# NYC Dopers: Cab situation?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-dopers-cab-situation/641023
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [November 14, 2012, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-dopers-cab-situation/641023 "2012-11-14T20:09:48Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@drpepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drpepper)
#### Post date: [November 14, 2012, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-dopers-cab-situation/641023/1 "2012-11-14T20:09:48Z")
I’m involved in planning a trip to NYC which will take place next week. Will there be any trouble getting a cab from LAG into the city? (and also returning to LAG?)
I understand that subway closures have reduced cab availability considerably.
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### Author:  [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)
#### Post date: [November 14, 2012, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-dopers-cab-situation/641023/2 "2012-11-14T20:22:06Z")
> [@drpepper](#):
>
> I’m involved in planning a trip to NYC which will take place next week. Will there be any trouble getting a cab from LAG into the city? (and also returning to LAG?)
>
> I understand that subway closures have reduced cab availability considerably.
The subway closures are over, for the most part (I think there are still some problems on the A line, the Seventh Avenue line, and the R).
There are still gas shortages, but the cab fleet seems to be out in force. I think you’ll be OK (warning – take a real NYC cab. Don’t accept a ride from one of the hustlers inside the terminal offering cab rides). From LaGuardia, you also have the option of taking a regular city bus to the N train in Astoria, which will take you into Manhattan pretty quickly, or a different bus to Jackson Heights, Queens, where you can catch the 7, E or F train into Manhattan.
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### Author:  [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)
#### Post date: [November 14, 2012, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-dopers-cab-situation/641023/3 "2012-11-14T20:26:36Z")
You shouldn’t have any problems. There will always be people at the airports who need cabs, so there will always be cabs at the airports.
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### Author:  [@skdo23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skdo23)
#### Post date: [November 14, 2012, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-dopers-cab-situation/641023/4 "2012-11-14T20:32:37Z")
Not currently a NYC resident, but there will be cabs waiting at a designated area at LGA for the sole purpose of bringing people like you into the city, although the subway problems may mean that the line moves a bit more slowly than usual. I don’t remember the exact layout of LGA off the top of my head, but the signs directing arrivees to taxis, trains, buses, etc. should be self explanatory.
In all likelihood, the hotel you stay at will have a “tourist desk,” located in the lobby, to assist guests matters such as with travel related issues, theater tickets, etc. They can provide info about whether you would need to reserve a ride to the airport in advance depending on the time of day you’re departing, the subway situation, etc. If not, just ask at the front desk.
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### Author:  [@leahcim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leahcim)
#### Post date: [November 14, 2012, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-dopers-cab-situation/641023/5 "2012-11-14T20:37:40Z")
> [@Saintly\_Loser](#):
>
> (warning – take a real NYC cab. Don’t accept a ride from one of the hustlers inside the terminal offering cab rides).
This is the advice that every NYC guide gives, and you won’t understand it until you get there. Leave the airport. Go to the Taxi stand. Ignore all others until you accomplish those tasks.
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### Author:  [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)
#### Post date: [November 14, 2012, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-dopers-cab-situation/641023/6 "2012-11-14T21:16:05Z")
> [@leahcim](#):
>
> This is the advice that every NYC guide gives, and you won’t understand it until you get there. Leave the airport. Go to the Taxi stand. Ignore all others until you accomplish those tasks.
Ditto to this.
Also, if you find that there just aren’t any cabs available and you don’t want to try and figure out the M60 bus line then you can always go to the customer service desk near the baggage claim and take a Super Shuttle van instead. It is usually between $10-$20 a person depending on the date/time/etc. and it takes longer than a cab to get where you are going because you are sharing a ride with other people but it is an absolutely legitimate way to get to your destination.
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### Author:  [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)
#### Post date: [November 14, 2012, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-dopers-cab-situation/641023/7 "2012-11-14T21:57:30Z")
Question answered, so a hijack. What exactly happens if you accept a ride from one of those guys offering illegal rides? Ive seen them and avoided them, but I’m curious.
