The nearest is MacArthur Airport (ISP) in Islip, about 1/2 hour from the lab. But direct flights are limited to within the U.S.
There are two airports in New York City, Kennedy (JFK) or LaGuardia (LaG), both about 1 1/2 hours from the Lab.
By far the most modern and least crowded airport is Newark Airport (EWR) in New Jersey. However, it is about 2 1/2 hours from the Lab; directions from getting from Newark to the Lab are given below (limo services balk at picking you up from Newark).
Getting from the airport: the easy way
A taxi from Islip will cost you $25 and up; from the other airports it will be over $100. If you are arriving at any airport, we strongly suggest that you make a limo reservation in advance. Our favored limo service is Spartan Limo, phone 631-928-5454. You may also have to pay parking, about $4, and if arriving after 6 p.m, a $10 surcharge. Usually you have the limo to yourself (though not always). Also, two people can share a limo from Kennedy or LaGuardia for only $10 more.
If you want to take Spartan Limo, you MUST tell us SEVERAL days in advance. Spartan needs the following information: airline, flight number, estimated time of arrival, and number of people in the party. Spartan will be waiting for you, by baggage, with a sign with your name on it. The flight information is required so that if your flight is delayed, they will still be waiting for you.
Our secretaries, Amber Melosi for HET, melosi@bnl.gov, and Marcy Chaloupka for NT, marcy@bnl.gov, can make a limo reservation for you.
If you forget to make a reservation with Spartan, a backup is Winston Limo, phone 800-424-7767. Their rates are about $50 from Kennedy or LaGuardia, $30 from Islip. BUT: the rates from Kennedy or LaGuardia are so low because it is a shuttle service. This means not your own car, but a van, with usually five or six other people. If the other people are stopping before you, they get dropped off first. Also, the shuttle will only drop you off at the Lab gate, leaving you to walk over a mile to the housing office. NOT recommended.
Getting from the airport: the cheap way
There is a new train service from JFK to the LIRR at Jamaica or to subways to NYC. It runs frequently and excellently. Fare is $5.
From Newark Airport it takes a while (~3+ hours) to get to BNL, but works well. Frequent New Jersey Transit trains run into Manhattan and stop at Penn station (Don't use Amtrak, it is more expensive for no better service). Penn is between 32 and 33 Streets and between 7th and 8th Aves. With the Manhattan metric, this is easy to find. The LIRR part is at the east end of the station on the lower level.
Yet another cheap option from Kennedy is the Q10 bus. It circulates around the terminals; look for signs to local buses. Take it to the end of the line, which is Kew Gardens. From there take the E train subway to the Sutphin Blvd./Archer Av. stop, which is the Jamaica LIRR station. One fare covers both the bus and subway; so, this is really cheap. Allow an hour from JFK to Jamaica.
Once at the train station, i.e. Penn or Jamaica, take the Long Island Railroad. Frequent trains run to Patchogue and Ronkonkoma; both are about a $30-$50 cab ride from the lab. Less frequent but more convenient are trains to Mastic-Shirley, from which a shared cab will drop you at the lab for about $10 (caution: late at night there may be no cabs around; we have had visitors walk from there, but at about 5 miles that is really a bit too far).
Ask the guard at the gate for a map and directions to the Physics Department, or if you are heading for on-site housing, the housing office. The apartments are a fair distance from the housing office, so hold the cab until you get to your place.
Car rental, at the airports:
If you are coming from abroad, and want to rent a car for the entire time of your visit, it often pays to ask your airlines if they can get you some deal. Several people have told me that they have gotten weekly rentals for $200/week, which is the best rate which I know of. Failing that, you might try Enterprise car rental; the 800 number is 800-325-8007; at JFK, 718-659-1200, fax 718-659-8812; at LaGuardia, 718-457-2900; fax 718-457-7022. Be sure to mention Brookhaven National Lab, and ask for the corporate rate when reserving a car. I was quoted $239.99 for a compact car per week.
NOTE: normally we do not pay for car rental. If it has been agreed beforehand that we will, there is still an important qualification. DOE will ONLY pay for a rental car if is a compact or subcompact. ANYTHING larger we cannot reimburse for.
To drive from the airport, see Driving to BNL.
Upon arriving at the Lab:
There is a guard at the gate. Give him your name, and he'll direct you to the housing office, where you can pick up your key. You can arrive at any time of day or night. If you are arriving by limo, have the driver take you to the housing office, wait for you while you run in to get your key, and then take you to your dorm. This will save you quite a walk.
For those arriving late: eat before coming to the Lab. During the week (only) there is food available at the Brookhaven Center, near the dorm. The cafeteria is open during regular meal hours. For further info, see Once you're here.
To get to the Physics Building:
It is 20 Pennsylvania Avenue. The main entrance has a small driveway. Go through the main doors and up the stairs. With your back to the stairs, the office of our secretary, Amber Melosi, is down on the right, room 2-29. Dawson and Marciano are right by her, Creutz and Trueman are around the corner; going to the left from the stairs, Pisarski is down the hall, Soni and Paige around that corner.