NYC to EWR on Thanksgiving

November 23, 2024 11:47 AM

I'm catching an international flight out of Newark on Thanksgiving Day, departing in the early evening. What's the best way to get to the airport from Manhattan that day (I was going to take the train from Penn Station)? How much extra time should I give myself? Any advice for surviving the experience?
posted by Gerald Bostock to Travel & Transportation (8 answers total)

On Thanksgiving day? It will be the nicest possible trip literally, maybe outside of Christmas day. Just double check NJ transit schedules for Holidays. You shouldnt do anything longer than usual. I'd leave Manhattan ~2 hours or so before your flight.

I like buying tickets from NJ transit app but if you never use again might as well buy from ticket kiosk.
posted by sandmanwv at 12:12 PM on November 23

There are 2 ways to get to Newark via train/bus that are more or less equally convenient but various things might make one or the other more convenient. I've done both and both have been fine.

1- Train from Penn Station. Take New Jersey Transit from Penn Station. There are a couple different lines that go there- Northeast Corridor or North Jersey Coast lines should stop there but use the departure boards or a transit app to be sure. I buy the ticket from the kiosk but you can use an app too. There will be less train service on Thanksgiving Day so check the schedules and allow yourself extra time - I missed a train one Christmas and had no choice but to take like a $70 taxi to Newark to avoid missing my flight. It's worth noting that there is a "Newark Penn Station" stop BEFORE the "Newark Airport" stop - DON'T GET OFF at Newark Penn Station, get off at Newark airport. I don't remember exactly how long it takes from Penn Station, I always use the apps to estimate total travel time from my apartment ->the airport and try to get to the airport 2 hours before my flight to allow for long security lines etc. Once off the train, you need to take a (free/included in your ticket) airtrain from Newark airport train station to your terminal, that's about another 15 minutes.

2 - Coach USA bus from Port Authority. I take it from the street (not inside Port Authority, outside) on the South side of Port Authority, on 41st(?) or 40th street, but it also makes a couple other stops (Grand Central?) which might be more convenient for you. People line up, you should see a line as it gets closer to departure time. Give yourself extra time to find the bus stop the first time. This is I think $21 and you can buy it from the coach USA website or as you're waiting in line there is a QR code you can use to buy a ticket or you can pay cash. This doesn't make stops along the way, it goes direct from Manhattan to Newark Airport, stops at all terminals so no need to take the airtrain. I've been doing this lately as it's a couple dollars more than the train but worth it for me in convenience (your luggage gets stored under the bus, you don't have to worry about blocking the train aisles). But if weather is bad (snow/ice) I would bet on the train being the safer bet.

New Jersey transit has been having some pretty bad problems over the summer so I feel safer knowing both ways - if there is a big delay on NJT I can change my plans and take the bus; if weather is bad I can take the train. Just allow yourself enough time to be flexible, it's about a 10-15 minute walk from Port Authority to Penn Station (or vice versa).
posted by matcha action at 12:46 PM on November 23

I did this many years ago but was heading to LaGuardia and learned an important lesson about Thanksgiving Day in Manhattan: that’s the day of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade. You would be wise to be sure that it is over by the time you’re heading out and confirm that you don’t need to cross the parade route if it isn’t over by then.
posted by sciencegeek at 3:23 PM on November 23

Just a note. There can be INSANE traffic NYC - NJ on Thanksgiving afternoon. So do not decide to uber. You can be stuck lining up for tunnel literally for hours.
posted by ponie at 3:36 PM on November 23

I used to frequently take NJ Transit on Thanksgiving morning (same train that stops at EWR) from Penn Station. I would take the Q to Herald Square and walk over. I loved looking up the avenue and seeing some of the floats, but I never knew which entry point to Penn Station might be blocked, so give yourself a little extra time if you're not arriving via a line that lets you off inside the stations.
posted by icaicaer at 6:28 PM on November 23

I'd stick with trains. You can either go with NJ Transit from Penn to the Airtrain but you could also go with PATH from WTC -> Newark Penn -> NJ Transit -> Airtrain. The later would make a lot of sense if you want to avoid midtown or are already downtown. Definitely note the holiday schedules.

During the parade (runs until noon), Penn departures will be pretty quiet. Near the end of the parade and for maybe an hour after, expect the trains to be standing room only and often be full. I've also seen them hold the departing trains near the end of the parade to make sure they are completely full.
posted by miscbuff at 10:01 PM on November 23

Note that the Coach USA app and website never seem to work. Bring $25 (or more) in cash to buy your ticket. You don't have to go inside to buy it at the Coach USA desk/kiosk/store/thing, you can pay the bus driver directly.

Don't take one of the unofficial taxis of people offering to drive you to Newark for $25. I've never taken them, but I can't imagine that anything good will come from it (even though the bus schedule can be all over the place.) And anyway, I believe the bus gets use of special lanes that a car wouldn't.
posted by AlSweigart at 12:43 PM on November 24

Thanks for all the advice! I ended up taking NJ Transit from Penn Station a couple of hours after the parade and had no trouble at all (well, there was a crush of people getting aboard, but there was room on the train). The airport was very quiet.
posted by Gerald Bostock at 5:29 PM on November 29