We are going for a week to NYC staying in Carrol Gardens in Brooklyn. The flight to Newark is about $150 bucks a person less than LGA for two of us.
Am I going to spend most of that on cab fare and tolls( don't want to haul my luggage on buses or trains)and time? How long can it take to get from Newark to CG and what should the cab fare be?

Use the cab fare checker website to get an estimate. Best guess is you'll save about $75 in cab fare if you go LGA. Without traffic, Newark, about an hour fifteen, hour and a half, LGA half an hour or less. Throw in traffic, double the time.

This is all a guess - I live in Manhattan - a Brooklyn person will have better numbers.

As I get older and travel more, I'm willing to pay more for the closer airport, but $150/person is a good chunk money you're saving.

I find the Air Train very easy to use from Newark to Penn Station even with luggage. Cost for two $30

Then you could take the subway from there, but I do not find that as user friendly with luggage as the train.

For $300 difference between EWR and LGA, it is certainly worth considering.

Hopefully someone can give you the cost from EWR to Brooklyn and also the cost from Penn Station. Then you would get a good comparison.

Good Luck.

PHONE dial7.com and ask them to quote on a trip from Newark to Carrol Gardens Brooklyn. Then you'll know. Add 15-20% for tip. I don't know what the tolls will be but at least $10 in each direction. Cab from LGA to Brooklyn will be about $30-40 depending on traffic (or get Dial 7 to quote on that too). There are no tolls from LGA.

Cabs are not a good option b/w Newark and Brooklyn. A NJ cab driver won't necessarily know his way and you don't get NYC taxis cruising for fares in Brooklyn. You'd have to order a car service anyway. If you're staying at a b & b, you can ask if they have a car service they use and get a quote from them too.

Thinking about your dilemma, it's unlikely that transportation will cost MORE than $300 so you'd still be saving something. The real issue is convenience.

"Convenience" is key. To get to Brooklyn from Newark, no matter the mode of transport, you must cross two bodies of water--therefore, by car, two bridges or tunnels with their related traffic nightmares that come into play. so the trip could be as nstevey wrote, 1 hr 15 min or double with traffic. It might be smooth sailing, might not.

Taking the Airtrain and subway from Newark might be more cumbersome, but if you pack light and are fit, the trip will take a set amount of time more or less.

Between LGA and Brooklyn, there is no body of water, just some of the most crowded roads in the area. (. . . unless you want to count the Gowanus Canal).

You'll save money with EWR, certainly.

Book a car service,

www.dial7.com

Assuming "we" is 2 people flying into EWR will save you $300 - but will probably cost you $150 or so more in car service/taxi. And will take much longer. Is the extra time/aggravation worth $150?

If there are more than 2 of you - the cost difference starts to make sense.

All good info thanks!. One more question...do you just pick up the Air Train at the Newark Airport or do you have to make reservations?

No reservations required. Just remember if you take the subway to Brooklyn, you'll have to climb stairs with luggage.

Reply to artman,
As you exit the arrival gate at Newark airport and proceed in the direction of baggage claim area until you reach the security checkpoint area, there are vending machines where you can buy a ticket to the airtrain using credit card, cash, etc. The airtrain is located up one level from the security checkpoint area which you can reach by escalator or elevator.

Artman. After you purchase your ticket, you go up to the airport monorail that will take you to the Air Train.
If I remember correctly, keep your ticket handy as once you exit the monorail, you need to have your ticket to access the area for the Air Train.
There are actually two tracks which service this terminal. Just ask the helpfull personnal which track your train leaves from.
Except for the stairs in the subway, this is fast, easy and not too expensive. You don't have to contend with traffic delays which can push up the price of a cab.

Good luck.

Newark AirTrain map and info. link:
http://www.panynj.gov/airtrainnewark/around_newark.html

On the Airtrain, there seems to be a bit of confusion. The Airtrain is the train/monorail that travels around Newark airport. What you need to do is buy an NJTransit ticket to New York-Penn Station from the machines. Then, take the Airtrain to the airport train station/transfer station. From there, you can hop any NJTransit (not to be confused with the Amtrak trains that also stop there) heading to Newark/New York. NY will the second or third (most trains stop at Seacaucus) and last stop.

Paul

artman--you've gotten great advice here...

Curious though--when does your flight arrive? And are you flying out of Newark as well?

sanschag. I guess I am confused on what to call them, but not how to do it.

I have always had the monorail referred to me as just that and the AirTrain referred to as the train that takes you from the airport.

Thanks for the clarification.

Katie..looks like we get to Newark around 5pm and leave at 10:30