How to get to Brooklyn, New York?

Brooklyn is one of the five boroughs of New York City, also the second most densely populated county in the United States after Manhattan. Connected to New York and with full access to all means of transportation service, the vibrant Brooklyn can be reached by bus from $2.75, AirTrain from $10, On demand rides from $50, private chauffeurs from $72.

Brooklyn Key Information

Many artists have been inspired by Brooklyn throughout history. Originally an independent city until 1898, the borough was founded by Dutch immigrants and it continues to attract people from all over the world.

Compared to the other four great boroughs of the NYC metropolitan area, Brooklyn is considered to be the most culturally rich and "hipster". People searching for something different but close to Manhattan can find their interests satisfied in Brooklyn.

The iconic Brooklyn bridge surrounded by Chinatown is one of New York's favourite sights. From the Bridge and into the neighborhood, a great variety of communities reside.

Brooklyn Heights is the most residential of the neighborhoods, being the characteristic brick houses and gardens, and it is great for strolling around the East River. Several rooftop bars offer great sights to the Brooklyn Bridge from this area.

The tricky part

Coney Island is considered part of the Brooklyn borough. It is the only beach in New York City and it gets packed in summer. The Coney Island Faire is the main attraction, don't leave without grabbing a traditional hot dog.

Queens is the closest borough to the airport, which means passengers will cross Queens before reaching Brooklyn, making this a ride that can take up to 40 minutes depending on the traffic conditions.

Getting to Brooklyn

New York City is served by three international airports all major hubs receiving traffic from all continents. The main airport is JFK International Airport (JFK), closely followed by La Guardia (LGA) and Newark Liberty Airport (EWR) located in New Jersey. JFK and LGA are the closest airports to Brooklyn.

Landing at Newark Liberty Airport means you will need to cross Manhattan and possibly Queens to get to Brooklyn making your ride longer (approximately 40 minutes depending on traffic).

From these airports Airports, a number of transportation options are available to get you to Brooklyn. Car Rentals, Buses, the AirTrain (with a connection to Subway Line E at Jamaica Station), private drivers, on-demand rides, and local Taxis.

Getting to Brooklyn by Car

NYC is connected to every important national route of the area, making a direct option from any nearby cities. Route 95 from Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington DC to the West, and from the East, New Haven also connects to this highway. Route 76 to Pittsburgh, R95 to Boston. To the North, route 97 goes straight to Montreal in Canada.

Getting to Brooklyn by Bus

If you travel by bus, arriving to New York from other cities, the undeniably stop is at either Port Authority Bus Station or Pennsylvania Station. Popular companies such as BoltBus, Megabus, Peter Pan and Greyhound operate routes to New York City.

From Port Authority Bus Station to Brooklyn you can take subway line Q in direction towards Parkside Av. taking you to the heart of Brooklyn, or the DC Brooklyn bus to Empire Blv.

The Frugal Option

From JFK Airport the B15 Bedford Stuyvesant to JFK Airport Bus offers a great option for a low fare. The bus can be tracked via their official website and it displays all the available stops in Brooklyn and the status of the buses in Real Time. A one way ticket is $2.75 per passenger. Children of 44 inches tall and under will travel for free.

Another option is to use of the AirTrain that operates constantly to Howard Beach which costs $10 to Brooklyn with a ride time of 45 minutes.

Either option must be paid with the Metrocard which is the card system for the New York Metropolitan Area. The Metrocard can be charged in all stations and it allows passengers to use it in subways and buses indistinctively. This saves passengers having to deal with coins and change, because buses must be paid with the exact amount.

The Frugal Option from EWR

If your flight arrives to Newark Libery Airport (EWR), you will need to use the NJ Transit train going into Pennsylvania Station and from there board either of the subway lines A or C (both towards Nostrand Av.), line 2 (to Church Av.) or line 3 (to Atlantic Terminal).

