When planning a trip to New York City, we have numerous airlines and airports to choose from. Our first options are the major NYC airports of LaGuardia and JFK, but there’s another airport just across the Hudson River from Manhattan. It was also my home airport for many years, as I grew up just minutes away from Newark Airport (EWR).
Traveling between Newark Airport and Manhattan can be challenging despite their close proximity. Driving isn’t ideal due to the heavy traffic in Northern New Jersey and the need to cross a bridge or tunnel. However, there are several alternative transportation options available, ranging from affordable public transit to luxurious airport transfer services.
How you choose to travel can depend on where you’re staying in Manhattan. I’ll use midtown for these examples, but if you’re staying in Lower Manhattan or Brooklyn, there are other options.
NJ Transit & AirTrain
The least expensive way to get to Newark Airport is to take an NJ Transit train from NY Penn Station and connect to the AirTrain. Trains on the Northeast Corridor and North Jersey Coast Line stop at Newark Liberty International Airport Station. Beware that this is not the same station as Newark. From there, it’s a 15-20-minute ride to the terminals on the AirTrain. Add extra time if going to the newly built Terminal A, as this is not directly connected to the AirTrain and requires walking or taking a shuttle bus.
NJ Transit tickets to and from the airport include the fare for the AirTrain. Fares on NJ Transit can vary but the trip should cost $15.25 for most passengers.
Besides the price, an advantage of taking the train is that you’ll avoid all of the NJ/NY traffic.
Uber/Lyft
You can take an Uber or Lyft to and from Newark Airport and Manhattan. As usual, prices will vary, but figure on prices starting around $100 for an entry-level vehicle. 
This is exactly what we paid for a recent trip before the tip. If you’re getting a ride from the airport, you’ll have to go to the designated rideshare pickup areas. Travelers to the airport are dropped off at the departures area for their airline.
The ride takes around 30 minutes with little traffic, but it can be an hour or more during rush hour, so plan accordingly.
Car Service
If you don’t want to worry about the hassle of getting a ride-share, several car services provide transportation between Newark Airport and Manhattan.
We used this option when arriving very late in the evening when train service would not have been available.
I paid $145, which included the driver’s gratuity. Although the price was slightly more than Uber and Lyft, I felt it was worth it to have a guaranteed driver.
Blade Helicopter
Blade is the fastest and most expensive way to travel between Newark Airport and Manhattan. The five-minute flight departs from the West 30th St Heliport and starts at $195 per person. For travelers going to the airport, there’s ground transportation from the helicopter pad to the terminal. Passengers arriving at Newark will be picked up at the terminal and transported to the Blade helicopter.
One downside is that passengers are restricted on how much luggage they can bring with them.
Passengers are allowed one (1) standard-sized carry-on bag (22 in X 16 in X 9 in) and (1) personal item. The combined luggage weight may not exceed 25 lbs.
For $145, you can purchase an additional luggage allowance for up to 2 carry-on-size bags. Blade also offers a luggage pickup service, in partnership with ToteTaxi, where your larger suitcases or sporting equipment will be transported to the airport to meet your helicopter for a fee.
Final Thought
There are various transportation options available for traveling from Manhattan to Newark Airport, including trains, cars, and helicopters. The choice of transportation depends on the amount of time you have and your budget. While taking the train is our preferred option, there are times when using a rideshare or car service is more practical. I considered using a helicopter service like Blade, but the cost for two people was over $500 and I felt that the money could be better spent on other activities.
Cover Image by David Mark from Pixabay
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