There are three airports that make it easy to access New York City: JFK and LGA in New York and EWG in New Jersey. I almost always choose the fly in and out of LGA and that’s because of the free LaGuardia airport bus, called the Q70.
Pre-COVID, I rarely paid more than USD$30-40 to take a cab or UBER from LGA or JFK, but during recent visits in the last year or two, the taxis outside LaGuardia have been asking for $65-80 to get me to Times Square. This seemed outrageous to me, so last year I decided — for the first time — to try taking public transit from the airport to Manhattan. And, OMG, it couldn’t have been easier! Plus, it cost me the whopping sum of $3 to do it.
Unless you’re from a big city with a complex transit system, I know the idea of taking a bus to a subway can seem intimidating, but I promise: I’ve got you. I’m going to break this down for you step by step and you’re gonna be fine.
Are the Q70 and LaGuardia Link the same thing?
Yes! There’s a free bus called the Q70 (a.k.a. LaGuardia Link, a.k.a the LaGuardia airport bus) that’ll pick you up in Terminals B or C at LGA and take you directly — again, for FREE — to the Jackson Hts-Roosevelt Av St subway (Metro) station, which serves a whole bunch of different public transit options:
- the 7,E, andF trains (at all times)
- the R train (all the time, except late-night)
- the M train (weekdays, except late-night)
- the F train (rush-hour only — in the reverse direction during peak-times)
You’ll find the E train is typically a solid option for a lot of your NYC sightseeing, and it’s a great one from LGA particularly if you’re staying in Times Square. But only you know where you’re staying, and you can refer to these NYC subway mapsto find the best route after you get off the Q70 bus.
Pro tip: use Google Maps ahead of your trip to figure out the best transit route from the Roosevelt Av-Jackson Heights subway station, where the Q70 drops you off after you arrive at LGA, to your accommodations in NYC. It’s a big station and it’ll help you feel more confident if you at least know which line you need to take (and in which direction you’ll head).
Will it take more time than a taxi or UBER? Yes. But only about 15 minutes more, on average, and that’s worth it to me to save this kind of money. After all, doing just about everything in NYC tends to fall on the pricier side — so I like to save where I can.
How to take the LaGuardia airport bus from LGA to Manhattan
Getting from LGA to Manhattan has never been easier. Thanks to some fantastic renovations and the free LaGuardia airport bus — the Q70 LaGuardia link — it’s cheap and easy to get anywhere in NYC.
To be fair, it wasn’t always like this. LaGuardia seemed to be everyone’s least-favourite airport and preferred getting into the city from JFK or Newark (EWG). That’s because they used to be the most direct and efficient — and therefore cheapest — options if you wanted to avoid taxi fares and take public transportation.
That’s no longer true, because the LaGuardia airport bus (Q70) is free.
If you fly into either JFK or Newark, you’ve got to hop on the AirTrain for $8.25 per person and then transfer to the subway for another $3 per person. Now, $11.25 ain’t bad in the grand scheme of global airport transfers — but $3 is a whole lot better. Plus, LaGuardia finished a major facelift in 2022 and it’s a beautiful, user-friendly airport now with lots of natural light and plenty of signage.
Taking the LaGuardia airport bus downtown in 10 easy steps — with photos:
Now, keep in mind all of my experience — and the photos that follow — are based on flying in and out of Terminal B at LGA; that’s where Air Canada is and that’s my most frequent choice. But I can’t imagine it’s all that different taking the LaGuardia airport bus from Terminal C.
Step 1: Walk towards Baggage Claim and Ground Transportation.
Step one — whether or not you’ve checked a bag, you still need to follow the signs to Baggage Claim. As you leave your gate and walk out of arrivals, follow the arrows on the sign like this one that will point you to both Baggage Claim and Ground Transportation. The latter is where you’re going to start looking for the Q70 LaGuardia Link — the LaGuardia airport bus.
Step 2: Look for the Buses and Shuttles signage.
Step two. After you’ve picked up your bags and/or followed the arrows to Ground Transportation, you’ll have gone down an escalator or two and you’ll be at street level. You’re still going to go down one more level, but first look for the Buses and Shuttles sign and follow that arrow.
