New York’s LaGuardia Airport is planning an AirTrain rail connection to midtown Manhattan, and the project is moving forward with an upcoming environmental review — a pivotal step in the approval process.
The proposed route would link LaGuardia with the Willets Point station, where travelers can connect to the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) and the New York City subway system. From Willets Point, passengers could ride the LIRR to or from Penn Station or use the 7 line to access Grand Central Terminal, then transfer to the AirTrain for a one-seat ride to the airport. Planners estimate a typical one-way trip would take about 30 minutes.
Engineered as an elevated line, the track is designed to run along the Grand Central Parkway and the perimeter of Citi Field, home of the New York Mets. Routing the AirTrain this way reduces the need to acquire private property, limiting disruption to surrounding neighborhoods.
Officials say the service would reduce roadway congestion by shifting a significant number of travelers from cars and buses to rail. Early forecasts project the AirTrain could carry between 6.6 million and 10 million passengers annually in its initial years, with demand possibly rising to roughly 12 million by 2045.
LaGuardia’s plan follows models already in place at the region’s other major airports: John F. Kennedy International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport each offer rail connections to Manhattan.