Traveling from JFK Airport to Long Island takes about 45 to 70 minutes by train to western Nassau County, and longer the farther east you go. The route is AirTrain JFK to Jamaica Station, then the LIRR east: Mineola is 14 to 18 minutes from Jamaica, Hicksville is 23 to 30 minutes, and Ronkonkoma is about an hour. By car, Mineola is roughly 30 to 45 minutes and Hicksville about 45 to 60 minutes in normal traffic.
Picture a family landing at JFK at 4 PM, heading for a house in Garden City, with two suitcases, a stroller, and a grandmother who does not want to climb subway stairs with bags. The train is the cheapest way east and the most predictable, but it ends at a station, not a driveway. The car costs more and goes door to door. This page gives you the honest time for each option, the real fare for each, and how to pick between them for your exact town.
Written by Sarah Thompson · Fact-checked by Alex Freeman, Editor-in-Chief · Last verified November 2026
The train: AirTrain and LIRR
Every rail trip from JFK to Long Island starts the same way. AirTrain JFK runs from your terminal to Jamaica Station every 5 to 15 minutes, the ride takes 10 to 20 minutes, and the fare is $8.75, paid when you enter or exit at Jamaica. At Jamaica, board an eastbound LIRR train on the Babylon, Ronkonkoma, Port Jefferson, or Montauk branch. Jamaica is the system’s central transfer hub, and every LIRR line except Port Washington stops there, so you will almost always change trains at Jamaica rather than ride straight through. Travel from JFK to Long Island means this same two-step trip, and the best limo service from JFK to Wantagh covers the same corridor by road for travelers who want a car instead.
- Jamaica to Mineola, 14 to 18 minutes by LIRR, about 45 to 55 minutes all-in from the terminal
- Jamaica to Hicksville, 23 to 30 minutes by LIRR, about 55 to 70 minutes all-in from the terminal
- Jamaica to Ronkonkoma, about 62 minutes by LIRR, about 1 hour 30 minutes all-in from the terminal
- Jamaica to Oyster Bay, about 70 minutes by LIRR
The all-in times above add the AirTrain ride and a normal change at Jamaica to the LIRR leg, using the MTA timetable in effect from November 1, 2026. Trains run less often late at night, so check the departure board in the MTA TrainTime app before you leave the terminal. The short airport-to-airport hop is a different trip: see how long it takes to transfer from LaGuardia to JFK Airport.
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The drive: what the road really takes
By road, the trip runs east on the Van Wyck Expressway and then the Long Island Expressway, and the clock depends entirely on the hour. Mineola is roughly 30 to 45 minutes from JFK in normal traffic, against a 31-minute average on the route, and Hicksville is about 45 to 60 minutes, against a 49-minute average over 24 miles. Eastern Suffolk takes considerably longer, so allow 90 minutes or more, and expect the heaviest traffic on weekday mornings from 6 to 10 AM and afternoons from 4 to 7 PM. A JFK to Hicksville car service is the door-to-door version of this drive, and travelers heading farther east should also check discounts or promotions for car service from LGA to Port Jefferson before booking.
What the train costs, and the fare to check
The AirTrain costs $8.75, and the LIRR fare depends on your destination station, so check the exact fare in the MTA TrainTime app before you travel. As a guide, LIRR fares from Manhattan to Zone 4 stations such as Mineola are $10.00 off-peak and $13.50 peak under the MTA fare chart effective January 4, 2026, and peak means weekday trains arriving at a New York terminal between 6 AM and 10 AM, or leaving one between 4 PM and 8 PM. The Jamaica-to-Mineola intermediate fare was not verified against a current MTA table for this page, so no figure for it is given here: the TrainTime app shows the exact price for your station pair. Buy before you board, since buying on board costs more.
Car service or train: how to choose
Take the train if you are traveling light, heading for a town with a station near your destination, and traveling outside the worst of the rush hour. Take a car if you have heavy luggage, small children, a late-night arrival, or a destination a long way from the nearest station. A JetBlack car runs on a fixed quote agreed in writing before you travel, with no meter and no surge, and an Economy Sedan is $45 an hour with a 3-hour minimum. Before you book any car, read what to look for when choosing a car service for your trip, and if you are traveling as a group, see how to arrange a group car service for a special event. For the car itself, check the different types of vehicles available for NYC cab services, and tell the dispatcher your party size, your luggage, and whether you need a child seat — child seats are about $35 per seat, confirmed at booking, and never free.
Questions travelers ask
How long does it take to travel from JFK to Long Island?
About 45 to 70 minutes by AirTrain and LIRR to western Nassau County: Mineola is 14 to 18 minutes by LIRR from Jamaica, and Hicksville is 23 to 30 minutes. Eastern Suffolk takes longer: Ronkonkoma is about an hour by LIRR from Jamaica. By car, allow 30 to 45 minutes to Mineola and 45 to 60 minutes to Hicksville in normal traffic.
How do I get from JFK Airport to Long Island by train?
Take AirTrain JFK from your terminal to Jamaica Station, then an eastbound LIRR train on the Babylon, Ronkonkoma, Port Jefferson, or Montauk branch. Every LIRR line except Port Washington stops at Jamaica. The AirTrain costs $8.75 and runs every 5 to 15 minutes.
How much does the train from JFK to Long Island cost?
The AirTrain costs $8.75, and the LIRR fare depends on your destination station, so check the exact fare in the MTA TrainTime app before you travel. As a guide, LIRR fares from Manhattan to Zone 4 stations such as Mineola are $10.00 off-peak and $13.50 peak under the MTA fare chart effective January 4, 2026.
How long is the drive from JFK Airport to Long Island?
About 30 to 45 minutes to Mineola and about 45 to 60 minutes to Hicksville in normal traffic, on the Van Wyck Expressway and the Long Island Expressway. Eastern Suffolk takes considerably longer, so allow 90 minutes or more, and expect the heaviest traffic on weekday mornings from 6 to 10 AM and afternoons from 4 to 7 PM.
Sources
- MTA — Ronkonkoma Branch special timetable, effective November 1, 2026: Jamaica to Mineola 14 to 18 minutes, Jamaica to Hicksville 23 to 30 minutes, Jamaica to Ronkonkoma about 62 minutes, accessed 2026-11-10
- Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, JFK Airport — AirTrain JFK: $8.75 fare, trains every 5 to 15 minutes, free between terminals, accessed 2026-11-10
- MTA LIRR fare chart effective January 4, 2026, via CommuterLines: Zone 4 from Zone 1 $13.50 peak and $10.00 off-peak; peak hours 6 to 10 AM arrivals and 4 to 8 PM departures, accessed 2026-11-10
- Uber route data — JFK Airport to Hicksville, NY: average 49 minutes, 24 miles; Mineola to JFK average 31 minutes, accessed 2026-11-10
- Transfeero — Transfer from New York JFK Airport to Long Island: Van Wyck Expressway and Long Island Expressway corridor, heaviest traffic 6 to 10 AM and 4 to 7 PM weekdays, accessed 2026-11-10
- AirTrain JFK guide — every LIRR line except Port Washington stops at Jamaica; terminal to Jamaica 10 to 20 minutes, accessed 2026-11-10
- Long Island Traffic — Oyster Bay Branch LIRR: Jamaica to Oyster Bay about 70 minutes, accessed 2026-11-10
- JetBlack Transportation — owner-confirmed service facts (fixed written quotes, no surge, no meter on private cars, Economy Sedan $45/hr with 3-hour minimum, child seats ~$35/seat for a fee, JFK–Manhattan economy sedan $65 flat), confirmed 2026-10-26, accessed 2026-11-10
JetBlack Transportation · 34 W 34th St, New York, NY 10001 · +1-646-214-4828 · Prices verified November 2026 and subject to change — confirm your fixed quote in writing before you travel
