bus (after you get your luggage).
This takes a bunch of time.
If you know NYC well enough to navigate the bus to the subway to the theatre, you should do as recommended. Otherwise, the NY subway can be a challenge, and its gotten much worse in the last year or two. Also, having a metro card in advance will also save time (and angst).
As to the taxi -- where do you want it to take you? If you know NYC, and you are going right into the theatre district, insist that he take you on the bridge, not the tunnel, and then cut across town at 125th or 92nd and then down 9th or 10th. This is longer in miles, so it will cost more -- but you will not have to drive cross town in midtown, which is where you can easily lose an hour of your life watching pedestrians walk past you.
Of course, some of this will depend on which terminal you fly into AND where your hotel is. And what theatre. Feel free to provide more information if you want.
Posted: 5/20/18 at 6:55pm
BalconyClub said: "Friday night traffic is chaotic and slow moving. I recommend the Q48 bus to Main Street Flushing, then hop aboard the 7 line to Times Square.
You can purchase a Metro card at the airport."
If using the MTA I would suggest the Q70 to Woodside. From there you can catch either the 7 (at a much closer stop to Manhattan than Main Street Flushing) or the LIRR (which gets you into Penn Station in about 11 minutes).
Posted: 5/20/18 at 10:56pm
roamermark said: "Okay New Yorkers -Landing atLaGuardia at 4:19 p.m. on a Friday. If I take a cab, can I make it to a Times Square hotel and an 8 p.m. curtain? 7 p.m.?"
If your flight is on time, you can make it. I regularly fly into JFK, with checked luggage, and take a cab into Times Square. I have always had time to check in, drop luggage and make 7:00 and 8:00 pm curtains.
That being said, there is less stress with 8:00 curtains and I am ALWAYS prepared that some day my luck is going to run out and I miss a show (or show up at intermission), but this far, I have always made it (in excess of 20 times).
LGA is closer than JFK, so personally, I would take the risk but you should ask yourself how you would feel if you didn’t make it. From that perspective, is it worth it to you?
For me, it’s worth it to have an extra show slot. I’m coming from the west coast with limited slots, so I hate to miss one. I always put my least favorite show on arrival night, in case.
Updated On: 5/20/18 at 10:56 PM
Posted: 5/20/18 at 11:13pm
You'll be fine, just hurry. The cab line can be long, and with construction, getting an Uber or anything can be a bit problematic. When I came back, we sat in traffic for what seemed like forever, but if you already have a ticket, I think you'll be fine.
Posted: 5/21/18 at 1:03am
Posted: 5/21/18 at 1:11am
If you haven't bought your flight yet and there's any way you can switch to JFK, I think it'd be safer. Even though it's geographically farther, you can (very easily, not to mention cheaply) take the AirTrain to the subway, which takes you directly to Times Square. Even though the subway can be a mess these days, it's a much more reliable bet than traffic... and as others have said, the massive construction around LGA right now can make getting out of there a little complicated depending on what terminal you're flying into. Unfortunately taking the subway from LGA isn't an option yet.
That said... landing at 4:19 you should be fine either way barring any flight delays or a freak accident causing extra traffic. You're definitely in better shape than a lot of people asking about flights that land at 6pm, haha. But I'd do an 8pm curtain that night for sure. 7 would be too much of a gamble.
Updated On: 5/21/18 at 01:11 AM
Posted: 5/21/18 at 2:33am
Thanks everyone - I might give it a go - I can travel light, possibly no checked bag. To be more specific, I'm actually staying at Candlewood near the Port Authority so that might make it easier. Maybe I just won't buy a premium ticket.
Posted: 5/21/18 at 9:58am
Posted: 5/21/18 at 10:07am
Posted: 5/21/18 at 10:40am
Take the laguardia link Q70 bus to Jackson Heights and take either the R, Q, 7, or E trains to times square. Should take a little over an hour total and you'll be plenty on time. However this is all under the hope that there is no traffic, delays, ect.
