Getting Around Newark
Newark is unusually well connected for a city of its size, and visitors will find that most of the places they want to reach — downtown, the train stations, the airport, and the surrounding suburbs — are linked by a compact network of trains, light rail, buses, and taxis. The city sits within the New York metropolitan area, so many of its transport options double as gateways to Manhattan, Jersey City, and points across New Jersey and beyond.
Arriving by Air
Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) is the city's main airport and a major hub for United Airlines, served by numerous other domestic and international carriers. It sits just south of downtown, close enough that the trip into the city is quick and straightforward.
Two airports in Queens, New York — JFK International and LaGuardia — serve additional carriers that do not fly to EWR directly, so some visitors will arrive through New York rather than Newark itself. Airport information is available by phone at +1-888-EWR-INFO or +1 973-961-6000.
From the airport, you have three practical options for reaching the city:
- AirTrain Newark shuttles between the airport's parking facilities, its three terminals, and the airport train station. From that station, frequent New Jersey Transit (NJT) service makes the ride to downtown a short one — roughly ten minutes.
- NJT bus #62 and the limited-stop GoBus 28 both travel to downtown; the GoBus continues on to North Newark.
- Taxis operate on a flat fee determined by destination, paid before the trip begins.
Rail Connections
Newark Penn Station, at 1 Raymond Plaza West, is the hub of the city's rail network and sits just a few blocks from the heart of downtown. The building itself is a beautiful old McKim, Mead & White structure worth visiting on its own.
Penn Station is served by three major rail systems:
- Amtrak operates trains throughout the United States, and several of its routes stop in Newark. These include the Acela between Boston and Washington, D.C.; the Cardinal, Carolinian, Crescent, Palmetto, Silver Meteor, and Silver Star running between the Northeast and points south and west; the Keystone and Pennsylvanian serving Pennsylvania; the Northeast Regional connecting Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington; and the Vermonter running between St. Albans and Washington, D.C.
- New Jersey Transit runs its Northeast Corridor, North Jersey Coast Line, and Raritan Valley Line through Penn Station, with easy connections to New York, Philadelphia, Trenton, and other points south and west.
- PATH connects Penn Station with Jersey City and the World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan via the NWK-WTC line, with connections to other PATH lines for Hoboken and 33rd Street in Manhattan.
One practical caution: both Newark and New York have stations called "Penn Station," and it is sometimes easy to mistake the conductor saying "New York" for "Newark" (and vice versa). Listen carefully so you don't get off at the wrong stop.
A second rail hub, Newark Broad Street Station, is served by New Jersey Transit's Montclair-Boonton Line, Morristown Line, and Gladstone Branch, with trains heading west to the suburbs and east to Hoboken Terminal, Secaucus Junction, and New York Penn.
Light Rail
The Newark Light Rail runs two lines, both originating at Penn Station:
- The City Subway Line (shown in blue on maps) serves University Heights, Branch Brook Park, and Grove Street in adjacent Bloomfield.
- The Broad Street Line (orange on maps) operates between Penn Station and Broad Street Station.
For a visitor, the light rail is a handy way to reach the park and university areas north of downtown, or to hop between the two main rail stations.
Buses
Newark Penn Station doubles as the city's bus terminal. It is served by an extensive network of New Jersey Transit local and regional buses, many of which originate there, along with Greyhound and other carriers. FlixBus stops just outside the station, offering service from Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Boston.
Because so many routes begin at Penn Station, it is the natural starting point for bus travel both within the city and to destinations further afield.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Taxis are available around the city and can be flagged down. At the airport, taxi service works differently: fares are based on a flat fee determined by destination, and you pay before the trip begins rather than at the end.
Walkability
Downtown Newark is compact enough that several key destinations sit within a few blocks of one another. Penn Station, in particular, is only a few blocks from the heart of downtown, which makes walking a reasonable option for short trips between the station and nearby hotels, offices, and attractions. For longer journeys across the city or out to the airport, the rail, light rail, and bus networks are the more practical choice.
Arriving by Car
If you are driving into Newark, several major roads lead to the downtown area:
- Route 21 (McCarter Highway) runs north-south along the railroad tracks a few blocks east of downtown.
- I-78 skirts the south edge of the city.
- US Route 1/9 arrives via the Pulaski Skyway and Lincoln Highway bridges from Jersey City, and the Newark Bay Extension from Manhattan (both via the Holland Tunnel). Take the Raymond Boulevard exit and drive along the Passaic River into downtown.
- Interstate 95 cuts through the city, connecting it with Trenton, Philadelphia, and New York.
- US Route 22 connects further west, running beyond Interstate 78 and out toward Cincinnati.
Practical Summary
For most visitors, Newark Penn Station is the anchor of the trip: it is the arrival point for Amtrak, NJT, and PATH trains, the city's bus terminal, and the origin of both light rail lines. From there, downtown is walkable, the airport is a short train or bus ride away, and Manhattan, Jersey City, Philadelphia, and much of New Jersey are reachable by rail. Taxis fill in the gaps, and at the airport they operate on a straightforward prepaid flat-fee basis.