My Young Japanese Friend needs NYC tips (Airport Shuttle, mostly)

In My Humble Opinion
1

Hello folks! I have a friend who is a 24 year old Japanese female who will be travelling to NYC in a few days for business. She is there to help a (Japanese) client feel comfortable not only in a new, big city, but also in the company-provided apartment which apparently needs a little help. My friend has to clean it up and generally soothe the shaken feelings of her company’s customer.

My friend has been to NYC once before, and lived in Toronto for 8 months a couple years ago. She has also visited San Francisco, Australia, England, Italy and Germany, but not for very long stays.

In spite of her travels and the fact she speaks and understands English in a manner I would call medium to pretty good, she is still a little naive, I think. She’s maybe a little (just a little) too trusting sometimes. She is not dumb at all, yet she could be gullible if she got into a bad or tricky situation.

Mostly, I would just like some help with selecting a good, established, trustworthy and not too expensive Airport Shuttle. She needs to get from LaGuardia to Manhattan (not sure which part, but it’s probably below 60th or so, I would guess). She arrives mid-afternoon on a weekday.

She says she can take the Subway and I’m sure she could. But I know that it can be a little intense compared to the Tokyo Metro (so nice!), and while I take the Subway all over NYC, I still prefer a nice van or car ride when I first arrive in town.

Any suggestions about this or anything else that might help her (maybe some nice sights to see, though not necessarily the basic “can’t miss” touristy ones) would be greatly appreciated.

I’ve spent a bit of time in NYC, but I’d like to hear from some folks who know it really well.

Thanks much!

2

SuperShuttle runs shuttles by getting people together at the airport based on destination. She’ll be riding with 11 other people or so, and she’ll get a nice tour of the city if she gets out last. It’ll be about a $20 ride, tipping is customary, and the driver helps load and unload luggage.

It shouldn’t be a problem during midday. I had one friend who had a bad experience coming in about 2 AM, where the driver charged him an extra $10 to go below 14th (we were on 11th and the driver smelled small-town on him), but a midday SuperShuttle shouldn’t give her any trouble at all.

3

Since this is more asking for opinions, let’s move it to IMHO.

samclem GQ moderator

4

Here’s the Port Authority’s website on LGA Ground Transportation.

For your friend, I would recommend the SuperShuttle. She can also take a yellow taxi for about $25-30 if she is going to midtown.

5

If she or her client is homesick, they can go to Minamoto Kitchoan on 49th street just west of 5th Av for some Japanese treats, and just a bit further up the block is Kinokunya, a Japanese bookstore.

If you think she might like to meet a doper for dinner (weeknight), my email is in my profile.

6

If money is an issue, though, the M30 or M60, or Msomething city bus stops in front of LGA, for 3.00 takes you to 125th or so street and from there a 1.50 or so subway ride to midtown Manhattan, much cheaper than the shuttles, and not at all threatening, at least during the day, and assuimg you have light luggage.

7

Contrariwise, if money is not an issue (within reason of course), I can recommend one of the car services in town. My firm uses Dial Car - and has for the past 30 years or so.

If it’s a business trip, this might be the way to go. They offer a meet & greet service, and the drivers are very professional and very good about pointing out things of interest and making professional visitors comfortable. However, this will be more expensive than SuperSavers or the MTA.