My flight is arriving EWR in the midnight. I need to get to Plainview, NY. What are my public transport options at that time?

Getting to New York Penn Station and then taking Long Island Railroad (it looks like Hicksville and Bethpage are closest).

If you are visting someone, perhaps they can help.

Is public transportation your only option financially?

you can take the airtran at Newark Airport to the Newark Airport NJ Transit stop. from there you take NJ Transit to NY Penn Station. then the LIRR to Hicksville. From there you can take a cab or have someone pick you up. a word of warning, the LIRR is scheduled to go on strike at midnite July 20. it will probably go down to the wire, but you need to make alternate plans just in case (if you are looking at arriving around then). DH and I have also rented a car at Newark and driven.

I just want to add a word of warning here. The town you're going to does not have an LIRR station, and most of these stations are pretty deserted late at night. I'd recommend you spend the night at a Newark Airport hotel and then leave in the morning unless you have a really seriously compelling reason to arrive at 2 or 3 am.

Once you arrive in Hicksville, you'll have to take a taxi (and you will likely have to call for one at the deserted station).

The best choice would be to take a car service, door to door, but this would cost in excess of $200.

That late at night the LIRR trains may run only once an hour or so - although Hicksville usually is a main stop. But then you will need a cab (it may take a while) or a ride to Plainview.

there is a 1:21 AM train that gets to hicksville at 2:08 or a 1:37 that gets in at 2:29. After that there are no trains until after 3 am - arriving at 4 am. If it were me I would stay at a hotel at EWR and make the trip in the AM - assuming you don;t want to spring for a car service.

Used to live in Plainview / Old Bethpage. The above is sound advice. Getting to Plainview from EWR at that hour is a royal task at best using public transit.

Can you change your flight into LGA or JFK ?? Would make the trip somewhat easier, although you still deal with late night LIRR schedules and a very deserted station at Hicksville at that hour.

Thanks to all of you. I was able to convince the airline to change the ticket to arrive earlier in the day. I am arriving @ 6 PM instead now

Can you suggest public transportation options now?

Thanks,
Sarov

The info you have been given above is the best there is.

You might check the airport to see if they have a group shuttle to LI - but not sure it would save a lot versus car service and might be very inconvenient to drop people off at hell and gone.

Go to the LIRR website to see train times from Penn Station to Hicksville. At least at that hour the station won't be deserted - and there is a possibility there might be a cab there.

Not sure why you are going to LI but you need to understand that this is all suburban - and public transit - except to and fro Manhattan is extremely limited - the only realistic method of getting around would be a rental car - unless you are staying with someone who can lend you one or drive you.

Follow the advice above, but be sure to buy all tickets before boarding the train, or you'll pay double.

You can use credit cards in the machines, and that's what I'd recommend.