To ask if any mumsnetters know New York?

[Lovesummer2]

Help for upcoming journey - How do I get from Newark airport, ideally to Central Park ( or even Times Square) by bus. Looking online and it’s confusing. Has anyone done the journey?
Would rather go by bus than train/ subway
What number is it and is it direct all the way?
Thanks!

Google Maps is your friend

Train is much better and more direct. It's a surface line not a subway.

Why don't you want to take train? It is manifestly the better option for EWR to NYC

Try the website Rome to Rio or it might be Rio to Rome it can tell you how to get from anywhere to anywhere else on public transport.

We just got a taxi when we flew into Newark - it was a lot easier. We were travelling with two tired and grumpy pre-teens though.

Just another poster here with no practical advice, but to say that the bus journey sounds like a hideous nightmare. Penn Station is gross, but the train journey is quite easy (unless you have a disability, I'd imagine - the mad rush up and down the stairs is unpleasant and I don't know what sort of lifts etc may be available)

Having said that, I know you have Google available, but this seems like a very good guide to the options: www.theglobetrottingteacher.com/newark-airport-to-manhattan/

I got a taxi - I can't remember how much it was but it wasn't a fortune.

I don't know how to do it via the bus but I definitely know how to do it via train.

It's way more pleasant to go by train. Are you nervous about the train, worried about derailment, something like that?

Flying into Newark you can take the monorail from inside the airport terminal building over to the train station.

Monorail ride takes about 15 minutes.

Then, at the train station, you just take the next train heading into New York City. There are a lot of trains.

Train ride takes about 20 to 30 minutes, depending on how busy the tracks are.

Train arrives at Penn Station in New York.

Penn Station is at 32nd Street between 7th and 8th Avenues.

Take taxi from Penn Station to Central Park.

Have a look at this site.

www.newarkairport.com/to-from-airport/public-transportation
I think Express Bus would work. There are also more local buses, as noted on this site. I hope this helps.

Just to add, taking a taxi from Newark Airport all the way in to New York City will be a lot more expensive than the train.

Will you have a lot of bulky, heavy luggage? If yes, then a taxi would be easier but a lot more expensive. If you're traveling light, take the train.

Use a shared shuttle service like Airlink or Super Shuttle. You can book in advance, they'll drop you where you want and it's cheap.

There's a bus takes you directly to like 25th. It's a short walk to 51st. It comes directly to the airport

I did that exact journey on my trip. My hotel was on like 53rd St

Thanks! The train sounds more straightforward then. When I get to Penn station, I’d rather take a bus to Central Park area- not sure about getting a taxi on my own. Will try and look up a bus number- if anyone knows, that would be great!

I second SuperShuttle - a shared minibus service. V slick, economic but can take time depending on the destinations of the other passengers

I don't remember seeing any buses heading north on 8th Avenue. Usually people will just take the subway line number 1 heading north from Penn Station.

If you take subway line 1 and get out at the Columbus Circle station, then you'll see Central Park when you come upstairs to the street level.

Google "New York City Subway app" so you can load the subway app onto your phone. It has a complete map of the subway system.

Will you have a lot of luggage? It might be challenging to navigate the subway with all the luggage.

8th Avenue traffic runs northbound. 7th Ave traffic runs southbound. 6th Ave traffic runs northbound. 5th Ave traffic runs southbound, etc.

Why can’t you get a taxi on your own? You’ll literally be in the easiest city in the world in which to get a taxi.

Oooooo are you meeting a blind date in Central Park???

Download the Citymapper app - it’s excellent for NYC! Covers all the forms of transportation.

Book a shared ride van (Super Shuttle or any other). They will take you door to door straight from outside arrivals. I’ve not lived in New York for 10 years now but it used to be $15 per person. If you are travelling with more than 2 or 3, it will be cheaper to get a taxi probably. You could do it by bus I’m sure (there must be a bus from Newark Airport to Port Authority and then you’d get on a local city bus once in Manhattan), but no one does and it’s probably a bit of a nightmare. Train is super easy from the airport though, it’s just outside the terminal and that’s what most people would do.

We got a taxi. Don’t think it was too expensive and you get charged a set amount and they’re not allowed to charge you anymore. I did have my 80 year old Nan with me though and NY was awful for people with mobility issues.

Thank you all for so much knowledge!
I think my plan will be to get the train to Penn station and then find the nearest subway station
( Hopefully there will be one that’s close) and get out at Columbus Circle .
No, I’m not meeting a blind date ! Nothing as exciting

Unless laws have changed, you can pick up an Uber. We used Uber all the time in NYC a couple of years ago. They'd arrive within minutes f you getting to Penn Station. Very cheap and easy.

It's two stops on the subway from Penn to Columbus Circle. The subway line in in the station at Penn and the lines are A, C and E.

Download the NY subway app.

Thanks onyourway! Sorry what do you mean?
Which line do I get on if there’s A,C and E?

Get on any one of those three. Local stops at every stop, express does not - if in doubt take local.