Newark Airline Crew Layover Guide
Reviewed by Captain AL
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The EWR crew card
| Fastest into town | AirTrain from your terminal to the airport rail station, then an NJ Transit train: about 30 minutes to New York Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan for USD 17.25 adult, or about 5 minutes to Newark Penn Station for USD 12.30 adult. One rail ticket covers the AirTrain leg as well. Right now the AirTrain leg to the rail station is replaced by a shuttle bus on weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and the airport puts that ride at 15 to 45 minutes, so add time in those hours |
|---|---|
| Night option | Between 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. the AirTrain runs every 15 minutes to Terminals B and C, with a shuttle provided for anyone who needs Terminal A. The trains stop overnight: on the weekday Northeast Corridor timetable the last one leaves the airport at 1:43 a.m. and the first at 4:50 a.m. NJ Transit bus route 62 runs between all three terminals and Newark Penn Station right through the night, so the bus, not the train, is the reliable late move |
| Payments | Buy before you board. An NJ Transit rail ticket to or from the airport already includes the AirTrain fare, and buying on board a train adds a USD 5.00 surcharge. With no rail or Amtrak ticket the AirTrain alone is USD 8.75 one way, paid at the station gates with a contactless credit or debit card or a mobile device with Apple Pay or Google Pay, in the NJ Transit app, or at a station machine |
| Tap water | Safe to drink |
| Emergency | 911 (City of Newark, EWR Airport and NJ Transit numbers) · non-emergency (973) 733-6000 |
| Solo & at night | Taxis wait at official stands outside every terminal on published estimated fares, USD 30 to USD 40 into the City of Newark and USD 60 to USD 80 to Manhattan by zone before extras. The airport warns that anyone offering a ride or luggage help without an official uniform and proper identification may be unlicensed, uninsured or operating illegally |
| Crew knows | At Newark Penn Station the overnight 62 does not use one stop for both directions: the trips in from the terminals finish at the eastbound Market Street stop under the bridge, while between 12:01 a.m. and 4:59 a.m. the bus back out to the airport leaves from Raymond Plaza West. Walk to the departure stop rather than waiting where you got off. |
| Crew deals | Verified car rental and hotel rates for airline staff: on this page, right below this guide. |
airlinecrewdiscount.net · EWR crew card · Checked Sep 2026 · Next check Sep 2026 · Screenshot this card for offline
Every number on this page comes from an official source. Where no official source gives a number, we say so instead of guessing.
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How do I get from Newark Airport to Manhattan or into Newark, and what does it cost?
Everything starts with the AirTrain, which links the three terminals to the airport rail station. From there NJ Transit trains run to Newark Penn Station in minutes and to Midtown Manhattan in about half an hour. Buses reach the terminal kerbs directly and skip the AirTrain fee, which matters more here than at most airports, and it matters more still while the AirTrain link to the rail station is being rebuilt. The AirTrain link to the rail station is out on weekdays from 5 a.m. to 3 p.m. A free shuttle bus runs instead, calling at all three terminals.
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| Mode | Time | Cost | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Train (NJ Transit, via AirTrain to Newark Liberty International Airport Rail Station) | about 30 minutes to New York Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan, about 5 minutes to Newark Penn Station Frequent service through the day on the Northeast Corridor and the North Jersey Coast Line, with no train in the small hours. On the weekday Northeast Corridor timetable the last train from the airport toward Newark and New York leaves at 1:43 a.m. and the first at 4:50 a.m., and the last train arriving at the airport from New York is 1:46 a.m. with the first at 4:52 a.m. The operator published no Saturday or Sunday sheet at that address, so check the times yourself before you count on a night train at the weekend |
USD 17.25 adult to New York Penn Station, USD 12.30 adult to Newark Penn Station, both including the AirTrain fare | The AirTrain fare is built into the rail ticket, so keep the ticket to pass the AirTrain gates. Buy it in the NJ Transit app or from a machine first: on-board purchase adds USD 5.00. There are ten ticket machines around the station, on both sides of the faregates and in Terminals A, B and C, and no ticket agents. The station has no parking and no pick-up or drop-off point, and no bus stops at the station itself. Two live works matter here. The AirTrain leg between the terminals and the rail station is replaced by a shuttle bus on weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., a ride the airport puts at 15 to 45 minutes, while the trains themselves keep stopping normally. And the escalator down to Tracks 4 and 5 is out of service until the end of November 2026, with lifts and the up escalator still running. The airport operator prints USD 12.05 for the Newark Penn trip against NJ Transit’s USD 12.30, so budget the higher figure. |
