Travel from Newark Airport to Penn Station in Less than 30 Minutes

It’s never been faster or easier to travel between Newark International Airport and the heart of New York City. Thanks to the collaborative effort of Continental Airlines and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, along with Amtrak® and New Jersey Transit, beginning this fall, you can take advantage of AirTrain — convenient one-stop rail service several times per hour via New Jersey Penn between our Newark hub and Manhattan’s Penn Station.

Manhattan in a "New York minute"
It’s easy to connect to AirTrain from Newark Airport. From the terminal, simply take the monorail, which runs every two to three minutes,* to the Newark International Airport Station. When you arrive at this new station, you can purchase your train fare — approximately $10 each way — and take the 20-minute ride to Penn Station which operates several times per hour.

Newark Airport in a flash
In addition to making your travel from the airport to Manhattan a breeze, the rail service significantly improves transportation to the airport from Manhattan. And, while waiting at Penn Station for the next train, Presidents Club® members and those with a same-day BusinessFirst® ticket can work or relax in the on-site lounge, equipped with Internet access and telephones.

When you arrive at the Newark International Airport Station, you’ll feel as if you’re in the airport. Continental representatives will be on hand so you can check in for domestic flights, check your luggage, and obtain your boarding pass. Then, you can proceed to the monorail, which will take you to the appropriate airport terminal for boarding.

The next time your itinerary includes travel between our Newark hub and Manhattan, let the convenient new rail service take the hassle out of your commute.

* From midnight to 5 a.m., the monorail operates every 10 to 24 minutes.

Could you post the link for this? I'm trying to get a realistic timeframe for the implementation date.

It was on the general news site for Continental OnePass--Under the heading "News and Offers" then click on News and Information...the first story.

http://onepass.continental.com/

[This message has been edited by mauld (edited 07-13-2001).]

You can also find info at the Port Authority's website, <www.panynj.gov>, at <http://www.panynj.gov/aviation/ewrairtraincomingsoon.htm> The site's not very well organized, but if you hunt, you should be able to find more.

Wow . . . are they building a PC at NYP? Or is the Amtrak lounge? If it's a PC it will be a great place to hang out while waiting for a regular commuter train. They better make it large.

Anyone know if they will use special equipment with extra luggage capacity like "airport express" trains in London?

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Who is John Galt?
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I wasn't able to find a date. PANYNJ says that an airtrain website will be coming this summer.

I have to guess that the lounge in NYP (New York Penn) is Amtrak's Metropolitan lounge. Here's a link to it:
http://www.amtrak.com/trip/metrolounge.html

If you really want to see something cool, check out the stations in Hong Kong. There are two AEL (Airport Express Lines) stations -- one in Kowloon and one in Hong Kong Island. You can check in your luggage there for ANY airline, get your boarding pass, and then board the train express train to HKG. You bypass the check-in lines there.

But it's nice to see that one airline and a US city is trying to catch up. http://www.flyertalk.com/airports/ftairports_forum/smile.gif

- Pat

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by mauld:
Travel from Newark Airport to Penn Station in Less than 30 Minutes

* From midnight to 5 a.m., the monorail operates every 10 to 24 minutes.

</font>

Not this past Thursday night...
The Monorails at EWR were not running and it was a 25 minute wait for a bus to lot D!!!

This whole service is going to suck. I work at EWR so I was hoping this would make my commute shorter. The port authority against the wishes of the airlines is going to charge at least $6.00 each way to ride the monorail from the station to the rest of the system. So if you live in Manhattan and need to get to EWR, this is what you have to do:

*ride the path to Newark Penn Station.
*Wait at Penn Station to find a Southbound train to take you to the airlink station.
*Pay $6.00 dollars to get on the monorail. Then get off monorail, go back up to ticket counters, like a fish swimming upstreams, check in and go to gate.

OR

*Get on bus in manhattan that drops me off at my terminal. To me the bus is more convienent and cheaper. Because I don't want to mess with my bags getting on and off 3 trains.

My understanding is next summer you will be able to check in there which makes it better but it still sucks. They need to extend the path to there and then just pay the $6 to get on the monorail. My thougths, yours?

Finance Boy :

I need to go from EWR to 52nd street.
What is the best way ? Bus ?

