c_j

Re EWR vs JFK, pretty comprehensive answers above, but I'd add that you may want to check average wait times at immigration against your preferred /avalaible flight times: https://www.dhs.gov/check-wait-times

Also, if you're doing a one way leg, definitely check out Norse and JetBlue's fares as they tend to be a lot nicer for one ways...

godfreyb

Every expats first trip by train to Manhattan! Plus the way that they announce 'Newark Penn' sound exactly the same as 'New York Penn'.

ijgordon

I alluded to it above, but I just don't understand how someone (not just you) can think the EWR Airtrain to NJ Transit is any easier (or "better") than JFK Airtrain to LIRR, when they both go to Penn Station. Others have said it, but as a 25+ year NYC resident, the facts just don't support this. I argued upthread why JFK is easier/better by public transit.

From JFK the Van Wyck is backed up at most times of day, whereas coming in from EWR, the NJ Turnpike and Lincoln Tunnel won't have any backups outside of rush hour (either direction - inbound LT can be bad in the evening rush because they are down a lane). So I actually give EWR a slight advantage here, especially if you're going downtown (take Holland tunnel) or midtown West.

steveholt

Looking right now on Google Maps, I can get from EWR to Penn Station in 41 minutes and JFK to Penn Station in 45 minutes. As someone who has lived in NYC for most of their life, I have not found there to be a significant difference in terms of timing between the two. I also find it easier with luggage to get from EWR to Penn Station than the SkyTrain, which often involves a longer walk and stairs (or out-of-the-way elevators). I also think the bottleneck of people getting in/out of Jamaica SkyTrain station is worse.

Now, getting to Brooklyn, JFK Airtrain is obviously easier.

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As others have mentioned upthread the problem with NJ Transit from EWR is that at off-peak periods there are ~40 minute gaps in the schedule between Newark Airport and NY Penn (which you're not seeing if you're searching at 5pm Eastern), so if you happen to miss the AirTrain (or if it breaks down, or is full) you'll end up stuck on the platform waiting for ~40 minutes (and I've done that before and it's not fun). Whereas the LIRR between Jamaica and Penn is much more regular (typically <20 minute intervals between trains), plus you have the option of the E train as well.

IMO the only instance EWR might be superior to JFK from a public transport perspective is if you're connecting to/from Amtrak to points south or north of NYC, and that's only if you can find a Regional that stops at EWR and works with your schedule, while at all other times JFK is at least comparable to if not better than EWR if your final destination is in Manhattan.

steveholt

I will say that I've dealt with broken-down SkyTrains at JFK (and witnessed violent behavior) before and haven't had those issues at EWR, so my experience may be different. It is true that the E line is an alternative, but that's 75 minutes through Queens.

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Well anyone can look at the NJT schedule between EWR and Penn (which I believe someone else has already posted upthread) � the long gaps between trains are in the schedule and not really based on any one person's experience, and fact of the matter is if you arrive at the wrong time you'll be looking at a long wait on the platform.

Also the E isn't that slow � looking on Google Maps it's 31 minutes and 7 stops from Sutphin Blvd to Lex/53, but let's round that up to 75...

ijgordon

That EWR time is likely wrong as last I checked Google Maps doesn't factor in the current disruption on the EWR Airtrain (and depending on which terminal you're going to there is some disruption on the JFK Airtrain). But the simple fact of the matter is that I just counted 51 NJ Transit trains departing NYP for EWR on weekdays between 7am and 9pm (somewhat arbitrary), compared to 108 LIRR trains from NYP to Jamaica. More than twice as frequent. As others have said, there are quite often 30-35 minute gaps between NJT trains during weekdays (obviously not during outbound rush hour), and even worse on weekends (whopping 53 minute gaps several times on late weekend mornings ex-NYP and 30-40 min gaps almost every hour). I believe LIRR has a couple of ~20-25 minute gaps during the day, but it's rare to get stuck waiting. IMO that more than trumps any other qualitative factors like "bottlenecks" (ever try to get up/down the big escalator at the EWR Rail Station??, especially when one is closed).

That said, T2 and T5 at JFK are not great for AirTrain access although stairs are never required, and yes, generally it's a little shorter from the terminal to AirTrain at EWR, but I find the Jamaica transfer a little easier than EWR (only one short escalator/elevator/stairway down to the platforms, vs. the up-and-over-and-down at EWR).

Being able to purchase the NJT fare on the app may make that easier than having to deal with a metrocard for the AirTrain at Jamaica (and no OMNY/contactless option) plus a LIRR ticket.

I think I'm done opining (or fact-ing) on this topic!

YClass

I used to opt for JFK for no good reason. The only one I can think of is CCR if in First (which is nothing special anyway). Premium security at JFK has always been aweful. But all else being equal, EWR is probably the quicker/better option. Unless you Blade, which is efficient to/from JFK. Marginal benefit for EWR. I certainly wouldn't pay materially extra for JFK or be concerned on missing something out. Also EWR typically less congested than JFK at peak times I think so more likely to take off on time.

LimitingFactor

I�ve got a related question and wondered if one of the NYC FTers can advise. I�ve got a reward booking arriving into JFK but departing on the daytime 8:15am from EWR to London.

Foe the last night should I stay at the airport Marriott (or whatever it is) as I should be at the airport for 6am, or should I stick with my central hotel and get a cab at 5am?

I�ll be with my family and would probably not be comfortable taking them to a train that early.

ijgordon

Where are you planning to stay initially? (�Central� isn�t really a place in NYC.) If in Manhattan I wouldn�t bother to change hotels, it shouldn�t take more than 30 minutes to get to EWR that early, you could leave at 6am and be at the curbside drop-off by 6:30am, 1h45m before departure which is probably plenty. I�d maybe pre-book a car service with Carmel or Dial7.

LimitingFactor

Thanks - that�s great. No hotel actually booked at the moment, that�s still in the planning but yes, it will be Manhattan.

EvilDoctorK

What's the issue with the Newark AirTrain at the moment. - flying out of EWR next week and would probably take the train ( I'll be in midtown .. going for the 930pm flight ) .. but if the AirTrain is a mess then maybe that's not a good idea

ijgordon

Cool, Midtown West area would be incrementally more convenient for access to EWR (and also relatively easy to get to from JFK on your inbound). Downtown (Financial District / Soho / Tribeca) is also close to EWR, but I wouldn't recommend that unless you're planning to focus your activities in downtown and Brooklyn, and it's a bit more of a challenge from JFK.

They have been doing work on one of the tracks between the P4 station and the RailLink station (map here) so there is one train shuttling back and forth on a single track between P4 and RailLink. Then you have to transfer at P4 for a different train to the terminals. And the last time I was there, that train was using the same track as the shuttle to the rail station, so one train would just sit and wait while the other one unloaded/reloaded. Since the AirTrain goes so slow, it only runs once every ~15 minutes, and if a crowded NJ Transit train arrives, there's a good chance you may have to wait for a second (or third!) AirTrain.
It's unclear for how much longer this work is continuing, but a scroll through the EWR Airport twitter account shows FREQUENT disruption/delays. They don't otherwise make it easy to find out what's going on.
https://twitter.com/EWRairport


https://twitter.com/EWRairport

EvilDoctorK

Thanks for the explanation .. as you say they don't make it easy to work out what's going on !