Newark Liberty International Airport Station Explained

Newark Liberty International Airport
Address:3 Brewster Road
Borough:Newark, New Jersey
Country:United States
Coordinates:40.7044°N -74.1906°W
Owned:Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
Line:Amtrak Northeast Corridor
Platforms:2 island platforms
Tracks:6
Connections: via AirTrain Newark
Accessible:Yes
Architect:HNTB
Iata:EWR
Zone:1 (NJ Transit)
Opened:October 21, 2001
Other Services Header:Proposed services
Other Services Collapsible:yes
Mapframe:yes
Mapframe-Custom:
Shape:none
Line:none
Marker:rail
Marker-Color:
  1. 000
Zoom:14

Newark Liberty International Airport Station (also known as Newark Airport Rail Station and Newark RaiLink station, and often announced simply as Newark Airport) is a railroad hub on the Northeast Corridor (NEC) in Newark, New Jersey. The station provides access to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) via the AirTrain Newark monorail which connects the station to the airport's terminals and parking areas. The station is served by New Jersey Transit's (NJT) Northeast Corridor Line and North Jersey Coast Line and Amtrak's Northeast Regional and Keystone Service trains.

The station, located in the Dayton neighborhood of the city, is accessible only by train. There is no direct pedestrian access, bus service, parking facility, or drop-off area. In 2024, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which owns and operates the station, announced that the station would be expanded to include street access via New Jersey Route 27 as well as other facilities.[1] [2]

History

The station opened on October 21, 2001.[3] The million (equivalent to US$million in) facility was funded through a surcharge on airline passengers. Construction and operation of the extension of the AirTrain Newark system from the airport to the station is funded by ongoing fees charged to train passengers who use the station.

It is owned by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ), the airport's operator, and therefore has a different design from other New Jersey Transit and Amtrak stations, especially the signage, which is the same as used throughout the airport.[4]

The Port Authority originally intended to name the station "Newark Airport" but changed it to "Newark Liberty International Airport" after the airport's renaming, which honors the victims of the September 11 attacks and the proximity of the airport to the Statue of Liberty.[5] [6]

Unlike most train stations, the facility was designed with no direct pedestrian access, bus service, parking facility, or drop-off area, although all are available at the airport.[7] Amtrak increased Northeast Regional service at the station by one-quarter in July 2024.[8]

Station layout and service

Northeast Corridor

On the NEC, to the north, it is a 6-minute trip to Newark's Penn Station, where connections are available to the Port Authority Trans-Hudson (PATH) system to Jersey City, Hoboken and Lower Manhattan as well as the Newark Light Rail and regional bus services. Secaucus Junction, only served by NJ Transit trains, is 15 minutes away and offers connections to other NJT commuter lines in northern New Jersey and Metro-North Railroad's West of Hudson services. New York City's Penn Station, where connections are available to Long Island Rail Road and the New York City Subway, is a 30-minute trip. To the south, Trenton is a 40-minute trip, Philadelphia is a one-hour trip, and Washington, D.C. is a 3.5-hour trip.[9] [10] [11]

AirTrain Newark

Passengers connecting between the Northeast Corridor and AirTrain Newark must pass through faregates and pay a fee. This fee is included in the price of tickets with the station as the origin or destination (denoted with **EWR**) and the QR code on the ticket can be scanned at the faregate. Monthly pass holders who do not have Newark Airport as the origin or destination for their pass need to use a ticket vending machine (TVM) located on either side of the faregates to pay the fee.

Platform layout

NJ Transit trains typically stop on the outer platform tracks, while Amtrak trains typically stop on the inner platform tracks. The two center tracks, which do not serve the station, are used by express NJ Transit trains, as well as Amtrak services that do not stop here (the Acela and long-distance services).

PATH extension proposal

In September 2012, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced that work would commence on a study to explore extending the PATH system to the station.[12] The new station would be located at ground level to the west of the existing NJ Transit station. A storage yard for PATH trains would also be built. There would be a park and ride facility at the stop, with a new entrance to the surrounding Dayton neighborhood, and an overpass to the existing NJ Transit and AirTrain platforms.[13]

In 2014, the PANYNJ proposed a 10-year capital plan that included the PATH extension,[14] [15] which was approved by the Board of Commissioners on February 19 of that year.[16] However, in late 2014, there were calls for reconsideration of Port Authority funding priorities. The PATH extension followed the route of existing Manhattan-to-Newark Airport train service, while there was no funding for either the Gateway Tunnel under the Hudson River, or the replacement of the aging and overcrowded Port Authority Bus Terminal.[17] On January 11, 2017, the PANYNJ released its 10-year capital plan that included $1.7 billion for the extension. Under the plan, construction was projected to start in 2020.[18] [19]

