goddesstogo

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.

txtree

Why not the AirTrain?

goddesstogo

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

doug_stallings

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.

txtree

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/

goddesstogo

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?

goddesstogo

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.

txtree

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.)

goddesstogo

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!

txtree

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!

doug_stallings

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.

goddesstogo

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

happy_train

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.

Gekko

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

www.dial7.com

goddesstogo

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?

jodeenyc

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.

nytraveler

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.

GoTravel

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.

goddesstogo

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.

Gekko

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.)