Travel advice please for NYC

[rmt4ever]

Hiya everyone and Merry Christmas

Next week myself and my Mrs are off to NYC for the first time. We will land at Newark Terminal B, and travel to our hotel which is in Midtown about 10 mins walk from Pennsylvania (Penn?) station.

Am I right in thinking we can get an air train from our terminal to Newark airport station, then get a train straight to Pennsylvania station?

This seems a simple do-able journey. How much will the ticket cost and is it easy to purchase upon arrival?

Coming back is a bit more complicated, we are flying back from JFK on the Saturday. What is the best route from where we are staying to JFK?

Any help greatfully received.

Thanks

 

[gordonthemoron]

NJ Transit trains do run from Newark Airport to Penn Station, takes about 30 mins, see http://www.njtransit.com/sf/sf_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=TrainTo

 

[radamfi]

Someone's done a YouTube video of how to get from Newark airport to NY Penn Station

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxFNZ-2RF9g

Here's information about the transfer from the airport

http://www.panynj.gov/airports/ewr-to-from.html

Note there are cheaper ways to get to Manhattan if you don't mind it taking longer or carrying luggage isn't an issue. There is a local bus to Newark Penn station from the airport where you can get the PATH underground train to 33rd Street in Manhattan, changing once. That's not far from NY Penn station so maybe close to the hotel.

To JFK there is are two main options. From NY Penn station there are regular trains to Jamaica station where there is an Airtrain to the airport. A cheaper but slower option is the subway to Jamaica then the Airtrain. The cheapest option is subway to Jamaica then local bus, as the bus transfer is free whereas the Airtrain is rather expensive.

 

[Shinkansenfan]

Welcome to New York City!

It is a simple and doable journey as long as you're not carrying too much luggage.

From Terminal B at Newark Airport to New York Penn Station requires a two step journey:

Step 1: Take the AirTrain Newark monorail after you exit the Customs and Immigrations Hall. The monorail takes ~10 minutes from Terminal B to the Rail Link Station.

Step 2: Use your train ticket to pass through the turnstile at the RLS.

Transfer to the NJ Transit train to Penn Station New York. Beware that the next stop on your train will be Newark Penn Station. Remain on the train! Some folks confuse Newark with New York, and alight too soon. Don't be that person(s).

You can buy a ticket for both legs either from the TVMs at Terminal B or at the RLS. Retain the ticket until it is collected by the NJT conductor.

The one way fare is $13.00 and $9.00 if your 62 or older.

If traveling outside of peak hours, beware that NJ Transit runs as few as two trains per hour, about 14 and 46 minutes apart!

---

Departing New York, my recommendation would be to take the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) from Penn Station New York to Jamaica Station. This is approximately a 20 minute ride, and the LIRR trains are faster and generally less crowded that the A or E trains.

During rush hours, be sure to check that your train stops at Jamaica Station; a few bypass our mini Clapham Jct of the New York area.

At Jamaica transfer to AirTrain JFK, which is located adjacent to the LIRR station and connected by an overhead walkway.

You will need two fare media: 1) a LIRR ticket, 2) a MetroCard to pay the $5.00 AirTrain fare.

The LIRR has both a peak and off peak fare. On the LIRR senior discounts start at age 65. Tickets can be purchased from the LIRR TVMs, booking hall or on train (which is more costly).

If you're planning to use the subway, just make sure your MetroCard has at least $5.00 per person remaining to pass through the turnstile at Jamaica. One card can be used to pay for two persons. If you need to top up your MetroCard, you can do so before passing through the AirTrain turnstiles.

A typical AirTrain JFK ride from Jamaica to say, Terminal 4 is about 12 minutes. Plan on a total journey time from Penn Station to JFK taking about an hour. For those familiar with the different stations, wayfinding, etc. this journey can be done in as short as 40 minutes if all the connections align.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[rmt4ever]

Thanks for the tips everyone. Very helpful

Re tickets, can we just pay cash rather than get a pre paid thingy and messing about with that?

We are not planning on using the transport much / at all during our stay except to/from airport and maybe a trip to brooklyn to visit the breweries. We want to do as much as we can on foot.

Thanks again

 

[tripleseis]

You can also take the A subway train (towards Far Rockaway) to Howard Beach and get the Airtrain from there.

 

[rmt4ever]

Anyone got any idea, if we get two singles (paper tickets) upon arrival at Newark for the train to Penn station, how much it will be?

So I know roughly how much cash to have ready upon arrival.