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### Author:  [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)
#### Post date: [November 14, 2012, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-dopers-cab-situation/641023/8 "2012-11-14T22:11:10Z")
> [@drpepper](#):
>
> I’m involved in planning a trip to NYC which will take place next week. Will there be any trouble getting a cab from LAG into the city? (and also returning to LAG?)
What everyone else has said is true; I’ll add that there’s almost always a steady flow of cabs through the cab stand, at least at the Delta terminal where I fly to/from. The only other thing to add is that I did have one hack drive off when I told him I was going to the airport; some guys don’t like to go out there. But I got the next cab and was on my way.
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### Author:  [@drpepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drpepper)
#### Post date: [November 14, 2012, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-dopers-cab-situation/641023/9 "2012-11-14T22:14:36Z")
Thanks for such quick answers, all; very helpful.
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### Author:  [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)
#### Post date: [November 14, 2012, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-dopers-cab-situation/641023/10 "2012-11-14T22:16:22Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#):
>
> Question answered, so a hijack. What exactly happens if you accept a ride from one of those guys offering illegal rides? Ive seen them and avoided them, but I’m curious.
I got lost at the airport once, went the wrong way and ended up like a mile from the taxi stand. IT was after an international flight and we were exhausted. There was a guy there, with a taxi, and against my better judgement we got in. And we were taken for a ride. Basically went the long way around to get to my home in Brooklyn. Ended up paying about double what we should have. There is a fixed fare for going to Manhattan from the Airport. But I was going to Brooklyn from JFK, closer, but paid much more.
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### Author:  [@leahcim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leahcim)
#### Post date: [November 14, 2012, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-dopers-cab-situation/641023/11 "2012-11-14T22:20:08Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#):
>
> Question answered, so a hijack. What exactly happens if you accept a ride from one of those guys offering illegal rides? Ive seen them and avoided them, but I’m curious.
I am to understand that they charge you substantially more than what a cab would for the same trip in a similar vehicle.
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [November 14, 2012, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-dopers-cab-situation/641023/12 "2012-11-14T22:53:39Z")
> [@pbbth](#):
>
> Ditto to this.
>
> Also, if you find that there just aren’t any cabs available and you don’t want to try and figure out the M60 bus line then you can always go to the customer service desk near the baggage claim and take a Super Shuttle van instead. It is usually between $10-$20 a person depending on the date/time/etc. and it takes longer than a cab to get where you are going because you are sharing a ride with other people but it is an absolutely legitimate way to get to your destination.
I think this is called the “ground transportation” desk. Based on my experience at JFK, there are red-jacketed staff there to help you arrange a ride into Manhattan, Long Island, New Jersey, upstate or Connecticut. There’s a phone on the wall that will connect you directly with Supershuttle and other door-to-door services.
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### Author:  [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2012, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-dopers-cab-situation/641023/13 "2012-11-16T20:52:36Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#):
>
> Question answered, so a hijack. What exactly happens if you accept a ride from one of those guys offering illegal rides? Ive seen them and avoided them, but I’m curious.
I’ve never taken one from LGA to the city, but I have taken them when in the city to LGA and to other places. Normally when leaving my hotel and there aren’t any regular cabs around. You negotiate up front what the fare will be. Then there is no incentive for them give you a joy ride.
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### Author:  [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2012, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-dopers-cab-situation/641023/14 "2012-11-16T20:55:50Z")
> [@leahcim](#):
>
> This is the advice that every NYC guide gives, and you won’t understand it until you get there. Leave the airport. Go to the Taxi stand. Ignore all others until you accomplish those tasks.
If you think taxi touts are bad in NYC, try travelling in China.