Step 3: Go down one more floor when you see the Shuttles and Buses sign.
Step three. Yes, strangely, it’s no longer Buses and Shuttles but Shuttles and Buses. But consistency aside, when you see this signage, that’s your cue to go down one last escalator — one floor below street level. In the picture above, it looks like the arrow is simply sending you to your left, but you’ll see in the Step 4 photo below that as soon as you round the corner, it will direct you down the escalator. I’m pointing this out because the first time I took the LaGuardia airport bus, this part tripped me up a little.
Step 4: Descend one last escalator.
Step four. It’s your last escalator ride! Now you’re going to leave the airport through the first set of doors on your right-hand side.
Step 5: Follow the arrows to the Q70 bus (under MTA Buses to Subway).
Step five. Do not go straight thinking you’re getting on one of the airport buses. Confusing, I know; while the LaGuardia airport bus is, indeed, a bus that goes to and from the airport, what you’re actually going to look for once you’re outside is the arrows pointing toward the MTA buses — specifically, the Q70.
Step 6: Look for the pillar dedicated to the Q70 bus.
Step six. In Terminal B, the Q70 bus pulls up to pillar No. 2; I’m not sure what it’s like at Terminal C, but presumably similar signage exists there, too. There are a few MTA buses that pull in here, but if you’re waiting where the Q70 signage is, you can’t miss the LaGuardia airport bus. It’s big and blue and it’s called the LaGuardia Link.
Step 7: Get on the right bus!
Step seven. If it doesn’t have “LaGuardia Link” on the side of the bus, it’s not your bus. If you’re unsure, just ask the driver. Remember, this bus is free so there’s no need to get on at the front doors nor is there any need to tap your credit card. Enjoy your free ride!
Step 8: Watch for your stop.
Step eight. If you get on the Q70 LaGuardia airport bus outside of Terminal B, then your next stop will be Terminal C. Stay on the bus. The very next stop after this (about 15-20 minutes away) will be Roosevelt Av/74 St; make sure you get off here because the Q70 will just do a loop and you’ll end up right back at LGA — and back at Step 7!
Step 9: Get off the bus and walk into the Metro (subway) station.
Step nine. When you get off the bus, it’s less than a one-minute walk to the Roosevelt Av-Jackson Heights subway station. It’s a massive hub with hundreds of people coming and going all day long and this might be the first time you feel overwhelmed. Don’t be nervous — you’re doing great. Hopefully, you took my earlier advice and you know exactly which subway route you’re taking. But, if not, don’t fret; there are a lot of knowledgeable Metro staff members as soon as you walk through these doors.
Step 10: Buy a Metro ticket or an unlimited weekly pass.
Step 10. If you don’t plan to take the subway very much while you’re in NYC, and you’re just visiting for a few days, it’s probably best to just get tickets when you need them. You don’t even have to wait in line at these machines if you don’t need a Metro Pass because the NYC underground will let you tap-and-go with your credit card; just tap your card at the turnstyles and you’ll be charged $3 per one-way ride, with free transfers heading in the same direction for up to two hours. However, if you’re going to rely on the subway a lot and/or you’re there for a whole week, save money by purchasing an unlimited week-long Metro Pass for $34 (plus $1 for the cost of a refillable card). Even when I stay in New York City for just three or four days, it’s still worth it for me to get a pass because I use the subway so much.
That’s it — you made it! And now it’s just three bucks to get anywhere you want to go…Manhattan’s bustling Times Square, Brooklyn’s edgy Williamsburg neighbourhood, SoHo and Nolita, you name it.
And now that the LaGuardia airport bus has gotten you this far, here’s some other helpful content for your visit to the Big Apple:
- The best cheap hotels in NYC
- A map and detailed descriptions of all my favourite restaurants – NYC
- Things to do in NYC with teens (and with basically anyone else…this post is GOLD!)
- A 4-day New York itinerary
- Things to do in New York City in the rain
- How to spend a weekend in Brooklyn
DISCLAIMER: This post is not sponsored in any way. Please keep in mind that prices were accurate at time of writing but the city can raise prices at any time.
