Arriving at Newark Airport (EWR) and Getting to NYC

I arrived at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) around midnight. Since it was late and still dark outside, I decided to stay inside the airport and wait until after sunrise (around 6:00 a.m.) to start my journey into the city, as it felt safer to travel in daylight. Once I was ready to leave, I took the AirTrain Newark to Newark Penn Station, and from there, I took a train into New York Penn Station in Manhattan. The total cost for this route was around $17. It was one of the more affordable and straightforward ways to reach the city from the airport. From Penn Station, I continued to my hostel near Central Park. Unfortunately, the subway station I exited didn’t have an elevator or escalator, so I had to carry my heavy luggage up the stairs by myself, which was exhausting after a long night of travel. When I reached my hostel early in the morning, check-in wasn’t available yet, so I left my bags in their luggage storage and took some time to explore the neighborhood. I walked around, grabbed a few snacks, and picked up a SIM card to get my phone connected for the rest of the trip. It was a tiring arrival, but manageable and once I got moving, I was able to settle in and start enjoying the city.