Cobblehop / New York routes / JFK Airport to Met (Fifth Avenue)

JFK Airport to Met (Fifth Avenue) by AirTrain, subway and bus

Quick answer: Take the AirTrain from your terminal to Jamaica Station, then take a Manhattan-bound E train from Sutphin Blvd-Archer Av-JFK Airport to 5 Av/53 St, then take the M4 bus from Madison Av/E 51 St to Madison Av/E 79 St. The trip takes about 100 minutes door to door on a weekday (96 to 103 depending on the connection). The E train comes about every 5 minutes during the day. The M4 bus doesn't run from Madison Av/E 51 St to Madison Av/E 79 St between about 1 and 5 am; then the trip uses another line.

Ask Cobblehop

JFK Airport to Met (Fifth Avenue)

Trip timeabout1h 40min

How oftenAbout every 5 minutes (E)

AirTrain JFK
E
M4

Follow the signsto the AirTrain
AirTrain JFK AirTrainFrom your terminal3 stops, about 13 min
Change at Jamaica StationWalk about 9 min
E E trainFrom Sutphin Blvd-Archer Av-JFK Airport, Manhattan-bound8 stops, about 26 min
Change at 5 Av/53 StWalk about 6 min
M4 M4 busFrom Madison Av/E 51 St11 stops, about 18 min
Get off at Madison Av/E 79 St
Met (Fifth Avenue)Walk about 5 min

Weekdays, fall 2026 MTA schedule · First and last trips

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

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 9 minutes to Sutphin Blvd-Archer Av-JFK Airport for the E train.
Take a Manhattan-bound E train from Sutphin Blvd-Archer Av-JFK Airport to 5 Av/53 St. It's 8 stops, about 26 minutes.
At 5 Av/53 St, walk about 6 minutes to Madison Av/E 51 St for the M4 bus.
Take the M4 bus from Madison Av/E 51 St to Madison Av/E 79 St. It's 11 stops, about 18 minutes.
From Madison Av/E 79 St, walk about 5 minutes to the Met (Fifth Avenue).

Other ways to go

Take the AirTrain from your terminal to Jamaica Station, then take an LIRR train from Jamaica to Grand Central, then take the M2 bus from Madison Av/E 43 St to Madison Av/E 79 St: about 97 minutes.
Take the AirTrain from your terminal to Jamaica Station, then take a Manhattan-bound E train from Sutphin Blvd-Archer Av-JFK Airport to 5 Av/53 St, then take the M1 bus from Madison Av/E 52 St to Madison Av/E 79 St: about 101 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	Typical trip	E train in the daytime
Weekdays	Around the clock (another line late at night)	101 min	About every 5 minutes
Saturday	Around the clock (another line late at night)	96 min	About every 12 minutes
Sunday	Around the clock (another line late at night)	98 min	About every 12 minutes

Late at night

This trip works around the clock. Between about 1 and 5 am the trip takes about 115 minutes. The M4 bus doesn't run from Madison Av/E 51 St to Madison Av/E 79 St between about 1 and 5 am, so at that hour the trip uses another line.

Tips for this trip

Know your stop. Get ready after Madison Av/E 77 St. The next stop is Madison Av/E 79 St. Start a live trip in Cobblehop and it alerts you before your stop.
Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street, on the edge of Central Park. (source, checked 2026-11-04)

Step-free access

For the subway part of this trip: Sutphin Blvd-Archer Av-JFK Airport (E platform) is on the MTA's list of accessible stations; 5 Av/53 St (E 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.

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

JFK Airport to Met (Fifth Avenue): common questions

How do I get from JFK Airport to Met (Fifth Avenue) by public transit?

Take the AirTrain from your terminal to Jamaica Station, then take a Manhattan-bound E train from Sutphin Blvd-Archer Av-JFK Airport to 5 Av/53 St, then take the M4 bus from Madison Av/E 51 St to Madison Av/E 79 St.

How long does it take?

About 100 minutes door to door on a weekday, 96 to 103 depending on the connection. On weekends it's about 96 minutes.

Do I have to change along the way?

Yes, 2 times: at Jamaica Station and 5 Av/53 St.

Does it run all night?

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.

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:

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.

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