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Newark airport to Manhattan: Is it nuts to take the bus?

Newark airport to Manhattan: Is it nuts to take the bus?

Old Sep 13th, 2013, 09:14 AM
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Dai
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Newark airport to Manhattan: Is it nuts to take the bus?

I have read a lot of opinions on the internet regarding transportation from EWR to Manhattan, and I am seriously considering taking the Newark Airport Express Bus. From what I have read, you just walk outside the terminal and hop on one of their buses which departs every 15 minutes, and takes about a half hour to get to Manhattan. If we disembark at the Port Authority location, we will be less than 1/2 mile from our hotel. I would walk to the hotel from there because I don't know if any cab would be pleased to drive us such a short distance.

The one thing which makes me unsure if this is the best way is the fact that we are scheduled to arrive Newark airport at 9:40 pm. It's only 16 bucks each and we wouldn't have to pay any tolls, plus it drops us off so close to our destination. We will each have carry on sized rolling luggage. I'd appreciate your opinion if you think it's a fine idea, or if we should pay closer to 70 bucks (or more) for a cab ride which would drop us off at the door of our hotel, or even a shuttle service. Thanks!
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Old Sep 13th, 2013, 09:20 AM
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Why? I would image the cab driver makes multiple trips daily "into the city." Who cares what the driver thinks anway? Don't you think they like making money?
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Old Sep 13th, 2013, 09:30 AM
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I think you need to keep your options open based on when you actually arrive at EWR. it has a dismal on time record and the later in the day the more likely a flight is to be significantly delayed.

You will be very unlikely to catch an 10 pm bus into the city. Do you know when the next bus is? And do you realize you will be walking around the city with your luggage at 11:30 at night?

I would not find this a problem - but you may not be comfortable.

Exactly where is your hotel - and is the area busy or deserted at that time?

I would take a cab - but there is no way I would ever do that trip by bus.
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Old Sep 13th, 2013, 09:41 AM
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Does the train not run at that hour? Trains aren't subject to road traffic delays.

The cabbie in NYC would be happy to take you from the Port Authority to the hotel. Short trips mean more drop charges, which mean more money on the meter.
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Old Sep 13th, 2013, 10:27 AM
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"Why? I would image the cab driver makes multiple trips daily "into the city." Who cares what the driver thinks anway? Don't you think they like making money?"

Why what? I don't understand your response. The first thing you mention sounds like you are referring to the drive from the airport into midtown. The 2nd statement seems to refer to my point being that the ride is less than 1/2 a mile from the drop off point (Port Authority) to my hotel...and to answer your last question, yes, I think pretty much everyone likes to make money.

nyt: Thank you. Yes, that is my concern, that we will not even make it into midtown before 11 pm and then have to schlep what little luggage we have to the hotel at that hour (or later). The hotel is at 132 w 45th st. That's why I asked if it was nuts-I wouldn't hesitate to do it if we arrived a few hours earlier.

BR: Thank you. What are drop charges? I also considered the trains. Taking the monorail to NJ Transit station, then take the train to Penn Station NYC, but I recall reading that you have to go up and down a bunch of stairs with the luggage at different points, which is no problem for me but I don't know if I want to put my husband through that.

I am also considering a shuttle service because at some point I need to arrange for a ride from our midtown hotel to Bethpage NY for a wedding we are attending---so maybe I can pick one shuttle service to take us from the airport to the hotel, and the same service to bring us to the wedding venue later in the week?

Any comments?
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Old Sep 13th, 2013, 01:59 PM
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Rent a car for the day of the wedding.
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Old Sep 13th, 2013, 02:27 PM
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At that late hour take a taxi or a car service such as Carmel Car.
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Old Sep 13th, 2013, 02:46 PM
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Dai - drop charge is the minimum that registers on the meter when the trip starts and the "flag is dropped." In the old days there actually was a flag on the meter that the driver would pivot to the down position when a trip began, sort of like the flag on rural mailboxes used to signal that the mail has been delivered. (Am I dating myself?)

