sclubb

Just wondering what the cost of parking is & if it is even available at the Newark Penn Station station. I'll be going into the city form there on a Thurs & returning on a Sunday - will take the NJ Transit. There are 4 of us & trying to find a less expensive option that parking in the city when we won't be needing our car. I've tried searching for other posts already but they all seem to be about EWR airport. If you have other suggestions, let me know. We'll be driving from Pittsburgh past Allentown coming in from the west on hwy 78. We'll park in the city if we have to....but trying to find other options. Thx.

Budman

There's a large parking lot in Weehawken, NJ, and you can take the ferry over to the city. They have free busses that will take you to the theater district. I think it is Exit 16E on the NJ Turnpike. Here's a link:

http://www.ny.com/nyc-cgi-bin/frame?...me/travel.html

Ryan

In theory Newark near Penn Station isn't a bad option. There are several large office buildings and parking lots.

However, the practical problem is that unless those lots have 24 hour security, you might just want to save theives the trouble by leaving your keys in the ignition. Car theft is a problem in the area and, as I said, unless you know for certain that there is security, I'd say you're risking it.

A few other suggestions, instead of Downtown Newark, think about Summit, NJ. The Summit train station has several parking lots and it is easily accessible off 78. NJ transit has two trains lines that run through Summit and mid-town direct trains. (Summit is about 14 miles from Newark but light-years away economically and crime wise.)

Alternatively, continue onto somewhere like Hoboken. Several secured lots exist and you can get into NYC via the Path, a bus, or the NY Waterway Ferry. If Hoboken seems appealing, my suggestion is to park at the Impark Lot at either 14th and Washington or 12th and Hudson. Both are about 1 block from the NY Waterway Ferry.

For the Summit option, the NJ Transit website will link to several garages near the station.

sclubb

Thanks for the suggestions. I like the sound of the Summit station. Any other details on it such as parking costs - and/or how close the lots are to the actual station? Finally, if it turns out the price difference is not much versus driving into the city (I'm estimating about $35/day for parking) - do you recommend we drive in or just get the train? I usually am coming from the Hamilton station & take the NJT in. Been to the city many times, but have never driven in on my own (always train or with someone else).

Ryan

Not sure about parking in Summit as we're purchasing a home in a neighboring town (where I can walk to our station.)

But, here's the phone number for parking info in Summit: (908-273-6400) Daily/Permit. As these are generally commuter lots, I believe most are an easy walk to the station. The benefit of Summit is that it is just off 78 and there is good train service into Penn Station.

In terms of driving into NY, really depends on your willingness and or comfort level. Certainly having your car provides greater flexibility when deciding to leave, but not everyone wants to deal with NYC traffic.

Cicerone

There are parking lots adjacent to and behind Newark Penn Station. Parking is cheap (last time I parked was probably 18 months ago, and it was about $7 for the day or overnight) and they have 24 hour security. The lots are fenced. I have left my car there overnight on many occasions, it is safe. You might call NJ Transit to see if they have phone numbers for the parking lots, call the NJ Transit Information Center between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and midnight at (800) 772-2222 within N.J. or (973) 762-5100 out of state.

The beauty of Penn Station is that there are trains running almost constantly to Penn Station NY, plus you can take the PATH instead if you want to go downtown.

Summit is an option, but I think the public lots are a few blocks from the train station and can be pricey for overnight. Only residents get to park near the station. I would call the number above and ask.

sclubb

Thanks for all the suggestions. I spoke to Summit & it is $7/day and yes, the lot for non-residents is a block or two away - but within walking distance. It doesn't turn out to be a big savings compared to the valet parking at the hotel, so I need to just decide if it is worth the chance of hitting traffic driving into the city. Will see what my friends want to do - but thanks for all the help!