Cheapest way from airport to city - San Francisco, LAX- LA, EWR - New York*
Replies: 8 - Last Post: Oct 3, 2012 5:14 AM Last Post By: mrdome
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Cheapest way from airport to city - San Francisco, LAX- LA, EWR - New York*
*unless someone takes you for free - and * Speed & Amount of Luggage Not The/An Issue *All personally checked in September of 2012
SFO - from the Arrivals level look for the "Sam Trans" bus signs and find the bus stop. Wait for # 292, $2 into the city and $4 from city to SFO = $6 total (compare at $8.25 each way for the BART train). Picks up on Mission St. (for example at Mission & 7th).
First/last bus from city: 4:43 AM from Transbay Terminal & 11:56 PM. First/last bus from SFO: 5:33 AM & 1:15 AM (this is on weekdays)
There is also a KX Express bus that plies the route less frequently. It charges $1 more for the trip to the airport.
Ease of use: Easy
Safety: Very good
LAX - Crossing the street from Arrivals, find the bus stop for the free shuttle buses, in this case 'G' to the Green Line Metro Stop.
Each color line is $1.50, so the fare depends on your final destination. To Hollywood, you would go Green to Willowbrook, then Blue to 7th St./Metro center, then on to the Red Line for a total of $4.50. If you have to use 4 lines, simply buy an unlimited day pass for $5 and that caps your maximum each way. Compare to Fly-Away bus at $7 plus Metro/taxi ticket for onward journey.
Ease of use: Medium (you will need to change levels at the two interchange stations)
Safety: Good (waiting at night at Willowbrook because you just missed the train may not be for everyone)
EWR - Take the airport train to the AirTrain Station. Buy a ticket to Newark Penn Station for $8.25. Here, change to a Path train, which leaves from the other side of the same platform. Ticket is $2. You now have two options: Take it all the way to World Trade Center or change at Journal Square to a train that goes up to 33rd St. & 6th Ave. Total is $10.25 each way. Compare with the bus at $15 each way.
On the way back, after arriving at Newark Penn Station, make your way to platform 4 and catch a "Trenton-EWR" (NOT a "Trenton" train) bound train (it's just one stop, you'd wish they'd be more reasonable about the fare).
If you wish to have a bit more comfort, buy a ticket to New York Penn Station for $12.50 and skip the Path train.
I do admit I am a cheapskate and I liked the "adventure" of using Path for the first time, plus I had done the train to NY Penn Station before and I liked arriving at 33rd & 6th more than arriving in this huge beehive of a train station.
Ease of use: Medium
Safety: Very Good
Comments welcome!
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Cheapest route from EWR to Manhattan is actually New Jersey Transit bus #62 in the direction of Newark (NOT Elizabeth). The bus depot is next to the United terminal. Go to the end of the line - Newark Penn Station and then take PATH. Last time, this cost me $2.50. This option takes about an hour, maybe longer. Have only used it after arriving on a red eye flight when time was not an issue. Yes, the bus goes through Newark which is not the nicest city in NJ but I have always felt safe.The LAX option above involves too many transfers. To get to Hollywood, you can take buses #111, #117 or #311 and then transfer to a bus going up La Brea or Western or Crenshaw - depending on where you need to end up. At least two of these streets have Express bus lines. The Blue Line passes through some areas that are rather dodgy, though the metro itself is safe. But one might say the same about the bus option.
The FlyAway bus to downtown is $7 which seems like a reasonable price.
For Santa Monica, there is Big Blue Bus #3. For Culver City, bus #6. Both of these buses have Express options at various times during the day.
I have only taken the M60 to LGA (from Queens). Taken it to Manhattan but not from the airport and it slows waaaaay down in Manhattan.
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SFO Another way is the BART train which goes up to downtown via the Mission District from the W. Concourse (United Airlines) of the international terminal.LAX The 40 bus also goes up to downtown from Lot 'C' on 96th & Supleveda. (for late night/early morning travel). Takes longer though as it makes multiple stops along the route to pick up and let off others. See http://www.metro.net
The Blue Line passes through some areas that are rather dodgy, though the metro itself is safe In that case you got to know where you get off at hope there's onward transportation available if you're getting off in a dodgy area.
