Traveling from Newark airport to hotel in nyc

Old Dec 10th, 2008, 12:16 PM
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Traveling from Newark airport to hotel in nyc

Alright so I'm traveling to nyc next week and staying at a hotel near times square. I had though of taking the airtrain at newark, then njtransit to penn station in new york and then a cab to the hotel. But then again that seemed like too much of a hassle. I then thought of taking a cab but since there's 4 of us and 4 huge bags then we would have to take 2 cabs and that would be too expensive. My last resort is to hire a shuttle service online. I read the bad rep that super shuttle has here so I thought of booking at airlink. What do you guys think? It's like 68 bucks... please please please advice me on this one!
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Old Dec 10th, 2008, 12:24 PM
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They might have cabs that are minivans. I think they do at the other airports. I am sure someone here will be able to tell you if they do.
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Old Dec 10th, 2008, 12:25 PM
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Can you afford a limo? Seriously, with a group of people, luggage, etc., it may be the best way.
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Old Dec 10th, 2008, 12:31 PM
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I can't afford a limo. The trip is already pretty expensive as it is... so nope (but thanks anyway)... any other alternatives?
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Old Dec 10th, 2008, 12:35 PM
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This company is often recommended at tripadvisor by the locals

http://www.dial7.com/

You can get a quote online.
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Old Dec 10th, 2008, 12:35 PM
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The bus to Port Authority is $15.00. Kids under 12 are free.

http://sales.coachusa.com/index.php
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Old Dec 10th, 2008, 12:43 PM
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Alright so this Dial 7 Car, we book this car and they come pick us up, drop us off and that's it? It's 60 bucks and I have to pay for tolls, tip and all of that? how much more can that be?
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Old Dec 10th, 2008, 12:46 PM
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My experience is the opposite. I've been using Supershuttle for years with no missed pickups and was stiffed by Airlink the few times I tried them. I think a majority of share van pickups are made, but the ones that don't get alot of eyeballs, so it seems worse than it is.

Maybe you can try and see if you can get a cheaper rate on a car rental. Probably not though since drop-off in Manhattan will spike the price and you'll need a van or suv, but worth a try on hotwire.

Or you could try the bus to Manhattan and then a cab. That's one less switch than airtran - nj transit - cab.
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Old Dec 10th, 2008, 12:47 PM
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Tolls and tip will add about $15-$20 to the cost, but are you sure they can fit four people and four huge suitcases (you may need a bigger car than is available for $60 -- just check so you aren't surprised).
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Old Dec 10th, 2008, 12:48 PM
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Or you could try the bus to Manhattan and then a cab. That's one less switch than airtran - nj transit - cab.

Since you're staying in Times Square, if you take the bus to Port Authority, you can certainly walk to your hotel, even with bags.
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Old Dec 10th, 2008, 12:49 PM
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I checked and it says that I need a minivan that can fit up to 5 passengers and five suitcases.. this is for 60 bucks... so how many tolls are there? and how much are they? should I tip 15% or more? sorry to be such a pain in the butt but I really wanna get this right.
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Old Dec 10th, 2008, 12:53 PM
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The toll is $8.00 I think, but there may be an EZ Pass discount. New Yorkers will tell you to tip at least 20% for good service (meaning you got there alive and without losing your lunch LOL!)
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Old Dec 10th, 2008, 12:55 PM
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Toll for both tunnels, Lincoln or Holland is $6. I usually tip 15%, but it all depends on the service.

This is just me as I tend to be overzealous sometimes - some SUVs might not be able to handle the luggage - you might want to check the model and make sure you can get all the bags in one. Keep in mind the fare step-up to a van is a big jump.
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Old Dec 10th, 2008, 12:57 PM
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can you pack less? are you bringing christmas presents or something?

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic..._New_York.html
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Old Dec 10th, 2008, 01:02 PM
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Whoops, forgot about the Turnpike toll. When you have an EZpass, you forget about the money. I think the turnpike is $1? $2?
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Old Dec 10th, 2008, 02:11 PM
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dang I still don't know what to do. Our bags are like medium/large gym bags. Last year a friend of mine picked us up at the airport on a toyota odyssea and we were able to fit em all in there....
So, 60 bucks, plus around 15 on tolls and 20% tip,... what do u guys think? shuttle? car? aaarrgggghhh
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Old Dec 10th, 2008, 02:35 PM
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Well, let's start by saying that "medium/large gym bags" would hardly be considered "huge bags"!

I would take the car service and be done with it. It doesn't even sound like you'll need a larger car.
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Old Dec 10th, 2008, 03:10 PM
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Alright ur right. So, here is a picture of what our 4 bags look like(sizewise).
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001D0QKKU?...0&linkCode=asn
We're four adults. We're on a budget. We don't really know our way around manhattan, let alone at night. Is the car at dial7.com the best option? 60 bucks plus 20 in tips and tolls... anyone have anything to say? lol
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Old Dec 10th, 2008, 03:33 PM
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tammybg, I think you have 4 choices:

1. Rent a car (expensive and silly, since you don't want to drive or have a car in Manhattan);

2. Take the airtrain/train/taxi combo. Cost? I don't know, but I'll guess it will add up to at least the same as the bus.

3. Take the bus - $60 for 4 adults.

4. Take a taxi or car service. About $80 all-in.

Obviously, I think it's worth the extra $20 to avoid all the various hassles of the other three modes.
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Old Dec 10th, 2008, 03:35 PM
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sf ur right... u have summed it up well.. thank u all for ur help. You've been great!!!! I will surely let u guys know which way I went!
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