Ground Transportation from LaGuardia January 6, 2008

GROUND TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS

from LAGUARDIA AIRPORT
to Manhattan Church of Christ or Hotel Belleclaire

When you arrive Monday, you can either go directly to the Hotel Belleclaire (250 West 77th St. at Broadway) or to the Manhattan Church of Christ (48 East 80th St., between Madison and Park Aves.), where we will store your luggage until you are ready to go to the hotel.

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TAXI
Cost: Less than $25 plus bridge toll and tip. Up to four people can ride together for one fare, so this is cost-effective for groups.
Time: About 30 minutes, but could be longer depending on traffic, time of day.
How: Follow the signs to the taxi stand and wait for attendant to put you in next yellow cab. Tell your driver the address for the church (48 East 80th Street, b/w Madison and Park) or the Hotel Belleclaire (250 West 77th St. at Broadway).

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SUPER SHUTTLE
Cost: The website www.supershuttle.com estimates the ride from LaGuardia Airport to the Hotel Belleclaire or the Manhattan Church of Christ, will cost $16 for the first person and $12 for each additional person. This is only cost effective if you are traveling alone. Two-four people can share a faster cab for less each.
Time: At least 30 minutes, but possibly an hour or longer, depending on other passengers’ destinations, traffic, time of day.
How: Make a reservation online or at ground transportation desk upon arrival. (See above for church and hotel addresses.)

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PUBLIC BUS/SUBWAY
Cost: $2 in coins or with MetroCard
Time: About one hour, but could be longer depending on traffic, time of day.
How: Follow these directions from LGA to Manhattan Church of Christ:
• Buy a MetroCard from the Hudson News stand in the baggage claim area or have $2 in coins ready to pay for a single bus ride.
• Follow signs outside terminal to public bus stop. Wait for M60 bus.
• Take M60 bus from terminal to 125th St/Lexington Ave in Harlem (Your stop is near Pathmark store. You will have been on the bus for at least 25-30 min. and will have just crossed the Triborough Bridge from Queens to Manhattan.)
• Go down into subway station via stairs or elevator. (You must use a MetroCard to get on the subway. Buy one here if you couldn’t get one at the airport.)
• Take the downtown/Brooklyn-bound 4 or 5 train to 86th St.
• Get off train at 86th Street, go upstairs to street level.
• Walk down Lexington Ave. six blocks to 80th St.
• Turn right/west on 80th St.
• Walk 1-1/2 blocks to the church building (48 East 80th St.) It will be on the left after you have crossed Park Ave.
• If no one is in the lobby, press the button to the left of the front door and you will be buzzed in. Come to the offices on the second floor.

How: Follow these directions from LGA to Hotel Belleclaire:
• Buy a MetroCard from the Hudson News stand in the baggage claim area or have $2 in coins ready to pay for a single bus ride.
• Follow signs outside terminal to public bus. Wait for M60 bus.
• Take M60 bus from terminal to 125th St/Lenox Ave in Harlem (Your stop is near CVS, Marshall’s, Staples and Starbucks. You will have been on the bus for at least 30 min. and will have passed Park, Madison and Fifth Avenues. The signs at 125th St/Lenox Ave will also say MLK Jr. Blvd and Malcom X Blvd.)
• Go down into subway station via stairs. Make sure you enter on downtown side. (You must use a MetroCard to get on the subway. Buy one here if you couldn’t get one at the airport.)
• Take the downtown/Brooklyn-bound 2 or 3 train to 72nd St.
• Get off train at 72nd Street, go upstairs to street level.
• Walk up Broadway five blocks to 77th St.
• The Hotel Belleclaire is near the corner of Broadway and 77th St.

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Helpful Hints for Using Public Transportation January 5, 2008

HELPFUL HINTS FOR USING SUBWAY/BUS:

The base fare for a subway or bus ride is $2, no matter how far you ride or what time of day it is. Buses accept MetroCards or coins (no pennies). Subways only accept MetroCards, which you can buy with cash, credit card or debit card from the vending machines in the subway stations.

