There's no one-seat ride from Newark to Brooklyn — every transit route runs through Manhattan. The train into Penn Station plus the 2/3 subway covers most of the borough; the PATH via the World Trade Center is a slightly cheaper alternative for the R and J lines. Here's how to choose.
AirTrain weekday outage through Oct 29, 2026. From September 8 through October 29, 2026, AirTrain Newark does not run between the terminals and Newark Airport Rail Station on weekdays from 5 AM to 3 PM. Free shuttle buses replace that link every 4–5 minutes — allow up to 15 extra minutes for both train routes below. Weekends are unaffected. EWR AirTrain updates →
NJ Transit ticket from Newark Airport to New York Penn Station ($17.25, AirTrain included), then the subway ($3.00). The downtown 2/3 runs straight to Brooklyn Heights, Downtown Brooklyn, Prospect Heights, Park Slope and Crown Heights; the A/C covers DUMBO and Bed-Stuy.
NJ Transit one stop to Newark Penn ($12.30, AirTrain included), PATH to World Trade Center ($3.25), then the subway ($3.00). Saves $1.70 and takes about as long, but adds a transfer and longer walks. Good for Sunset Park and Bay Ridge (R) and Williamsburg (J).
Airport taxis charge Newark's approved rates plus tolls and surcharges; Uber/Lyft prices vary by time of day. Either way you pay a Hudson River crossing toll — no route from Newark to Brooklyn avoids one. Traffic at the tunnels and bridges decides the trip time.
Source: NJ Transit · PATH · MTA · Verified September 2026
The simplest route with bags: one train into Manhattan, then one subway into Brooklyn. The 2/3 express's first Brooklyn stop is Clark St, so you're across the river within minutes of leaving Penn.
Step 1: AirTrain to Newark Airport Rail Station. Follow AirTrain signs from arrivals. The ride to the rail station takes about 7 minutes from Terminal C and 11 minutes from Terminal B. Terminal A isn't directly on the AirTrain — take the 5-minute shuttle or the 15-minute covered walkway to the Terminal A station first; the airport estimates about 20 minutes from Terminal A to the rail station.
Step 2: Buy an NJ Transit ticket to New York Penn Station — $17.25. The ticket includes the $8.75 AirTrain fee; use it at the AirTrain fare gates. Buy in the NJ Transit app or at the station machines. Don't wait to buy on the train — NJ Transit adds a $5 surcharge to tickets bought on board.
Step 3: Ride NJ Transit to New York Penn Station. Take any New York-bound Northeast Corridor or North Jersey Coast Line train — about 30 minutes. Don't take Amtrak on an NJ Transit ticket.
Step 4: Subway to Brooklyn ($3.00, tap OMNY). Penn Station has two subway stations:
Source: Newark Airport AirTrain · NJ Transit · Verified September 2026
Skip the LIRR. Penn Station also has LIRR trains, but none run direct to Atlantic Terminal — you'd ride out to Jamaica and change for a train back into Brooklyn. The 2/3 gets you to Atlantic Av-Barclays Ctr directly for $3.00.
NJ Transit itself suggests this route for Lower Manhattan, and it works well for Brooklyn too: the subway lines under the World Trade Center reach Downtown Brooklyn in a few stops. It's $1.70 cheaper than the Penn Station route and about as fast — the tradeoff is one more transfer and long corridors at both Newark Penn and the WTC.
Step 1: AirTrain to Newark Airport Rail Station (same as above).
Step 2: NJ Transit ticket to Newark Penn Station — $12.30. AirTrain included. It's one stop, about 5 minutes.
Step 3: PATH to World Trade Center — $3.25. At Newark Penn, follow signs to PATH and board the Newark–World Trade Center line (about 25–30 minutes, via Harrison, Journal Square, Grove Street and Exchange Place). Pay at the turnstile with a contactless card, phone, or TAPP card. PATH runs 24/7.
