What are the ways to get to Newark Airport from midtown? (Have read some posts, but not sure-)

This would be in August, on a Friday, 5 pm flight. Two of us with carryon luggage. How much would a taxi be, and how long do you allow? How about this path train that I believe leaves from Penn Station- does it go straight there? thanks!

Taxi might be pricey. You can get a private car service from mid-town NYC to EWR for under $50 plus tolls & tip for a 4door sedan, more if you want a full size limo. Check out: www.carmellimo.com and click on the "Airport link". We've used them many times, very reliable and among the lowest priced in the area.

If you have a 5PM flight You probably want to be at the airport between 3:00PM and 3:30PM. EWR is about a 45 minute drive from mid-town (assuming no traffic) so I'd plan on leaving no latter than say 2:00PM. If you go the hired car route they will recommend the optimum pick up time for your date and time of travel.

I do not like Airtrain because it is a PIA especially with luggage.

Hire a car service.

There's a bus service that runs from a few locations in manhattan to Newark that is very reasonable. http://sales.coachusa.com/index.php?pid=2

A regular taxi can also take you there and the cost would be maybe slightly less than basic car service (like carmel).

The train option from Mid-town is the NJTransit from New York Penn station to Newark International Airport station, then switch to the AirTrain monorail to terminal.

[PATH train goes from Downtown (Financial District) to Newark Penn. From there you switch to NJTransit for one stop to Newark Airport, then Airtrain to terminal. Or you take a bus directly from Newark Penn to terminal.]

I know a lot of posters here don't like the Airtrain, but on a Friday afternoon (with carry-on luggage), I would strongly recommend the Subway to Penn Station and then NJ Transit or Amtrak to the Airtrain.

I've tried going across Midtown on a summer Friday, and it has taken (literally) 45 minutes just to reach the Lincoln Tunnel, and it's at least 30 minutes from there.

Save yourself the headache and just take public transit.

If you get stuck in traffic, you might end up paying $75 for a regular taxi, about $60 with tolls and tip for a car service.

The bus from Port Authority will be the cheapest option (I think it's still less than $15), but you still have to deal with the traffic, though at least the bus comes straight out of Port Authority and almost directly into the tunnel.

I've done it three ways - bus, train and taxi. The bus is the worst becuase, well, it's a bus, and still has to plow through traffic. The train is the fastest, but of course, it lets you out at the train station, not at your specific destination (I think the train is about $12.00). The taxi was $60.00 with tip to my hotel on 3rd Avenue at 52nd Street (last summer, on a Wednesday morning about 10:00). Taxi, of course, also has to sit in traffic.

If I were to do it again I'd vote for a car service.

A car service or taxi will be in the region of $60 - when you include tunnel toll and tip. (You are better off with a car service - since leaving the city after 1pm on Friday in the summer will get you into weekend traffic - with the meter running.)

Taking the shuttle bus will be about $35 - plus cost for you to get to the shuttle pick up point (Port Authority or Grand Central). that would be about $10 by taxi or $4 by subway - if you can do that with your luggage (it will include a couple of sets of stairs and possibly some long passageways).

To do public transit you will have to take subway to Penn Station, change to the train to New Jersey and then change there to the Air Train to the airport. This will clearly be least expensive - but involve the most trekking around with luggage.

thanks to all for the helpful information- I'll decide after checking into the possibilities!