Bored in the EWR Airport !
Mar 1st, 2008, 07:12 AM
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Bored in the EWR Airport !
I've had time to access a lot of information online by NYC/NJ Port Authority but still have a question or two. I am particularly interested in answers of people who frequently travel into Manhattan from EWR.(Newark Liberty Airport )
Here's some of my trip details WITH QUESTIONS TO FOLLOW:
My wife are arriving in Newark airport on a Wednesday, very early, around 7 a.m. Our departing flight doesn't depart for Europe until around 5 pm, that's a total of 10 hours, wheewww !
I now know that I can take THE "AIRTRAIN" from my Terminal A to the Newark Airport Train Station. From there, I am confused.
Bus routes are ill advised because of traffic and many stops to and from midtown Manhattan and back. So, if the train would be faster on NJ Transit, which train and platforms do I use ?
Most importantly, we are walkers, so what street intersection would we want to disembark so as to put us in the middle of the "action" to gawk and oooh-awe on foot, maybe with a city bus to get to outlying areas, as long as we can conveniently get back to the airport. Don't want to spend a lot of time in museums and galleries...we're outdoorsy people.
Now on the return leg:
We have to arrive back at Newark by around 2 pm for the departing flight.
What time would it take by train to get back from Midtown Manhattan ( at around say 12:30 or 1 pm ) ? Again, this will be a Wednesday. PLEASE give me a couple of places to catch the train, or is the only choice to get back to NY Penn Station to expedite our timely return.
Thanks for any help you gave me before and any update that you can give us.
Here's some of my trip details WITH QUESTIONS TO FOLLOW:
My wife are arriving in Newark airport on a Wednesday, very early, around 7 a.m. Our departing flight doesn't depart for Europe until around 5 pm, that's a total of 10 hours, wheewww !
I now know that I can take THE "AIRTRAIN" from my Terminal A to the Newark Airport Train Station. From there, I am confused.
Bus routes are ill advised because of traffic and many stops to and from midtown Manhattan and back. So, if the train would be faster on NJ Transit, which train and platforms do I use ?
Most importantly, we are walkers, so what street intersection would we want to disembark so as to put us in the middle of the "action" to gawk and oooh-awe on foot, maybe with a city bus to get to outlying areas, as long as we can conveniently get back to the airport. Don't want to spend a lot of time in museums and galleries...we're outdoorsy people.
Now on the return leg:
We have to arrive back at Newark by around 2 pm for the departing flight.
What time would it take by train to get back from Midtown Manhattan ( at around say 12:30 or 1 pm ) ? Again, this will be a Wednesday. PLEASE give me a couple of places to catch the train, or is the only choice to get back to NY Penn Station to expedite our timely return.
Thanks for any help you gave me before and any update that you can give us.
Mar 1st, 2008, 07:35 AM
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kamerakid: I now know that I can take THE "AIRTRAIN" from my Terminal A to the Newark Airport Train Station. From there, I am confused.
Easy: take a NJ Transit train from the Newark Airport Train Station into Manhattan, to New York Penn Station. Do whatever you wish in Manhattan, then hop back on a NJ Transit Train at Penn Station to Newark Airport Station and go back to the airport.
Just figure out the right trains and times ahead of time. Find the info on www.njtransit.com . That website gives you all the info. There are signs at the airport train station directing you to the right platform to catch the right train, and there should be overhead displays showing which trains arrive/depart on which tracks.
It's easy to walk around Manhattan to lots of places from Penn Station, but the subway is fairly easy to navigate, and lots of subway trains connect at Penn Station. Just make Penn Station your home base in New York.
Easy: take a NJ Transit train from the Newark Airport Train Station into Manhattan, to New York Penn Station. Do whatever you wish in Manhattan, then hop back on a NJ Transit Train at Penn Station to Newark Airport Station and go back to the airport.
Just figure out the right trains and times ahead of time. Find the info on www.njtransit.com . That website gives you all the info. There are signs at the airport train station directing you to the right platform to catch the right train, and there should be overhead displays showing which trains arrive/depart on which tracks.
It's easy to walk around Manhattan to lots of places from Penn Station, but the subway is fairly easy to navigate, and lots of subway trains connect at Penn Station. Just make Penn Station your home base in New York.
Mar 1st, 2008, 07:43 AM
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Also, make sure you buy NJ Transit tickets at a machine before boarding the train, otherwise you will pay a surcharge for purchase on the train. There are even ticket machines at EWR before you get on Airtrain.
(I think it's $5 per person to get into/out of the airport station by the way - may be added onto your ticket cost when you purchase; you need a ticket to get to/from the airport train station and AirTrain.)
But once you get to the airport train station, just look at the overhead monitors to find the next NJ Transit train to NY Penn Station and get on it, with your ticket. Have some idea ahead of time what time the trains going back from Penn to EWR leave, but there should be a few an hour at least.
