Car Service to Yale New Haven Hospital: Drop-Off, Pickup and Rides Home After Sedation
Short answer: For a planned appointment, test, or visit at Yale New Haven Hospital, a pre-booked car service saves you the garage search and the walk from parking. Your chauffeur drops you at the right entrance for your appointment and picks you up at the most convenient spot, coordinated with you by phone or text. If you're having sedation or anesthesia, bring a responsible adult with you; the hospital requires one for the ride home. If you need a wheelchair van, stretcher transport, or medical help during the ride, book a non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) provider instead. In an emergency, call 911. To book a hospital ride from anywhere in Connecticut, call (203) 938-0000 or see our Yale and New Haven car service page.
Car service, driving yourself, or medical transport: which fits your visit?
| Your situation | Usually the best fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Routine appointment, scan, or consult, and you can walk on your own | Car service or driving yourself | You don't need medical help. The choice is about parking, stress, and the drive |
| You'd rather not drive into New Haven or deal with garages | Car service | Drop-off at the door, pickup at the most convenient spot |
| Outpatient procedure with sedation or anesthesia | Car service plus a responsible adult riding with you | The hospital won't let you leave alone after sedation |
| Family visiting a patient from out of town or flying in | Car service | One booking can cover the airport or train station, the hotel, and the hospital |
| Wheelchair-bound, stretcher, or needs hands-on medical help | NEMT provider | Needs equipment and trained medical staff that a chauffeured car doesn't carry |
| Chest pain, stroke signs, serious injury | Call 911 | An emergency calls for an ambulance, not a car service |
Absolute Transportation is a chauffeured car service, not a medical transport company. Our chauffeurs drive you door to door. They don't provide medical care. If you use a walker or a folding wheelchair, tell us when you book so we can confirm what will work.
Where does a car drop you off at Yale New Haven Hospital?
YNHH has two main New Haven campuses, and the right door depends on your appointment. Check your appointment letter or MyChart for the building, then give us that address. Here's what the hospital currently lists on its site:
York Street Campus
- Main hospital entrance: 20 York Street, New Haven.
- Smilow Cancer Hospital: 35 Park Street.
- Yale New Haven Children's Hospital (non-emergency visits): the Children's Hospital main entrance at 1 Park Street is closed for now. The hospital asks patients and visitors to use the Smilow entrance at 35 Park Street. For Children's Hospital rides, YNHH says to be dropped off at 35 Park Street and picked up at the main entrance, 20 York Street.
- Adult Emergency Department: 6 York Street. Children's Emergency: 853 Howard Avenue.
- Traffic note: YNHH says a generator installation project changes traffic patterns on Howard Avenue in front of the Children's Hospital for about two years, starting in October 2026. Leave a little extra time.
Saint Raphael Campus
- Drop-off and pickup: use the main entrance at 1450 Chapel Street. The hospital gives this as the GPS address for dropping off or picking up a patient.
- Emergency Department: 320 Orchard Street. Construction has made that stretch of Orchard Street one-way northbound, coming from George Street.
- Parking changes: YNHH says the George Street Garage is closed from August 30, 2026 through January 2027. The Orchard Street Garage stays open, with its entrance at 583 George Street.
Hospital entrances and construction detours change, so check ynhh.org the week of your visit. Your chauffeur will also confirm the drop-off with you by phone or text.
Why skip driving and parking?
Driving yourself works, and the hospital offers self-parking and valet. YNHH points patients to the Air Rights Garage at 60 York Street, which has short-term parking on floors 4, 6 and 8 and covered walkways into the hospital. Valet runs at the main entrance and at Smilow from early morning to 9 pm, and around the clock at the emergency entrances. Rates and hours are posted on the hospital's parking pages, and the hospital notes that it doesn't cover parking costs for patients or families.
Many patients and families book a car anyway because:
- No garage hunt before a stressful appointment.
- No driving after bad news, a long day, or a tiring treatment. You can rest in the back seat.
- Out-of-town family don't need to know New Haven. We pick them up at the airport or train station and track their flight.
- One car for several stops. With hourly chauffeur service, the car can wait while you're inside, then go on to the pharmacy or home. Or book a one-way ride and schedule the pickup.
Can you take a car service home after sedation or surgery?
Only with a responsible adult riding with you. Yale New Haven Hospital's instructions for outpatient surgery say you must have a responsible adult bring you home after any type of sedation or anesthesia. You may not drive yourself, and a responsible adult must go with you whether you ride in a car, a cab, or public transportation. YNHH also warns that your procedure may be cancelled if you don't have someone to bring you home, and it recommends an adult stay with you at home for the first 12 hours.
A chauffeur doesn't count as that responsible adult. Here's how it works:
- Arrange a family member or friend to come with you, or to meet you at discharge.
- Book the car for both of you, with drop-off before check-in and a return pickup.
- Discharge times shift, so tell us it's a same-day procedure. We'll coordinate the pickup by phone or text, or keep the car on an hourly booking.
- Follow your care team's discharge instructions once you're home.
Coming to a hospital appointment from farther away, or going to NYC?
We drive patients and families to Yale New Haven Hospital from across Connecticut. Some Connecticut patients also see specialists in Manhattan. We're NYC TLC licensed, and our Connecticut to Manhattan car service covers those appointments door to door, so you don't have to pay for NYC garage parking or deal with a train transfer on a treatment day. Tolls are included in your quote, and a gratuity is applied to bookings.
What to tell us when you book a hospital ride
- Exact building and entrance, such as 20 York Street, Smilow at 35 Park Street, or Saint Raphael at 1450 Chapel Street.
- Appointment time and check-in time. Many procedures ask you to arrive early.
- Who is riding, including the responsible adult if you're having sedation.
- Mobility needs: walker, folding wheelchair, cane, or help with steps.
- One-way, round trip, or hourly, plus any stops after the visit.
- Flight or train details for family coming in from out of town.
Choose your vehicle from the fleet. A sedan or crossover such as the Lincoln Aviator suits one or two riders. A Cadillac Escalade or Chevy Suburban gives families more room. Mercedes or Ford Sprinter vans work for larger groups of visiting relatives.
FAQ
Are you affiliated with Yale New Haven Hospital? No. Absolute Transportation is an independent, licensed chauffeured car service based at 341 Washington Ave, North Haven, CT (USDOT 1567094). We drive patients and visitors to the hospital. We aren't part of the hospital.
Where will my chauffeur pick me up after my appointment? At the most convenient spot, coordinated with you by phone or text. For Children's Hospital visits, YNHH asks car pickups to use the main entrance at 20 York Street.
Can the car wait during my appointment? Yes, if you book hourly service. Otherwise, book a one-way drop-off and schedule a return pickup.
Do you provide wheelchair or stretcher transport? No. We aren't a medical transport provider. For a wheelchair van, stretcher, or medical help on board, book an NEMT company.
Can you pick up family flying in to visit a patient? Yes. We track the flight and drive them from JFK, LaGuardia, Newark, Bradley, Tweed, or the train station to the hospital or their hotel.
Absolute Transportation is NYC TLC licensed (since about 2009) and runs a black fleet out of North Haven, 24/7. Call (203) 938-0000 to book your hospital ride.