<p>There are also buses from Newark right across 42nd Street.</p>
<p>I live 10 minutes from White Plains. I’ve never been able to fly out of there. First of all… ALL SMALL PLANES. Second… very few direct flights. My son went to Syracuse last week… to fly from WP to Syr was a prop plane only… and included a 1 and 1/2 hour layover in Philadelphia! We could drive to Syracuse (and have) in 4 hours. He flew from LaGuardia. Took me 1/2 hour to get him there, the flight took just one hour.</p>
<p>from newark you can take the train and be at penn station in about 15-20 minutes, and from there you can catch a cab or walk to your meeting. (penn station is at 34th between 7th and 8th)</p>
<p>the problem is, that if latetoschool is coming from the West Coast, the best routes may only go into JFK. I’ve always found that is true, so if someone can point to good and preferably nonstop flights that go from West Coast cities into these airports, more than one person would be grateful for the assistance! (I fly jetblue the most because the flights/fares/service are the best; it only flies into JFK, to the best of my knowledge)</p>
<p>Patient, there are plenty of west coast flights into Newark and many are non-stop. Yep, Newark-to-Manhattan is convenient, particularly for Lower Manhattan, Midtown and West Side destinations.</p>
<p>Generally, JFK is a drag and a cab ride does not make it less so. If it has to be JFK (airline fares from JFK are usually lower than EWR and LGA service), then by all means try the relatively new Air Tran service, which can get you to Midtown Manhattan in about 30 minutes, I understand. It connects to the city subway in Jamaica. While I suspect that 30 minutes is a bit of optimistic adverstising by Air Tran’s operators, it’s much faster than a cab at most times of the day. And it’s cheap. Once in Manhattan you could walk [from Grand Central Station, weather permitting] or take a cab to your Park Avenue destination.</p>
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<p>Guess it depends on where you are going. I fly to Chicago several times a year. Leave my house at 5 am. At the airport at 5:30 am, parked, inside, and through security by 5:45 … boarding at 5:50 am, plane takes off at 6 am, lands in Chicago about 7:15 am (their time) … carry ons only … grab a cab or hotel shuttle and I am at my meeting well before 8 am! HPN also works pretty well for Washington, and some points in Florida.</p>
<p>There is going to be major construction on Route 78 starting next week and lasting for months; although Newark airport is at the eastern edge of the construction zone there is likely to be substantial impact no raffic all over the Newark area–this is probably not the time to use Newark Airport unless you either have no other choice or plan to use the train that goes directly from the airport–any kind of road connections may be quite tricky. (This is really a major inconvenience for people living in the western suburbs who depend on Route 78 to get to school or work or anyplace else in Union and Essex Counties).</p>
<p>Between flight delays and rush hour traffic, I don’t think you will have any choice but to fly in the night before. Then, the morning of your meeting, you can leave as much time as necessary to get to your meeting from your hotel. Please leave more time than you think you will need in the morning, though, because finding a cab at rush hour can be a challenge.</p>
<p>The Turnpike will be fine. I’ve commuted that way for 20 years and I don’t foresee the construction on 78 being a problem at all.</p>
<p>Thank you everyone for all of the responses, I really appreciate it. I believe I will have no choice but to fly in the day before. Even considering Newark I cannot find a flight that gets me in before 9-ish. Plus, the last two times I have returned to the southeastern U.S. from Newark, Continental had one problem or another, and I ended up back home at like 3:00 a.m. - I’m not doing that again, either. </p>
<p>Oh well. At least NYC is always interesting and fun, and, there are other people I can reach out to while I’m there.</p>
<p>Thanks again to everyone for all the replies, I really appreciate it, as it took far less time to hear what everyone here had to say vs. slogging through the internet.</p>
<p>the air train doesnt connect to grand central, it is an LIRR train that connects to penn station. There is no quick way to get from penn station to grand central. The E train which is the other option from jfk air train does not connect to grand central either, but does take you to times square (port authority) or penn station</p>
<p>The exit ramps from the Turnpike to 78 will be backed up because people will have to funnel into the local lanes when the express lanes are closed and into the express lanes when the local lanes are closed (in stage 2 of the construction). It is probably true that the Turnpike will not be as heavily impacgted as the roads to the west, but I do think there will be considerable delays at least at rush hour.</p>
<p>It also is not exactly a secret that Newark Airport often experiences arrival and departure delays even when the other area airports do not, and Continental, despite being a major airline there (Newark is one of its hubs), is heavily impacted by those delays.</p>
<p>“It also is not exactly a secret that Newark Airport often experiences arrival and departure delays even when the other area airports do not, and Continental, despite being a major airline there (Newark is one of its hubs), is heavily impacted by those delays.”</p>
<p>Now THAT is the God’s honest truth! The good thing about Newark in the morning is that the buses to midtown can use the bus lane in the Lincoln Tunnel which save a huge amount of time. I still think it’s worth it, but the better option really is staying overnight.</p>
<p>I think flying in the night before is the best option, because if your flight is even slightly delayed (whether its into LGA or Newark, forget JFK since it takes the longest to get into Manhattan), you’re missing your meeting. The bus from Newark – or even NJ Transit from Newark Airport into Penn Station – will save you a lot of time in the am, and while I don’t think it’s impossible to make a 10am meeting… I just think it’s going to be a rushed morning.</p>
<p>as for quick ways from Grand Central to Penn Station, I’ve done it in 10minutes but you have to switch subways and move quickly, so you can end up waiting and if you’re not familiar with the subway stations, then it takes more…</p>
<p>If you want a close-to-meeting hotel, I like this one:
<a href=“http://www.kimberlyhotel.com/index.asp[/url]”>http://www.kimberlyhotel.com/index.asp</a></p>
<p>Not cheap, but small and very comfortable, air conditioning works, etc. And since it’s tax-deductible it isn’t so bad. It looks like it’s about .7 miles from your meeting address. They’ll also arrange a car for you from the airport.</p>
<p>Me-A lifelong NYer says-it really doesn’t matter-choose your flights according to flight times departures and arrivals-once you’re on the ground-all roads lead to Manhattan.</p>
<p>LOL Bklymom!!!</p>