We're cruising to and from New York next month. On the day we return to New York we have eight hours to kill before our flight home from Newark airport. We were planning to leave our baggage and go sightseeing but cannot find a left-luggage facility. Virgin Atlantic, who we are flying with, says we can only check our bags in four hours before departure. - Robbie Barrigan, Epping
In the old days, pre-9/11, every US airport had hundreds of left-luggage lockers. No chance these days, of course - but you can lug your bags into Manhattan as, close to Penn Station (providing the best access to Newark airport), Schwartz's at 355 West 36th Street will gladly look after your luggage for around $10 per bag per day. It's open 8am-11pm, which will work fine for you.
Trains run from Penn Station to Newark airport every 10 minutes during the day and early evening, with a total journey time (including the AirTrain transfer) of half an hour - so leaving Manhattan on the 6.37pm will get you there two hours before departure, for a fare of $12.50pp.
Don't be tempted to take a cab - it will cost much more, and you risk being caught up in the tail end of the rush hour.
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