transportation from lga to hotel mela(120 WEST 44TH. STREET

hi there: question about taking a cab from lga to the hotel mela, which is in the times square area. airlink nyc, a shared van service, has quoted 28.00 one way, for their services. the shared van services, stops at different hotels, to drop off others, which of course is a bit of a pain. would a taxi be that much more? also, another question about the transit system. if i take a bus, then a subway, would i have to pay two fares? or would the bus driver give me a transfer to use , so I can get onto the subway...thanks everyone

transportation from lga to hotel mela(120 WEST 44TH. STREET

All of the shared van services in NY are notoriously lousy, and tend to provide service about as pleasant and enjoyable as root canal. A taxi to that location should be no more than $35. I never think it is a good idea to use the shuttle/shared van services, and to this location it is ridiculous.

Whether you pay two fares on bus + subway depends on how you pay the initial fare to the bus. If you have a MetroCard before you get on the bus, and use that to pay your fare on the bus, the transfer to the subway (using the same MetroCard) is free. If you have no MetroCard (and do not buy one at a nesstand at LGA), but instead use coins (because buses do not take bills) to pay your bus fare, you will get no transfer. Instead, since the only way to pay your fare on the subway is through a MetroCard, you will have to buy one at the subway station -- and so you will then end up paying two fares to get into Manhattan.

transportation from lga to hotel mela(120 WEST 44TH. STREET

Alternatively, you could take the Airport Express bus to Grand Central Terminal for a cost of

$12/person; unless you%26#39;re loaded down with luggage, your hotel is an easy walk, just 2-3 blocks away (not sure exactly where the bus drops you off).

This bus does not meander through Manhattan; it simply takes its passengers to 3 major transit system sites: Grand Central Terminal, the Port Authority Bus Terminal and Penn Station. We hear very few complaints about this particular bus service.

www.nyairportservice.com/page.php?id=54

I agree. Super shuttle and other shared vans are awful. But the airport express busses are good and cheap.

thanks everyone as always great advise. antonietta