JFK & LaGuardia are a pain to get to by car, with the way traffic is in those areas. I was there when they built that train, that was an interesting project, as well as the new Jamaica station, was working nearby on Jamaica Avenue on the Queens Family Courthouse. I forget, but did they also connect LaGuardia with that new train, it takes a turn past Jamaica Ave, and runs along the Van Wyck, never knew if both were connected or just JFK.
If you fly into Newark, (and I like that airport best due to less or flowing traffic on the NJ TPKE), you just need car service to the city, fly in off rush hour or just avoid typical rush hour or SAT/SUN, it's a real breeze, just go in the Holland or Lincoln tunnel depending on where you need to be. If you are staying in Manhattan, this is just as easy, might pay a little for car service, but what you save from flying will take care of that. Make car service arrangements ahead of time. They have a monorail train within the Newark facility, but I think you would have to connect to the PATH trains or NJ Transit trains to get in, after the WTC was destroyed, I can't remember what was back in service in lower Manahattan, crossing the hudson river, you used to take the PATH train and come out under the towers and go up the biggest darned escalator I've ever seen. You would have to look into a connector to the trains in Newark to get across, I forget where the NJ transit trains run from the south, I used to take those, should be a connector with all the traffic that airport gets, but if not you can fly to Newark and take care service as an option, just make sure your arrangements are made in advance.
The area near Jamaica Station may not be friendly after dark, late evening, early morning BE CAREFUL in that area ! I used to come in early 3-4am, to the job to secure parking for my crane or tractor trailer deliveries, the people who work at the big federal building next door come in at 5:30 am to get parking, besides that, it's dark and nothing is open, plus the neighborhood can be unfriendly at those hours.
Also consider pulling your luggage around, getting in/out of the stations in NYC, there are some long stairways with no escalators, and some of these trains are JAM packed, take a look at the times you will be getting on them and what stations you need to get off, put it this way, some of these trains when you get off and get out of the station are a major clusterf#ck, you can get on an empty train downtown, and by the time you get to Penn station in the 30's it's mobbed, then when you get off the last stop at 53rd ( I forget the line ) fooling with luggage and the stairs, not something I'd want to have to do.
Not all stations are like this, but you need to be aware of it, you can't imagine the people that use mass transit, it's amazing. I hated touching railings and things and would wear gloves and wash my hands quite a bit, not a phobic, but with that many people, it's peace of mind. I used to stay on the surface and hand in my taxi receipts. When there is gridlock up top, down below can be just as bad, say when the president is in town, that really screws up the works sometimes.
If you take a train to grand central or penn station, you'll be in midtown manhattan, the A, C, E, lines are easy in/out, it runs under 6th-8th, forget now, more on the west side though. Look up the NYC MTA subway maps, also Port Authority NY NJ, and learn them so you can orientate yourself, get a metro card too, the last thing you want is to be seen staring at the maps in confusion with luggage in tow, more so in bad neighborhoods, Manhattan is usually ok, from the 60's below central park to Battery City Park. Rule of thumb, don't look or act like a tourist if at all possible, it helps to blend right in and always be aware of your surroundings, never stand close to the edge of the subway station platform with nothing behind you. Also when on the streets, PAY CLOSE ATTENTION, it's very easy to get run over, I have had my nose shaved more than once and was walking across 9th ave once when a bus took off from it's stop and hit the guy next to me, who just got off work from my project, was a mason tender laborer, just a chipped tooth, but it happened quickly. Just some friendly advice, fun place to visit no doubt.
