Late arrival at EWR, hotel and transport suggestions?
 

My int'l flight will be arriving EWR after 11pm, so I suspect it will be after midnight by the time I clear immigration and customs.

Will there be safe public transportation available that late in the evening? Would it make more sense to find a hotel near the airport (or even one connected to the airport one can walk instead of waiting for the courtesey shuttle van)?

There are no hotels walkable from the airport - so taking a shuttle to one is really the only option. But if your real destination is Manhattan I wouldn't stay one night in Jersey and then move - just too much trouble.

Public transit will still be running - but requires several changes - and IMHO is a pain if you have more than a small carry-on. I would arrange a car service in advance. If you go to the Carmel or Dial 7 web site you can usually get discount coupons to reduce the price. I think the small difference is worth it not to have to trek around on trains and subways at 1 am - when they run much less often.

nytraveler is slightly mistaken. The Liberty Airport (aka Newark Airport) Marriott is on airport property and is walkable from the terminal. It's just across the main "short-term" parking lot - about a 5 minute walk at most). There is free 24 hour shuttle service, however.

I agree, though, why would you spend the night at the airport? Arrange for a car service to meet you upon arrival and take you to your NY hotel. Recognizing that people who ask about taking public transportation from EWR to NYC are often budget conscious this is one case when common sense and convenience outweighs any potential cost savings. Don't be peny wise and pound foolish - take a car service to NYC on the night of your arrival. You'll be glad you did.

Another way of looking at it is that a night at an EWR hotel (by Priceline) will be much cheaper than a night in NYC via a car service.

It might depend on your budget and how much jet lag and baggage you will have. ((*))

At that time of night, I'd certainly arrange for a car service from EWR directly to your Manhattan hotel. You'll pay about $60 to $70 with tolls and tip, but you'll have few delays on the highway and the tunnel. You will need to arrange the car service in advance, but you call once you arrive in baggage claim, so you aren't actually paying for wait time (you can do this online, but you will need to use a phone or mobile on landing). Don't take a regular taxi if you can avoid it since that will raise the cost to about $80.

I suspect that NJ Transit will still be running trains about once an hour at that time of night (you can easily check their web site), but the chance that you might have to wait for over 30 minutes isn't a very attractive one to me, though it's safe enough.

The advice from other posters not to stay at the airport is sound. Why? The expense will be practically as high as in Manhattan, and you'll have to pack up and move again in the morning (i.e., you will not avoid the cost of coming into Manhattan, just delay and inconvenience yourself).

I very much appreciate everyone's advice. Just to clarify... I'm coming in with only a carry-on so unpacking/packing is not an issue.

My itinerary is to spend the first night either in EWR/NYC, but I'll need to get to Westchester County for the subsequent nights. Would that change the arguments of staying near EWR vs NYC?

Also I got an impression that EWR hotels are cheaper than in Manhattan, both room rate-wise and if you consider misc taxes. Was I mistaken? Does it matter that I'm just looking for one night accomodation for Saturday night?

We still need a little more info.

1. Are you wanting to tour NYC at all, or are you headed directly to Westchester? If you want to tour NYC Sunday then you'll need a place to keep your stuff, even if it is just a carryon.

2. Where in Westchester are you headed? Most areas are reachable (more or less) by rail (Metro north RR which departs from Grand Central Terminal). Trains from NJ arrive at Penn Station. They aren't too far from each other - about 1mile or 15-20min walk or a quick $5 or so cab ride.

If you are just transiting through NYC then by all means save the money and stay near EWR. If you have any interest in visiting anything in NYC Sunday, then stay in NYC Sat night upon arrival - just get a place near Penn Station or better yet the Grand Central areas. You can wake up in the city, check out & store your bag at the hotel to retrieve before heading to Westchester, and enjoy your day in NYC unencumbered.

If your final destination is somewhere in Westchester, I highly recommend you rent a car and either drive directly there or stay at the airport, pick up a car in the AM then go. There's no easy way via public transportation (that I know of) between Newark and Westchester.

Yes, staying at an airport hotel is ALWAYS cheaper than staying in the middle of a major city. The pluses and minuses seem apparent. If you're planning on depending on public transportation (which could be tricky in Westchester since most everyone there owns a car), I'd recommend staying at an airport hotel for the night you arrive and continuing up to Westchester the following day whether by rental car or by train. If by train, you need to get from Newark to Grand Central terminal in Manhattan where the Metro North trains run commuter service to various towns in Westchester. Do you know what town you're going to or what train station is nearest?
http://www.mta.info/mnr/html/plannin...les/index.html

If you rent a car to get up to Westchester, you can avoid going though the heart of Manhattan. Maps.google.com is one place to get an idea of distance/directions.

mclaurie and owlwoman have a very good point. Will you be needing a car in Westchester anyway? If so, then the best option may be to go straight there from EWR upon arrival. It would only take 45min or so from the airport to your Westchester Co. destination - there are several possible routes depending on where you are going.

If you want to visit NYC on Sunday you can easily catch a train from many different towns, and there are plenty of train options even on a Sunday.

The easiest way via public transport from Newark Airport to Westchester:

Olympia Bus to Grand Central Station stop:

http://www.coachusa.com/olympia/ss.newarkairport.asp


Then Metro-North Railroad from Grand Central to your Westchester location.

http://www.mta.nyc.ny.us/mnr/index.html

By the way, the Olympia Bus doesn't run from about 11PM to 4AM.

1 - Get a hotel at EWR for the night through Priceline.

2 - Do you intend to rent a car (and drive on the <i>wrong side of the road?)?</i> ((*))

Unless you're visiting someone who will driveyou around you wil need a car in Westchester. There are lots of trains in/out of Manhattan, but other public transit is few and far between and you can't get there from here.

Landing that late I would stay at Newarka nd rent a car in the AM. If you try to head for the city right away you will have long delays between the various trains (Air Train at EWR, train to Newark, train to NYC Penn Station then 2 subways to Grand Central - where you will have to wait for a train to ? in Westchester).

Thanks for reminding me about renting a car. My final destination is White Plains, and I do know how to get there from EWR via public transportation the following day.

In the end, I booked a night at a hotel near EWR as I'm not really planning to spend Sunday in NYC.

ellenem, thanks for the info on Olympia bus. I was not aware of this--may consider using this the next time.

If you are not planning to spend any time in NYC, then take the Olympia Trails shuttle to east 41st St/Grand Central (not the Airtrain because it goes to Penn Station). Then walk 1 block south into the station and buy a ticket to White Plains. The trip takes about 40 minutes, depending on how many stops. Normally, I'd strongly prefer the train, but then you have to take a taxi or subway, and I don't think you'll save that much time unless you are planning to come in right at 8 or 9, when there will be a lot of traffic back-ups at the Lincoln Tunnel.

You will pay $15 for the Olympia Trails shuttle and about $12 for the ticket to White Plains (could be more if you travel before 10am, which is rush hour).

You will save money by buying round-trip tickets on the shuttle bus.

Duh ... one block NORTH to the train. Well, I think it will be obvious, but I don't want to confuse you.

By the way, what everyone is telling you about needing a car in Westchester is relevant, unless you have a local to drive you around. (And in that case, it's probably easier to rent the car at EWR and just drive to White Plains.)