Shuttle from Newark Airport to Manhattan?
 

Hello my sweeties,
Does anyone know if there's a shuttle of any sort from Newark Airport to Manhattan. We'll eventually need to end up at 50th and 7th. I'd love it if you could direct me to a website or something.

Ta.

Why not the AirTrain?

Because I don't know anything about it. Never heard of it. Tell me, tx!

It's called Olympia Trails. Don't know if there's a web site, but it drops you off at either Port Authority or near Grand Central. It's a little cheaper if you buy a round-trip ticket. Car services also go to Newark, and you can also take the Airtrain. Without much luggage, it's actually one of the better alternatives if you are coming into the city during the workday, when traffic at the tunnel can be a problem.

It is very easy, especially if you're not hauling lots of big fat luggage. You take the monorail from the airport terminal to the Newark Airport train station (follow all the AirTrain signs). Then catch an Amtrak or NJ Transit train to Penn Station. From there, you can catch the 1 subway up to 51st and 7th.

Here is more info:

http://www.panynj.gov/airtrainnewark/

We'll be coming in on a Sunday and only need one way since we're taking the train back to Toronto the following week (oh boy!). We'll likely have two check-in sized bags. Is Olympia Trails the same as the Skytrain? I don't quite understand.

How much would I expect to pay a car service with tip? And how much for the Skytrain/Olympia Trails thingie?

Hmm...the website makes it sound complicated, tx. Plus, we'll likely be hauling some reasonably fat luggage.

A shuttle bus might be easier. Or maybe a car service if it's not horrendously expensive.

Olympia is a bus service. Airtrain is the train. On a Sunday afternoon, traffic might not be so bad, so the bus might be good if you have luggage that you can't easiy hoist up stairs.

I'm not 100% sure about the costs, but here are rough estimates. For a taxi, you would probably pay about $70, plus tip. For airtrain, about $15 per person (plus subway $2). I think the bus (Olympia) is about $10 per person, though you'd need to get from Grand Central (42nd and Park) over to 50th and 7th. (A taxi would be your best bet for this.)

Exactly what I wanted to know. Geez, I love these boards! In 13 minutes, I know our best bet is the Olympia Trails bus then a cab from GCS.

Gosh, you're swell! ((F))

The airtrain may sound complicated, but it really isn't. There is clear signage and easy to use ticket machines. Nor is the bus difficult. That said, since you're coming on a Sunday and bringing fat luggage, I'd probaby just grab a cab!

If you're going to 50th and 7th Avenue, take Olympia Trails to the Port Authority and a cab from there. It's half the distance as the trip from Grand Central. It's also going to save you at least 15 to 20 minutes.

Thanks, Doug. I think that's exactly what we'll do. And thanks to you too, tx.

I'd like to post a little clarification here about the AirTrain. It gets you from the terminals at the airport to the NJ Transit train station. There, you'd have to wait for a NJ Transit train (NOT an Amtrak train!!) into NY Penn. There are usually about 3 per hour on Sunday evenings, but they are all bunched together within a 15 minute period, so if you miss the last one, you could wait up to 45 minutes for the next train.

It's a great system during peak hours, but on off-peak it can be awful.

If you have luggage and you're going to 7th Ave @ 50th Street, take a car service:

www.dial7.com

I'll keep that info, Gekko. If I'm reading their website correctly, it's $44 from Newark Airport to Manhattan and I assume that's for both (not each) of us. I can find that out for sure by calling.

Do you know how much tolls and tip would bring that to?

Toll into NYC is $6 via Lincoln Tunnel. Tip up to you.

$70 however is an accurate estimation if you are using the taxi stand.

As an example, our taxi stand rate from Newark to Hoboken is around $50 but if you call car service it's usually around $35 or something.

How many is we? How much luggage do you have? Are you willing/able to schlep it?

We always do car service to/fro Newark - since they will cost no more than a cab. And NYC cabs don;t like going to Jersey and coming back empty.

Air Train, NJ Transit and subway is fine if you only have a little luggage.

If you have more a shuttle bus to Port Authority then a cab or walk to hotel makes sense for 1 or 2 people. For 3 people it will cost almost as much as a cab.

I'll ditto the car service (Dial 7) from Newark to Manhattan.