Yeah I would say the bus, it is the most convient. If you arrive at any of the terminals follow the signs to ground transportation. Go to the Olympic shuttle bus, and buy a ticket to the port authority bus station (Cost is $20 round trip) or $11 one-way. This will drop you off at 42nd and 8th. A cab will be very expensive, and the train will not cheaper or faster, and with more headaches. Hope this helps.

I would also suggest the SuperShuttle, depending upon if you want to be on the East or West side of 52nd St, you could take it to the Omni Hotel (52 St & Madison) or the Hilton for the West side (53 St & Sixth Ave).

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by mauld:
I would also suggest the SuperShuttle, depending upon if you want to be on the East or West side of 52nd St, you could take it to the Omni Hotel (52 St & Madison) or the Hilton for the West side (53 St & Sixth Ave).</font>

If it's the height of rush hour you might be better off taking the Airlink bus to the path, then the path to 33rd street, then the subway uptown.

As for cost, the Continental Onepass August newsletter says "approximately $10 each way"

The PA web site says "this fall" as an opening.

http://www.panynj.gov/aviation/ewrairtraincomingsoon.htm

Boomer -
The Continental article refers to paying $10 at the rail station to get to NY Penn. This new station is between Newark Penn and North Elizabeth Stations on the Northeast/NJ Coast Lines. Those fares to New York Penn are $2.50 and $4.15, respectively. A logical fare for the NJT portion would be between those; thus $5.85 - $7.50 is the "cost" of riding the monorail extension. (NYC-&gt;EWR will be about the same cost as NYC-&gt;Trenton [$9.75 on NJT]!)

finance boy -
Agreed. Way too inconvenient. At least two transfers (monorail&lt;-&gt;NJT, NJT&lt;-&gt;PATH or subway) to locations in the city, unless you live near Penn Sta.



[This message has been edited by flightrisk (edited 07-23-2001).]

CO is way too optimistic when it thinks this new connection can suck traffic away from LGA.

Here is what a Manhattan resident will have to do to get from home to EWR;
- Take the subway to Penn Stn to board the train. Lugging baggage (hand or check-in) around subways is not pleasant.
- Go downstairs from main level of Penn Stn to the NJ Transit train. Easier said than done. Try doing that during the peak evening rush time. It is a clausterophobic zoo. Escalators and elevators are often hard to use or not even working. The escalators are very narrow.
- Get off at EWR Stn, go up an escalator/elevator, go across the tracks, go down the escalator/elevator, and board the sky-train.
- Get off the sky-train, go down yet another escalator/elevator to the checkin areas.

When compared to calling a cab that'll take you from your front door to the LGA terminal, going to EWR is a huge hassle. If you go via PATH trains, add in the wait at Newark stn for the connecting train.

All this is hassle-some enough even with just carry-on baggage.

30 mins from Penn Stn to EWR may sound good, but in practice, it is a ......

CO is way too optimistic when it thinks this new connection can suck traffic away from LGA.

Here is what a Manhattan resident will have to do to get from home to EWR;
- Take the subway to Penn Stn to board the train. Lugging baggage (hand or check-in) around subways is not pleasant.
- Go downstairs from main level of Penn Stn to the NJ Transit train. Easier said than done. Escalators and elevators are often hard to use or not even working. The escalators are very narrow.
- Get off at EWR Stn, go up an escalator/elevator, go across the tracks, go down the escalator/elevator, and board the sky-train.
- Get off the sky-train, go down yet another escalator/elevator to the checkin areas.

When compared to calling a cab that'll take you from your front door to the LGA terminal, going to EWR is a huge hassle. If you go via PATH trains, add in the wait at Newark stn for the connecting train.

All this is hassle-some enough even with just carry-on baggage.

20 mins from Penn Stn to EWR may sound good, but in practice, it is a ...... Of course, you may get to LGA faster, and then sit on the taxiways for an hour.

I can use a car service or cab for $40-$50 when I'm in NYC on business. When I'm on a fun trip with a budget, however, I prefer to take the $1.50 subway to the $11 bus from Port Authority. Depending on the time of day, this can be much faster, too.

For $10, I would give this a try. If I happen to arrive into or need to fly out of EWR during rush hour, I'd even consider it for business travel.

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He who dies with the most miles ... is dead.

