However, for EWR always take the train, international flights included.

Don;t take cab at EWR - only car service.

The cab lines may have as many people at the airport as at Penn Station but at the airport they are pulling cars from a giant pool and I have never waited more than 6 or 7 minutes - while at Penn station I have waited up to 25 minutes -since you are waiting for cabs to come up the street - and there may be very few esp in bad weather.

For car services check out web sites of Dial 7 or Carmel - and check for coupons.

The difference between the price of two train fees and a car service or cab from Newark, is a game-changer for me, especially as the train is just as efficient, and no problems with traffic.

If you can afford $75 then take a car service. If not, go for the train (best choice even with bags) or bus (Olympia Trails). However, the airport bus does not stop at Penn Station, unlike the train. It only goes to the Port Authority on 42nd Street. From there you still have to get 19 blocks south.

Agree with Doug. If you cant manage on the train take a car service like dial7.com or allstatelimo.com. It will cost ~$75 with tolls and tip to the driver. They'll ask you to phone when you're ready to leave the airport and will tell you where to meet the driver. You can also try contacting them on arrival without a reservation, but if it's during holiday season, I wouldn't go that route.

I'd love to take the train but if there are stairs involved (either at Penn Station or the airport), I won't be able to manage. My partner has a disability and he won't be able to help me carry the suitcases up the stairs.
Can anyone share his/her experience? If there's even one short flight of stairs along the way (with no escalator or elevator), we'll have to take a car service. ($75 dollars is a lot of money! We used a car service in Rome and it only cost us $42 dollars.)

As long as you avoid the subway you should be able to use escalators - but be aware that the train platforms are long and there is only one escalator - so you may be hauling the luggage the length of 6 or 7 train cars. You can then get up to the street via a couple of other escalators - but depending on which track you come in on, again there may be some distance to haul the luggage. And will you be able to haul the luggage through crowded streets to the hotel - or need to take a cab from Penn Station. (Don't forget the sidewalks over the subways have gratings in them that can trip up the wheels on luggage.)

A large airport bus to Port Authority and cab from there might be an option - not sure how much you would save over car service.

As for comparing prices to Rome - EWR isn;t near Manhattan and you will be facing a lot of traffic. Also the $10 tunnel toll and the 20% tip.

I checked accessibility on the airport and train sites. Apparently there are many escalators and elevators available in both places (meaning the stations). Hauling the luggage doesn't bother me - we're on vacation and we're not in any rush. As far as Penn Station - we could take a cab if it's too much.
If anyone has personal experience with the escalators /elevators, I'd be glad to hear it.
Thanks to those who sent me the information about the car service. We have time (our trip is in the spring) to decide.

If you are not in a rush and the escalator is not out of service (it does happen) Penn Station should be manageable, but there is a good deal of walking involved. If you do not want to take the chance, the bus ($16 per person) from EWR to Port Authority and cab from there to hotel should still be less than car service from airport.

There are elevators and escalators at the Air Train and getting to NJ Transit. Make sure you take the train to New York Penn Station and don;t get off at Newark Penn Station, which comes first.

At Penn Station NY there is an escalator from the platform to the street - ask the conductor which direction is when you get off the train. There are other escalators up to the street. They have always been working when I was there - but don;t take the train that often and there is no guarantee.

The sidewalks in that area are narrow, crowded and have gratings that allow air to exit/enter the subway tunnels - which can catch luggage wheels. So you may want to reconsider walking to the hotel with large size luggage.

I hate to be a predictor of doom, but it is worth noting that twice in the past couple months, escalators at my Penn station arrival platform were NOT working. So it can happen. I'm unclear if there is or is not a working elevator on each platform. Perhaps someone can clarify that.

I guess we'll have to pay for a taxi or car service. I can't take a chance that I'll have to lug the suitcases up the stairs. Thanks.

This trip is months away, and the doom is already overpowering. Penn Station is fully accessible, but in order to get there with ramps, elevators, and escalators, you may have to go a round-about route.

But there's a lot of information on accessibility on the MTA web site, including status on all elevators and escalators: http://tinyurl.com/6o45v6e.

One way to avoid more problems is to simply take less stuff. Why not pack only a 22-inch roll-aboard and small carry-on each? If one of you is disabled, you'll be happier with less luggage, whether or not you take a taxi. If you need to do a quick laundry stop, we have drop-off laundry services all over Manhattan, so you don't even have to spend time in the laundromat. It's not that expensive.

Sorry, if I'm one of those "doom and gloom" providers but it just seems fair to mention that it IS possible that when you get somewhere the elevator or escalators may not be working. Not usual, but certainly not unheard of.

But I'd sure agree about packing light. And I wish other cities had so many options as those common New York "leave it and have it done" by the pound laundries rather than "pay by the piece".

I know all of the Amtrak platforms have elevators but don;t know about the platforms used by LIRR and NJ Transit.

If you look at the Penn Station or NJ Transit website it might have info. But you could also run into a non-operative elevator as well.

There are two kinds of people - those who take everything and the kitchen sink or the minimalists. After years of travelling abroad, I've accepted the fact that we are the former and have stopped fighting it(and not ashamed of taking 2 24"/26" suitcases!). Obviously we're cutting back on what we're taking but we're going to be in several different climates from deserts to mountains (hot to cold), urban to country and we're going to have to take more than just three shirts and one pair of shoes for six weeks. This is supposed to be a trip to enjoy ourselves and if in this particular situation, we need a taxi/car service - so be it. I'm just trying to plan these technical details in advance so we don't have to decide when we land after a transAtlantic flight. Whatever makes life easier, I'm for it.
Thanks for all the input.