| Bus (NJ Transit route 62 and other Go Bus routes) | route 62 runs through the night in both directions, seven days a week | USD 1.90 for one zone and USD 3.00 for two zones, USD 0.85 for a transfer, with no AirTrain fee to pay | Route 62 links Newark Penn Station with all three terminals directly: Terminal A at location 17, Terminal B on the lower roadway bus lane at locations 7 and 8, and Terminal C on the lower roadway bus lane at locations 4 and 5. Leaving Newark Penn the stop moves with the clock, Gate 3A from 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., Gate 2A from 10:01 p.m. to midnight, and Raymond Plaza West from 12:01 a.m. to 4:59 a.m. Coming the other way, the overnight trips from the terminals finish at the eastbound Market Street stop under the bridge rather than in the bus lanes. Tap a contactless card or phone at the reader or buy in the NJ Transit app; it is an exact fare line for cash, because drivers cannot make change. Only two pieces of baggage per passenger are allowed, none larger than 22 by 16 by 8 inches. Other Go Bus routes serving the airport are 28, 37, 67 and 107. |
| Express bus (Newark Airport Express, operated by Coach USA) | about 50 minutes | USD 23.50 one way, USD 39.50 round trip | Stops at every terminal and runs to three Midtown Manhattan points: Grand Central Terminal on 41st Street between Park and Lexington Avenues, Bryant Park at 42nd Street and 5th Avenue, and the Port Authority Bus Terminal on 41st Street between 8th and 9th Avenues. Discounts exist for seniors and travellers with accessibility needs, and multi-trip packages are sold. The airport publishes the fare but no timetable, so check departure times with the operator before you count on it. |
| Taxi | estimated fares by destination: City of Newark USD 30 to USD 40, Elizabeth USD 30 to USD 35, Jersey City USD 56, Hoboken USD 56, Union City USD 62. Manhattan is zoned: USD 60 from Battery to W 13th Street, USD 65 to W 50th, USD 70 to W 96th, USD 75 to W 185th and USD 80 above that. LaGuardia is USD 110 and JFK USD 160 | Those figures are the operator’s own estimates before extras, and the extras are real. Every trip carries a USD 2.00 airport access fee. Trips into New York State add USD 10 in rush hour, weekdays 6:00 to 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 to 8:00 p.m. and weekends noon to 9:00 p.m. The East Side of Manhattan between Battery Park and 145th Street adds USD 5.00, and trips within New Jersey or to other states add USD 5. There is a USD 1 charge for each bag including carry-ons. The airport says the estimates exclude tips, tolls, MTA congestion pricing, and additional fees that can range from USD 6.75 to USD 15.75 depending on time of day and destination; it publishes no congestion pricing figure of its own. Seniors get 10 percent off. Four passengers to a cab, five in a minivan, and one fare covers everyone going to the same place. Take the receipt from the taxi dispatcher, show it to the driver, and take it back. | |
| Rideshare (Uber, Lyft) | app-priced, the airport publishes no fare | Pick-up is by terminal: Terminal A on the arrivals level directly across the street from the terminal, Terminal B on the arrivals level at the terminal frontage, and Terminal C on floor 3 of the Terminal C garage. Collect your bags before you call the car, and check the plate against the app before you get in. Uber Shuttle also runs a shared service between the airport and Manhattan on two routes. The airport describes them in two ways on two of its own pages, as Grand Central and Times Square or West Side on one and as Grand Central and 7th Ave on the other, with stops including the Port Authority Bus Terminal, Penn Station, Hudson Yards and Bryant Park. |
Where should I go on a Newark layover, and how far is Manhattan?
Downtown Newark and Military Park: The office and civic core around Newark Penn Station, with the Prudential Center, the museum quarter and the performing arts centre inside a short walk.
The Ironbound: The Portuguese, Spanish and Brazilian quarter immediately east of Newark Penn Station, and the reason most crew who leave the hotel leave it for dinner.
Jersey City and Hoboken: Waterfront towns facing Lower Manhattan, reached by train to Newark Penn and then PATH, with the skyline view most people fly in for.
Midtown Manhattan: One train from the airport station puts you at New York Penn Station under 34th Street, in reach of the theatre district, Bryant Park and the Midtown subway lines.
