You just stepped off an Amtrak train at Moynihan Train Hall, or maybe you crawled out of a New Jersey Transit car into the bowels of the old Penn Station. You’re tired. Your bags feel like they’re filled with lead bricks. Now comes the fun part: getting to the airport. Transportation from Penn Station to LaGuardia Airport is a bit of a localized puzzle because, unlike JFK or Newark, LGA doesn’t have a direct train line plugged into its terminals. It’s annoying. New Yorkers have been complaining about the lack of an "AirTrain LGA" for decades, and after the high-profile cancellation of the Governor Cuomo-era monorail project in 2021, we’re back to basics.
Basically, you have three choices: you pay for a car, you sweat on a bus, or you play a high-stakes game of "transfer the luggage" on the subway.
The distance is only about nine or ten miles. In any other city, that's a fifteen-minute breeze. In Manhattan? That same distance can take twenty minutes at 11:00 PM or ninety minutes during a rainy Tuesday rush hour. If you’re standing on 31st Street looking for a sign that says "LGA This Way," you won’t find it. You have to be proactive.
The "Secret" LIRR to Woodside Connection
If you want the fastest way that doesn't involve a $70 Uber, this is it. Most people overlook the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) because they think it's only for people commuting to the suburbs. Nope.
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Buy a ticket to Woodside Station. It’s a ten-minute ride. Seriously. From Penn Station, you jump on almost any eastbound LIRR train (just check the board to make sure it stops at Woodside; most do). Once you hop off at Woodside, you follow the signs for the LaGuardia Link Q70 SBS. This is a Select Bus Service, which is NYC-speak for "it moves faster and has fewer stops."
Here is the kicker: the Q70 bus is currently free. The MTA made it free to encourage people to use public transit to the airport. You walk down the stairs from the train platform, find the blue-and-yellow bus, and it hauls you straight to Terminals B and C.
Why do this? Because you avoid the Midtown Tunnel traffic. The train goes under the river, and the bus uses a dedicated lane on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE) for part of the trip. Total time? Usually around 35 to 45 minutes. It’s reliable. It’s cheap. It's honestly the "pro" move.
When to Just Bite the Bullet and Call a Car
Sometimes you just can't deal with stairs. If you have three suitcases and a stroller, do not try the subway. You’ll hate your life by the time you hit the 74th St-Broadway station.
Transportation from Penn Station to LaGuardia Airport via rideshare (Uber or Lyft) or a classic yellow taxi is the most "comfortable" but also the most volatile. If you take a yellow cab from the stand on 7th Avenue or 8th Avenue, you’re paying a metered fare. Expect to drop somewhere between $40 and $60, plus a 20% tip, and the $7.00ish toll if the driver takes the Queens-Midtown Tunnel.
Uber and Lyft use surge pricing. I’ve seen it at $45; I’ve seen it at $115 during a thunderstorm.
Traffic triggers:
- The Queens-Midtown Tunnel is a bottleneck.
- The Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge (59th St Bridge) is free but usually jammed.
- The RFK (Triborough) Bridge is the "long way" but sometimes faster if the FDR Drive is clear.
If you’re traveling between 3:00 PM and 7:00 PM on a weekday, the car might actually be slower than the train/bus combo. The BQE is notorious. People joke that it’s the world’s largest parking lot, but when you’re watching your flight departure time tick closer, the joke loses its humor.
The Subway Grind: The E, F, M, R, and 7 Trains
Let’s say you want to spend the absolute minimum amount of money. You have an OMNY card or just a contactless credit card. You head downstairs into the subway.
From Penn Station, you take the Uptown E or F train. You’re heading to Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Av. This is a massive transit hub in Queens. When you emerge from the subway—which is deep underground here—you follow the signs for the "LGA Link." Again, this brings you to that free Q70 bus.
It’s a gritty experience. You’ll be squeezing your bags into a crowded subway car. You’ll likely stand. You might encounter a busker or two. But it costs $2.90. For a budget traveler, it’s hard to beat. Just keep an eye on the "MTA Weekender" site or app. New York’s subway system loves to do track work on Saturdays and Sundays, which could mean your E train is suddenly running on the F line or skipping your stop entirely.
Avoid the "Van" Scams and Shuttles
You might see people hanging around the exits of Penn Station asking if you "need a ride." Walk away. These are unlicensed "gypsy" cabs. They don’t have the proper insurance, and they will absolutely overcharge you once you’re halfway to Queens. Always use the official taxi stand or a reputable app.
As for the shared airport shuttles (the big blue or green vans)? They used to be the gold standard. Honestly, they’ve struggled since the pandemic. Many have gone out of business or have such long wait times—since they wait to fill the van before leaving—that you might as well have walked. They aren't the time-savers they used to be.
Which Terminal are you actually going to?
This matters more than people realize. LaGuardia finished a massive $8 billion renovation recently. Terminal B (United, Southwest, American, Air Canada) is a gleaming, world-class facility. Terminal C (Delta) is equally shiny and massive.
The Q70 bus stops at both.
However, if you are flying out of Terminal A (the historic Marine Air Terminal used by Spirit and JetBlue), you have to take an extra step. Neither the Q70 nor the M60 bus goes directly there after the other terminals. You usually have to take a terminal shuttle bus (the blue or red loop) once you get to the airport grounds. Give yourself an extra 20 minutes if you’re headed to Terminal A. It’s isolated from the rest of the airport.
Real-World Timing Examples
I’ve done this trek dozens of times. Here is how it usually shakes out:
- The Midnight Run: 11:30 PM on a Sunday. I took a Lyft. $42. I was at Terminal B in 18 minutes. The driver flew down a deserted Long Island Expressway.
- The Rainy Tuesday: 4:30 PM. The tunnel was backed up to 6th Avenue. I took the LIRR to Woodside and the Q70. I was at the gate in 50 minutes. The Uber estimate at that time was 75-90 minutes and $88.
- The Saturday Morning: 10:00 AM. Subway (E train) to the Q70. It took about an hour. It was fine, just a lot of walking through the Jackson Heights station.
Actionable Steps for a Stress-Free Trip
- Check the MTA TrainTime App: Before you even leave Penn Station, open this app. It shows you exactly when the next LIRR train to Woodside is leaving. If there’s one in 4 minutes, run for it.
- Use OMNY: Don't wait in line at a MetroCard machine. Just tap your phone or credit card at the subway turnstile or the LIRR gate. It saves five minutes of fumbling.
- Confirm your Terminal: Delta is almost always Terminal C. American and United are Terminal B. Double-check your airline app before you get on the bus or in the cab.
- The "Exit Strategy": If you're taking the LIRR, try to sit in the middle of the train. At Woodside, the stairs to the bus are toward the middle/rear of the eastbound platform.
- Traffic Apps are Liars: Google Maps might say 25 minutes, but it doesn't account for the "LaGuardia Merge," where construction or a fender-bender can add 20 minutes instantly. Always add a 20-minute "NYC Tax" to whatever time the app tells you.
If you have the budget, take a Yellow Cab. If you have the energy, take the LIRR to the Q70. Avoid the subway during rush hour if you have more than one bag. Stick to those rules, and you'll actually make your flight.