Step 4: Subway into Brooklyn ($3.00). From the WTC PATH station, walk through the Oculus to:
Source: NJ Transit · PATH fares · Newark Airport public transportation · Verified September 2026
No free transfer. PATH and the subway are separate systems, so you pay $3.25 and then $3.00. NJ Transit tickets aren't valid on PATH, so buy your NJ Transit ticket only as far as Newark Penn for this route. More on fares and lines: PATH train guide →
Newark taxis are not NYC yellow cabs. At EWR you take a cab from the official dispatcher line, and it charges the airport's approved rates — not the NYC meter, and no JFK-style flat fare. The airport publishes Manhattan zone fares of $60–$80 but no Brooklyn figure, so ask the dispatcher for the fare to your address before you go, and keep the dispatcher's receipt (show it to the driver, then take it back).
Extras on top of the fare: tolls; tip; an airport access fee; a $10 surcharge on trips into New York during rush hours (weekdays 6–10 AM and 3–8 PM, weekends noon–9 PM); $1 per bag; and any MTA congestion pricing charge if the route passes through Manhattan below 60th St. Seniors can get 10% off. Cabs take up to 4 passengers (5 in a minivan).
Taxi stands: Terminal A — Level 1, near Door 5. Terminal B — Level 2 near Door 8, or Level 1 near Door 2. Terminal C — Level 1, near Door 6. No reservation needed.
Source: Newark Airport taxi service · Verified September 2026
Uber / Lyft pickup: collect your bags first, then follow "Ride App Pick Up" signs. Terminal A — arrivals level, directly across the street. Terminal B — arrivals level, on the terminal frontage. Terminal C — Floor 3 of the Terminal C Garage. Prices depend on time of day; check both apps. (Uber Shuttle from EWR only serves Manhattan, not Brooklyn.)
Source: Newark Airport ride share · Verified September 2026
Tolls are unavoidable. Every road from Newark to Brooklyn crosses into New York on a tolled crossing — the Holland Tunnel toward North and Downtown Brooklyn, or the Goethals Bridge plus the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge (tolled in both directions) toward Bay Ridge and South Brooklyn. Rideshare apps build tolls into the quoted price; taxis add them on top.
Ignore anyone offering rides inside the terminal. The airport warns that people without an official uniform and ID offering transportation may be unlicensed and uninsured. Use the taxi stand or the ride-app zone only.
Times are approximate, terminal to station, on a normal weekday with typical connections. Add up to 15 minutes during the weekday AirTrain shuttle-bus period.
~60–80 min · $20.25 (or PATH → R, $18.55)
~60–80 min · $20.25
~60–80 min · $20.25
~65–85 min · $18.55–$20.25
~65–85 min · $20.25
~70–90 min · $20.25
~70–90 min · $18.55–$20.25
~75–95 min · $18.55–$20.25
~70–90 min · $20.25
~40–75 min by car · 90+ min by transit
~75–95 min · $18.55
~40–70 min by car · ~90–110 min by R
Red Hook by ferry: on weekdays the NYC Ferry South Brooklyn route stops at Wall St/Pier 11 and then Red Hook — workable if you're already downtown, but a long walk from the WTC with luggage. NYC Ferry schedule →
Pick the route by your subway line, not the fare. The two train routes are within $1.70 and a few minutes of each other. If your stop is on the 2/3 or A/C, go via New York Penn — fewer transfers. If it's on the R or J, go via PATH and the WTC.
Buy the NJ Transit ticket before you board. The app or station machine price includes the AirTrain. Buying on board adds $5, and the AirTrain fare gates at the rail station charge $8.75 separately if you don't already hold a ticket.
Late-night arrivals: NJ Transit trains at the airport station don't run overnight (roughly 1 AM–5 AM), and AirTrain drops to every 15 minutes from 11 PM to 5 AM. PATH runs 24/7, and NJ Transit bus 62 connects the airport to Newark Penn Station — so bus 62 → PATH → subway still works in the small hours. With luggage at that time, a cab is usually the saner choice.
Group of 3+? The car wins. Two train fares cost $40.50; four cost $81. A single taxi or rideshare fare covers everyone going to the same address, and it's door to door.
The Airport Express bus doesn't help Brooklyn. It's $23.50 to Midtown (Grand Central, Bryant Park or Port Authority) and you'd still need the subway — more money than the train for a longer ride.
Flying back out of Newark? A NYC yellow cab from Brooklyn to EWR is metered, plus a $20 Newark surcharge and tolls both ways (you pay the driver's return toll). The train is the same two routes in reverse. See NYC to Newark Airport →
Source: MTA Newark guide · Newark Airport · NYC TLC taxi fare · Verified September 2026
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