Elizabeth and the airport hotel belt: The strip of crew hotels ringing the field on the Elizabeth side, built around report times rather than sightseeing, with the IKEA and outlet cluster nearby.
How much fits in the hours I have at Newark?
Under 5 hours: Stay airside. Wi-Fi is free across the terminals, and the AirTrain plus rail plus screening on the way back eats a short window before you have seen anything. On a weekday between 5:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. the AirTrain leg to the rail station is a shuttle bus instead, which makes a short window shorter still.
5 to 9 hours: One move, well chosen. Newark Penn Station is minutes away, which puts downtown Newark and the Ironbound within easy reach and leaves plenty of margin. Midtown Manhattan is doable in this window but leaves you watching the clock the whole time.
9 hours plus: Manhattan becomes comfortable: one train to New York Penn Station, a few hours on foot or on the subway, and the same line back. Fix your return train before you leave the platform and keep the overnight bus in your back pocket if the evening runs long.
What should I know before I leave Newark Airport?
Paying for the train, and the AirTrain fee inside it: The single thing worth knowing here: an NJ Transit rail ticket to or from the airport already contains the Port Authority AirTrain fare, so you buy one ticket and keep it to open the AirTrain gates. If you arrive at the station without one you pay at the turnstiles instead. Buy in the NJ Transit app or at a machine before boarding, because on-board purchase adds USD 5.00. Without any rail or Amtrak ticket, the AirTrain on its own is USD 8.75 one way, tapped with a contactless credit or debit card or a mobile device with Apple Pay or Google Pay, or bought in the NJ Transit app or at a station machine. Monthly passes save around 30 percent for anyone based here.
Terminal A is the one that catches people out, and the AirTrain is half shut: The AirTrain does not run into Terminal A itself. From the Terminal A AirTrain station it is a covered walk of about 15 minutes or a shuttle bus of about 5 minutes, and that gap is the reason the system is being rebuilt. From the rail station the airport estimates 7 minutes to Terminal C, 11 to Terminal B and 20 to Terminal A. Trains generally come every 3 to 5 minutes, and between 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. they run every 15 minutes to Terminals B and C with a shuttle provided for Terminal A. Through the rebuild the AirTrain link to the rail station is replaced by a shuttle bus on weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., calling at all three terminals, the rental car centre and P4 daily parking, and the airport puts that ride at 15 to 45 minutes. Follow the red-banner signs or ask a red-coated airport specialist. The AirTrain keeps running between the terminals throughout, and runs normally at weekends.
The 62 bus is the cheap way in, if your bags are small: NJ Transit route 62 stops on the kerb at all three terminals and runs to Newark Penn Station without any AirTrain fee: USD 1.90 for one zone or USD 3.00 for two. Tap a contactless card or phone at the reader, or buy in the NJ Transit app. If you pay cash it has to be exact, because drivers cannot make change. The airport sits on a zone boundary, so have USD 3.00 ready. The catch is baggage: the timetable allows only two pieces per passenger and nothing bigger than 22 by 16 by 8 inches, which suits a cabin bag and a flight bag and rules out a big checked case. Between 12:01 a.m. and 4:59 a.m. the 62 leaves Newark Penn from Raymond Plaza West, and in the other direction the overnight trips from the terminals finish at the eastbound Market Street stop under the bridge rather than in the bus lanes.
Taxi fares are published, so check before you get in: It is illegal for a driver to charge more than the approved airport rate when taking the same group from the airport to anywhere in New Jersey, except specified special areas, or to New York City, and the rates are published as estimates: USD 30 to USD 40 into Newark, USD 56 to Jersey City or Hoboken, USD 60 to USD 80 to Manhattan by zone. The operator names three things that sit outside that fare limit: tolls, the USD 5.00 charge for destinations on the East Side of Manhattan between Battery Park and 145th Street, and any MTA congestion pricing. Separately it lists a USD 2.00 airport access fee on every trip and USD 1 for each bag including carry-ons. Use only the official stands and marked cabs. The airport warns that anyone offering a ride or luggage help without an official uniform and proper identification may be unlicensed, uninsured or operating illegally, and points you to the Port Authority Welcome Center in the arrivals area of each terminal if you want official help.
