2:09 EventsTM is an Official International Travel Partner of the ING New York City Marathon 
Travel Itinerary for Clients at the Westin Newport Hotel
Please find enclosed your airline e-Ticket(s), baggage labels, general information document, and race registration document.
Please note that hotel vouchers are not required as the hotel is holding our group rooming list and your room key will be distributed by our Tour Leaders on your arrival at the hotel.
Normal check-in time for the Westin Hotel is 3pm and it is possible that your room may not be ready if you arrive on one of the earlier flights. If this is the case you may leave luggage at the hotel and make your way to race registration while the hotel prepares the rooms.
We have not arranged a meet & greet facility at the UK airports, you should just check-in as normal.
A bus transfer is arranged for clients arriving on the following flights only. Our staff will be at the arrival airport to show you to the waiting coach.
Wed 2nd Nov:
VS1 LHR/EWR 1600/2005
Thu 3rd Nov:
VS1 LHR/EWR 1600/2005
Fri 4th Nov:
VS1 LHR/EWR 1600/2005
Tickets, Passports & Visas
Flight times can change, please check your flight ticket and flight itinerary in case of changes since preparation of these details. Please check the Travel Information pages for Passport & Visa Information.
ESTA
It is now a condition that all travellers to the United States travelling under the Visa Waiver Scheme are required to register with US Border Control online at least three days before travel is due to commence. Registration takes 10mins and will ask you the same questions as currently asked on the Visa Waiver form - Passport details, personal details such as date of birth and where you are staying in the USA.
For more information, and to apply online please visit the following website: https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov.
Meet & Greet (From group flights)
If you are travelling on one of the flights indicated above a coach transfer has been arranged for you. Once you have cleared immigration, collected your luggage and passed through customs please look out for our tour leaders who will be holding a 2:09 Events notice board.
Please inform us if you intend to make your own way to the hotel.
Transfers to Your Hotel from Group Flights
Once everyone is in the arrivals hall off the Virgin flights above we will transfer you to your hotel. The journey time varies according to the time of day and the volume of traffic but it is likely to be 30 minutes.
If you are making your own way to the hotel we recommend that a taxi is the easiest way - taxi fares to Jersey City destinations are regulated by a dispatcher at the taxi rank and your fare will be approx $50 including tolls.
Avoid private taxi touts at the airport as these are unregistered with the airport authorities and fares could be considerably more.
Your Hotel
A room has been booked for you at the Westin Newport Jersey City Hotel on a bed and continental breakfast basis (you will receive a voucher with a US$ value that you use towards breakfast).
The Hotel is a modern and very good standard 4-star property just off the waterfront area at Newport, a modern and recent development of apartments, offices and hotels with fantastic views from the boardwalk across the Hudson to Manhattans skyscrapers.
Getting about couldn't be easier: from the hotel it is a 5min walk across the Boulevard to the PATH train, a rapid transit underground line with branches to 33rd Street and the World Trade Centre in Manhattan. The first stop is Christopher Street, which is in the heart of Greenwich Village and the clubs, bars and restaurants of Bleaker Street, it takes 15mins for the train to get to 33rd Street at Penn Station from where it is a short walk to the Javits Centre for race registration, Macey's Department Store and the Empire State Building.
We recommend that you purchase a $20 Metro Card (you get an additional $4 free) at Newport PATH Station, which can be used on the PATH trains to Manhattan and on the New York subway system. Single journeys on the PATH train are $1.75 and on the Subway system $2.25.
Your contact details while you are in New York are:
WESTIN HOTEL NEWPORT
479 WASHINGTON BOULEVARD
JERSEY CITY
NEW JERSEY 07310
TEL: 201 626 2900
2:09 Events Staff At Your Hotel
We will have 2:09 Events staff staying at your hotel to help you with any questions you may have about the hotel, New York or the race.
Staying at the hotel will be: Dave Gratton and Kevin McGarry
Sue Wainwright is our sports therapist who will take appointments for anyone at the hotel carrying niggles that may be helped by treatment before the event. Sue is staying at the Crowne Plaza Hotel and arrangements to meet her there can be made through your Tour Leaders.
