Getting from JFK to Fordham

There are many ways to do this. First I will describe one of the cheapest and easiest, using trains.

Google "JFK airtrain". From whichever terminal you arrived at, take the free loop train to Federal Circle. Take the airtrain from there to Jamaica Center, a train and subway station. (Do not go to Howard Beach.) On this image, it is on the right in yellow.

At Jamaica Center take the E subway train. (It is also possible to take an LIRR train from Jamaica Center all the way to Penn Station in Manhattan. That is comfortable and easy. However, you don't really want to be at Penn Station.) Buy a Metrocard to pay for the subway at one of the vending machines.

At Court Square, get off the E and switch to the 7. This is shown here circled in red. It is a walk of around 100 meters through a covered walkway.

Take the 7 train to Grand Central. This is shown here circled in blue.

Buy a ticket for and take the Metro North Harlem line train to Fordham. BUY THE TICKET FIRST, don't just get on the train. The Metrocard will not work.

This will cost around $15 total, per person. You will have to carry your own luggage. It will take more than one hour. You will be protected from rain until actually at the Fordham gate.

There are many ways to vary the above. For example, you could take the E train all the way to Seventh Avenue and switch to the D train. Take the D train all the way to Fordham Road. That will leave you with a walk of about 600 meters. Or you could you wait for a bus, the one labeled BX-12, which will take you east along Fordham Road.

On the subway, always try to take an express train. See Introduction to NY Subways.

Or, starting again at Federal Circle, you could take the other spur of the airtrain to Howard Beach. From there take the A-train all the way into Manhattan, where you again have a choice. You could switch at West 4th/Washington Square to the D train and continue as above. Or, you could switch earlier at Fulton Street/Cortlandt Street to the 4, 5, or 6 train and go north to Grand Central. On the A-train be sure you switch to an express train at the earliest possible station, which is Euclid Avenue; see Introduction to NY Subways.

My personal recommendation is to do whatever you can to get to Grand Central so you can take Metro North to Fordham.

Or, at JFK you could go overland with the NYC Airporter Shuttle Bus to Grand Central. From there, take Metro North as above. The disadvantage of anything going by road is the strong possibility of bad traffic jams. The advantage is relative simplicity. This bus will probably go north on the Van Wyck Parking Lot -- er, I mean the Van Wyck Expressway, to the Long Island Expressway to the Midtown Tunnel. During a weekday afternoon, you can expect very bad traffic, but you may not care.

Or, you can take a cab or car service. Proceed to the "Ground Transportation" area. Do not accept offers of transportation from anyone while getting to the ground transportation station. There, the official dispatcher will direct you to legal and safe transportation services. The dispatcher will inform you what your charge would be. Look at http://www.panynj.gov/airports/jfk-taxi-car-van-service.html