Taxi Ride from Pennsylvania Station to Brooklyn

[Haze]

We are booked on the eastbound transatlantic crossing on QM2 leaving Brooklyn Tuesday July 8/08. Can anyone advise us concerning the distance to Brooklyn Red Hook cruise dock and the approximate cost of the cab fare.

This is our second time on the QM2 but the previous crossing was westbound and we came into Bayonne New Jersey. We are Canadians and have no idea of the distance or the fare involved.

Any assistance would be appreciated.

Many thanks

[smeyer418]

We are booked on the eastbound transatlantic crossing on QM2 leaving Brooklyn Tuesday July 8/08. Can anyone advise us concerning the distance to Brooklyn Red Hook cruise dock and the approximate cost of the cab fare.

This is our second time on the QM2 but the previous crossing was westbound and we came into Bayonne New Jersey. We are Canadians and have no idea of the distance or the fare involved.

Any assistance would be appreciated.

Many thanks

 

 

TAKE THE DIRECTIONS WITH YOU THE CAB DRIVER MAY NOT KNOW(or claim not to know-they don't like driving to Brooklyn)

 

Its about 6 miles. You want to have the cab driver drive west to either 11th avenue or 12th avenue and make a left to the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel

BBT Hamilton Avenue exit(its right after the tolls) make two quick left- yes you just made a U turn-careful not to get back on to the Tunnel or Highway

Follow the signs and police to the cruise terminal

 

total cost should be 25-35 including tolls and a 15-20% tip...the toll is $4.50 and you don't have to pay the toll back!

[claudiaYVR]

Hi Haze, we are also Canadians (from Vancouver) and just returned from our first QM2 cruise (Memorial Day). We were in Manhattan (a block from Penn Station) and a business associate recommended we call a Black Car which is somewhat more costly than a taxi but more reliable. The total cost was $60.00 (including tip and toll) and I actually felt bad for the driver as we had to crawl along for over 20 minutes while at the Red Hook Terminal. Not sure whether this is normal but I'm sure it would have been a lot more expensive if the meter had been running on a taxi. I would recommend the Black Car to anyone.

[smeyer418]

Hi Haze, we are also Canadians (from Vancouver) and just returned from our first QM2 cruise (Memorial Day). We were in Manhattan (a block from Penn Station) and a business associate recommended we call a Black Car which is somewhat more costly than a taxi but more reliable. The total cost was $60.00 (including tip and toll) and I actually felt bad for the driver as we had to crawl along for over 20 minutes while at the Red Hook Terminal. Not sure whether this is normal but I'm sure it would have been a lot more expensive if the meter had been running on a taxi. I would recommend the Black Car to anyone.

 

 

For a cab waiting time is charged at 40 cents per minute wait will add 8-10 dollars the problem with a black car is meeting it. Its rarely that long a wait.

 

http://www.nyc.gov/html/tlc/html/passenger/taxicab_rate.shtml

[Haze]

Many thanks for the information. How do we arrange for a Black car? this might be the way to go.

[Ginger11]

Personally, I would just grab a yellow cab--there is a stand at Penn Station and they are usually some waiting. Car service is more expensive. The advantages are the cars are nicer and you can reserve them in advance. However, as the other poster pointed out, meeting your reserved car can be a problem. That is why whenever I am coming home through either Penn Station or the airport I just grab a yellow cab.

 

By the way, I live in Brooklyn near the docks and I agree with the previous poster that you should have the directions handy, whatever you decide to do. A lot of drivers do not know Brooklyn very well. I am seeing some cars equipped with GPS now, but it is not universal.

 

Enjoy your trip!

 

Ginger

[claudiaYVR]

Many thanks for the information. How do we arrange for a Black car? this might be the way to go.

 

Haze, Black Car is 212-777-7777. Don't forget to take the directions to Red Hook from Manhattan (just tear the page from the cruise guide you receive with your pre-docs) and give it to the driver. Apparently not many drivers are familiar with Red Hook terminal. Our driver used GPS! the drive was comfortable and pleasant. Have a great trip.

[smeyer418]

while there may be a company called "Black car" in NY black car means any private limo or car service, which you plan through a pre-arrangement to meet you anywhere- they are in fact mostly black colored cars although they can be any color but yellow. Taxi in New York refers to a yellow car with a meter that is licensed by the city of New York to pick people up without a prearrangement(a street hail or from a taxi stand)- they by law must be painted yellow. The price a taxi charges is set by law. The price a limo or car service charges is not. Outside New York City the term taxi or car service is somewhat interchangeable. A Limo is a limo anywhere.

 

The only exception is that at the Red Hook cruise terminal the cruise terminal has arranged for a specific black car service to have an exclusive to pick people up without prearrangement. They charge almost exactly twice what the yellow cab will charge for the same trip(the terminal gets its cut). at most hotel the doorman will happily illegally steer you to his favorite limo driver.....which also charges more for any limo you arrange your self directly they too get their baksheesh.

[smeyer418]

Haze, Black Car is 212-777-7777. Don't forget to take the directions to Red Hook from Manhattan (just tear the page from the cruise guide you receive with your pre-docs) and give it to the driver. Apparently not many drivers are familiar with Red Hook terminal. Our driver used GPS! the drive was comfortable and pleasant. Have a great trip.

 

you know I know that number its not Black car its dial 7

 

http://www.dial7.com/index.html?link=ggl&gclid=CPvS89XJi5QCFQFIGgodm1B1Wg

[claudiaYVR]

ok, so as you can tell I'm not a New Yorker so what do I know about anything. It was a "black car" service and you are right, it's called Dial 7. I was not trying to endorse it but to help the op.

[smeyer418]

ok, so as you can tell I'm not a New Yorker so what do I know about anything. It was a "black car" service and you are right, it's called Dial 7. I was not trying to endorse it but to help the op.

 

I didn't imply that you didn't do either. I thought you post was helpful just not that informative.

[Haze]

Thank-you to all of you for the information. We will make a decision soon on which way to go. We do have the instructions to Red Hook in our pre cruise package.

[Cruller]

Carmel car service is another option. They tend to be on the cheaper side. I think they charged me about $44 plus tolls and tip to go from midtown Manhattan to a town in New Jersey right across the river (haven't used them for NY to Brooklyn travel). http://www.carmellimo.com/ (212) 666-6666. They were usually fine, but not 100% reliable.

 

My absolute favorite driver in NYC is "Mr. Cadilac." (646) 220-2020. He's a one man operation driving a Cadillac around New York. He'll charge your phone, let you use his laptop to send an e-mail or play a DVD for you. When he picked me up at 5:00 a.m. in the morning to take me from NJ to JFK, he had a cold bottle of spring water waiting for me. I plan on using him to take us from NJ to Brooklyn for our cruise. He is reliable, polite and professional. He's not the cheapest, but he's not unreasonable and he's the best. I am sure you could also use him for the day for a "private" tour of NYC. I would trust him to keep my bags and drop me off at various spots around the city.

[Haze]

We called Dial 7 this morning. We have been quoted $38.00 plus tax & tip so that seems OK.

Thank-you for all the information. It was extermely helpful.