NJ TRANSIT AND PORT AUTHORITY ANNOUNCE EFFORT TO PROMOTE RAIL TO NEWARK LIBERTY AIRPORT
Kids ride free to the airport beginning tomorrow
September 2, 2010
NJT-10-052
NEWARK, NJ — Kicking off the business and holiday travel-booking season, NJ TRANSIT and the Port Authority of NY & NJ are making it easier and more affordable to take the train to the plane at Newark Liberty International Airport.
The agencies announced today that they have launched a coordinated effort to promote fast, convenient rail options to the airport through targeted outreach programs, including a new online rail trip planner for air travelers, family-friendly discounts, and a downloadable guide for travel agents.
The components of the program include an extension of NJ TRANSIT’s Family SuperSaver fare, which enables up to two kids, age 11 and under, to travel to the airport free with each adult, throughout the entire holiday travel period – from Friday, September 3 through Sunday, January 2. Taking advantage of these discounts, a family of four – two adults and two children – can travel from Woodbridge or Metropark to the airport for only $23 each way. (Fares for closer stations are even lower.) A family traveling to the airport from New York Penn Station would pay $25.
“We want air travelers to know how convenient and affordable it can be to take NJ TRANSIT rail service to the airport,” said NJ TRANSIT Executive Director James Weinstein. “By incentivizing more people to use our service when they fly, we are encouraging people to spend discretionary travel dollars in New Jersey while improving market share for both our rail system and the airport.”
“The Port Authority and NJ TRANSIT are working together to provide a quick, cost-effective way for our customers to get to Newark Liberty International Airport,” said Bill Baroni, Deputy Executive Director of the Port Authority of NY & NJ. “This partnership helps our entire region. Simply put, we are providing a faster, cheaper, easier way to fly.”
Beginning on September 3, customers traveling between the airport station and New York Penn Station will be able to purchase tickets for $12.50 each way – a promotional discount to encourage more train-to-plane travel. On weekdays, NJ TRANSIT offers 81 departures from New York Penn Station to the airport, with service beginning at 4:17 a.m. and continuing until 1:45 a.m. The trip takes about 25 minutes, depending on the train’s stopping pattern. Today, more than 60 percent of NJ TRANSIT customers arriving or departing the airport rail station begin or end their train trip at New York Penn Station.
As part of the effort to encourage train-to-plane travel, Mr. Weinstein said that NJ TRANSIT is in early discussions with Continental Airlines on ways to further enhance the customer experience for airport travelers. Mr. Weinstein said that he hoped to have more information about potential joint efforts in the coming months.
Continental Airlines is the largest air carrier at Newark Liberty International Airport, and the majority of NJ TRANSIT customers utilizing the airport rail station arrive or depart on Continental flights.
Among the other components of the campaign:
- New Web Portal for NJ TRANSIT Airport Travelers: A redesigned page at njtransit.com/EWR makes taking the train to the plane easier than ever. Check schedules and fares, get real-time train information, view a virtual tour of the AirTrain experience and get important travel tips for air travelers.
- Downloadable Guide for Travel Agents: Beginning next week, travel agents around the globe will be able to download a simple guide explaining how easy it is to use NJ TRANSIT service to or from EWR.
About 24,000 people are employed at Newark Liberty International Airport, making it one of the largest employment centers in New Jersey. The airport contributes about $18.5 billion in economic activity to the New York-New Jersey metropolitan region including more than $6.7 billion in wages and salaries. About 157,000 jobs are derived from airport activity.
Airport travelers can check train schedules and fares—and even get real-time train status through DepartureVision, NJ TRANSIT’s real time customer information system—on the web at njtransit.com. Travelers can even access this information on the go from any web-enabled mobile device via the njtransit.com website.
Fares for a Family of Four* to Newark Liberty International Airport from:
Newark $16.50
Woodbridge $23.00
Metropark $23.00
Secaucus $24.50
Rutherford $24.50
New York $25.00
Hamilton $33.00
* for two adults and two young children one way, valid Sept. 3 – Jan. 2
About NJ TRANSIT
NJ TRANSIT is the nation's largest statewide public transportation system providing more than 895,000 weekday trips on 240 bus routes, three light rail lines and 12 commuter rail lines. It is the third largest transit system in the country with 165 rail stations, 60 light rail stations and more than 18,000 bus stops linking major points in New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia.