Subway question - A vs E?

I%26#39;ve looked into the MTA website, as well as hopstop.com and I%26#39;m still a little puzzed - maybe I%26#39;ve been spoiled by the basically two-line Toronto subway for too long!

I%26#39;d like to get from JFK Airport to around W34th and Lexington.

Should I take the A from Howard Beach or the E from Jamaica? And would they both take my straight to the vicinity [walking a few blocks from Penn Station or 51st is just fine by me], or would I have to transfer? HopStop wants me to keep transferring but the MTA map makes it look pretty straight forward.

Also, I loved GWB%26#39;s guide for the subway! Thanks so much!

Subway question - A vs E?

What is your final destination? Lexington and East 34th Street? A little confused by your mention of 51st Street, too.

Both the E and the A trains will take you to West 34th Street-7th Avenue-Penn Station. No transfers necessary on either line. I don%26#39;t really know which one is shorter from JFK, but I suspect the E is. Either way, it will take about an hour.

However, 7th Ave is about a mile away from Lexington Avenue. They are parallel. Maybe this is why Hopstop wants to you to transfer?

Not sure how much luggage you%26#39;ll be dragging around, but you can either walk it, take the M34 crosstown bus east to Lexington Ave, or hail a cab.

The closest subway line to 34th and Lex is the 33rd Street /Park Avenue South stop on the #6 line.

I%26#39;m sure you%26#39;ll get the hang of it once you%26#39;re here. We loved the Toronto subway. Wished it ran all night, but you could not beat the weekend pass prices! Unbelievable bargain!

BTW, why not take a taxi form JFK? It is a flat rate of $45 plus tip and tolls, but no schlepping luggage up and down stairs!

Subway question - A vs E?

Lol...ok first of all there is no Lexington %26amp; ';W';34th, it would be East..or East 34th st.

The A and E both stop at 34th st. The E gets you into the city faster, as the A goes all the way through Brooklyn and then up from downtown. The E enters the city at 51st and Lex. You could then transfer to a downtown 6 which would take you directly to 34th and Lex.

both E and A stop at 34th St/Penn Station (at 8th Ave)

Errr...QB is right. The 4 stops on Park, not Lex.

Double Err...I meant the 6.

If you take the E, you should transfer at Lexington Avenue station for the #6 downtown (Lexington Avenue is connected through a long passageway to 51st Street on the 6.)

Take the 6 downtown to 33rd Street (there is no 34th Street station on the 6) and Park Avenue South. Walk one block to Lexington.

If you take the A, you would go to Broadway Nassau where you would transfer for the uptown 4 or 5. Take the 4 or 5 to Unioin Square/14th Street, then walk across the platform to the local #6 to 33rd Street.

Oh, lord - I can%26#39;t imagine transfering from the E to the 6 at the Lexington-51st Street stop with luggage after a flight and long train ride! Yuck!

That must be the answer, since lately I%26#39;ve seen a lot of folks with major backpacks looking lost at the Lexington Ave stop on the E.

The stop is called ';Lexington Avenue-53rd Street'; on the E line, and ';51st Street'; on the 6 line. These are two separate stations that are linked via an underground walkway.

You must stay in the front of the E train to be closest to the elevators and escalators. If the elevator is working, use it. Otherwise, take the escalator up to the mezzanine. Walk to your left and follow the signs to the #6. Then, go down the stairs, through the short underpass, and up another escalator to the downtown #6.

For some reason, this underpass always smells like vomit even though it looks perfectly clean and I%26#39;m sure it%26#39;s been hosed down a hundred times. Consider yourself warned. I believe there are escalators to avoid this, but I%26#39;ve never used them. I always just zip through.

Just a little dose of reality!

That tunnel does smell!

My ENT is on 93rd and Park and I only use that station after returning from her office with really clear sinuses and nasal passages! I gag the entire way! Of course, I only go there once a year, and always forget to get off at 59th until its too late.