Getting from EWR to Wall Street

June 1, 2005 5:50 PM

I need to get from EWR (Newark, NJ Airport) to Wall Street at noon on a weekday. While there's no rush, I can't afford to waste a lot of time. Will this work? How long will it take? Other suggestions?
posted by Kwantsar to travel & transportation (15 comments total)

Sure, it will work, but what a pain - tram to NJ transit train to Path train. Are you travelling on your own nickel or on business? I suggest you take a car service, especially if someone else is paying. Boston Coach is pretty reliable.
posted by caddis at 5:59 PM on June 1, 2005

If you are really in a hurry there is always a helicopter shuttle.
posted by caddis at 6:02 PM on June 1, 2005

Price $495.00 Per Person
(gesturing wife for defibrillator)
posted by rolypolyman at 6:13 PM on June 1, 2005

Just joking there. Anyone able to afford that helicopter ride probably has their own helicopter already.
posted by caddis at 6:15 PM on June 1, 2005

Airtrain is really easy, and pretty quick. And a hell of a lot cheaper than a taxi or car service.
posted by dersins at 6:53 PM on June 1, 2005

If you don't want to spring for the $75 or so for a car service there's a reliable bus service. Follow the Newark/Liberty airport links at http://www.panynj.gov/. It's $13 one way.

But really...take a car service.
posted by HK10036 at 7:00 PM on June 1, 2005

I second the Airtrain -- I don't understand how the Path train fits in, just take the airport tram to the train that takes you to Penn station. Then cab or subway downtown.
posted by o2b at 7:44 PM on June 1, 2005

The AirTrain is less of a pain than it seems to be. You basically just walk from one platform to another at each station, and the trains run almost continuously. If you have a lot of luggage, yeah, it will be annoying, but it's not bad at all if you want to save a lot of money. If you're just pulling one bag on wheels or something, it will be a piece of cake.
posted by bcwinters at 8:10 PM on June 1, 2005

The other thing I don't like about AirTrain, but it might not be a problem at noon on a weekday, is that by the time the NJ Transit train gets to the AirTrain station there are no seats left. Normally, who cares as you are nearly in NYC, but when you are dragging luggage, what a pain.
posted by caddis at 8:17 PM on June 1, 2005

How much is a taxi?? Thats what I always used to take when I took a plane into Newark...
posted by vacapinta at 8:22 PM on June 1, 2005

The correct route is AirTrain -> NJ Transit -> Penn Station -> downtown-bound 3 train to the Wall Street stop. This takes about 75 min in travel time; figure in 15 minutes to figure out where the NJ Transit and subway ticket machines are, and another 20 minutes spent changing and waiting for various trains. Cost should be in the $10-15 neighborhood.

Another correct route is hop in a cab; it should cost in the $60 neighborhood plus tip and toll ($75-80-ish) and should take about 45 minutes. Has the advantage of being braindead, as well, and there is a good chance the cab ride will be more pleasant in terms of sights, noise, and smells.

Omit Grand Central and/or PATH service from your travel plans unless you have some reason for wanting to use one for its own sake. (GCT has several attractions of its own; PATH train has none I'm aware of.)
posted by ikkyu2 at 8:54 PM on June 1, 2005

Call 212-777-7777 from the plane. A nice car will meet you at the airport and drop you downtown for about the same as a cab.
posted by nicwolff at 11:52 PM on June 1, 2005

I also *highly* recommend a car service. I've done the Airtrain-NJtransit-subway thing and while it works fine (the Airtrain part is very short), it's a bit of a pain, plus then you have to wait for the NJTransit train, then wait for the subway, so it's definitely not the most time effective method. And Caddis' point about the joys of hauling luggage onto the always-full train is dead on. The car service will be faster, simpler, and you don't even really need to call ahead. There will be a million of them waiting outside the airport -- just follow the airport signs for "cabs" and look for the black (or red) sedans.
posted by boomchicka at 3:54 AM on June 2, 2005

The decision boils down to a distinct money vs. hauling luggage issue:

Taking a taxi/car service is going to cost WAY more than the trains will, and will probably take longer as well, possibly a lot longer. But you'll get in one vehicle at the airport with your luggage and get out on Wall Street, so no luggage hauling.

Or, you can do exactly what the airport website says (AirTrain -> NJT -> PATH) which is, despite what these other crazy people are saying, the best route. AirTran to NJT to Newark Penn Station is a given either way, but if you are going directly to downtown Manhattan, PATH makes so much more sense than continuing on NJT.

Not only is it a few bucks cheaper than the equivalent NJT+subway fares, but it's direct--you'll get there at *least* twenty minutes sooner than if you stayed on NJT. Take it from someone who commutes from Newark to the Wall Street area every day of the week.
posted by cyrusdogstar at 5:27 AM on June 2, 2005

Oh, and I forgot to point out that, as some people have already said, the transfers between these different rail services are VERY easy and not a pain at all--you'll never have to go up or down stairs once you leave the airport.
posted by cyrusdogstar at 5:29 AM on June 2, 2005