sbm12

Or just take NJ Transit rather than the PATH.

tphuang

I always found EWR to be further out than JFK.

JFK you can get there from anywhere with the subway network + $5 for airtrans or you can take taxi (about $70 with tip) or uber it ($60?) or uber share ($35?) or Chinatown car service ($35). World Trade center to Terminal 8 (furthest one out) is 1 hour 20 minutes (it took me 1 hour 30 minutes and I was 10 minute walk from WTC). It's closer to an hour if you are in east side midtown are around 53rd and lex and take it to T4. If you catch LIRR and are around penn station, it's quite fast to Jamaica.

For EWR, it's convenient if you are closer to PATH train or NJT station. But even from WTC, it's only slightly faster to EWR. And you have to deal with the extra cost of PATH train and terrible schedule on weekends and nights + fewer car service options.

There are always the times on Sunday afternoon where there is 45 min wait between njt. And I've managed to get the extreme long end of that multiple time coming out of Newark

Kacee

Yes, only one transfer (Airtrain to NJ Transit) necessary to get to Penn Station.

When it works it's okay, subject to the usual Penn Station chaos. But I'd say half the time I've done this, there's been a problem with NJ Transit involving an excruciatingly long wait for a train and/or an excruciatingly long ride into NYC.

SFOdelayed

Why not Airlink to NJT (super easy transfer) to Penn Station then walk or subway to 44th. PATH is much easier for WTC or downtown but NJT much is simpler for midtown or UWS.


JFK takes a lot longer by public transport. EWR is just easier and less of a hassle. By taxi or UBER, it depends on which side or where in Manhattan you are going.


Alternatively the airport bus from EWR will drop you off at Port Authority which would be a very short walk to w44th.

helvetic

I bit the bullet and booked UA Polaris seats as my transcon this week. Unfortunately, every "good" seat is already taken… hope I can snipe an odd seat if one opens up.

sbm12

What's your sample size? That's a pretty poor track record, even for NJT's ops. I've had occasional delays and such but none more than 15-20 minutes in the decade I've been riding the train to EWR.
Depends on where you're starting from and your preferred mode of transportation. In all the examples you cited the costs for a car are about the same from either and travel time to Manhattan, subject to which tunnel traffic you get stuck in, is often a wash. JFK is cheaper on mass transit but not necessarily faster.

tphuang

Here is a sample of NJT from Newark airport to Penn station this coming Sunday afternoon from NJT website:
Depart : 12:18 PM - Northeast Corridor #7830
Arrive : 12:25 PM
Travel Time : 7 minutes
Fare Info
Depart : 12:59 PM - Northeast Corridor #7632
Arrive : 01:07 PM
Travel Time : 8 minutes
Fare Info
Depart : 01:06 PM - Northeast Corridor #7832
Arrive : 01:12 PM
Travel Time : 6 minutes
Fare Info
Depart : 01:15 PM - North Jersey Coast #7232
Arrive : 01:22 PM
Travel Time : 7 minutes
Fare Info
Depart : 01:17 PM - Northeast Corridor #7834
Arrive : 01:24 PM
Travel Time : 7 minutes
Fare Info
Depart : 02:04 PM - Northeast Corridor #7836
Arrive : 02:10 PM
Travel Time : 6 minutes
Fare Info

You can see there are at least 2 gaps here of over 40 minutes. Sure, you could get lucky and arrive at a time when they get 4 trains in 18 minutes, but 2/3 of time you will end up in that long gap. It's not bad during weekday evenings, but on late night and weekend afternoon, it could get quite long. A/E train, worst case I wait for 15 minutes.

Kacee

Relatively small, maybe 8-10. But the bad experiences were notably poor, including one in very cold weather where the waiting room was absolutely packed full and the wait for the NJT train was at least 40 minutes.

NJT's problems are pretty well known. Crumbling infrastructure, mismanagement, and lack of funding.

IAH-OIL-TRASH

I don't know what status is (last visit was December) but Penn Station is undergoing a pretty large scale track update - supposed to impact services/ cause delays. Aside from that, I've tried JFK options and both the bus and NJT options from EWR to various parts of Mid- to lower Manhattan, and I like NJT from EWR over all. Can Uber from Penn. NJT really close to 7th exit.

PsiFighter37

That is done (for now) and surprisingly caused little to no headache overall.

sinoflyer

AA's J seats on the A32T are the same as those on UA ps 752s. The AA seats have a newer look, but service hasn't improved much whereas B6, DL, and UA have put more focus. The new Flagship Dining if off-limits to J pax, so the overall experience, while fine for me, is weaker than the other three.

tuolumne

So are we still calling this UA p.s., or UA CCC?

764toHI

Weekends and evenings are not ideal times to take the NJT to/from EWR. I find the Coach USA bus to be an excellent substitute during these hours as traffic is managable. The bus is an even better option now that there is an additional route servicing Tribeca and Lower Manhattan (25 minutes to EWR), the stop is right off the 1 train Canal St stop at the foot of the Holland Tunnel.

JVPhoto

FWIW just left the Fairfield on 28th btwn 6/7 at 3:07 walked to NYP took the 3:20 train and was in the C departure hall at 3:56. Google said driving would have been 45-55.

sbm12

I'm familiar with the scheduled gaps. I was speaking to the report of "a problem with NJ Transit involving an excruciatingly long wait for a train and/or an excruciatingly long ride into NYC." That doesn't match up with my experience at all. And, yes, I'm very familiar with the issues NJT has, what with living in the area and all.