How Can I Get to LGA Airport Using Public Transportation?

Short answer: Your best option for LGA airport public transportation is the free Q70 LaGuardia Link bus to the Jackson Heights–Roosevelt Av subway station, then a $3.00 OMNY subway ride into Manhattan. The full trip takes 45 to 75 minutes door to door, and a faster Woodside LIRR transfer can shave time off. Two MTA routes serve the airport: the Q70 and the M60 SBS.

The Q70 LaGuardia Link: Your Free Ride to the Subway

If you want to understand LGA airport public transportation the way locals do, start with the Q70. The Q70 LaGuardia Link has been free for every rider since 2022, runs 24 hours a day, and carries luggage racks built for airport trips. You board at Terminal B or Terminal C — the two operating passenger terminals at LGA in 2026. The historic Terminal A (Marine Air Terminal) is currently closed to the public after Spirit Airlines, its sole tenant, ceased operations in May 2026; JetBlue has won the vacated slots and plans to reopen scheduled service there from 2027. Buses run about every 10 minutes during the daytime and reach the Jackson Heights–Roosevelt Av station in roughly 15 minutes, where you can catch the 7, E, F, M, and R trains. The E train in particular runs straight through Midtown to Times Square and the World Trade Center. One stop further on, Woodside gives you the 7 train and a Long Island Rail Road connection. Because the bus is free, your entire airport trip can cost a single subway fare.

At Jackson Heights, follow the signs from the bus stop up to the subway mezzanine, tap your phone, contactless card, or OMNY card, and you are in the system for $3.00. If you are connecting between airports instead of heading into the city, compare this with the cheapest shuttle from LaGuardia to JFK before you decide.

The M60 SBS: The Direct Bus Into Manhattan

The second pillar of LGA airport public transportation is the M60 Select Bus Service, the only bus that runs directly between Manhattan and the airport. It starts on the Upper West Side at Broadway and 106th Street, crosses 125th Street with stops near nearly every north–south subway line, then crosses the RFK Bridge to serve Terminals B and C. It runs 24 hours, costs the standard $3.00 local fare, and on Select Bus Service you pay before boarding at the stop machines or simply tap OMNY. Along 125th Street you can transfer to the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, A, C, and D trains, catch the N and W at Astoria Boulevard in Queens, or connect with Metro-North at Harlem–125th Street. From 125th Street the ride to the terminals takes roughly 35 to 45 minutes depending on traffic. If your hotel sits on the Upper West Side, in Harlem, or along 125th Street, the M60 is often simpler than doubling back through Queens. Drivers picking up arriving passengers should check the specific pickup points for the shuttle buses at LaGuardia airport so everyone meets at the right curb.

Fares, OMNY, and the Cheapest Possible Combo

The math on LGA airport public transportation is refreshingly simple. The Q70 costs nothing. A subway or local bus ride costs $3.00 in 2026, paid by tapping a contactless bank card, phone, smartwatch, or OMNY card at the reader — the old MetroCard is gone. Transfers between bus and subway are free within two hours when you use the same device, and OMNY caps your spending at $35 per week automatically. The LIRR is a separate ticket: CityTicket from Woodside to Penn Station or Grand Central costs $5.25 off-peak and $7.25 at peak hours, bought in the MTA TrainTime app. Express buses cost $7.25 and reduced fares run $1.50. Put it together and the cheapest possible airport trip is the free Q70 plus one $3.00 subway tap: three dollars from the terminal to anywhere the subway reaches. No other New York airport can be reached that cheaply, which is one reason LaGuardia regulars swear by the bus-to-subway combo. Read more about public transportation options from LaGuardia to Manhattan if you want the full menu of routes.

Planning Your Door-to-Door Trip

Planning your first LGA airport public transportation trip comes down to matching the route to your destination. Heading to Times Square or Midtown West? Take the Q70 to Jackson Heights and ride the E train to 42nd Street–Port Authority; budget 50 to 65 minutes total. Bound for Midtown East or in a hurry? Ride the Q70 to Woodside and take the LIRR to Penn Station or Grand Central, which usually lands you in Manhattan in about 40 minutes from the terminal. Add 15 to 20 minutes during weekday rush hours, when the roads around the airport clog. With luggage, stick to the Q70’s racks and use the elevators at Jackson Heights and Woodside rather than hauling bags up stairs. Overnight, the Q70 and the subway both run around the clock, so you are never stranded. Skip transit only when it genuinely does not fit: three heavy bags, a connection under two hours, or a 4 a.m. arrival with kids. In those cases a yellow taxi runs on the meter plus a $5.00 LGA surcharge under TLC fare rules, or you can arrange a passenger pickup at LaGuardia airport with a pre-booked car that tracks your flight.