Thanks

 

[radamfi]

Credit cards are accepted at the machines for the NJ Transit/Airtrain combo from Newark and the LIRR/Airtrain combo to JFK so no need for cash, although cash is also accepted at the machines. The fare was stated to be $13 earlier.

To use the NY Subway you need a Metrocard. There is a single ride Metrocard for $3 a trip but that doesn't allow free transfers to buses. If you want that then you need a reloadable Metrocard. Buses accept cash but it is exact fare and no change is given.

 

[rmt4ever]

Credit cards are accepted at the machines for the NJ Transit/Airtrain combo from Newark and the LIRR/Airtrain combo to JFK so no need for cash, although cash is also accepted at the machines. The fare was stated to be $13 earlier.

To use the NY Subway you need a Metrocard. There is a single ride Metrocard for $3 a trip but that doesn't allow free transfers to buses. If you want that then you need a reloadable Metrocard. Buses accept cash but it is exact fare and no change is given.

Thanks. Don't really want to use any cards due to fees etc imposed by banks. Hence I have already changed up plenty of £s to $s, although at a terrible rate thanks Brexit !

$13 cash fare seems ok. I am just hoping there is a ticket office to buy two single paper tickets from easily upon arrival at Newark airport station- won't want to be messing about after the flight & we will just want to get to our hotel.

Hopefully it will be easier than Londons chaotic system !

$3 for a single paper ticket sounds ok. If we do need the metro, we will just use those.

 

[Groningen]

7 or 30-Day Unlimited Pass in New York City
Cost: $31, reduced fare $15.50 / Cost: $116.50, reduced fare $58.25 (loss protected)
Good for unlimited subway and local bus rides until midnight, 7 days from day of first use.
Note: PATH, AirTrain, and Express buses do not accept 7- and 30-Day Unlimited Ride MetroCard.

http://web.mta.info/metrocard/

 

[radamfi]

7 or 30-Day Unlimited Pass in New York City
Cost: $31, reduced fare $15.50 / Cost: $116.50, reduced fare $58.25 (loss protected)
Good for unlimited subway and local bus rides until midnight, 7 days from day of first use.
Note: PATH, AirTrain, and Express buses do not accept 7- and 30-Day Unlimited Ride MetroCard.

http://web.mta.info/metrocard/

It sucks that they no longer have a one day ticket.

 

[radamfi]

Thanks. Don't really want to use any cards due to fees etc imposed by banks. Hence I have already changed up plenty of £s to $s, although at a terrible rate thanks Brexit !

It is usually cheaper to use a card, if you have the right card.

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/travel-credit-cards

 

[plannerman]

It's six years since my wife and I were there - we flew into and out of JFK, and both ways we went via Jamaica on the LIRR. So for coming home, take the LIRR out of Penn station to Jamaica, and then the JFK internal train thingy from Jamiaca to your airport terminal.

I think that on the way back the whole journey was covered by the ticket we bought at Penn, the staff were very helpful and we also double checked with the guard that the train we boarded stopped at Jamaica (I think it's a hub, so most/all do).

The only further hint I would give was that JFK was utter chaos. We had been warned to leave plenty of time, and it's lucky we did as it took us upwards of an hour and a half to get through security. There's plenty to do there, so plan to get there in plenty of time and then leave a bit more time on top.

 

[radamfi]

It's six years since my wife and I were there - we flew into and out of JFK, and both ways we went via Jamaica on the LIRR. So for coming home, take the LIRR out of Penn station to Jamaica, and then the JFK internal train thingy from Jamiaca to your airport terminal.

I think that on the way back the whole journey was covered by the ticket we bought at Penn, the staff were very helpful and we also double checked with the guard that the train we boarded stopped at Jamaica (I think it's a hub, so most/all do).

LIRR+Airtrain is the quickest way between Manhattan and JFK. However it is considerably more expensive than the Subway+Airtrain option. The train from Jamaica to Penn Street is $10 peak, $7.25 off-peak, so $15 peak, $12.25 off-peak including the $5 Airtrain. The subway is $3 with a Single Ride Ticket. If you've got a 7-day or longer pass then of course the subway is free, whereas LIRR isn't covered by those passes.

http://web.mta.info/lirr/about/TicketInfo/Fares03-22-15.htm#stationsfarezones

However, at weekends there is a CityTicket which means it costs $4.25 from Penn Street to Jamaica.

http://web.mta.info/lirr/about/TicketInfo/#cityticket

The $5 Airtrain fare can be avoided by using local buses to the airport, details here:

https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/John_F._Kennedy_International_Airport

 

[rmt4ever]

Great- we are going back to JFK to fly home on Saturday, so should be able to get it for 9.25 each !