It really does depend upon the time of day and how much luggage you are carrying. If you must go from midtown to EWR during rush hour, you'd be better off with public transportation or the Olympic bus---

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by abigail:
CO is way too optimistic when it thinks this new connection can suck traffic away from LGA.

Here is what a Manhattan resident will have to do to get from home to EWR;
- Take the subway to Penn Stn to board the train. Lugging baggage (hand or check-in) around subways is not pleasant.
- Go downstairs from main level of Penn Stn to the NJ Transit train. Easier said than done. Try doing that during the peak evening rush time. It is a clausterophobic zoo. Escalators and elevators are often hard to use or not even working. The escalators are very narrow.
- Get off at EWR Stn, go up an escalator/elevator, go across the tracks, go down the escalator/elevator, and board the sky-train.
- Get off the sky-train, go down yet another escalator/elevator to the checkin areas.

When compared to calling a cab that'll take you from your front door to the LGA terminal, going to EWR is a huge hassle. If you go via PATH trains, add in the wait at Newark stn for the connecting train.

All this is hassle-some enough even with just carry-on baggage.

30 mins from Penn Stn to EWR may sound good, but in practice, it is a ......</font>

What's wrong with Taxi to/from penn station then the train? That should save people a good deal of money and during rush hour save some time also.

I wonder how much the airtrain will impact olympia, will they need to cut back on service?

WNBC news reported today that the Monorail "surcharge" will be approximately $3, if thats added to normal NJT fare then the total would be about $6 per person.

Here's a great article from the Star-Ledger back in April about Newark rail service.


http://www.nj.com/business/ledger/index.ssf?/business/ledger/1310ea1.html

My thinking is that the main beneficiaries of the new rail link will be New Jersey flyers who live or work along the NJ Transit route near the stations. It is quick work to get from my office to either the Edison or New Brunswick stations, but absolute murder to get from my apartment in NY to Penn Station. I don't think that this will have any effect whatever on the average New Yorker's LGA habit.

[This message has been edited by monitor (edited 07-26-2001).]

The Path extension, which I think is likely sometime in the next 5 or 6 years, will be the real threat to LGA. That would give easy easy to both midtown and downtown.

An update from todays NY Times:

"NEWARK: NEW TRAIN-TO-PLANE SERVICE
The region's first train-to-the-plane service will start on Sept. 30 when the Port Authority of New York opens a new station that will connect New Jersey commuter lines and northeast corridor trains to Newark International Airport by monorail. The service, AirTrain Newark, will go into operation more than a year before a similar service for Kennedy International Airport. The Port Authority approved a plan with New Jersey Transit yesterday that will provide three trains an hour each way between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m.. The fare from Newark's Penn Station will be $6.65, about half the cost of a taxi. The trip from New York's Penn Station will cost $11.15, about one-fourth the cab fare."

The fares from Newark ($6.65) and New York ($11.15) include a surcharge to cover the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey's debt and operating cost ($1.50 from Newark and $2.50 from New York).

Interestingly, there is the Airlink bus that runs from Newark Penn Station to Newark International Airport that cost $4.00. The regular 62 bus cost only a dollar. The Differences: the regular bus makes a few local stops before arriving at the airport. Both start and finish at almost the same spot: one bus lane apart.

Newark Penn Station serves as a major transportation hub. Besides being on the Northeast Corridor with Amtrak, NJTransit and PATH (To Manhattan) train service, it has NJTransit and Greyhound bus service.

[This message has been edited by doctorphil (edited 07-27-2001).]

Yes, fewer train transfers would be nice. However, it sure beats the option I have now. Access to the train is key for me. When that last flight out is cancelled and I need to go to a city is the NE Corrider, the train is a decision when made quickly at the start could wind up saving time and agravation. Although Penn Sta. is not relaxation area on Friday ar rush hour. Reading railroad here I come!

Since NJ coast line trains will be stopping there, What's to prevent a passenger from Penn station from buying a penn station to north elizabeth ticket and just leaving the train one stop earlier?

I've never seen a rail system where it cost less for a ticket to a closer destination.

Are they going to some form a fare collection at the monorail entrance?

I'm sure the Penn to N. Elizabeth fare is much less and 11 bucks one way.

According to the New Jersey Transit website (www.njtransit.com) the adult train fare one way from NY Penn Station to Elizabeth is $4.15 and from Newark Penn Station to Elizabeth it is $1.65. The new station is located between Newark and Elizabeth. Note, not all trains will stop at this new station and they may have security checking for those who try to cheat the system. They have to do something to justify the added cost.