Connectivity in the terminals: Wi-Fi is free across the airport. Pick _Free EWR WiFi from the network list, and if it will not hold, the support line is +1 (800) 880-4117, staffed 24 hours a day. The terminals also carry water refill stations, charging stations, ATMs, currency exchange, prayer and meditation rooms and sensory rooms, and general airport support is on +1 (973) 961-6000 around the clock.
If you are carrying on to Jersey City or Lower Manhattan by PATH: PATH is a separate fare from your NJ Transit ticket, picked up at Newark Penn Station. The full one-way fare is USD 3.25, or USD 1.60 reduced, and a 10-trip TAPP card at USD 31 brings it to USD 3.10 a ride. Pay by tapping a contactless card, phone or TAPP card at the turnstile: SmartLink cards and MetroCards stopped working on PATH on August 31, 2026, so an old card from a previous trip will not open the gate.
Which numbers do I call in and around Newark if something goes wrong?
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| Emergency (police, fire, medical) | 911 |
| Port Authority Police at EWR, emergencies and police assistance in the airport | +1 (973) 961-6666 |
| NJ Transit Police, crime in progress or immediate police assistance on trains, buses and at stations | +1 (800) 242-0236 |
| NJ Transit Police, second line to the same control room | +1 (973) 378-6565 |
| Newark Police Division, non-emergency | (973) 733-6000 |
| NJ Transit, reporting suspicious activity | +1 (888) 847-7658 |
| United States country code (calling from abroad) | +1 |
Save these before you fly; numbers work from any phone.
How do I get from Newark airport to Manhattan?
Take the AirTrain from your terminal to Newark Liberty International Airport Rail Station, then an NJ Transit train on the Northeast Corridor or North Jersey Coast Line to New York Penn Station. Both the airport and NJ Transit put the trip at about 30 minutes, and the adult fare is USD 17.25 with the AirTrain fare already inside the ticket. On weekdays between 5:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. the AirTrain leg to the rail station is currently a shuttle bus instead, which the airport puts at 15 to 45 minutes, so allow for it. There is also a Coach USA express bus from every terminal to three Midtown stops in about 50 minutes for USD 23.50 one way, and a taxi on the published zone estimates, USD 60 to USD 80 depending on how far up the island you are going, before tolls and surcharges.
How much does the AirTrain at Newark airport cost?
Nothing between terminals, parking, hotel shuttles and the rental car centre. Going to or from the airport rail station it is USD 8.75 one way if you do not already hold an NJ Transit or Amtrak ticket, and you are charged as you enter or exit the station. If you do hold a rail ticket to or from the airport, the AirTrain fare is already in it, so keep the ticket to open the gates.
Is there a cheap bus from Newark airport into Newark?
Yes. NJ Transit route 62 stops on the kerb at all three terminals and runs to Newark Penn Station with no AirTrain fee at all: USD 1.90 for one zone or USD 3.00 for two. Tap a contactless card or phone at the reader, or buy in the NJ Transit app; if you pay cash it has to be exact, because drivers cannot make change. The limit is baggage, only two pieces per passenger and nothing over 22 by 16 by 8 inches, so it works with cabin bags and not with a large checked case.
Does public transport from Newark airport run all night?
The AirTrain does, running every 15 minutes to Terminals B and C between 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. with a shuttle provided for Terminal A, and NJ Transit route 62 runs between the terminals and Newark Penn Station through the night in both directions, seven days a week. The trains do not: on the weekday Northeast Corridor timetable the last train leaves the airport at 1:43 a.m. and the first at 4:50 a.m. Between 12:01 a.m. and 4:59 a.m. the 62 leaves Newark Penn from Raymond Plaza West, while the overnight trips coming in from the terminals finish at the eastbound Market Street stop under the bridge. Taxis wait at the official stands on the published estimated fares.
Is tap water safe to drink in Newark, New Jersey?
Yes. The city’s Department of Water and Sewer Utilities publishes a 2025 water quality report in which the violation column reads no for every parameter tested, with a lead 90th percentile of 0 ppb for Newark, zero action level exceedance sites, and individual lead results ranging from non-detect to 7.8 ppb. Two results sit close to their limits: the highest PFOA average was 4.15 ppt against a federal limit of 4.0 ppt that becomes enforceable in 2029, and one trihalomethane sample reached 136 ppb against a limit of 80 ppb, judged on a running annual average of 65.0. The supply comes from the Pequannock and Wanaque watersheds. The city strongly encourages running the tap for a minimum of 30 seconds before use, and flushing the pipes for several minutes before drinking.
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