Guides Prices checked September 4, 2026
Newark to Manhattan: the AirTrain fee you can avoid
Newark is the only New York airport where the train fee disappears if you buy the right ticket.
The short answer
Take the AirTrain to the Newark Liberty airport rail station, then NJ Transit to Penn Station. The AirTrain costs $8.75 on its own, but the fee does not apply if you already hold an NJ Transit or Amtrak ticket. A cab has no flat fare: the meter plus a $20.00 Newark surcharge. Checked September 2026.
- Newark AirTrain $8.75, waived with a rail ticket
- Taxi surcharge $20.00, no flat fare
- Tolls Charged both ways
- Terminal A No direct AirTrain
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The AirTrain fee, and when you do not pay it
The Newark AirTrain connects the terminals to the Newark Liberty International Airport rail station, where NJ Transit and Amtrak stop. The Port Authority charges $8.75 to use it, with one important exception it states plainly: if you already hold an NJ Transit or Amtrak ticket, the fee does not apply. In practice that means buying your rail ticket to or from the airport station rather than buying an AirTrain fare and a train fare separately. Riding the AirTrain between terminals is free either way. If you connect onward by PATH, that is a separate fare again.
| Route | What you pay | Time to Midtown | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| AirTrain, then NJ Transit to Penn Station | $8.75 for the AirTrain unless your NJ Transit ticket covers it, plus the NJ Transit fare (around $16 all in, checked August 2026) | About 45 minutes, the rail leg around 25 | Almost always, because it does not sit in the tunnel |
| Newark Airport Express bus | Around $20, checked August 2026 | 45 to 75 minutes, traffic decides | Grand Central, Bryant Park and Port Authority stops |
| Cab or rideshare | Metered, plus a $20.00 Newark surcharge, plus tolls in both directions and tip; commonly $85 to $130 | 40 to 80 minutes | Groups with luggage, off-peak, and patience for the Lincoln Tunnel |
Why the Newark cab is the most expensive ride in the city
Three things stack against it. There is no flat fare, so the meter runs the whole way and traffic sets the price. The Taxi and Limousine Commission adds a $20.00 Newark surcharge on top. And you pay the tolls in both directions, because the driver is crossing a state line and their empty return trip is billed to you. That last one is the surprise, and it is the reason a Newark cab regularly lands north of $100 when the same distance inside the city would not. The usual congestion surcharges apply as well on anything touching Manhattan below 96th Street.
Newark to JFK and Newark to LaGuardia
Neither is quick. Both mean coming into Manhattan and going back out: NJ Transit to Penn Station, then the subway or LIRR toward Jamaica and the JFK AirTrain, or the subway toward Jackson Heights and the free Q70 for LaGuardia. Two hours is a fair planning figure for either. A car between the two states carries the $20.00 Newark surcharge and tolls both ways. If you are connecting between Newark and one of the New York airports on the same ticket, treat it as a separate journey rather than a transfer.
The three airports compared in one table are in our airport to Manhattan guide, with the transfers in airport transfers.
The questions people actually ask
How much is the AirTrain from Newark to Manhattan?
The AirTrain itself is $8.75 to reach the Newark Liberty airport rail station, and the Port Authority states the fee does not apply if you already hold an NJ Transit or Amtrak ticket. You then pay the NJ Transit fare to Penn Station on top, which put the whole trip at around $16 when we last checked it in August 2026.
What is the best way to get to Newark Airport from Manhattan?
NJ Transit from Penn Station to the Newark Liberty airport station, then the AirTrain to your terminal. It avoids the Lincoln Tunnel entirely, which is the single biggest source of missed flights out of Newark. Buy the rail ticket to the airport station so the AirTrain fee is covered.
Why is a taxi to Newark so expensive?
Three reasons stack: there is no flat fare so the meter runs, a $20.00 Newark surcharge is added, and you pay the tolls in both directions because the driver's empty return trip is billed to you. $85 to $130 is the normal range.
Does the AirTrain go to Terminal A?
No. The Port Authority says the AirTrain does not connect directly to Terminal A: it is about a 15-minute covered walk or a five-minute shuttle. Terminal C is roughly 7 minutes from the rail station and Terminal B roughly 11.
Is the Newark AirTrain running normally?
It is being modernised, and the Port Authority warns of temporary service disruptions with shuttle buses running whenever the AirTrain is unavailable. Check the airport's advisories before you rely on a tight connection.
The sources
Where the prices and rules above come from. Check them yourself:
- AirTrain Newark, Port Authority — read 4 September 2026: $8.75 unless you already hold an NJ Transit or Amtrak ticket, Terminal A not directly connected, modernisation advisory
- NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission, taxi fare — read 4 September 2026
- MTA, subway and bus fares — read 4 September 2026: $3.00 base fare, one free transfer within two hours
The prices on this page change.
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