 

[Shinkansenfan]

It sucks that they no longer have a one day ticket.

Agree. And even when they did offer a one day ticket, it was not valid for 24 hours but only until midnight of the day of use.

When MetroCard was introduced in the 1990's, NYCT did not want to offer any type of unlimited ride pass, fearing revenue loss. Fortunately, a new State Governor promised to implement 1, 7 and 30 day unlimited ride passes if elected; he was and such passes were sold.

But NYCT had little enthusiasm for selling the 1 day pass, so they set the sale price at a high per diem rate, and limited sales venues for such passes.

Fast forward to several years later--during one of the fare increases they quietly dropped the 1 day pass, citing low sales as an excuse!

 

[rmt4ever]

Hiya everyone. Sorry, heard about some Long Island derailment earlier. On Saturday we will be travelling said route out to JFK to come back (see above). I know it's early days. But can we expect any disruption due to the incident?

Thanks
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Hi everyone thanks for help so far. We are returning tomorrow (Saturday). Heard of a derailment on the LIRR the other day, will this impact on our journey out to JFK tomorrow ?

Thanks in advance.

 

[radamfi]

Hiya everyone. Sorry, heard about some Long Island derailment earlier. On Saturday we will be travelling said route out to JFK to come back (see above). I know it's early days. But can we expect any disruption due to the incident?

Thanks
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Hi everyone thanks for help so far. We are returning tomorrow (Saturday). Heard of a derailment on the LIRR the other day, will this impact on our journey out to JFK tomorrow ?

Thanks in advance.

The derailment happened on a different line so I doubt you would be affected.

 

[rmt4ever]

The derailment happened on a different line so I doubt you would be affected.

Phew, thanks!

Will leave loads of time anyway in case of extra security following the incident in Florida earlier.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
On another note, I must report on the New York metro trains. It's a breeze compared to LUL!

We have only had to use it 6 times in total. Found it very simple, and most importantly, every time we could simply walk into the station, pay $3 each and get a single paper ticket!!!

Something so simple. But that visitors to London could only dream of !

Although I must say, they can't be purchased at the booking offices, I tried this a few times but was directed to the machine each time

And when at the machine, you can not select multiple tickets to buy two single tickets in the same transaction, this seems ludicrous.

But just for being able to walk in, pay €3 cash, get a ticket to anywhere, travel, throw it away... a dream !!

 

[radamfi]

Found it very simple, and most importantly, every time we could simply walk into the station, pay $3 each and get a single paper ticket!!!

Something so simple. But that visitors to London could only dream of !

You can still buy paper tickets for the London Underground. It just costs a lot more. Personally, I think being able to touch in and touch out with your bank card meaning that you don't need to buy tickets at all is easier. New York's Metrocard is ancient technology and is due to be replaced by a contactless system.

 

[rmt4ever]

You can still buy paper tickets for the London Underground. It just costs a lot more. Personally, I think being able to touch in and touch out with your bank card meaning that you don't need to buy tickets at all is easier. New York's Metrocard is ancient technology and is due to be replaced by a contactless system.

Except to foreign tourists who get ripped off with bank fees etc. Which is why I change enough money up before going away. Haven't had to use any cards once on this trip and very rarely do !

 

[Marklund]

You're using the wrong cards then!

I found the Metrocard a pain, Oyster being much more user friendly for the occasional user too.

 

[radamfi]

Except to foreign tourists who get ripped off with bank fees etc. Which is why I change enough money up before going away. Haven't had to use any cards once on this trip and very rarely do !

Didn't you check out my link to good cards to use when you are abroad?

 

[rmt4ever]

Didn't you check out my link to good cards to use when you are abroad?

I still rather use cash TBH, easier and don't have to worry about card cloning etc in foreign countries. And it's pretty safe. Leave most in hotel safe only taking enough out for what I need that day.

Oyster is ok if you live in London or are visiting for the week. But say if you are only here for a day, or only need to make one journey (say if you need to transit from Heathrow to City for example to make the onward journey) it's useless, then you are forced into rip off cash fares.

So I still think the $3 NYC metro cash fare paper ticket is a godsend compared to our system in London.

 

[Marklund]

Cash safer than a card? You're definitely using the wrong cards then! But each to their own.

Still don't get the Oyster being far inferior though, especially when making frequent short hops, but I don't care about having a paper ticket!