JFK Airport to New York Aquarium by AirTrain, LIRR and subway
Quick answer: Take the AirTrain from your terminal to Jamaica Station, then take an LIRR train from Jamaica to Atlantic Terminal, then take a Southbound Q train from Atlantic Av-Barclays Ctr to W 8 St-NY Aquarium. The trip takes about 116 minutes door to door on a weekday (112 to 119 depending on the connection). An LIRR train comes about every 12 minutes during the day. LIRR trains from Jamaica to Atlantic Terminal run only a few times between about 1 and 5 am; then the trip uses another line.
JFK Airport to New York Aquarium
- AirTrain JFK
- LIRR
- Q
- 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 Atlantic Terminal3 stops, about 20 min
- Change at Atlantic TerminalWalk about 5 min
- Q Q trainFrom Atlantic Av-Barclays Ctr, Southbound17 stops, about 34 min
- Get off at W 8 St-NY Aquarium
- New York AquariumWalk about 9 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 Atlantic Terminal. It's 3 stops, about 20 minutes.
- At Atlantic Terminal, walk about 5 minutes to Atlantic Av-Barclays Ctr for the Q train.
- Take a Southbound Q train from Atlantic Av-Barclays Ctr to W 8 St-NY Aquarium. It's 17 stops, about 34 minutes.
- From W 8 St-NY Aquarium, walk about 9 minutes to New York Aquarium.
Other ways to go
- Take the AirTrain from your terminal to Howard Beach Station, then take a Manhattan-bound A train from Howard Beach-JFK Airport to Jay St-MetroTech, then take an Outbound F train from Jay St-MetroTech to W 8 St-NY Aquarium: about 127 minutes.
- Take the AirTrain from your terminal to Jamaica Station, then take an LIRR train from Jamaica to Atlantic Terminal, then take a Southbound B train from Atlantic Av-Barclays Ctr to Sheepshead Bay, then take a Southbound Q train from Sheepshead Bay to W 8 St-NY Aquarium: about 111 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 | Q train in the daytime |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weekdays | Around the clock (another line late at night) | 115 min | About every 8 minutes | |
| Saturday | Around the clock (another line late at night) | 118 min | About every 8 minutes | |
| Sunday | Around the clock (another line late at night) | 118 min | About every 8 minutes | |
Late at night
This trip works around the clock. Between about 1 and 5 am the trip takes about 136 minutes. LIRR trains from Jamaica to Atlantic Terminal run only a few times between about 1 and 5 am, so at that hour the trip uses another line.
Tips for this trip
- Check the train's destination. Not every LIRR train at Jamaica goes to Atlantic Terminal. Trains to Penn Station don't. On a weekday 80 trains do; look for Atlantic Terminal on the board.
- Know your stop. Get ready after Ocean Pkwy. The next stop is W 8 St-NY Aquarium. Start a live trip in Cobblehop and it alerts you before your stop.
Step-free access
For the subway part of this trip: Atlantic Av-Barclays Ctr (Q platform) is on the MTA's list of accessible stations; W 8 St-NY Aquarium (Q platform) is not on the MTA's list of accessible stations. Elevators can be out of service, so check elevator status on mta.info before you go.
What it costs
- Subway and local bus: $3 per ride with OMNY (tap a contactless card or phone) or a MetroCard. One transfer within 2 hours to the subway or a local bus is included.
- 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 New York Aquarium: common questions
How do I get from JFK Airport to New York Aquarium by public transit?
Take the AirTrain from your terminal to Jamaica Station, then take an LIRR train from Jamaica to Atlantic Terminal, then take a Southbound Q train from Atlantic Av-Barclays Ctr to W 8 St-NY Aquarium.
How long does it take?
About 116 minutes door to door on a weekday, 112 to 119 depending on the connection. On weekends it's about 118 minutes.
Do I have to change along the way?
Yes, 2 times: at Jamaica Station and Atlantic Terminal.
Does it run all night?
This trip works around the clock. Between about 1 and 5 am the trip takes about 136 minutes. LIRR trains from Jamaica to Atlantic Terminal run only a few times between about 1 and 5 am, so at that hour the trip uses another line.
How much does it cost?
Subway and local bus: $3 per ride with OMNY (tap a contactless card or phone) or a MetroCard. One transfer within 2 hours to the subway or a local bus is included. 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.
Related routes
- JFK Airport to Times Square
- JFK Airport to Empire State Building
- JFK Airport to Rockefeller Center
- LaGuardia Airport to New York Aquarium
- Penn Station to New York Aquarium
- Grand Central Terminal to New York Aquarium
- 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)
- MTA: subway and bus fares
- JFK Airport: AirTrain
- MTA: LIRR and Metro-North fares
- MTA subway stations, with accessibility (data.ny.gov)
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.
Leaving now? Cobblehop gives you one clear plan with live times and alerts you before your stop.