Long Island City to Manhattan Pier

[Gsel]

Can someone give me info on timing from Long Island City to Manhattan Pier on Wednesday Morning? Would like to arrive at Pier around 11am.

Thanks

[Noxequifans]

The Queensboro bridge (now named after a former mayor) can have backups and the morning of your drive the Midtown tunnel might be a better bet. Check just before you leave. Also the traffic on the westside in the vicinity of the cruise terminal can be a problem. I would leave one hour ahead and not worry beforehand. The worst is that you will get there a little early.

[Gsel]

Better early! Thanks so much for your reply.

[mking8288]

Without a specific date/month, I can only offer some general tips from LIC to M.C.T. on a weekday, as you would be in the company of plenty of commuters.

 

Before 10 AM, the upper level of the Ed Koch Bridge (a/k/a 59th Street Br.) is HOV-3 inbound only; with a driver + 2 pax, you are good for a relatively fast trip into Midtown East ... traffic agents will be out at key intersections and some stop-n-go traffic, weather permitting. It's not a bad ride, unlike going across town, East Side to West Side pier ... let the car service/driver deal with the best/faster route and sit back, enjoy the ride.

 

Both the Queens Midtown Tunnel & RFK Bridge are now cash-less EZ-Pass toll crossing only ($8.50 each-way) - Waze now has integrated NYC D.O.T. traffic info feeds being shared so it is very reliable to plotting the optimal route, if EKB being the nearest at LIC is a no "go" as most hotels are within a 5 blocks radius of the bridge ... and more being built.

 

Going across-town is your own challenge on a weekday, competing with buses, commercial traffic & delivery vehicles in addition to private vehicles being driven, could take easily 30 minutes to go from river to river, depending on the cross streets used.

 

Having sailed out of MCT for about 20 years & doing weekday commute over decades with all these river crossings, I would recommend leaving the hotel by 9:30 to 9:45 AM to take advantage of the HOV lanes - EKB traffic is nonstop all day as it's toll-free & packed with traffic at all hours. If traffic is smoothly flowing, you will be dropped off at/before 10:30 AM and just do your things. If things are bad, you will at least get onto the bridge or the QMT with the HOV advantage - and should still get there around 11 AM, maybe sooner.

 

RFK Bridge using I-278 is a longer route. LIC to Astoria, via 126th Street @ 2nd. Avenue, going across town & south on West Side Hwy direct to the pier - a reliable bypass only if midtown crossing is a mess, weekday or weekend for variety of reasons.

[Gsel]

Thanks for your reply. We have scheduled Carmel for the trip into the City but need to call them with a change of our plans and wanted to check on the time we scheduled the pick-up. The route into the City is up to them! As a former resident of New York (many years ago) I know the traffic can be bad and will leave the driving to Carmel and relax in the back of the car. I will be on vacation the minute I leave my home in the country!!

[mking8288]

Corrections on upper level EKB's HOV restrictions - it's HOV-2 (not 3) until 10 AM on weekdays. Today being a holiday, Waze showing the trip to be about 25 minutes, otherwise - anywhere from 30 to 90+ minutes on typical weekday leaving @ 9:45 AM.

 

We use Carmel to shuttle us when not driving - typically early by 5 minutes on a scheduled pickup and driver will call just prior to.

 

They have a free mobile booking/tracking app, download & install it ahead to use - iOS and Android, register with your contact info & you get real time GPS tracking updates once the driver/vehicle is assigned and en route. Current online/digital discount code will get you $3 off the trip (up to $5 for longer trip/fare) - Code is "IND2017" - if you booked by online or via App or give that to the driver (phone booking) but print out a blank coupon & write the code.

[Gsel]

Thanks, App is downloaded and discount is noted! Love New York and the people there, can't wait to get back!