Umrah Packages from Jersey City
Flight-inclusive Umrah for pilgrims from Northern New Jersey, departing via EWR & JFK.
Umrah from Jersey City made simple
Thirty minutes. That's the Port Authority's estimate for getting from the Journal Square PATH station to Newark Liberty by PATH and NJ Transit, and it makes EWR the obvious airport to look at first. Our airfare, however, is priced from JFK, one of five US gateways, so the choice is less obvious than the map suggests. Reaching Queens means PATH into Manhattan, then the LIRR or subway out to Jamaica and the AirTrain. An EWR departure may add to the airfare. The team gives you that number before anything is booked, so you can weigh the shorter ride against it.
Departures
EWR & JFK
Routing
EWR is closer by PATH and NJ Transit, while JFK, the priced gateway, means PATH plus the LIRR or subway and the AirTrain.
Community
Hudson County had an estimated 42,300 Muslim adherents in the 2020 US Religion Census, roughly 58 for every 1,000 residents, spread across 16 congregations. In Jersey City itself, Masjid As-Salaam on Kennedy Boulevard describes itself as the city's first masjid in Journal Square, offering daily prayers and community programs since 1980. The Islamic Center of Jersey City, on Park Street, lists events ranging from youth programs to community dinners alongside its prayer schedule.
Getting to Makkah from Jersey City
Both airports can be reached from Jersey City without a car. At Newark, the rail station hands you to the AirTrain, which runs on to the terminals and connects to the parking lots and rental cars as well. The airport also names Jersey City among the areas its NJ Transit bus routes serve, which helps if the train station isn't close to home. At JFK, the AirTrain starts at Jamaica or Howard Beach.
Once you're in the air, a change of planes at a European, Turkish or Gulf hub is likely, and a total of roughly 15 to 20 hours before you land in Jeddah. Even then, a road or rail transfer separates you from Makkah, and the clock will have jumped. Makkah stays on UTC+3 all year while New Jersey switches between daylight and standard time, which leaves Makkah 7 hours ahead of Jersey City from March to early November and 8 hours ahead in winter. An eastbound overnight flight shortens the night, so plan a light first day.
Two rail starting points
The Port Authority publishes sample trips to EWR from this side of the river. From the Journal Square PATH station, it lists PATH plus an NJ Transit train on the Northeast Corridor or North Jersey Coast Line, about 30 minutes in total. From Hoboken Terminal it gives about 55 minutes, either NJ Transit with a change of line or NJ Transit combined with PATH. Pick the one that starts closest to your door, and check both timetables before the day.
If you choose JFK
Flying from the priced gateway means crossing Manhattan first. Take PATH into the city, then the LIRR or the subway to Jamaica, where the AirTrain begins; the Port Authority describes the leg from New York Penn Station to the AirTrain as about 20 minutes. Road access is the weak point at the moment. Because of construction, JFK's alerts page warns drivers of delays and reroutes and strongly advises mass transit, which from Jersey City is a fairly long chain.
Luggage, strollers and wheelchairs on the rail route
Newark's AirTrain is built for exactly this. The Port Authority says all its trains and stations are ADA-compliant, each train has two wheelchair spaces, and strollers, luggage carts and baggage are allowed on board. The airport rail station has elevators for transfers between NJ Transit and Amtrak. One rule to remember: no eating or drinking on the AirTrain, so finish the snacks on the platform. For a traveler who needs mobility help at the terminal, arrange it with the airline in advance.
Three ways to go from Jersey City
Seven nights, flights included. The tier decides how close your hotels are.
- AffordableVoco Makkah (IHG)5-7 minutes by shuttle, or about 15 minutes' walkShaza Regency PlazaAbout 3 minutes' walk$1,590per person, quad
- PremiumRotana Jabal Omar MakkahUnder 2 minutes' walkPullman Zamzam MadinahUnder 1 minute's walk$1,790per person, quad
- LuxurySwissotel Makkah, Clock TowerFacing the HaramAnwar Al Madinah MövenpickFacing Masjid an-Nabawi$1,890per person, quad
Umrah from Jersey City: questions
Yes. The AirTrain leg between the airport rail station and the terminals carries its own fee, which an NJ Transit or Amtrak ticket to the airport already covers. The Port Authority is clear that a PATH ride is paid separately. So a Jersey City family using PATH and then NJ Transit pays two fares, and the NJ Transit portion includes the AirTrain. The airport notes that tickets bought ahead in the NJ Transit app include the AirTrain fare, which keeps things simple at the station.
Terminal C. The Port Authority's estimates from the rail station are about 7 minutes to Terminal C, 11 minutes to Terminal B and 20 minutes to Terminal A, because the AirTrain doesn't connect to Terminal A directly and you finish with a covered walk or a short shuttle. Your airline decides the terminal, not you, so check the ticket and allow for the longer end if you're heading to A.
Our 7-night flight-inclusive packages run from $1,590 to $1,890 per person on quad occupancy, with airfare, the e-visa, medical insurance, both hotels and the Haramain train inside that figure.