You can choose between two kinds of MetroCards:
1) Pay-Per-Ride cards are sold in amounts from $4 to $80. These cards allow for a free transfer from subway-bus, bus-subway or bus-bus within a two-hour period after you swipe the card at the beginning of your trip. Up to four people can share a pay-per-ride card at one time, swiping four times. When transferring with multiple people on the same card, you only need to swipe once at the transfer point. When you buy a Pay-Per-Ride card worth $7 or more, you get a 15 percent bonus, so a $10 card actually will have $11.50 on it, a $20 will have $23 on it, etc.
2) Unlimited Ride cards come in 1-day, 7-day, 14-day and 30-day versions. A 1 Day Fun Pass costs $7.50, so it is worth it if you think you will get on the subway or bus four times in one day. If you are staying longer than the conference and plan to go sightseeing, you might want to buy a 7-day unlimited pass for $25. But if you are only going to be here for the conference, then you might want to just do a $10 Pay-Per-Ride.

When using a MetroCard on the bus, insert the card vertically. The machine will suck it down, read it and pop it back up like a toaster. When entering the subway, swipe the MetroCard like a credit card and go through the turnstile. The screen will say Go, or Swipe Again at This Turnstile if you swipe too quickly or slowly.

Sit down or hold on when riding the bus or subway. You might fall and hurt yourself or someone under you! When the train arrives in a station, the doors will be open for about 10 seconds, so be ready to get on and off quickly.

Trains are named with numbers or letters. They are also named according to their final destination and the main thoroughfare they run under such as a Bronx-bound Seventh Avenue Express 2 train. Trains that go through Manhattan are either uptown or downtown in direction, which is equivalent to north and south. Read signs to make sure you’re on the correct platform: downtown if you want to go toward the bottom of Manhattan or uptown if you are going back up toward the top part of Manhattan. (No one uses the terms north and south in Manhattan).

Express trains stop only at major stations, marked on the subway map by white dots. Local trains stop at every station, those marked with white dots and those with black dots. Limited buses stop only at major intersections, about every 6-10 blocks. Local/regular buses stop at every stop, about every 3-4 blocks.

When entering or exiting the subway platform with luggage, you can pass it over or under the turnstile, or you can motion to the station attendant that you want to use the emergency door. Don’t worry if you accidentally set off an alarm; it happens all the time.

New York City is very safe for a big city, but there are still pickpockets especially in tourist areas. Keep your purse close to you at all times, especially on crowded subways and buses. Hold it in front of you; don’t let it hang behind you. In a restaurant, put your purse in your lap or between your feet, not on the back of your chair or beside you.

Using public transportation is all part of the New York experience. Millions of New Yorkers do it every day; you can, too! Have fun!

Ground Transportation from Newark January 4, 2008

GROUND TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS

from NEWARK LIBERTY AIRPORT
to Manhattan Church of Christ or Hotel Belleclaire

When you arrive Monday, you can either go directly to the Hotel Belleclaire (250 West 77th St. at Broadway) or to the Manhattan Church of Christ (48 East 80th St., between Madison and Park Aves.), where we will store your luggage until you are ready to go to the hotel.

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TAXI
Cost: About $75-85 plus tunnel toll and tip. Up to four people can ride together for one fare, so this is only cost-effective for groups.
Time: About 30 minutes, but could be longer depending on traffic, time of day.
How: Follow the signs to the taxi stand and wait for attendant to put you in next cab. Tell your driver the address above for the church or the Hotel Belleclaire.

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SUPER SHUTTLE
Cost: The website www.supershuttle.com estimates the ride from Newark Airport to the Hotel Belleclaire or the Manhattan Church of Christ will cost $21 for the first person and $12 for each additional person. This is probably the easiest and most cost-effective option for traveling alone or as a group from Newark.
Time: At least 45 minutes, but possibly much longer, depending on other passengers’ destinations, traffic, time of day.
How: Make a reservation online or at ground transportation desk upon arrival. (See above for church and hotel addresses.)

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NEWARK LIBERTY AIRPORT EXPRESS BUS/SUBWAY
Cost: $15 one-way, $25 round-trip from airport to NY’s Port Authority Bus Terminal (seniors 62+ half-price), plus $2 MetroCard for subway to hotel/church.
Time: About one hour, 10 minutes to hotel, a little longer to church.
How: Follow these directions from Newark to Manhattan Church of Christ:
• Follow signs at airport terminal A, B or C for ground transportation and Newark Liberty Airport Express Bus. Buy ticket from agent. You can also buy tickets online before you leave home at www.coachusa.com/olympia/.
• Board next bus to New York Port Authority Bus Terminal. Ride is about 40 min.
• When you get off the bus at Port Authority, follow the signs to the subway.
• Once in the subway, buy a MetroCard from the vending machine. Swipe card to enter turnstile. Follow the signs to the Queens/Jamaica Center-bound E train.
• After four stops on the E train, get off at Lexington Ave/53 St. station. Follow the signs to transfer to the uptown/Bronx-bound 6 train.
• Ride the 6 train three stops and get off at 77th Street.
• Go up to the street level and walk up Lexington three blocks to 80th Street.
• Turn left and walk 1-1/2 blocks to the church building (48 East 80th St.) It will be on the left after you have crossed Park Ave.
• If no one is in the lobby, press the button to the left of the front door and you will be buzzed in. Come to the offices on the second floor.

