You've been there. Stuck on the Van Wyck Expressway. It’s 4:00 PM on a Friday, the rain is starting to smear across your Uber window, and the GPS just added twenty minutes to your ETA. You're watching the minutes tick down toward your boarding time while a sea of brake lights mocks your life choices. Honestly, getting to LaGuardia used to be the absolute worst part of living in New York or visiting Long Island. For decades, it was the only major NYC airport without a direct rail link. No subway, no train, just vibes and traffic.
But things changed. Taking the Long Island Railroad to LaGuardia Airport isn't just a desperate backup plan anymore; for a lot of people, it’s actually the smartest way to travel.
Wait. Let’s be clear. There is still no train that pulls up directly to Terminal B. If you’re looking for a "one-seat ride," you’re going to be disappointed. However, the opening of Grand Central Madison and the massive overhaul of the LIRR schedule has turned what used to be a convoluted mess into a pretty slick operation. You’ve basically got two real choices: the Woodside connection or the Willets Point hustle.
The Woodside Transfer: The Old Reliable
Most people who talk about the Long Island Railroad to LaGuardia Airport are thinking of Woodside. It's a classic move. If you’re coming from Penn Station, Grand Central, or deep out in Suffolk County, you aim for Woodside Station in Queens. It’s a busy, elevated hub where the wind always seems to blow a little harder than anywhere else in the borough.
Once you hop off the LIRR at Woodside, you aren't walking to the airport. You’re looking for the Q70 Select Bus Service (SBS). They call it the "LaGuardia Link."
Here is the best part: it’s free.
The city made the Q70 free a couple of years ago to encourage people to stop taking cars to the airport. You just walk down the stairs from the LIRR platforms, follow the bright light-blue signs for the LaGuardia Link, and wait at the curb. Because it’s an SBS route, it uses the shoulder of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE) to bypass some of the soul-crushing traffic. It hits Terminals B and C. If you’re flying Delta, you’re headed to C. If you’re on United, American, or JetBlue, it’s B.
The ride from Woodside to the terminal usually takes about 15 to 20 minutes. Total time from Midtown? You can actually do it in under 45 minutes if the timing is right. That’s faster than a car during rush hour. Every time.
Why Woodside works (and why it sucks)
Woodside is great because almost every LIRR branch stops there at some point. It’s a frequent service. But, let's be real—carrying three suitcases down those stairs or waiting for the one elevator that may or may not be working that day is a pain. If you're traveling light with just a backpack, it's a breeze. If you're moving your entire life in four checked bags, you might want to rethink your strategy.
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The Mets-Willets Point Alternative
Then there’s the "backdoor" route. This is for the folks coming from the Port Washington Branch. If you are on that specific line, you don't even have to go to Woodside. You can get off at Mets-Willets Point.
Historically, this station was only open when the Mets were playing or when the U.S. Open was in town. Now, it’s a full-time stop. From here, you grab the Q48 bus.
Is it faster? Sometimes.
Is it less crowded? Usually.
The Q48 isn't as "fancy" as the LaGuardia Link. It’s just a regular city bus. It stops more often. It feels more "local." But if you’re coming from Great Neck or Port Washington, it’s a direct shot that saves you from doubling back toward the city just to catch a bus in Woodside. It’s the kind of insider knowledge that saves you thirty minutes of backtracking.
What Happened to the AirTrain?
We have to talk about the elephant in the room. Or rather, the train that never was. For years, there was a plan for a multi-billion dollar AirTrain that would have connected the Long Island Railroad to LaGuardia Airport via a dedicated track at Willets Point. Former Governor Andrew Cuomo championed it. It was controversial.
Critics pointed out that the AirTrain would have forced people from Manhattan to travel past the airport to Willets Point, only to catch a train back toward the terminals. They called it the "wrong way AirTrain."
In 2023, the plan was officially killed. Governor Kathy Hochul opted for the "Better Bus" plan instead. That’s why we have the free Q70 now. It’s a bit of a bummer for those who wanted a sleek, futuristic rail link, but the Port Authority decided that spending $7 billion on a train that didn't actually save that much time wasn't worth it. So, for the foreseeable future, the bus-to-train transfer is the reality.
The Cost Breakdown: Train vs. Uber
Let's do the math. New York is expensive.
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If you take an Uber from Penn Station to LaGuardia, you’re looking at anywhere from $60 to $110 depending on surge pricing and the time of day. Add a tip. Add the congestion pricing if that's active. You're pushing $130 to sit in traffic.