If your accommodation is in a different part of the borough like Boerum Hill, you can get out Penn Station and walk a block towards Broadway and 34th Street (Herald Square by Macy's) to board subway line N, Q, R, F, or D towards Washington Square.

Do not get confused, you do not need an Amtrack ticket (which are usually more expensive) to reach Penn Station from EWR as you would be using the NJ Transit Train.

The Frugal Option from LGA

From La Guardia Airport use the "LGA Airport NYC Bus" at a rate of $15 per passenger and with departures every hour, this service takes you to Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan where you can take subway line 5 to Brooklyn.

Private Transfer Options

It is a fact most passengers arrive to JFK in an exhausted condition after a long flight. Many prefer a comfortable option and have a driver ready waiting for them at arrivals. These are the Private Transportation options.

For passengers using their phones on roaming mode or the mobile network, apps like Lyft and Uber provide an almost immediate service with fares starting at $50.

NYC Taxis picked up at the curb do not include taxes or gratuity on the fare so it will need to be added after the fare is calculated raising the final price to approximately $65.

Prebooked through Mozio, a professional driver waits for you at the airport with a sign with your name on it. An all inclusive car service from the airport means no surprises at the end of your ride. 24/7 customer support available through phone and live chat mean you do not need to worry about last minute inconveniences.

• From JFK Airport on a private sedan for 4 passengers from $72, on a private van for up to 7 passengers from $168, on a private bus for 14 passengers from $293.
• From LaGuardia Airport on a private sedan for 4 passengers from $72, on a private van for up to 7 passengers from $173, on a private bus for 14 passengers from $293.
• From Newark Airport on a private sedan for 3 passengers from $102, on a private van for up to 7 passengers from $228, on a private bus for 14 passengers from $327.

The Mozio Recommendation

Being travellers ourselves, we are aware of what it feels to arrive to a destination after several hours of flights. Upon landing we feel the need to make the initial trip as smooth as possible.

This is why we recommend private transportation. Be a taxi, an Uber or a professional driver, we believe the initial step into the city needs to prioritize comfort even if the price will be a bit higher than budget-friendly alternatives like AirTrain.

Also, if you are travelling with a group of four passengers (hence, four AirTrain tickets) the joint price for all is a small difference compared to the one of a prebooked ride.

Moving AROUND Brooklyn

Brooklyn has available almost every means of transportation service.

Any type of car, from a small sedan to a limo is available for rental or hiring. However, the traffic of the city can be quite challenging even of experienced drivers.

If you have reserved your hotel or B&B in Brooklyn, you will most certainly be moving around the city via subway, train, or bus. Especially the underground. The New York subway system is great and reaches almost everywhere in the city, connecting Brooklyn to all the boroughs.

Given the heavy traffic, bike rentals are not recommended unless they are to be used in parks or the Brooklyn bridge. Ride Brooklyn is a great option.

The Frugal Option

The MetroCard is the way to pay for any public transport across New York City, valid in all boroughs and the Metropolitan Area.

There are two types of Metrocards; the regular one which costs $1 and can be recharged and the weekly pass. The weekly pass is $30 and valid for 7 days straight. It may be used as many times per day as needed and it includes the buses and subways. If you are using at least 4 subways per day, the MetroCard pass is extremely convenient as each subway ticket is $2.5

It is a great price if you are planning to move around the city by using the subway. And given the distances, it is very likely this will be the case.

For Subways, the lines that cross Brooklyn are A, C, J, N, R, 2, 3, 4, and 5.

If you prefer not to use the public transportation, Uber, Lyft and local taxis are a great option to move around the different neighborhoods. You will find drivers at any time, and especially at night it is most recommended not to use the public transportation after 10pm.

The average fee for a 10 minute ride is $15 (final price with taxes included). During the day, it is a good idea to take a taxi to a destination and walk around the area before returning before the evening. The flexibility to mix private and subways allows travellers to plan their routes with different combinations of transport.

Are Rideshare & TaxiApps Readily Available in Brooklyn?