Public Transportatin from EWR

[138east]

Exchange Place is in Jersey City and is not closer to your hotel than Newark Penn Station. This station is directly accessible from NY only via Path from the World Trade Center.

 

There are so many timing variables with what you want to do - it's hard to give you the perfect advice. I've looked more closely at the map for Elizabeth - Elizabeth Penn Station is closer to your hotel than Newark Penn Station. A cab within Elizabeth should be cheaper than a cab between Newark and Elizabeth, so coming it might be better coming back at night if you could be sure of getting a cab. However, Path is available at Newark Station in case your timing is not good for the train.

 

Are you flying in on the 29th and staying only one night before your cruise? If so, you might want to have a Plan B - watch Hotwire over the next few months for a good deal on one of the 4* hotels in Jersey City.

[gracee]

oooo! I ddn't know there was a Penn Station in Elizabeth--this is fun! Wish we had more than a day I could enjoy all this transportation. I will keep my eye on the 4*'s in Jersey City. That was my first hope, but then after I figured taxi's to hotel and pier we would have to get it at $100 or less. Do you think that is doable? I would love to do that!

[njhorseman]

oooo! I ddn't know there was a Penn Station in Elizabeth--this is fun! Wish we had more than a day I could enjoy all this transportation. I will keep my eye on the 4*'s in Jersey City. That was my first hope, but then after I figured taxi's to hotel and pier we would have to get it at $100 or less. Do you think that is doable? I would love to do that!

 

 

The station in Elizabeth isn't known as Penn Station, and if you were to ask about it using that name it's likely no one would know what you're talking about. It is NJ Transit's Elizabeth station, and is a stop only on their trains, not on Amtrak's. Although it may be a bit closer to your hotel than Newark Penn Station, I'm not sure the availability of taxis is as good as it is at Newark, which is a much busier station as both Amtrak and the NJ Transit lines stop there. If I were doing this late at night, I would get off at Newark Penn Station and take a taxi from there to your hotel, even if cost $5 or $10 more.

[138east]

The problem with the NY metro area is that you have to decide between time, money, and stress. You don't have much time. You're not used to public transportation or urban areas, so that is stressful. You have a reasonable plan in place, but spending a bit more money to be closer to NYC might be worth it.

 

I would sign up on Hotwire to be notified about hotels in Jersey City for your date. If a 4* hotel shows up for $150 or less, grab it. You will pay about $55 for a cab/car service from the airport to Jersey City and another $55 from Jersey City to Bayonne. A shuttle from Bayonne back to the airport should be about $30. Path rt to NY is $7. Figure $300. With your current plan you are spending $203 for the hotel and up to another $60 to get in and out of NY. You're going to waste a lot of time getting on a free shuttle to your hotel and then either finding the bus to NY or getting back to the train to NY. Coming back at night you get to do the reverse. If you can find a hotel in Jersey City, you can be in NY in less than 1/2 hour after you drop off your bags and leave your hotel. The view at night is spectacular. And you have the option of running into the city the next morning should you like.

[gracee]

I have signed up on Hotwire and am watching the hotels. Even tho it might cost a bit more, as you say, the time and stress, it would be worth it to save both! AND we could run into the city for breakfast before we head to the ship--we love breakfast!

[Post Captain]

I have signed up on Hotwire and am watching the hotels. Even tho it might cost a bit more, as you say, the time and stress, it would be worth it to save both! AND we could run into the city for breakfast before we head to the ship--we love breakfast!

 

Hmmm... Are you getting the impression that you ought to have a Plan C, D, E, & F as well as Plans A & B? :D The bottom line is, don't fret too much--traveling between New York & Newark/Elizabeth isn't as difficult as it might sound, whether by train or bus (with the odd taxi thrown in). Thousands of people do it every day. You'll have plenty of options, and somebody at whatever hotel you choose should be able to tell you the best/easiest/cheapest way to travel between the hotel & NYC. Plus, there are plenty of us here ready to give advice.;)

 

So, enjoy planning your trip... and look forward to your visit with excitement, not anxiety!

[GTJ]

Thanks for the tip on bus 24--we probably will be sleeping before that last bus departs! We are thinking more like 9 or 10 pm to head back to the hotel. I guess that's pretty early for NYC but I am a whimp and I need my rest:o

 

If that's the case then the easiest, quickest, and most economical choice is the 111 and 115 buses from New York City Port Authority Bus Terminal, as mentioned in a prior post. Only on Sunday is a Plan B required since the last bus back from New York on Sunday is 3:15 p.m.

 

(If I were traveling on Sunday my Plan B would likely be either (1) PATH train to Newark then NJT bus no. 40 to Jersey Gardens, (2) NJT commuter train to Elizabeth then Coach USA bus no. 24 to Jersey Gardens, or (3) free Academy Lines bus to IKEA Elizabeth then walk to Jersey Gardens.)

 

Would a taxi from Exchange Place be closer than going all the way to Penn Station?

 

No.

[travelite]

We are planning to stay at the Country Inn and Suites w/ the stay and cruise pkg. We are on the Explorer Sept 30th. Upon arrival in Newark we plan to take the shuttle to the hotel, drop our luggage, and take the shuttle back to the airport to make our way into Manhattan. Is it easier for us to leave from somewhere near the hotel? I've tried the NJ transit to plan that trip, but having some difficulties. First there are sooo many different terminals in the airport that I don't know where to start. We'd like to make the quickest time possible into Manhattan and back. Public transportation to us is more than 3 people in our automobile--so we are novices at this! Can someone shed some light on this for us. Thanks!

 

Before you make a final decision, consider "final total cost" for your party and the time factor.

The nonorail from the terminal to the Newark Liberty railroad station is $5 per person each way. The train fare from this station is more expensive than from Newark Penn station. From Newark Penn station you also have the option of using the PATH trains....compare PATH fares with those of NJ Transit. Usually PATH fares are less and trains more frequent.

If you are trying to use time wisely, I'd consider taking a taxi or car service from the hotel to Newark Penn station. It will save time and perhaps money considering the cost of total monorail fares and the lower train fares from Newark Penn station. Also, there are more trains, more frequent, from Newark Penn station to NYC than from Liberty Station.

Ask the hotel if they offer shuttle service to Newark Penn station.

In my opinion, taking the hotel shuttle back to the airport will waste precious time......wait for shuttle to hotel - drop luggage at hotel - wait for shuttle back to airport - walk to to monorail and wait approx. 10 to 15 min.- ride monorail to Liberty (AIRPORT) train station - wait for train to NYC - depending on time of day, can be as long as 1 hour. NJ transit trains are most frequent during commuter hours.