JFK Airport to Empire State Building by AirTrain and LIRR
Quick answer: Take the AirTrain from your terminal to Jamaica Station, then take an LIRR train from Jamaica to Penn Station. The trip takes about 75 minutes door to door on a weekday (72 to 76 depending on the connection). An LIRR train comes about every 6 minutes during the day.
JFK Airport to Empire State Building
- AirTrain JFK
- LIRR
- Follow the signsto the AirTrain
- AirTrain JFK AirTrainFrom your terminal3 stops, about 13 min
- Change at Jamaica StationWalk about 7 min
- LIRR LIRR trainFrom Jamaica toward Penn Station1 stop, about 20 min
- Get off at Penn Station
- Empire State BuildingWalk about 12 min
Weekdays, fall 2026 MTA schedule · First and last trips
Step by step
- At JFK, follow the signs for the AirTrain. Every terminal has an AirTrain station; take a train to Jamaica. Times on this page start from the middle of the airport, about 9 minutes on foot from the Terminal 7 AirTrain station.
- Take the AirTrain from your terminal to Jamaica Station. It's 3 stops, about 13 minutes. The AirTrain fare is paid at Jamaica or Howard Beach.
- At Jamaica Station, walk about 7 minutes to Jamaica for an LIRR train.
- Take an LIRR train from Jamaica to Penn Station. It's 1 stop, about 20 minutes.
- From Penn Station, walk about 12 minutes to Empire State Building.
Other ways to go
- Take the AirTrain from your terminal to Jamaica Station, then take a Manhattan-bound E train from Sutphin Blvd-Archer Av-JFK Airport to Forest Hills-71 Av, then take a Manhattan-bound F train from Forest Hills-71 Av to 34 St-Herald Sq: about 84 minutes.
Which one is faster depends on when you leave. Cobblehop compares them with live times.
Times and frequency
From the MTA's fall 2026 schedule. Typical trip is the door to door time in the middle of the day.
| Day | First trip | Last trip | Typical trip | LIRR train in the daytime |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weekdays | Around the clock | 75 min | About every 6 minutes | |
| Saturday | Around the clock | 75 min | About every 8 minutes | |
| Sunday | Around the clock | 75 min | About every 8 minutes | |
Late at night
This trip works around the clock. Between about 1 and 5 am the trip takes about 76 minutes.
Tips for this trip
- Check the train's destination. Not every LIRR train at Jamaica goes to Penn Station. Trains to Atlantic Terminal or Grand Central don't. On a weekday 176 trains do; look for Penn Station on the board.
- Closest subway: 34 St-Herald Square, about a five-minute walk east. (source, checked 2026-11-04)
- Entrances. Observation Deck entrance: 20 West 34th Street, between Fifth and Sixth avenues (source).
What it costs
- AirTrain JFK: $8.75, paid when you enter or leave at Jamaica or Howard Beach. It's on top of the subway or LIRR fare.
- LIRR inside New York City (CityTicket): $5.25 off-peak, $7.25 peak. Buy it in the MTA TrainTime app or at a station ticket machine before you board. It doesn't include a subway or bus transfer.
Fares as of November 2026. Check the official fares page before you ride.
JFK Airport to Empire State Building: common questions
How do I get from JFK Airport to Empire State Building by public transit?
Take the AirTrain from your terminal to Jamaica Station, then take an LIRR train from Jamaica to Penn Station.
How long does it take?
About 75 minutes door to door on a weekday, 72 to 76 depending on the connection. On weekends it's about 75 minutes.
Do I have to change along the way?
Yes, once: at Jamaica Station.
Does it run all night?
This trip works around the clock. Between about 1 and 5 am the trip takes about 76 minutes.
How much does it cost?
AirTrain JFK: $8.75, paid when you enter or leave at Jamaica or Howard Beach. It's on top of the subway or LIRR fare. LIRR inside New York City (CityTicket): $5.25 off-peak, $7.25 peak. Buy it in the MTA TrainTime app or at a station ticket machine before you board. It doesn't include a subway or bus transfer.
Related routes
- JFK Airport to Times Square
- JFK Airport to Rockefeller Center
- JFK Airport to 9/11 Memorial & Museum
- LaGuardia Airport to Empire State Building
- Port Authority Bus Terminal to Empire State Building
- Financial District to Empire State Building
- All New York routes
Sources
Cobblehop is independent. It is not affiliated with the MTA or any transit agency. Schedules on this page come from the MTA's public GTFS data; check these pages for the latest service:
- MTA: developer data (the GTFS schedules used on this page)
- JFK Airport: AirTrain
- MTA: LIRR and Metro-North fares
- Empire State Building: visitor information
Transit data: Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). Cobblehop is not affiliated with or endorsed by the MTA.
Published November 7, 2026. Times were computed from the MTA fall 2026 schedules for 2026-11-18 (weekday), 2026-11-21 and 2026-11-22. Planned work and holidays change service, so check Cobblehop for live times before you go.
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