"I do admit I am a cheapskate ...." THE cheapest isn't always the best especially if you arrive at one airport and trying to catch a connecting flight out of another. Taxi is still cheaper than missing your onward flight.
Edited by: anyone101
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I've flown in and out of LAX many times (going to France) and I love the FlyAway bus. It takes you directly from Union Station (east) to whatever airline you're flying (when leaving) and as it's a bus, the baggage travels beneath the bus...you don't have to carry it anywhere. From LAX on the departure level there are various choices..the FlyAway is Green (FlyAway, buses and long distance vans).Unlike other buses and shuttles, this bus only makes one trip through the airport, then goes directly to the freeway (105) then to the 110...one time the traffic on the 110 was bad, the driver got off and went through downtown which he knew very, very well so we not only arrived without delays people who hadn't seen downtown before got a look at it.
I always tip the driver for handling the bag (US$1 per) although not everyone does.
The bus arrives at the Patsaouras Transit Plaza. Union Station is accessed through a tunnel that runs under the railroad (Amtrac and lightrail) tracks.
To me it's not just the price (which is very reasonable0 it's the stress free travel. When I've been catching a flight to Paris and rushing around to get everything packed, the last thing I want is more stress. A friend/neighbor gives me a ride to the station and I'm off and away.
In Paris I use the Air France Cars to get from CDG to Orly (or vice versa) if I need to make that trip. Are there cheaper ways? Yes...but sometimes comfort and convenience are worth economising in other areas...
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Thank you SusieGirl17, I was hoping someone would teach me something new.Looks like New Jersey Transit bus #62 has 5 departures per hour from EWR Terminal A and only needs 21 minutes to Newark Penn Station. Awesome!
anyone101, these options were clearly not meant for changing airports and catching another flight. And why you had to bring up BART, which I had already mentioned, including its o/w price, I do not understand. The thread clearly isn't about the most convenient & expensive options, these are usually well advertized at the respective airports.
Edited by: mrdome
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SFO - from the Arrivals level look for the "Sam Trans" bus signs and find the bus stop. Wait for # 292, $2 into the city and $4 from city to SFO = $6 total (compare at $8.25 each way for the BART train). Picks up on Mission St. (for example at Mission & 7th).
First/last bus from city: 4:43 AM from Transbay Terminal & 11:56 PM. First/last bus from SFO: 5:33 AM & 1:15 AM (this is on weekdays)
There is also a KX Express bus that plies the route less frequently. It charges $1 more for the trip to the airport.
Ease of use: Easy
Safety: Very good
LAX - Crossing the street from Arrivals, find the bus stop for the free shuttle buses, in this case 'G' to the Green Line Metro Stop.
Each color line is $1.50, so the fare depends on your final destination. To Hollywood, you would go Green to Willowbrook, then Blue to 7th St./Metro center, then on to the Red Line for a total of $4.50. If you have to use 4 lines, simply buy an unlimited day pass for $5 and that caps your maximum each way. Compare to Fly-Away bus at $7 plus Metro/taxi ticket for onward journey.
There are also several bus lines depending on your final destination.
Ease of use: Medium (you will need to change levels at the two interchange stations)
Safety: Good (waiting at night at Willowbrook because you just missed the train may not be for everyone)
EWR - From Terminal A take bus # 62 to Newark (not Elizabeth). 5 departures most hours, travel time is roughly 21 minutes.
Baggage Note: Only two pieces of baggage per customer allowed on buses not to exceed 22" x 16" x 8"
According to the map, this is a one zone trip and the fare is an unbeatable $1.50. http://www.njtransit.com/pdf/bus/T0062.pdf
At Penn Station. ake your way to the Path trains. You now have two options: Take it all the way to World Trade Center or change at Journal Square to a train that goes up to 33rd St. & 6th Ave in Manhattan.
Total is $3.50 each way. Compare with the train at $10.25/$12.50 or the bus at $15 each way.
On the way back, after arriving at Newark Penn Station, make your way to the bus lanes on the Raymond Blvd. side and take an Elizabeth bound bus to EWR.
Unrated, as this is the only trip I have not tested out personally.
Comments welcome!
