A flat fare of $45 applies to travel by any authorised taxi from JFK to any single destination within Manhattan, so you might find it simplest just to use a normal taxi. Otherwise, any AUTHORISED transport service should be reliable. Scroll down towards the bottom of this page for a list:
http://www.panynj.gov...ervice.html#carandvan
Don`t use a taxi. They cost a fortune. There is a bus that goes around all the major tourist stops and hotels. I can`t remember the name as I haven`t used it for about 8 years but if you ask at the information desk in the airport, they will point you in the right direction.
Whether a taxi will 'cost a fortune' or not depends upon:
(a) how many people are travelling ;
(b) whether you use an authorised JFK taxi or not ; and
(c) you're definition of 'a fortune'.
I repeat that authorised JFK taxis MUST charge $45 to any destination within Manhattan.
New York taxis cost a fortune. I remembr getting one when I was too tired to walk one mile and it was about $5 dollars. They are to be avoided at all costs unless you are desperate.
$5 for a mile? That sounds pretty good to me! Here in Suffolk, the local private hire firms charge about £5 for a one mile journey. In London I've paid £18, in a black cab, for 2 miles (and that was several years ago).
London taxis are very expensive. They too, are to be avoided at all costs. I would recommend a thing called the London Underground, otherwise known as The Tube. This is very frequent and also quite cheap. The last time I went on this it cost £25.80 for a week's unlimited travel.
Is this still the same price now, or has it gone up?
You were ripped off Buenchico. The local cabs we use here in SW London charge a flat rate of £3.50 plus £1.20 per mile. You can get an illegal cab for about £5 for a three mile journey. £18 for a two mile journey? Unfortunately, they saw you coming.
JB12:
A one week Travelcard currently costs £27.60 for use in Zones 1 & 2 only. As you add more zones, the price increases, with unlimited travel across all six of the main zones costing £50.40. (The dearest ticket, covering Zones 1 to 9, costs £71.60).
Current NYC fares are less than here (Plymouth)
Fares here start off at about £2.40 for just getting in the cab-then goes up in increments of .60p. That translates as just under $4.00/$1
From the perspective of safety I would go for the AUTHORISED Cabs every time. They are worth every penny they charge. We used the yellow cabs the whole time we were in New York and didn't find them so very expensive. They were very helpful and knowlegdgeable. Also if you're in New York they are part of the experience, as a visitor to London would find the Black Cabs there. New York Taxi's are a lot less expensive than the London version. Even then I would prefer to pay a bit extra and know that they are regulated. The unauthorised ones are dangerous.
Have you ever found unauthorised taxis in NY? I haven`t. I would think you would have to really hunt around for an illegal cab in NY. I have never seen one.