(I think it's $5 per person to get into/out of the airport station by the way - may be added onto your ticket cost when you purchase; you need a ticket to get to/from the airport train station and AirTrain.)
But once you get to the airport train station, just look at the overhead monitors to find the next NJ Transit train to NY Penn Station and get on it, with your ticket. Have some idea ahead of time what time the trains going back from Penn to EWR leave, but there should be a few an hour at least.
Mar 1st, 2008, 09:19 AM
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Hi Andrew:
Thanks for your kindly reply. I did consult the train schedules out of NJ Airport Train Station going to NY Penn Station.
Here's what came up on their website:
2 line(s) service this schedule
Northeast Corridor Line (NEC)
North Jersey Coast Line (NJCL)
Do you happen to know which one I would use or doesn't it matter ?
Thanks again
Thanks for your kindly reply. I did consult the train schedules out of NJ Airport Train Station going to NY Penn Station.
Here's what came up on their website:
2 line(s) service this schedule
Northeast Corridor Line (NEC)
North Jersey Coast Line (NJCL)
Do you happen to know which one I would use or doesn't it matter ?
Thanks again
Mar 1st, 2008, 09:29 AM
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From NJ Penn Station to NYC Penn Station you want to take New Jersey Transit (the local commuter trains) which run every few minutes. Do NOT take Amtrak - which is a much more expensive long-distance train (Boston to DC) that runs much less frequently.
NYC Penn Station is on 7th Ave between 33rd and 31 streets. It's right near Macy's and the Empire State Building. If you walk north 10 blocks you will hit Times Square. then head east to Fifth Ave - you can see the library and many nice shops til you get to Rockefeller Center - with St Pat's Cathedral across the street. I would ascend the Top of the Rock for the views of the whole city.
If you want to walk still further you can go up to Central Park (59th St) and do some exploring there.
Then- grab a cab back to Penn Station to take NJ Transit back to Newark Penn Station and catch the Air Train.
NYC Penn Station is on 7th Ave between 33rd and 31 streets. It's right near Macy's and the Empire State Building. If you walk north 10 blocks you will hit Times Square. then head east to Fifth Ave - you can see the library and many nice shops til you get to Rockefeller Center - with St Pat's Cathedral across the street. I would ascend the Top of the Rock for the views of the whole city.
If you want to walk still further you can go up to Central Park (59th St) and do some exploring there.
Then- grab a cab back to Penn Station to take NJ Transit back to Newark Penn Station and catch the Air Train.
Mar 1st, 2008, 09:31 AM
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Sorry - one note about NYC Penn Station. It has 3 sections - each with waiting rooms and ticketing:
Long Island Railroad
Amtrak
New Jersey Transit
Be sure you head for the latter to get back to the airport.
Also - I hope that your luggage will be checked through to your final destination - so you don;t have to find a place to store it.
Long Island Railroad
Amtrak
New Jersey Transit
Be sure you head for the latter to get back to the airport.
Also - I hope that your luggage will be checked through to your final destination - so you don;t have to find a place to store it.
Mar 1st, 2008, 11:02 AM
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nytraveler: From NJ Penn Station to NYC Penn Station you want to take New Jersey Transit...
But there's no need to transfer at Newark Penn Station anymore (although the fact that there are two "Penn Stations" could be confusing to some!) - just take a NJ Transit train directly from the Newark Airport Station to New York Penn Station, no changes.
Kamerakid, I've only taken the Northeast Corridor line myself but I see on the NJ Transit website that both NEC and NJCL go from the Airport station to NY Penn Station. The ride is just under 30 minutes no matter which train you take. Just get on the first NJ Transit train leaving from the airport station for NY Penn Station.
It could be a bit more tricky coming back as not all NJ Transit trains leaving NY Penn Station stop at Newark Airport. But the NJ Transit website has a handy station-to-station interactive planner that you can print out showing the departure times from New York to Newark Airport. Just take it with you, but the TV monitors at Penn Station most likely will show you which trains stop at the airport. Glancing at the station-to-station schedule right now, there seem to be about 5 trains per hour that stop at Newark Airport on a weekday.
But there's no need to transfer at Newark Penn Station anymore (although the fact that there are two "Penn Stations" could be confusing to some!) - just take a NJ Transit train directly from the Newark Airport Station to New York Penn Station, no changes.
Kamerakid, I've only taken the Northeast Corridor line myself but I see on the NJ Transit website that both NEC and NJCL go from the Airport station to NY Penn Station. The ride is just under 30 minutes no matter which train you take. Just get on the first NJ Transit train leaving from the airport station for NY Penn Station.
It could be a bit more tricky coming back as not all NJ Transit trains leaving NY Penn Station stop at Newark Airport. But the NJ Transit website has a handy station-to-station interactive planner that you can print out showing the departure times from New York to Newark Airport. Just take it with you, but the TV monitors at Penn Station most likely will show you which trains stop at the airport. Glancing at the station-to-station schedule right now, there seem to be about 5 trains per hour that stop at Newark Airport on a weekday.
