Thirty-minute hops from LGA to Rego Park if traffic behaves
The MTA Q72 is the local’s bus between LaGuardia and the Queens Blvd strip around Rego Park and Elmhurst, with user-reported rides running about 30–50 minutes depending on traffic. It costs the standard $2.90 MTA fare, so it’s cheap, but it’s not the quickest option into Manhattan and isn’t aimed at visitors heading for Times Square or Midtown.
The Q72 serves Terminals B and C at LGA via marked MTA bus stops at the departures level; Terminal A passengers need the free LGA shuttle to B or C first, which can add 10–15 minutes. Buses typically show “Q72 Junction Blvd” or similar on the front sign, so check you’re boarding in the direction of Queens, not looping back within airport roads.
Daytime frequency runs about every 10–15 minutes, but Queens riders report that buses can bunch, especially near Queens Center Mall around midday and early evening. That mall segment also slows everything down, which is why locals quote such a wide 30–50 minute window from LGA to the Queens Blvd/M or R subway corridor.
The value play is for people staying along Queens Blvd or near the M/R subway at 63rd Drive–Rego Park, Woodhaven Blvd, or Grand Ave–Newtown. From those stations, adding a 25–35 minute subway ride into Midtown makes the overall airport-to-Manhattan time feel long compared with jumping on the Q70 to the 7 train instead.
Watch out for: complaints focus on delays and crowding near Queens Center Mall, especially on weekends and evening shopping peaks around 5–8 p.m. Regulars on r/nyc sum it up as “fine if you live along it, but slow,” and they warn against planning tight transfers of less than 15–20 minutes to the M or R at Queens Blvd.
Step-by-step from LGA to Queens Blvd via Q72:
- 1. From Terminal B or C, follow signs to “Public Buses” and find the marked Q72 stop on the departures level.
- 2. Tap a OMNY contactless card/phone or use a MetroCard when you board; fare is $2.90.
- 3. Ride the Q72 south along Junction Blvd until the stop closest to Queens Center Mall or your address in Elmhurst/Rego Park.
- 4. For the subway, get off near Queens Blvd and walk to the nearest M/R station (often Woodhaven Blvd or 63rd Drive).
- 5. Build a buffer: assume 50 minutes on the bus during busy hours, plus 10–15 minutes to walk and reach your train.
One practical tip: if your flight lands during peak shopping hours and you’re headed to Manhattan, take the Q70 SBS instead and save the Q72 for nights you’re actually staying near Queens Blvd.