Newark is in New Jersey, and that shapes the trip
Newark Liberty is served by New Jersey's rail network, not the New York subway. AirTrain Newark runs from the terminals to Newark Liberty International Airport station, where NJ Transit and Amtrak trains stop, and from there NJ Transit's Northeast Corridor and North Jersey Coast Line trains run into New York Penn Station at 34th Street.
| Option | Adult fare | Time | Arrives at |
|---|---|---|---|
| AirTrain + NJ Transit train | $17.25 | About 30 min on the train | New York Penn Station (34th St) |
| AirTrain + NJ Transit to Newark Penn + PATH | About $15.05 | About 40–45 min | 33rd St or World Trade Center |
| Newark Airport Express bus | $23.50 | About 50 min | Port Authority Bus Terminal, Bryant Park, Grand Central |
| Taxi from the airport stand | $60–80 estimate + extras | Traffic-dependent | Your door |
Sources: Port Authority public transportation page and NJ Transit airport page, checked 19 October 2026.
The train: $17.25 with AirTrain included
NJ Transit's airport page quotes $17.25 for an adult ticket to Midtown and says the AirTrain fee is "included in your NJ TRANSIT ticket — no separate purchase needed". NJ Transit's current fare table took effect on 1 July 2026. The same airport page currently carries a notice that rail service is running on a "Portal Cutover" weekend schedule, so check your train in the NJ Transit app for your travel date. Keep the ticket handy: the MTA's Newark guide notes it is used at AirTrain as well as on the train.
If you arrive with no rail ticket and only want AirTrain, the Port Authority charges $8.75 per person, paid at the station gates. Travel between terminals, parking and rental cars is free.
Children: NJ Transit says ages 5–11 travel at half price, up to three children aged 4 and under ride free with a paying adult, and on weekends and holidays up to two children aged 5–11 ride free with a fare-paying adult. NJ Transit does not say on that page whether the AirTrain fee is waived for a child riding free, so ask at the station machine screen or ticket office before you tap.
Terminal A and AirTrain works
The AirTrain page states that AirTrain does not connect directly to Terminal A: you take a five-minute shuttle or a 15-minute walk on a covered pathway, and should allow about 20 minutes from the rail station. The system is being modernised, and the Port Authority says shuttle buses replace AirTrain whenever it is out of service. The MTA's Newark guide adds that shuttle buses replace AirTrain between the airport and the rail station on weekdays from 5am to 3pm; that page still shows pre-July 2026 fares, so confirm the shuttle arrangement on arrival. Between 11pm and 5am, AirTrain serves Terminals B and C every 15 minutes, with a shuttle to Terminal A.
PATH for Lower Manhattan
The Port Authority lists a cheaper combination: NJ Transit to Newark Penn Station ($12.05) and then PATH to 33rd Street or the World Trade Center, about 40 to 45 minutes in all. With the $3 PATH fare quoted in the MTA's Newark guide, that comes to about $15.05. It only makes sense if you are staying near the World Trade Center or a PATH stop, because it saves just over $2 and adds a change.
The Newark Airport Express bus: $23.50
Coach USA's Newark Airport Express picks up outside arrivals at Terminal A (Zone 13), Terminal B (Zone 2) and Terminal C (Zone 5), and the Port Authority lists Manhattan stops at Port Authority Bus Terminal (41st Street between 8th and 9th Avenues), Bryant Park (42nd Street and 5th Avenue) and Grand Central (41st Street between Park and Lexington). It quotes about 50 minutes and $23.50 one way or $39.50 round trip. Frequency and hours were not published on the pages checked.
Pick the bus if your hotel is near one of those three stops and you would rather sit with your bags than change trains.
Taxi from Newark: zone estimates and extras
From the official taxi stand, the Port Authority's taxi page gives estimated fares by Manhattan zone (checked 19 October 2026):
| Manhattan destination | Estimated fare |
|---|---|
| Battery to W 13th St | $60 |
| W 14th St to W 50th St | $65 |
| W 51st St to W 96th St | $70 |
| W 97th St to W 185th St | $75 |
| Above W 185th St | $80 |
On top of that: a $2.00 airport access fee on all trips, $1 per bag including carry-ons, a $5.00 surcharge for the East Side of Manhattan (Battery Park to 145th Street), and a $10 surcharge to New York State during rush hour (Monday to Friday 6–10am and 3–8pm, weekends noon–9pm). The estimates also exclude tips, tolls, MTA congestion pricing and other fees, which the Port Authority puts at $6.75 to $15.75. Take a receipt from the taxi dispatcher before you leave and show it to the driver.
Rideshares such as Uber and Lyft use the airport's official pickup areas; the Port Authority does not publish prices for them.
Worked costs for one, two and four people
Assume a hotel near Penn Station or Times Square on the West Side, an off-peak arrival, one bag each and no tip in the taxi figures.
| Group (adults) | NJ Transit train | Express bus | Taxi (W 14th–W 50th St zone) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $17.25 | $23.50 | $68 + $6.75–15.75 |
| 2 | $34.50 | $47.00 | $69 + $6.75–15.75 |
| 4 | $69.00 | $94.00 | $71 + $6.75–15.75 |
The taxi column is $65 plus the $2 access fee plus $1 per bag, then the Port Authority's range for tolls and congestion charges. For four adults, the train and a cab land within about $9 to $18 of each other before tip, and the cab saves the AirTrain, the train and the walk from Penn Station. In rush hour, add $10 to the cab, which puts it $19 to $28 above the train.
If your room is not ready when you reach Penn Station, see luggage storage before check-in. Flying into JFK on a later trip? Compare the costs in our JFK to Manhattan guide.