Driving from JFK to Htown

My niece is arriving international flight at JFK Friday at 3:30pm....Any suggestions on route to get her to Hackettstown

lilyk lilyk
Sep '16

Are you picking her up?

3wbdwnj 3wbdwnj
Sep '16

With an international flight, you've got a good hour for baggage pickup and customs. You're going to be going home right at the height of rush hour. There really isn't a good way, and at any time any way can become the nightmare way just with one single accident. So you need to have the radio on at all times.

If by chance you are just a bit ahead of rush hour with a better than expected customs time, them you might try going up the Van Wyck to the GCP, RFK Bridge (Triborough) to the Harlem River Drive up to the GWB. Exit to Harlem River Drive is a bit tricky, you have to make sure you're over in the far right and it's a single lane.

The Belt is hideous at that time. After you get off that the rest of the trip is better, but it's not worth 2 hrs on the Belt. As long as you can get past two bridges or tunnels, the trip from there is far better even on 80 that isn't moving as well as it could.


Maybe you could have her take the train from JFK to Secaucus Junction and pick her up there? Have her call you when she gets her bags and is about to get on the train and leave your house then. The timing should be decent. Unless she has a bunch of bags that makes train travel infeasible.

ianimal ianimal
Sep '16

I agree with GC except don't care which side of the river I'm on. Often take the Fdr in and 97 out.

Strangerdanger Strangerdanger
Sep '16

At that time of day, taking the train beyond Secaucus to Dover may be your best bet. I flew into JFK a couple of years ago on an int'l flight at the same time of day, and took the Air Train to I believe the Jamaica (Queens) station, then LIRR or the subway (either works) to NY Penn Sta., then NJ Transit to Dover. It sounds like a lot but it really was pretty easy and was worth not sitting in traffic for 3 hours or more, which you will likely do. I would say take the train all the way to Hack. but only 4-5 trains per day come out this far and it's hard to hit one just right. Plenty have Dover as their last stop though

The R The R
Sep '16

Worst timing ever at worst airport on a Friday. Pretend you have no niece and don't answer your phone until Sat A/M. or have her take a shuttle to a nearby hotel and stay the night and pick her up Sat am.

eapos eapos
Sep '16

Hahaha eapos! Great post!

Calico696 Calico696
Sep '16

Yes I am supposed to pick up but eapos your suggestion may be the best.... :)
keep any suggestions coming Thanks

lilyk lilyk
Sep '16

I'd say pick her up - then find someplace near the airport and have a nice dinner before you try to make your way back --- or pony up the cash and hire a car service $200 +/-

trekster3- trekster3-
Sep '16

She can get a yellow cab to Port Authority (Bus terminal) - flat fee of $50, they can't charge anything else from JFK to Manhattan. Then she takes Lakeland bus (piece of cake even for my mom when she visited me years ago), under $15, no charge for luggage. Lakeland bus goes to Dover terminal every 30 minutes, I think or if you are lucky, she can get the one going to Budd Lake or Netcong. She also could take A or E trains but it's a bit more hassle.


Have her take the train(s) over to EWR and pick her up later. I think it's $15 total for the trains. You are going against the flow of traffic during that time so should be an easy commute in from Hackettstown, 80 to 287, 24, 78. Otherwise you will get plenty of quality time sitting in traffic. If your on way back during rush hour 5-6 ish I would recommend 78, 287N, 206, & up and over long valley.

younggen younggen
Sep '16

I was going to say something along those lines... book a flight from JFK to EWR. ;)

Mark Mc. Mark Mc.
Sep '16

As someone who drives from Hackettstown to Long Island (and back) any time I want to see my family, I concur with the crowd here. It's a terrible time to be going to JFK. While, in theory, you would be going back toward the city when everyone should be leaving it, there is no such thing around there. Any way you go is likely to be a nightmare. I agree with Trekster, go have a nice dinner somewhere nearby and wait it out. Then I would suggest taking the Whitestone or Throg's Neck Bridges to the Bronx to the GWB straight to 80. If the Cross Bronx is horrible (likely at any hour), you can try the Bruckner to the Deegan to the GWB. This route takes you around the city as best as possible, especially on a Friday night when people tend to be heading in to have a good time. Pretty good eats in Howard Beach or the 5 Towns if you're going to eat semi-close to the airport. Just watch the neighborhoods next to the airport since they're not the best. Good luck!

Dancicus Fighticus Dancicus Fighticus
Sep '16

Have her change flights and arrive in Newark.

Lamppost Lamppost
Sep '16

so what finally happened???

