Transport from Montgomery Co PA to Newark Airport
June 4, 2014 12:55 PM Subscribe
For upcoming international travel I booked a flight out of Newark for the lower cost. I anticipated having a ride but am now forced to deal with transportation to/from the airport. I'll be gone for just over two weeks and will leave and arrive back during normal business hours on weekdays.
I live in Montgomery County PA and am looking for transportation options to Newark Airport. Some options include:
- Suburban rail to center city Philadelphia, Amtrak to Newark
- Suburban rail to trenton, train to Newark/bus to airport
- driving
- hiring a car service
- shuttle
So far it seems like all the public transit options are pretty cheap but a pain from where I live and given that I'll have luggage. Hiring a car service would be easiest but most expensive. I liked the option of the SuperTrans shuttle which could either pick me up at home or at a nearby hotel, but have read terrible yelp reviews on them.
Anyone have experience getting to/from Newark that could be helpful here?
I would agree with the Septa to 30th and transferring to Newark from there. Depending on where you are in Montgomery County and the timing, there are Amtrak trains that stop in both Ardmore and Newark; this might be more expensive though than going to Philly first.
I just did a round of Septa (Norristown)/Amtrak (using points)/LIRR/JFK airtrain and while it wasn't terrible, it took a lot of time and we were lucky there were no breakdowns or signal problems on any transit systems. I have also taken Septa many times from Trenton to Ardmore and even if the trains are close together, it usually took close to an hour and a half just for the trains.
posted by jetlagaddict at 1:18 PM on June 4, 2014
I just did a round of Septa (Norristown)/Amtrak (using points)/LIRR/JFK airtrain and while it wasn't terrible, it took a lot of time and we were lucky there were no breakdowns or signal problems on any transit systems. I have also taken Septa many times from Trenton to Ardmore and even if the trains are close together, it usually took close to an hour and a half just for the trains.
posted by jetlagaddict at 1:18 PM on June 4, 2014
I wouldn't even bother with SEPTA; I'd just get on Amtrak at Ardmore or Paoli depending on where you are in Montco and take it right to EWR. I've taken SEPTA from downtown Philly to Trenton and then NJT to EWR, and it was a nightmare (I was also carrying ~100 lbs of equipment alone, so ymmv, but it still sucked). Taking Amtrak the whole way would be so great: get in, grab a seat, find a better one once folks depart at 30th St, and just relax the whole way.
Shuttles are terrible and cramped and take forever. Don't do it.
posted by The Michael The at 1:27 PM on June 4, 2014
Shuttles are terrible and cramped and take forever. Don't do it.
posted by The Michael The at 1:27 PM on June 4, 2014
You don't say when your flight out of Newark is, but just in case it's on or before July 15, keep in mind that AirTrain from Newark is currently suspended and the EWR Amtrak station is closed.
If you want to do the Amtrak route, the Port Authority is running buses from Newark Penn Station. Here's Amtrak's page on how to get to the airport while the station and AirTrain are closed.
posted by andrewesque at 1:40 PM on June 4, 2014 [2 favorites]
If you want to do the Amtrak route, the Port Authority is running buses from Newark Penn Station. Here's Amtrak's page on how to get to the airport while the station and AirTrain are closed.
posted by andrewesque at 1:40 PM on June 4, 2014 [2 favorites]
I'd recommend hopping on Amtrak and taking it straight from Philly to EWR. I'm not sure how far Montgomery County PA is from Philly; perhaps you can hire a car service, get a friend, neighbor, or family member to drive you, or take a taxi to the train station. Amtrak seems the most hassle-free option.
I'm not sure how much luggage you will have, but there is floor space at either the front or back (I forget which) of each train car for luggage.
posted by tckma at 3:03 PM on June 4, 2014
I'm not sure how much luggage you will have, but there is floor space at either the front or back (I forget which) of each train car for luggage.
posted by tckma at 3:03 PM on June 4, 2014
the Port Authority is running buses from Newark Penn Station
They take at least twice as long as the AirTrain, and you still have to pay the AirTrain fee. You might want to consider finding an alternate route between Newark Penn Station and the airport.
posted by one more dead town's last parade at 7:52 PM on June 4, 2014
They take at least twice as long as the AirTrain, and you still have to pay the AirTrain fee. You might want to consider finding an alternate route between Newark Penn Station and the airport.
posted by one more dead town's last parade at 7:52 PM on June 4, 2014
Best answer: If you can get to nearby Doylestown via SEPTA or car, there's a bus (Transbridge) to New York with daily stops at Newark airport. Not all trips stop at EWR though.
posted by bergeycm at 9:52 PM on June 4, 2014
posted by bergeycm at 9:52 PM on June 4, 2014
They take at least twice as long as the AirTrain, and you still have to pay the AirTrain fee.
I haven't taken it myself so I can't be sure, but the Amtrak page I linked to does say that "shuttle service will be free of charge to passengers who present the bus driver with a ticket/travel document designating travel to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)."
I know this seems to contradict the Port Authority's site that says that normal fares will be charged for the bus service, but I think that's for people who arrive by New Jersey Transit maybe?
posted by andrewesque at 6:15 AM on June 5, 2014
I haven't taken it myself so I can't be sure, but the Amtrak page I linked to does say that "shuttle service will be free of charge to passengers who present the bus driver with a ticket/travel document designating travel to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)."
I know this seems to contradict the Port Authority's site that says that normal fares will be charged for the bus service, but I think that's for people who arrive by New Jersey Transit maybe?
posted by andrewesque at 6:15 AM on June 5, 2014
Response by poster: Thanks everyone for the feedback. Both my departing and arriving flights are before the 15th, so the closures (which i hadn't seen when I searched a few weeks ago) are definitely important - thanks for the info @andrewesque !
More details:
I live in Ambler PA and am very near a RR stop so its easy enough (though sometimes adds time) to take the RR to the city or other transfer spot. My flight is at 6pm and its international so I'm aiming to be there by 3:30. For my return flight, I land around 2:00pm. Because I depart and arrive during work hours I'm not asking friends or my fiance for rides.
Right now I'm thinking either RR to 30th street for Amtrak or taking the Transbridge to Newark. @bergeycm - have you taken this bus before? I have never even heard of it but its an appealing option for the timing and as it looks like it departs from Doylestown station.
posted by moshimosh at 8:10 AM on June 6, 2014
More details:
I live in Ambler PA and am very near a RR stop so its easy enough (though sometimes adds time) to take the RR to the city or other transfer spot. My flight is at 6pm and its international so I'm aiming to be there by 3:30. For my return flight, I land around 2:00pm. Because I depart and arrive during work hours I'm not asking friends or my fiance for rides.
Right now I'm thinking either RR to 30th street for Amtrak or taking the Transbridge to Newark. @bergeycm - have you taken this bus before? I have never even heard of it but its an appealing option for the timing and as it looks like it departs from Doylestown station.
posted by moshimosh at 8:10 AM on June 6, 2014
« Older What kind of suit for an arts interview? Or suit... | Monitoring mycotoxins in the home Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Tomorrowful at 1:01 PM on June 4, 2014 [3 favorites]