Mar 1st, 2008, 11:57 AM
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Kamrtakid:
I can understand your confusion. The "Plane to the train" system is not perfect. The Newark Airport "Monorail" train system needs to connect to the NJ Transit commuter trains. Those commuter trains are the ones that will head into NYC Penn Station.
I have never taken the Monorail to the commuter train, but I have taken the "commuter train", way too many times, into NYC.!!
Going into the city should be the easier part of the journey.
Just ASK at Newark Airport Information on where to BUY a roundtrip ticket for the trip and how to go about it! You will connect to the main train line and I believe ANY commuter train that shows up should be heading into NYC. Just check and ask as the commuter train arrives "Is this going to NYC Penn Station"?
Now comming back, here where it could get tricky!
Penn station in NYC is Very Large! Not all trains comming OUT of Penn Station will be going/stopping at the Connection station to Newark!!
Just ask at information "Which is the next train that I can take to connect to Newark Airport"? They will give you a time (the 1:35 PM to Dover could be a posible answer!!)
Now you have to watch the train monitor for the TRACK ASSIGNMENT FOR THAT TRAIN. Once it is posted you will see everyone who is waiting start to head for that gate
Make sure you know when the train stops at that station. Ask the train conductor to give you the number of stops (usually the first stop...but you never know!)
Sorry for being so anal about this, Those that have taken the "Train to Plane" seem to usually do it without incident!!
PS: Keep an eye on the clock when in NYC, it can get away from you!!
HAVE FUN!!
I can understand your confusion. The "Plane to the train" system is not perfect. The Newark Airport "Monorail" train system needs to connect to the NJ Transit commuter trains. Those commuter trains are the ones that will head into NYC Penn Station.
I have never taken the Monorail to the commuter train, but I have taken the "commuter train", way too many times, into NYC.!!
Going into the city should be the easier part of the journey.
Just ASK at Newark Airport Information on where to BUY a roundtrip ticket for the trip and how to go about it! You will connect to the main train line and I believe ANY commuter train that shows up should be heading into NYC. Just check and ask as the commuter train arrives "Is this going to NYC Penn Station"?
Now comming back, here where it could get tricky!
Penn station in NYC is Very Large! Not all trains comming OUT of Penn Station will be going/stopping at the Connection station to Newark!!
Just ask at information "Which is the next train that I can take to connect to Newark Airport"? They will give you a time (the 1:35 PM to Dover could be a posible answer!!)
Now you have to watch the train monitor for the TRACK ASSIGNMENT FOR THAT TRAIN. Once it is posted you will see everyone who is waiting start to head for that gate
Make sure you know when the train stops at that station. Ask the train conductor to give you the number of stops (usually the first stop...but you never know!)
Sorry for being so anal about this, Those that have taken the "Train to Plane" seem to usually do it without incident!!
PS: Keep an eye on the clock when in NYC, it can get away from you!!
HAVE FUN!!
Mar 1st, 2008, 12:04 PM
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bmw732002: I can understand your confusion. The "Plane to the train" system is not perfect. The Newark Airport "Monorail" train
Just to avoid further confusion, it's not called the "Monorail" (even if it is one) it's proper name is the "AirTrain" and it works fine to get from EWR to the Newark Airport Train Station - from which one can take a NJ Transit train directly to NY Penn Station in Manhattan.
Just to avoid further confusion, it's not called the "Monorail" (even if it is one) it's proper name is the "AirTrain" and it works fine to get from EWR to the Newark Airport Train Station - from which one can take a NJ Transit train directly to NY Penn Station in Manhattan.
Mar 1st, 2008, 02:06 PM
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I just want to add it's a lot less confusing once you are there. Just take AirTrain. There are signs saying when the next one arrives (every few minutes). When we were there, there was even an Agent at the waiting area to answer questions. The only "tricky" part is when you get tickets, make sure you get Penn Stn NY (not Penn Stn NJ).
At the time (T'giving 2007), I didn't see any return ticket options. When we got to Penn Stn, we bought our return tix. This way we didn't have to worry about long queues, etc. when we wanted to return to EWR - we just headed straight to the platform.
All of what I've said above just confirms PPs' details. I'm posting to just re-assure you it's pretty easy. We're country bumpkins and had no problems doing it (of course I posted here first and followed the directions given...LOL!).
Enjoy-la!
At the time (T'giving 2007), I didn't see any return ticket options. When we got to Penn Stn, we bought our return tix. This way we didn't have to worry about long queues, etc. when we wanted to return to EWR - we just headed straight to the platform.
All of what I've said above just confirms PPs' details. I'm posting to just re-assure you it's pretty easy. We're country bumpkins and had no problems doing it (of course I posted here first and followed the directions given...LOL!).
Enjoy-la!