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### Author:  [@R.P.McMurphy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R.P.McMurphy)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2012, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-dopers-cab-situation/641023/15 "2012-11-16T21:37:06Z")
> [@Zebra](#):
>
> There is a fixed fare for going to Manhattan from the Airport. But I was going to Brooklyn from JFK, closer, but paid much more.
That should be clarified. There is a fixed fare to and from JFK for Manhattan. There is no fixed fare for LaGuardia. You pay according to the meter.
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### Author:  [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2012, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-dopers-cab-situation/641023/16 "2012-11-16T22:32:02Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#):
>
> I’ve never taken one from LGA to the city, but I have taken them when in the city to LGA and to other places. Normally when leaving my hotel and there aren’t any regular cabs around. You negotiate up front what the fare will be. Then there is no incentive for them give you a joy ride.
This. I’ve never seen one of the unlicensed cabs with a meter (although I’m sure they exist, I just personally haven’t seen them). More commonly it’s a guy with a car service who is not authorized to pick people up at the airport with no reservation.
If everything goes smoothly, it can be cheaper. You can probably negotiate a cheaper ride with these guys than you’ll get from a cab. But there’s more risk doing it. If you don’t know the regular fare to your destination, you might negotiate something higher. And in a worse scenario, you might get a ride from some guy who steals your stuff and dumps you in the middle of nowhere.
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### Author:  [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)
#### Post date: [November 17, 2012, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-dopers-cab-situation/641023/17 "2012-11-17T02:01:22Z")
I live ten minutes from LaGuardia. Lemme help a bit here.
1. The NYC Council was considering legislation to permit non-yellow cabs ( “car services”, usually Lincoln Town Cars ) to pick up fares on the streets. Not sure this passed yet- and LGA is covered by Port Authority of NY and NJ Regulations. Don’t get into a car because some shady dude at the outer doors glares at you and says, " Taxi to the city? "
Get in the real taxi line, OR:
Take the M60 bus. It stops in front of all terminals. The outermost driving lane is usually where the NYC MTA bus kiosk is. ( Glass walled, bus name, number, schedule usually ). Get on. Have an MTA MetroCard in hand. You can buy one inside the terminal. Take the bus to the stop underneath the N/Q elevated subway line. The cross street is 31st St Astoria. Free Transfer ( yay !! ) allows you to walk up a flight of steps and take the N Train or Q Train into Manhattan, or transfer at various points to get anywhere in the city. Tres cheap, next to a taxi and frequently much faster.
If you are headed uptown into Harlem, don’t get off the bus to take the subway ( Or if you’re heading uptown but not as far as Harlem). The M60 goes across the TriBoro Bridge ( the old-timer in me refuses to use the new chichi name, " The Robert F. Kennedy Bridge". Screw that. ) and into Harlem.
If you want to not wait for a bus, have a taxi take you to the subway. Tell him/ her " I want to get to the Astoria Blvd stop on the N Train, at 31st St and Astoria Blvd. ". Much cheaper than crawling into Manhattan in a cab, but faster than waiting for a bus.
Feel free to PM me with additional questions if need be.
Cartooniverse, “The Ambassador of Astoria” 😃
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### Author:  [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)
#### Post date: [November 17, 2012, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-dopers-cab-situation/641023/18 "2012-11-17T03:48:59Z")
The M60 sucks ass.
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### Author:  [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)
#### Post date: [November 17, 2012, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-dopers-cab-situation/641023/19 "2012-11-17T04:42:41Z")
:eek:
Thats only because it doesn’t go through Brooklyn !!!
It is usually quite crowded, but is the cheapest way to go.
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### Author:  [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)
#### Post date: [November 17, 2012, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyc-dopers-cab-situation/641023/20 "2012-11-17T05:12:10Z")
> [@Cartooniverse](#):
>
> It is usually quite crowded, but is the cheapest way to go.
True, it is cheap. Personally, I’d rather not trudge along Ditmars Blvd, standing room only, with a bunch of luggage, even if it were free.
And I say that as a proud former Astorian. 🆒
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