Now, look at the Long Island Railroad to LaGuardia Airport route:
- LIRR Ticket (CityTicket): $5.00 (Off-peak) or $7.00 (Peak)
- Q70 Bus: $0.00
- Total: $5.00 - $7.00
You are saving $100. That’s a fancy dinner at the airport (well, maybe just a sandwich and a beer given airport prices) or a significant chunk of your flight cost. Even if you're coming from further out on the island—say, Ronkonkoma—an off-peak ticket is still only around $14.00.
Navigating the New Grand Central Madison
If you haven't been to Manhattan in a while, you might not realize the LIRR doesn't just go to Penn Station anymore. It goes to Grand Central Madison. This is a massive, deep-cavern station built 15 stories below the existing Grand Central Terminal.
It is beautiful. It is clean. It is also very, very deep.
If you are using Grand Central Madison to start your journey to LaGuardia, give yourself an extra 10 to 15 minutes just to get from the street level down to the tracks. The escalators are some of the longest in the Western Hemisphere. It feels like you're descending into a Bond villain's lair. Once you're down there, though, the trains to Woodside are frequent.
Just make sure you check the screens. Not every train stops at Woodside. If you accidentally hop on an express to Jamaica, you're going to have a bad time. You'll end up at the wrong hub, staring at the AirTrain to JFK while your flight departs from LaGuardia.
Real Talk: The "Luggage Factor"
I mentioned this earlier, but it bears repeating. The Long Island Railroad to LaGuardia Airport connection is a public transit experience. This isn't the Heathrow Express or the Narita Express.
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The Q70 bus has luggage racks. They are okay. But when that bus gets packed with commuters and travelers, it gets tight. If you have a stroller, three suitcases, and a golf bag, please, for the love of everything holy, just call a car. You will be miserable on the bus, and the people coming home from their 9-to-5 jobs will not be thrilled to share their standing room with your oversized Samsonite.
However, if you have one rolling bag? You're golden.
Timing the Connection
The LIRR runs on a schedule. The Q70 bus runs "frequently." In NYC-speak, "frequently" means every 8 to 12 minutes.
The smartest way to handle this is the TrainTime app. It is, honestly, one of the few things the MTA has done perfectly. It shows you exactly where the train is in real-time. It tells you which car is the least crowded.
- Pro Tip: Sit in the middle of the train. At Woodside, the stairs to the bus are toward the middle/eastern end of the platform. Being in the right car can save you a two-minute jog and help you catch a bus that’s about to pull away.
Safety and Reliability
Is it safe? Yeah. Woodside is a busy area. The Q70 is full of travelers and airport workers. I’ve taken this route at 5:00 AM and 11:00 PM. It’s fine. Just stay aware of your surroundings like you would anywhere else in New York.
In terms of reliability, the LIRR is generally on time. The biggest variable is the BQE. Even though the Q70 has some dedicated space, it’s still a bus on a highway. If there’s a major wreck on the BQE, everything stops. That said, the bus drivers are pretty savvy about taking side streets through Astoria or Jackson Heights if the highway is a parking lot.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Trip
Forget the stress of the taxi line. If you're ready to try the rail-to-bus jump, here is how you actually execute it without looking like a lost tourist.
- Download the MTA TrainTime App: This is non-negotiable. Buy your ticket on the app. It’s cheaper than buying it on the train (where they charge a massive surcharge).
- Check for "CityTicket": If you are traveling within the five boroughs (like from Penn Station to Woodside), use the CityTicket. It’s $5.00 off-peak. Don’t pay the full "Zone 1" fare if you don't have to.
- Target Woodside Station: Whether you’re coming from the East or the West, this is your primary North Star.
- Follow the Blue Signs: Once you hit the pavement at Woodside, look for the "LaGuardia Link" branding. It’s impossible to miss if you’re looking for it.
- Know Your Terminal: The bus stops at Terminal B, then Terminal C. It does not stop at Terminal A (the Marine Air Terminal). If you’re flying Spirit or Frontier out of Terminal A, you’ll need to take the airport's internal shuttle bus once you get to the airport grounds.
- Pack Light: If you can't lift your bag over a curb or up a short flight of stairs, this route isn't for you.
Taking the Long Island Railroad to LaGuardia Airport isn't just about saving money. It's about predictability. In a city where traffic can turn a 20-minute drive into a 90-minute nightmare, the train is the only thing that stays consistent. You might have to hump a bag up a flight of stairs, but at least you'll know you’re going to make your flight.
The days of LaGuardia being a "third-world country" (as certain politicians once said) are over. The new terminals are gorgeous, and the way we get there is finally starting to catch up. Use the train, save the $100, and spend it on something better than a ride in a dirty Camry on the Van Wyck.