The PANYNJ announced in March 2023 that it was deferring funding for the Newark Airport extension to a future capital plan.[20] At the same time, the PANYNJ's Board of Commissioners allotted $12 million to plan and design new entrances to the Newark Liberty International Airport station.[20] [21]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: PANYNJ Board approves $160 million for EWR Station Access project. March 28, 2024. Mass Transit. March 28, 2024.
  2. Web site: $160M project aims to transform transit, airport access for Newark, Elizabeth. Matthew. Fazelpoor. March 26, 2024. NJBIZ. March 28, 2024.
  3. News: Gootman . Elissa . October 22, 2001 . New Train Service To Newark Airport . The New York Times . February 19, 2010.
  4. Web site: Newark International Airport . The SubwayNut.
  5. News: Wilson . Michael . August 22, 2002 . Governors Seek a Name Change for Newark Airport . The New York Times . March 14, 2010.
  6. News: Smothers . Ronald . August 30, 2002 . Port Authority Extends Lease of a Renamed Newark Airport . The New York Times . March 13, 2010.
  7. Dayton Street Transformation Plan . April 2014 . Newark Housing Authority . November 16, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304033102/http://www.newarkha.org/cni/CNIDOCS/CNI%20TRANSFORMATION%20PLAN/FinalDaytonStreetTransformationPlan%20(10.29.14).pdf . March 4, 2016 . dead.
  8. Amtrak Adds 33 More Weekly Northeast Regional Stops at Newark Liberty International Airport . July 3, 2024 . Amtrak.
  9. Web site: March 4, 2019 . Northeast Corridor New York–Washington Schedule . May 8, 2019.
  10. Web site: October 14, 2018 . Northeast Corridor Schedule . May 8, 2019 . NJ Transit.
  11. Web site: 2022-09-23 . Regional rail connections . 2023-01-25 . Newark Liberty International Airport.
  12. Port Authority To Undertake Study on Extending Path Rail Service to Newark Liberty International Airport . September 20, 2012 . . October 1, 2012 . May 14, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210514173733/http://www.panynj.gov/press-room/press-item.cfm?headLine_id=1641 . dead .
  13. Web site: November 28, 2017 . Path Extension Project Public Scoping Meetings National Environmental Policy Act . April 28, 2018 . . April 29, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180429025727/https://www.panynj.gov/path/pdf/Presentation_for_the_PATH_Extension_Public_Scoping_Meetings.pdf . dead .
  14. News: Reitmeyer . John . November 22, 2017 . Port Authority Pushes on with Plans to Extend PATH from NYC to Newark Liberty – NJ Spotlight . NJ Spotlight . May 8, 2019.
  15. Port Authority Unveils Comprehensive, Proposed $27.6 Billion Capital Plan To Revitalize Region's Transportation Assets . February 4, 2014 . . February 4, 2014 . February 22, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140222033345/http://www.panynj.gov/press-room/press-item.cfm?headLine_id=1913 . dead .
  16. Port Authority Board Approves Historic $27.6 Billion 10-Year Capital Plan That Focuses the Agency on Its Core Transportation Mission . February 19, 2014 . . February 20, 2014 . July 12, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210712030638/http://www.panynj.gov/press-room/press-item.cfm?headLine_id=1925 . dead .
  17. News: Magyar . Mark J. . October 24, 2014 . Christie's Airport PATH Deal Undercuts Rail Tunnel, PA Bus Terminal Needs . NJ Spotlight . October 24, 2014.
  18. Proposed Capital Plan 2017–2026 . January 11, 2017 . Port Authority of New York & New Jersey . 38 . March 26, 2018 . February 2, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170202044205/http://corpinfo.panynj.gov/files/uploads/documents/financial-information/budget-capital-plan/Proposed_Capital_Plan_2017-2026_HZ1oF7A.pdf . dead .
  19. Web site: Reitmeyer . John . May 1, 2017 . What's the Plan for PATH Service to Newark Liberty Airport? . October 4, 2017 . NJ Spotlight.
  20. Web site: Higgs . Larry . New rail station to be built ahead of delayed PATH Newark Airport extension . nj . March 14, 2023 . March 14, 2023.
  21. Web site: Port Authority Advances Plans To Improve Access To Newark Liberty International Airport And New York City . City Life Org . March 16, 2023 . March 18, 2023.