How: Follow these directions from Newark to Hotel Belleclaire:
• Follow signs at airport terminal A, B or C for ground transportation and Newark Liberty Airport Express Bus. Buy ticket from agent. You can also buy tickets online before you leave home at www.coachusa.com/olympia/.
• Board next bus to New York Port Authority Bus Terminal. Ride is about 40 min.
• When you get off the bus at Port Authority, go outside to the street level and walk down 42nd Street one block to Broadway/Seventh Avenue/Times Square.
• Go down into subway and buy a MetroCard from the vending machine. Follow the signs to the uptown/Bronx-bound 1 train.
• After five stops on the 1 train, get off at 79th St. Go upstairs to street level.
• Walk down Broadway two blocks to 77th St.
• The Hotel Belleclaire is near the corner of Broadway and 77th St.

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AIRTRAIN/SUBWAY
Cost: $15 train from NJ to NY, plus $2 MetroCard for NYC subway.
Time: About one hour, 15 minutes to hotel, a little longer to church. If you are arriving during rush hour, this is probably your best option to avoid traffic.
How: Follow these directions from Newark to Manhattan Church of Christ:
• In airport terminal, follow the signs to the AirTrain. Find the NJ TRANSIT ticket machines located at the entrance to AirTrain stations in each airline terminal.
• Buy a ticket to New York Penn Station (*NOT Newark Penn Station!). You will use this ticket twice: You’ll need it to pass through the fare gate at Newark Liberty International Airport Train Station and you’ll need to show the ticket to the conductor on the NJ TRANSIT train.
• Take the AirTrain to Newark Liberty International Airport Train Station. Get off and follow signs to transfer to a NJ TRANSIT train to New York Penn Station.
• When you get on NJ TRANSIT train, sit down and conductor will come by for your ticket. Confirm if you have a direct train or have to transfer somewhere.
• Get off at NY Penn Station. Go up to the street level.
• Walk the five blocks or so east to 33rd St. and Park Ave. You are going the right direction if you cross Broadway, Sixth Ave., Fifth Ave. and Madison. You’ll also pass Macy’s flagship store and the Empire State Building.
• Enter the subway station at 33rd St. and Park Ave. on the uptown side.
• Buy a MetroCard from vending machine, swipe it and get on the uptown/Bronx-bound 6 train.
• After five stops, get off at 77th St. Go upstairs to street level.
• Walk up Lexington Ave. three blocks to 80th St. Turn left/west on 80th St.
• Walk 1-1/2 blocks to the church building (48 East 80th St.) It will be on the left after you have crossed Park Ave.
• If no one is in the lobby, press the button to the left of the front door and you will be buzzed in. Come to the offices on the second floor.

How: Follow these directions from EWR to Hotel Belleclaire:
• In airport terminal, follow the signs to the AirTrain. Find the NJ TRANSIT ticket machines located at the entrance to AirTrain stations in each airline terminal.
• Buy a ticket to New York Penn Station (*NOT Newark Penn Station!). You will use this ticket twice: You’ll need it to pass through the fare gate at Newark Liberty International Airport Train Station and you’ll need to show the ticket to the conductor on the NJ TRANSIT train.
• Take the AirTrain to Newark Liberty International Airport Train Station. Get off and follow signs to transfer to a NJ TRANSIT train to New York Penn Station.
• When you get on NJ TRANSIT train, sit down and conductor will come by for your ticket. Confirm if you have a direct train or have to transfer somewhere.
• Get off at NY Penn Station. Follow the signs in the station to the NYC subway.
• Buy a MetroCard from subway vending machine, swipe it at the turnstile, and get on the uptown/Bronx-bound 1 train.
• After six stops on the 1 train, get off at 79th St. Go upstairs to street level.
• Walk down Broadway two blocks to 77th St.
• The Hotel Belleclaire is near the corner of Broadway and 77th St.
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