4catmom 4catmom
Sep '16

I doubt if the OP is back yet :)

No thespian
Sep '16

Especially since the flight doesn't land until Friday (-;

ianimal ianimal
Sep '16

Does she drives? She can have all the fun driving to Hackettstown (one way rental with Enterprise), I did that back in August cost me $42 total, https://partner.rentalcar.com/StateofFlorida/#/leisure/

In the link dont pay attention to state of Florida ;-)

TinkoDinko TinkoDinko
Sep '16

Use the waze app. It's wonderful.

Njchia Njchia
Sep '16

Change flight to arrive at Newark LOL. FYI for the future for all in NJ.

JFK is at the Eastern border of Queens and is a nightmare for anyone from NJ. Fixed taxi only goes as far West as Manhattan.

Contact a local limo company. May cost quite a bit but the only way unless she has city and driving skills to go one way in a rental car.

In the future, don't do it. Tell people to go to Newark even if it costs more money for the flight but savings in the ease of pickup from Newark.


Especially since the flight doesn't land until Friday (-;

Lol ianimal!

My opinion, your niece is flying in from overseas, very exciting. Forget trains and busses, pick her up. Use waze or Google maps. Use the time sitting in traffic chatting. Enjoy her visit!!

maja2 maja2
Sep '16

oops

4catmom 4catmom
Sep '16

I agree with Maja, enjoy the time. Traffic can occur anywhere or anytime on that trip. Many different choke points. You should have no major problem getting in; there's a cell phone lot so you can get there early, wait there. Bring something to read. Hopefully she has a charged cell phone and can call you after customs since you will be a few minutes from the airport.

Pick her up using GC's directions, run one side of the Harlem River or the other --- I like down on the Manhattan side (Harlem River Drive/FDR) and back on the other side (87). You will run into a lot of traffic somewhere on the ride home, can wait it out, plenty of places to eat in Queens or you could even cut into the city using 278S to queens blvd w queensboro bridge to 60th or 61st to 5th S to 57th W. At Carnegie Hall, turn left on 7th, be in left lane, next block left --- parking garage is next right down a flight....really. Carnegie Hall lot, you're safe. Now, she's been overseas, take her to the front of Carnegie, have her sing a song (now you have sung at Carnegie Hall!!!!). And plenty of restaurants. Brooklyn Diner is one block West on 57th, no reservations, but a line maybe.

Come out of garage, turn right (one way), at light, turn left, go up to 57th, turn left, take to 9th or 11th, go to Lincoln Tunnel and home. Hopefully you know the tunnel tricks.

Or take the traffic, pull over in Dover, hit the Hibernia Diner, Exit 37, detox...... It's been redone relatively recently and is pretty nice. Very orange at night. Seasonal in the fall.

strangerdanger strangerdanger
Sep '16

UBER to EWR....
State Shuttle, if they run from JFK to NJ
or pay me $200 and I'll pick her and bring here to Hackettstown...

BrownEyesGuy BrownEyesGuy
Sep '16

I like BEG's solution, worth every penny :-)

MrsPipes MrsPipes
Sep '16

Uber-x will be 80-100 dollars just to ewr- if BEG is going to cover tolls jump on it

skippy skippy
Sep '16

Hey I do this struggle all the time around NY for work...and as others have said when I first read your post I thought-'OMG-the worst time possible!'

You may want to use a conventional GPS-set it to avoid highways-place a pin on the staten island side of the Verrazano to get you out of queens/brooklyn by way of local streets-it will keep you moving at least-generally the local streets through Brooklyn aren't terrible heading west at that time...once on staten island then hit up waze to determine the best route back to NJ and then home...

Thought-find somewhere to have dinner after you pick her up...once you get to about 7pm things start to ease up some...

info. info.
Sep '16

For any trips that involve the Major Deegan (87) through the Bronx...in baseball season ALWAYS check to see if the Yankees are at home, and avoid the Deegan of they are.

In addition, if you're planning on taking Route 80 to the GWB, the same cautions apply 90 minutes before game time. Any road on the route from NJ to Yankee Stadium is NOT your friend before a Yankee game.

JerryG JerryG
Sep '16

Take Transbridge bus from JFK to the Clinton bus stop by Rt 78 exit. $50 & it only makes one stop at NY Port Authority Bus terminal then straight to Clinton. I took it during rush hour and it really wasn't that bad.

Changing the flight to EWR IF the airlines even fly in there can be costly. Also their are no flights from JFK to EWR.

Baci's mom Baci's mom
Sep '16

Just re-read and it is an international flight so she probably has a bit of luggage which rules out her taking mass transit plus being international would be great to have a friendly face meet her. Best bet is to get someone in the family to pick her up...


Please let us know what you did and if you got back yet!

eapos eapos
Sep '16

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