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The much-anticipated opening of Grand Central Madison station has brought along with it a slew of transportation updates, including a new service that will allow New Yorkers to commute to John F. Kennedy Airport on the cheap. Specifically, for a mere $13, travelers will now be able to take a Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) train from the new East side hub to the JFK AirTrain in Jamaica and then easily get to the airport from there.
Before now, people on the east side of town had to find a way to get to Penn Station, which is all the way on the west side, then take the train to Jamaica and finally head to the airport. Although the trains from Penn Station will still be running, the new service will cut one leg of the trip.
RECOMMENDED: The new LIRR stop at Grand Central Madison is officially open
Price-wise, you’re looking to save a pretty hefty amount of cash as well. An off-peak train ticket from Grand Central Madison to Jamaica costs $5 (the peak option is $10.75) and the AirTrain to the airport runs $8 ($9 if you don’t have your MetroCard on you). For comparison: an Uber, yellow cab or Lyft from anywhere in Manhattan to JFK costs between $50 and $70, plus tip. Traveling to Penn Station from the East side with luggage would probably run you about $20 (less if you’re taking public transportation), in addition to the cost of the LIRR ride and the AirTrain. If departing directly from Grand Central Madison, you’ll automatically eliminate a portion of your spending.
The trains from Grand Central Madison to Jamaica will initially run from 6:15am to 8pm on weekdays and from 7am to 11pm on weekends, every 30 minutes or so. Full service is expected to kick off within three weeks. When it begins, trains will run from 6:15am to 8pm on weekdays, and from 7am to 11pm on weekends, every 30 minutes in both directions during weekday midday periods and weekends, and once per hour during peak periods.
Getting out of town has suddenly become easier—and cheaper.