Being a CO/UA loyalist I have lots of experience with EWR and have used both the bus and the train into Manhattan. I prefer the train as it is not subject to potential traffic delays. It is very easy to use: at the airport get on the AirTrain and take it to the Newark Liberty Airport Station stop. In the lobby area purchase your ticket from the vending machine (Adult fare from EWR to NY Penn Station is $12.50 on NJTransit), use it to get through the turnstile and take the escalator down to the train platform. Keep your ticket handy as you will need to show it to the conductor on board. Thirty minutes on the train and you are at NY Penn Station.

From NY Penn Station just grab a cab to your hotel - it will be no problem at all that you are not going a long distance. NYC cabbies are well used to trips of this length or even shorter.

As for getting to Bethpage, I'd just take the train from NY Penn. The LIRR train to Ronkonkoma will get you there in under an hour for less than $10 each. You can get schedules using http://tripplanner.mta.info/MyTrip/u...ipplanner.aspx
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Old Sep 13th, 2013, 02:52 PM
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If the bus schedule works, and assuming it goes to port authority, that's much better than the train to Penn Station, considering your hotel. It will seem a short walk in a bustling area from port authority to your hotel.
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Old Sep 13th, 2013, 03:26 PM
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To the last four contributors, thank you very much for the new input. Great idea to take a train to Bethpage. Didn't even know that option existed. I will check it out!
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Old Sep 13th, 2013, 03:39 PM
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If your hotel is closer to the Port Authority by all means take the bus. If its closer to Penn Station, take the train. But this is a pretty normal thing to do if you can't afford or don't want to ay fir a car service. It's still fairly early, and you should miss the worst of the traffic at that time. And as you walk along 8th avenue, I think you will quickly see that 11 pm is prime time in ths part of twn, not at all late. You may be cursing all the other pedestrians rather than worrying about the dark and empty streets.

I must say that now that its possible I also prefer the train to avoid traffic, but I've taken ths bus many many times. But you may have to climb some stairs ... Or not.
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Old Sep 13th, 2013, 03:46 PM
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Is the wedding the next day? If yes, why not stay at the airport and drive to the wedding?
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Old Sep 13th, 2013, 04:19 PM
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"You may be cursing all the other pedestrians rather than worrying about the dark and empty streets."

That is amazing. It's good to know though that we wouldn't be trudging along in dark, empty streets.

mclaurie: we will spend several nights in NYC for a short vacation. Then we will be spending one night (our last night) near the wedding site at a hotel someone has lined up for us, and then return to EWR the next morning to make our afternoon flight.
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Old Sep 13th, 2013, 04:37 PM
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Taking the train to BEthapge is OK - but checek the cshedule - probably one train every 30 minutes or so - and if no one can pick you up at the station be prepared to wait there for a cab.

Your issues is getting back to the city after the wedding. Assuming it is an evening reception you may want to arrange a car service to get you back to the city.

If you don;t make the 11:40 train back to Penn Station, the next one is 1:15 am and then 2:43 and then 4 something.
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Old Sep 14th, 2013, 08:07 AM
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Thank you NYT. Yes, the wedding will be an evening affair, so we will spend the night after the ceremony and reception in Bethpage then the next morning get some breakfast and head back towards Newark airport. Since the flight leaves around 1 pm, I feel good about having plenty of time to make our way back to the airport.

Seamus (or anyone else who wants to chime in) Regarding taking the LIRR from Penn Station NYC to Ronkonkoma, while looking on a map, and looking at the brochure from the link you left for me, it appears that the train has a stop in Bethpage. I find the brochure pretty confusing, so I imagine that if I go to Penn Station to an information booth that someone will help me figure out my route? We really like riding trains, so I am really looking forward to this!
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Old Sep 14th, 2013, 01:04 PM
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Taxis often don't like to take people short distances in some areas, but in the middle of Manhattan, that isn't that unusual a trip. Heck, I lived there when I was young and often took a cab back to my apt in the morning from my boyfriend's and that probably wasn't even a half mile.
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Old Sep 14th, 2013, 07:09 PM
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"Regarding taking the LIRR from Penn Station NYC to Ronkonkoma, while looking on a map, and looking at the brochure from the link you left for me, it appears that the train has a stop in Bethpage. I find the brochure pretty confusing, so I imagine that if I go to Penn Station to an information booth that someone will help me figure out my route?"

