LaGuardia to Brooklyn: Uber, Taxi and Transfer Costs
Airport arrivals, rush hour, bad weather, and events regularly trigger 2–3x surge pricing on this route.
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About This Route
The LGA-to-Brooklyn ride covers 12–17 miles depending on your neighborhood, passing through Queens before crossing into Brooklyn via the BQE or crossing Manhattan on the way. Popular Brooklyn destinations like DUMBO, Brooklyn Heights, Williamsburg, and Park Slope each require slightly different highway exits. The route offers fleeting skyline views as you cross the Kosciuszko Bridge or descend from the BQE into the borough's brownstone-lined streets.
Surge Pricing Alert
Expect surge on weekday evenings between 4 and 7 PM, when the BQE and the Manhattan bridge crossings jam at the same time and an UberX can reach $111. Barclays Center events and Nets home games create localized spikes in Downtown Brooklyn. Summer weekends run pricier too, as crowds head for Prospect Park and the waterfront.
Travel Tips
- 1For Downtown Brooklyn and Brooklyn Heights, the most direct route crosses the RFK Bridge into Manhattan and then uses the Brooklyn Bridge or Manhattan Bridge — counterintuitive but often faster than the BQE through Queens.
- 2The BQE (I-278) through Queens is the direct route to Williamsburg and North Brooklyn but has a notorious bottleneck near the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway interchange — check traffic before committing.
- 3If heading to Park Slope, ask the driver to exit the Prospect Expressway at the Fort Hamilton Parkway ramp to avoid the tight BQE-to-Gowanus merge.
- 4LGA to Brooklyn rides aren't eligible for any flat-rate taxi fare — it's metered all the way, so traffic directly impacts your cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is an Uber from LGA to Brooklyn?
UberX from LGA to central Brooklyn runs $41–$56 depending on time of day. North Brooklyn (Williamsburg, Greenpoint) often comes in a bit under that; south Brooklyn (Bay Ridge, Coney Island) can reach $60–$70.
Should I go through Manhattan to get from LGA to Brooklyn?
Surprisingly, yes — for Downtown Brooklyn and Brooklyn Heights, crossing the RFK Bridge into Manhattan and then the Brooklyn Bridge is often faster than the BQE through Queens, especially during rush hour when the BQE interchange is gridlocked.
Is there public transit from LaGuardia to Brooklyn?
Yes, but it requires a transfer. Take the Q70 SBS bus to the 7 train at Woodside, then transfer to Manhattan-bound service and cross to Brooklyn. Total time is 75–90 minutes and costs $3.00 with a free transfer. It's slow but very cheap compared to a $41–$56 ride.