Under $3 from LGA to Midtown in about 40 minutes
Subway 7 to 74 St–Roosevelt plus Q70 SBS is the standard cheap run from LaGuardia’s Terminals B and C to Midtown for $2.90 each way with OMNY. The Q70 Select Bus runs every 7–10 minutes from the airport to Jackson Heights–Roosevelt Avenue, where the 7 train to Manhattan shows up roughly every 3–6 minutes in the daytime.
Figure about 10–15 minutes on the Q70 and another 20–25 minutes on the 7 train to Times Square, so most people report 35–45 minutes gate to Midtown if connections line up. That beats sitting in 60+ minutes of Midtown traffic in a yellow cab during rush hour, and you aren’t meter-watching the whole way.
Step-by-step from LaGuardia to Manhattan
- 1. Follow Q70 signs landside. From Terminal B or C arrivals, follow the blue “Q70 SBS LaGuardia Link” signs outside; buses toward 74 St–Roosevelt Avenue usually leave from dedicated bays and show “Q70 SBS” on the front.
- 2. Tap OMNY on the Q70. Use a contactless card, phone, or watch on the OMNY reader by the door; the $2.90 taps here and then again in the subway count as one fare thanks to free bus–subway transfer rules.
- 3. Ride 10–15 minutes to 74 St–Roosevelt. Stay on until the last stop in Jackson Heights; regulars like the back of the bus because it lines up closer to the main station entrance and can save a couple of minutes.
- 4. Head into the station and follow signs for 7 train. 74 St–Roosevelt is multi-level with stairs and heavy foot traffic, especially at rush hours; add 5–10 minutes if you’re slow with luggage.
- 5. Take the 7 toward Manhattan. Trains toward Times Square–42 St and Hudson Yards run every 3–6 minutes most of the day; stay on about 20–25 minutes to reach Midtown stops like Grand Central–42 St or Times Square.
What regulars do and what to watch for
Regular riders swear by this route at peak times because the 7 train from Roosevelt is more predictable than Midtown traffic at 5–7 p.m., and they know the timing to the minute. They often aim for off-peak trains (before 7 a.m., midday, or after 8 p.m.) to dodge the worst crowding.
Watch out for rush-hour crush loads on the 7, especially between Queensboro Plaza and Grand Central around 8–9 a.m. and 5–7 p.m.; with luggage you might have to let one or two trains pass. One last tip: if you care more about a seat than speed, stand closer to the ends of the platform at Roosevelt and skip the first two trains that arrive.