For schedule info for the trip from Penn Station to Bethpage, I would use this link instead:

http://lirr42.mta.info/

All you have to do is buy a ticket to Bethpage, from either a ticket window or ticket machine. The biggest choice will be to purchase a PEAK or OFF-PEAK ticket. PEAK tickets are on weekdays during rush hours and in the direction of the rush, so in the morning peak tickets are need for trips TO Penn Station (5-9AM) and in the afternoon for trips FROM Penn Station (4-8PM). Peak tickets cost more. Saturdays or Sundays are all OFF PEAK. There is a penalty of at least $5 per ticket for purchasing tickets on the train.

Penn Station is a confusing station with three different train railroad line and two different subway lines. Be sure to go the the Long Island Railroad level which is a level down from Amtrak and New jersey Transit. Your train will be announced by its final destination--typical of any train anywhere to name the train by its final destination. You might depart Penn Station on a train destined for Ronkonkoma or, in some cases, you may have to make a connection at Jamaica Station to the Ronkonkoma train, so you might leave Penn Station on a train destined for Babylon and change at Jamaica for Rokonkoma.

The overhead Departures boards and monitors will only show the departure time, destination station, and track number, as well as any connecting trains along the way denoted as "change at ____ for ____."

Announcements will be made for the train to Ronkonkoma followed by a listing of every stop along the way, including Bethpage. All connecting trains along the route will also be announced. All the stops and possible connections will also be listed on the signage next to the doorway to the platform.

The LIRR Information booth is at the right end of the ticket windows.
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Old Sep 14th, 2013, 08:49 PM
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Dai
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Totally awesome ellenem! Thank you for that in-depth description of how it all works. Yes, for some reason, this link you posted seems to have worked better for me as far as seeing options available. Now I am really confident that we can not only go via train, but I understand how we can return on Sunday morning to Penn NYC, then take New Jersey Transit trains to get us to EWR. OH! and it'll only cost us $15.25 to get to Penn. Such a deal!

Great thread for me. Saved us a couple hundred bucks easily with the advice offered. Thanks very much for all your contributions.
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Old Sep 15th, 2013, 05:32 AM
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When you return to Penn Station, you will perhaps have your most confusing moments. There are 21 tracks at Penn Station used for arrivals and departures and any of the tracks have stairs to both the upper level (New Jersey Transit and Amtrak) and the lower level (LIRR). Plus on each track there are a number of different staircases, so you might climb the stairs and be unsure of where you are. However, on weekends, LIRR trains generally arrive on tracks 20 and 21, which have stairs only to the LIRR level.

By the way, where exactly are you going to be staying on Long Island? I ask because you might be actually staying closer to a bigger LIRR station such as Hicksville that has more frequent service on a Sunday morning than Bethpage would. Worth checking.
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Old Sep 15th, 2013, 08:38 AM
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hi ellenem: 21 tracks and 21 stacks of stairs! Thanks for the warning. Fortunately I'm not shy when it comes to asking if I am heading in the right direction. We are also the types who prefer arriving early to airports and depots. We will give ourselves plenty of time to make the journey so that we can chill once we get to the airport.

Good question! I still don't know where we are staying on LI, so I just shot off an email to the woman who arranged for our hotel somewhere near the venue. I noticed that there are only a couple of motel/hotel places in Bethpage, so I wouldn't be surprised if the hotel is outside Bethpage and maybe a little more upscale because when they have come to our town they stay in the nicest resorts.

When she answers me, I will post where we are staying so that maybe you or another member might offer a suggestion for the station we should use. Thanks again!
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