According to The Record of Hackensack passengers are expected to be mostly business people carrying one easily transported suitcase. Obviously, those carrying a lot of luggage are going to find taking a car, taxi or having someone drop them off/pick them up much easier.

Regarding the direct New York bus, it depends on where you are going in NYC. Going to Newark Penn Station allows the option of transfering to the Path trains that go to the World Trade Center and along Sixth Avenue to 33rd St. Also, with this new competition, the bus service may be cut back or even eliminated due to a decrease in the number of passengers using it.

For me it is easier to take the 62 bus to Broad and Market (the center of Newark) and take another bus home. The total time is 45 minutes and cost $1.45 ($1.00 and 45 cents for the transfer).

[This message has been edited by doctorphil (edited 07-27-2001).]

Article in today's Star Ledger:

http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/index.ssf?/jersey/ledger/13fa1fc.html

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He who dies with the most miles ... is dead.

No reduction in air-train fares

08/14/01

BY AL FRANK
STAR-LEDGER OF NEWARK, NJ

So what about those fares transit advocates said were too high for taking NJ Transit trains to and from the new airport station that will connect with the monorail?

As far as acting Gov. Donald DiFrancesco is concerned, they're necessary and fair so he declined the advocates' request for a veto, spokeswoman Rae Hutton said yesterday. DiFrancesco and New York Gov. George Pataki had until midnight yesterday to reject any actions taken by the bistate agency's board of commissioners at their July 26 meeting.

Along with a dozen other actions on the agenda was the preliminary agreement on a schedule and fares that would have imposed surcharges on regular train tickets of $5 for New Jersey passengers and $7 for New York passengers. The proceeds are to cover Port Authority and NJ Transit expenses in running the service and operating the $415 million airport station set to open in October.

Transit advocates, citing the expense, urged a veto, saying the prices will discourage the kind of use that just might make a dent in airport traffic congestion. They also said the charges seemed out of line when those who park at the airport ride the monorail free.

They may take some consolation in the fact that a schedule better than the one originally proposed may be in the offing. Following the disclosure that the preliminary agreement called for service that could strand passengers up to 40 minutes or more, word comes that NJ Transit is now trying to figure out ways to provide more frequent trains.

I am doing a mileage run to ewr labor day weekend. I get into EWR early sunday morning, thenwant to go into NYC for some Ray's pizza (53rd & 7th), maybe a little shopping & then back to EWR for a 3:00pm flight. Am I better off taking the Olympic bus to port authority & then bus to Ray's or supershuttle (which probably makes about 100 stops) to the Hilton? $$$is an object & I have time. Thanks

Not sure how much the SuperShuttle is, but I can't imagine that many people going to hotels early on a Sun am, so I would say its a toss up. If you do the Olympia bus to Port Authority, why not just walk up?

Corky: If I'm in town Labor Day weekend, I can take you to several pizzerias in Manhattan that are MUCH better than Ray's at 53rd & 7th. One of them is even called Ray's!

RichG---aahh, the old pizza debate!!! I'm not crazy about John's & I have been eating at Ray's@7th Ave for about 20 yrs. I even used to take WHOLE PIES back to LA w/me on the airplane (overhead bin)which came in handy one time when I was stranded at JFK (blizzard)for a weekend & got to eat my pizza as everyone ate airport food!!!I don't get to NY often anymore so I really cherish my pizza moments. I will probably try to eat a slice or 2 at least twice during my 5 hours in the city & am bringing baggies to transport some home so if you think there is a pizza better than my beloved Rays...bring it on!!! http://www.flyertalk.com/airports/ftairports_forum/smile.gif

Consider a one-way car rental...sometimes as low as $22-$25. Pick-up at EWR, drop off at multiple locations in Manhattan or even Westchester County.

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-Antonio

I asked NJT is I could use my monthly rail pass (11 zone), their reply:

Dear Customer,

You may use your monthly pass to travel to the Airport Station. Once
you get
off at the airport station, you will need to pay the $5 access fee to
get past
the fare gate to the monorail.

We hope this information is helpful and thank you for your patronage.

Sincerely,

NJ TRANSIT Customer Service Department