Vassar College
to JFK Airport.

Poughkeepsie is the end of the Hudson Line, but the train to an airport still means a long ride into Grand Central and more changes. Vassar breaks — fall break, Thanksgiving, winter and spring — are the busiest weeks for campus pickups.

Your chauffeur starts onto the Taconic State Parkway or Route 9 south, then takes the Taconic or I-684 south through Westchester, the Hutchinson, the Whitestone Bridge and the Van Wyck. That's about 82 mi — 1 hr 33 min at the quiet hours, 1 hr 53 min when the Van Wyck Expressway is backed up.

JFK ranks 3rd closest of the six airports from Vassar College; HPN is nearest at about 58 min. Overseas flights are the usual reason to choose JFK. You get one fixed price for Vassar College to JFK before you book, tolls included.

The days the dorms close for Thanksgiving, winter and spring breaks are the busiest of the year for Vassar College pickups — every student needs a ride on the same morning. Book as soon as the flight is booked. A parent can make the booking and get the confirmation and driver details too.

Domestic flight from JFK? Get picked up at Vassar College about 4 hr before departure. Flying overseas? Make it about 5 hr.

Overseas flights from JFK close check-in about 60 minutes before departure, so don't trim the 3-hour cushion on an international trip. Holiday weekends and Friday afternoons are when we add the most cushion on the Vassar College route.

• Your flight number, so we can track it
• Whether a parent should get the driver details too
• Dorm or building name
• Any extra stop on the way
• The return flight, if you'd like the ride home booked too

Take the Hudson Line from Poughkeepsie to Grand Central, then the LIRR from Grand Central Madison to Jamaica and the AirTrain to your terminal — three legs with luggage.

The car takes 1 hr 33 min – 1 hr 53 min and starts at your front door. If you're flying overseas, the car also saves you hauling large suitcases through Grand Central and onto the AirTrain.