NYC:rental car access
 

We are planning a trip with the 1st few days in NYC and then renting a car to drive to NJ for family visit, returning to Newark airport. I know there are several rental car pickup places in Manhattan, but was wondering if it is better to ride train out to EWR and pick up car there? Which is easier for travel purposes: driving ourselves out of town or taking mom, dad and 5 yr old plus luggage on the train? Which train?
Thanks

Where in NJ are you going? njtransit.com is the website to look up train schedules, but it would be helpful to know the town.

I think if you're asking about pricing, you'll have to do the homework comparing the 2 options. Picking up and dropping off at the same location is usually cheaper, but if that location is the airport, it may be a wash. Picking up the car in Manhattan will be easier with luggage and a child.

If you're looking for options on how to get to EWR, they're here.
http://www.panynj.gov/aviation/egtsfram.htm

Would help to know where you're staying in NYC and where in NJ you're going.

Thanks for your responses. We'll be staying upper east side - Hertz & avis pick up nearby. We have to drive to town outside Atlantic City for visit to Grandma.

It will be more convenient to just load the car in Manhattan and drive. If it's a lot cheaper to get the car at Newark, you might want to do it. Only you can decide the price/value relationship of the convenience.

If you're going to go to the airport, I'd consider a car service or taxi (which will cost about $60). Cheaper options like buses and trains will take you to the terminals, but you'll still have to get to rental car locations by Air Train. What an unnecessary hassle.

Typically the airport locations are MORE expensive, as they incur higher fees. The other side of the coin is that they tend to have more inventory available.

Goto any one of the car rental sites and you can map the location closest to where you are staying with a zip code.

Just a few blocks from Grand Central there is a Avis rental that is open 7 days a week. THat is another thing to watch for. Many of the rental locations are not open on Sundays or have limited time over the weekend in Manhatten which might interfere with your drop or pickup plans.

With luggage and a small kid I would just rent a car on the upper east side and get out to NJ the simplest way (as long as you're fairly early in the day).

Just take one of the transverses trough Central Park, get on the west side highway/henry hudson at 79th or 96th St up to the GWB and into Jersey. Much faster than dealing with midtown traffic to get to the tunnel.

Thank you all for your suggestions.