mldsc

Thanks to those of you who have responded to my previous posts. My mother and I are going to fly in to LGA and spend a few days in NYC. When we leave Manhattan, we will be going to attend a wedding in Pennsylvania. We are flying back out of Newark. We will need to rent a car to get to the wedding. I have looked into this and we can pick up a car at LGA or EWR and then drop it off at EWR when we depart. The rental is cheaper if we pick up at LGA, and it seems like it might be easier and save time to go from Manhattan back to LGA rather than out to EWR. But any savings of time or money might not be worth the extra hassle of having to drive back through NYC to get to PA (near Allentown). I have been to NY, but never driven there.

My question is, does it make more sense to pick up the car at LGA or EWR? Would it be better to get the car in EWR and avoid having to drive out of LGA through NYC? I am trying to weight the trade-offs of time, money and aggravation. Any advice would be appreciated.

sf7307

Can't you get a car in Manhattan (we've done it - Hertz and others)? It seems like a waste of money to go back to LGA or Newark to get the car. On the other hand, if you'll have to pay a premium to pick it up in Manhattan, or a drop-off charge, then it makes sense to take the train to Newark, get the car there and return it there.

mclaurie

I agree. The other idea is picking it up in Jersey City which is closer than Newark airport, might be cheaper and is at least in the correct direction for PA. How much of a saving is there b/w LGA and EWR, btw? There once was a time when you could only rent at LGA if you were flying in there. Not sure if that's still the case.

mldsc

I can look into a Manhattan rental. My concern with picking it up in Manhattan is that I am not sure I want to drive downtown. I have never driven in NYC and would be concerned about whether I could navigate my way out of the city quickly and safely.

Jersey City is another good idea as the rates are a little cheaper and it is closer to the direction we will be headed. Is there a reasonably easy way to get there from Manhattan? My logic for going back to one of the airports was just that it seemed to me that the transportation back there would be easier.

doug_stallings

Cars are much much more expensive in Manhattan than at any of the airports. My though it this. Given the number of tolls and hassles of driving, it would not be worth it to pick up the car at LGA particularly for Pennsylvania unless you could get it much much cheaper.

It's JFK that has (or had) the fly-in requirement. I've rented cars at LGA and I know others who have. But even the JFK car-rental companies have been loosening up their restrictions, I hear. But I don't have any personal experience.

ellenem

If you pick up at LGA, you will have to deal with two bridge or tunnel crossings and pay the associated tolls just to get to New Jersey and then continue on to Pennsylvania. Picking up the car at Newark is the better option to me.

mclaurie

There's a PATH train system (like a subway) between NYC and Jersey City. Depends on where the car rental place is.
http://www.panynj.gov/path/schedule.html

nytraveler

Do not get a car at LGA - it will mean you have to first get there and second drive back through to get to EWR. If the car is much cheaper get it at EWR. You can get there via public transit - or via car service (about $70) - if you don't want to schlep your luggage via multiple types of transit.

But do compare rates at EWR and figure the best way to get from there to car rental and car rental back to EWR with your luggage.

Ryan

It has been awhile since I rented cars when living in NJ. But, when you go is going to make a big difference in cost.

Car rentals on the weekend in the summer will be more plentiful and cheaper at Newark Airport. The rental car locations in Jersey City, Hoboken, etc. are usually more expensive or less accessible.

You also really don't want to have to backtrack.

If you take a NJ transit train to the Newark airport train station, the monorail will drop you right in the rental center.

When coming from PA, it is FAR BETTER to avoid heading into Jersey City, etc to return the car. Consider the cost of getting back to the airport.

In addition, you have a major construction project on part of where 78 and the NJ turnpike/Pulakski Skyway connect. Getting stuck in the if you don't know what you're doing will not be fun.

J62

Renting in Manhattan will definitely be the most convenient. Driving out of Manhattan will be far easier than driving out of LGA (which is also in NYC). If you choose to rent in Manhattan pick a place towards the west side - 6th ave or higher, at a cross street close to where you're staying. For the most part Manhattan is one big grid - avenues run N/S and streets E/W.

From the rental car pickup you'll just head west a few blocks (if you get wet you've gone too far), then turn right/head north to the George Washington Bridge - road signs for the bridge are well marked. Any time before about 3pm this is a breeze. After that you'll get stuck in rush hour traffic.

panecott

There is a Hertz Car Rental on E. 63rd St, just a few blocks from the FDR Drive, so you won't have to do much driving at all through the streets. You can access the GW Bridge easily from the FDR. Follow the signs to FDR North.

panecott

Oops, posted too soon.

Take the FDR north, then just follow the signs to the GW Bridge.