JFK Airport to The Oculus, World Trade Center Transportation Hub by AirTrain and subway

Ask Cobblehop

By Cobblehop · November 7, 2026 · Source: MTA schedules (fall 2026), checked November 7, 2026

Step by step

1. 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.
2. Take the AirTrain from your terminal to Howard Beach Station. It's 4 stops, about 9 minutes. The AirTrain fare is paid at Jamaica or Howard Beach.
3. At Howard Beach Station, walk about 6 minutes to Howard Beach-JFK Airport for the A train.
4. Take a Manhattan-bound A train from Howard Beach-JFK Airport to Fulton St. It's 14 stops, about 36 minutes.
5. From Fulton St, walk about 9 minutes to The Oculus, World Trade Center Transportation Hub.

Other ways to go

• Take the AirTrain from your terminal to Jamaica Station, then take an LIRR train from Jamaica to Penn Station, then take a downtown 1 train from 34 St-Penn Station to WTC Cortlandt: about 88 minutes.
• Take the AirTrain from your terminal to Jamaica Station, then take an LIRR train from Jamaica to Atlantic Terminal, then take a Manhattan-bound 4 or 5 train from Atlantic Av-Barclays Ctr to Fulton St: about 89 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.

Late at night

This trip works around the clock. Between about 1 and 5 am the trip takes about 93 minutes.

Tips for this trip

• Know your stop. Get ready after High St. The next stop is Fulton St. Start a live trip in Cobblehop and it alerts you before your stop.
• The World Trade Center PATH station is in the Oculus. (source, checked 2026-11-04)

Step-free access

For the subway part of this trip: Howard Beach-JFK Airport (A platform) is on the MTA's list of accessible stations; Fulton St (A platform) is 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.

Fares as of November 2026. Check the official fares page before you ride.

JFK Airport to The Oculus, World Trade Center Transportation Hub: common questions

Related routes

• JFK Airport to Times Square
• JFK Airport to Empire State Building
• JFK Airport to Rockefeller Center
• Central Park to The Oculus, World Trade Center Transportation Hub
• 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 subway stations, with accessibility (data.ny.gov)
• The Oculus, World Trade Center Transportation Hub: 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.