The shuttle is horrible and the cast for two is almost as much as the car service.

The Air Train is a giant PIA if you have luggage. The three times I've done it have taken over an hour.

Do yourself a favor and order a car.

We are two adults and since we'll be there a week (and I'm fussy about having enough clothes), we'll each have a regular wheeled suitcase -- not carry-on. And yes, we are able and willing to schlep.

Normally, I wouldn't think twice about hiring a car but I'm trying to gear down cost-wise a bit for this trip.

I wouldn't hire a cab if either a car service or shuttle bus is available.

From what I've read here, the car service would be lovely but the shuttle/cab option would be less costly.

Who knows...maybe I'll win the lottery this month. And then it'll be a helicopter to the landing pad on the Trump Tower.

The car service price is total price, not per person.

Do NOT take a cab from EWR to Manhattan. The New Jersey cabs are not NYC cabs with medallions; they can be dirty and scary.

(I've lived in New York for a LONG time, and I've only been in one taxi accident -- in a cruddy NJ cab coming home from EWR.)

For two people, the shuttle etc. won't save you much money, but it will be a hassle and cost much time.

After a day of traveling and dealing with airport hassles, you should take a car service.

Again I'll ditto Gekko and urge you to use Dial 7.

Big suitcases are a huge hassle on the Airtrain.

The airtrain's out of the picture -- too much changing.

It'll be the shuttle or the car service, depending on how flush with bucks I feel nearing the trip.

goddess, the shuttle for Manhattan is a nightmare. Please don't do it.

Really? Why? What's wrong with it?

We've 'shuttled' so many places so easily, including Narita Airport to Tokyo -- a two-hour drive!

For some reason the NYC airport shuttles defy logic. It will take around 90 minutes to get to your stop because you will get on an empty shuttle and have to wait for it to fill up.

If you take one to your hotel directly, your hotel will be the last hotel on the stop.

Car service is just so much easier.

I've done it all, subway, bus, cab, airtrain, shuttle, you name it. You would have to hold me to gunpoint to get me to travel any other way than car service from Newark.

goddesstogo

GoTravel is referring to the SuperShuttle van, not the Olympia Trails bus.

The SuperShuttle waits to fill up before leaving the airport, which could take an hour as it did for me the one time I took it. Then you drive around forever dropping people at various locations . . .

The Olympia Trails bus runs on a schedule no matter how many seats are filled. It makes two or three set stops in Manhattan--a dream by comparison.

goddesstogo and others,
There's some confusion here and in other postings regarding "names" of some of the airport to Manhattan transportation options. I hope this clarifies things a little!

TAXI or CAB--understood, right? ;)

CAR SERVICE: Like a taxi in that it is the more expensive door to door option, but they are private companies that you call.
Some examples are Carmel and Dial7, but there are many others.
Prices are about what taxi fares are, but there are set rates so no worry about the fare going up if you get stuck in traffic.

"AIRTRAIN" (from JFK or Newark) is a name for what is actually a couple of connecting services.
Airtrain refers to both the monorail train directly from the terminal to the public train station AND it also refers to the whole connecting process.
From Newark, once you take the "Airtrain" from the terminal, you then have to take New Jersey Transit or Amtrak (more expensive) to get to NYC.
There is no actual "Airtrain" that goes into NYC!
From JFK, you also take the "Airtrain" to one of 2(?) stations, to connect to either a NYC subway, or to the Long Island Railroad.
Again, the whole process is called "Airtrain" , but no train that actually takes you into Manhattan will be called the "Airtrain"

SHUTTLE: Most people here use it to refer to a service like Supershuttle or Airlink.
They are shared rides, cheaper than taxis, more expensive than buses. They pick you up at specific spots at the airport, BUT they take you to your door (home, hotel, whatever) in NYC
You would think that this is actually the best option, especially for one person.
BUT these SHUTTLES are what people here tell you to avoid.
I happen to agree. They seem to take the worst, illogical routes possible, so that a 45 minute trip becomes 2 hours--even without traffic!

BUSES:Olympia Trails and other companies run buses, not "shuttles"
Buses take you from a set pick up point to a set drop off point or points. If you happen to be staying near a drop off point, great.
If not,you then have to factor in the time, expense, and inconvenience of getting yourself and your luggage to your ultimate destination