ACTIVITIES IN NEW YORK
WEDNESDAY 2nd NOVEMBER
Arrivals in New York. Meet & Greet at Newark Airport off the Virgin group flight and in the hotel lobby to collect your room keys.
THURSDAY 3rd NOVEMBER
09.00-10.00 Our Staff will be available in the hotel lobby to answer any questions you may have.
Arrivals in New York. Meet & Greet at Newark Airport off the Virgin group flight and in the hotel lobby to collect your room keys.
18.00-19.00 Our Staff will be available in the hotel lobby to answer any questions you may have.
FRIDAY 4th NOVEMBER
07.30 Meet in the lobby area for a bus transfer the Crowne Plaza Hotel to join an information run with former London Marathon winner Mike Gratton. The run will take you into Central Park and around the finish area. This will be a slow run of about 3 miles with stops to see the finish line and the last mile of the marathon route. Bring a small bag with a change of kit which can be left at the Crowne Plaza while you run.
09.00-10.00 Our Staff will be available in the Crowne Plaza Hotel to answer any questions you may have.
After the run and meet & greet you can make your way down to the Javits Centre to register for the race and return by PATH train to Newport. Remember to bring your Passport with you if you are going to register after the run..
18.00-19:00 Our Staff will be available in the hotel to answer any questions you may have.
18.00 PARADE OF NATIONS IN CENTRAL PARK
The Parade of Nations is a new event for the New York Marathon and we will walk with those who would like to join us up to the finish line area in Central Park from the Crowne Plaza at 5.20pm to watch the Parade, listen to the Official Opening Ceremony and watch the fireworks display.
If you would like to be part of the Parade you should visit the page on the official NY website www.ingnycmarathon.org to sign up.
Last arrivals in New York. Meet & Greet at Newark Airport off the Virgin group flight and in the hotel to collect your room keys.
SATURDAY 5th NOVEMBER
08.30 DASH TO THE FINISH LINE 5KM
The Dash to the Finish Line is a new event that replaces the International Friendship Run. The race must be entered in advance on www.ingnycmarathon.org and starts at the United Nations Building on First Avenue at 45th Street and runs 5km back to the Marathon Finish line in Central Park. Allow 30mins to get to the start at the UN.
09.00-10.00 Our staff will be available in the lobby to answer your questions.
1630-2100 Ronzoni's Pasta Party at the Tavern on the Green - Central Park.
You will find a ticket for the pasta party in your registration pack - you can purchase additional pasta party tickets for non-running guests at race registration.
19.30 Finish line Fireworks (details on arrival in New York)
SUNDAY 6th NOVEMBER - RACE DAY
06.30 Meet in the Hotel Foyer for our private buses to the start
Our buses will depart from in front of the hotel please hand your voucher to the tour representative as you enter the bus.
Please note: Daylight savings time ends at 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, November 1. Don't forget to set clocks back one hour."
For full information on the start holding area, start waves and corrals please consult the event handbook at www.ingnycmarathon.org.
After the race you will need to make your own way back to the hotel. From the finish line you will be directed to the reunion area on Central Park West. You will need to take the subway to 33rd Street and switch to the PATH train back to Newport.
08.30 Spectators - Meet up with your tour leader in the hotel lobby to take the PATH train/Subway to 61st Street and walk down to the 17-mile point.
Spectators can walk up from the 17 mile point to Central Park South (by the Plaza Hotel) to watch their partners or friends in the last mile, then make their way to the reunion area on Central Park West (8th Avenue).
MAY WE WISH YOU ALL THE BEST OF LUCK IN THE ING NEW YORK CITY MARATHON
19.00 We will be in the bar of the hotel to hear your marathon stories.
MONDAY-TUESDAY-WEDNESDAY
Return Transfers
We have booked coaches to take those clients on the following flights back to the airport.. Please be ready in the lobby at these times.
Mon 2nd Nov:
VS2 EWR/LHR 21.15/09.05 - Depart hotel at 5.30pm
Tue 3rd Nov:
VS2 EWR/LHR 21.15/09.05 - Depart hotel at 5.30pm
Wed 4th Nov:
VS2 EWR/LHR 21.15/09.05 - Depart hotel at 5.30pm
Room check-out time is 12-noon. Luggage can be left with the concierge until your departure time.
Please can you inform us if you intend to make your own way to the airport?