Large Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 144
Confusion; Situational Awareness
Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Returned To Clearance; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Chart Or Publication; Procedure
After pushing at EWR; we were told to taxi via [Taxiway] B and hold short of Golf. Before the flight; I had reviewed the charts due to my complete unfamiliarity with EWR. As I had looked at the chart in the moment; I mistakenly thought we were on [Taxiway] B. After verifying taxi instructions and announcing intentions with my First Officer; we began to taxi on what I thought was [Taxiway] B. I mistakenly misread the chart and we were actually taxiing on the ramp. After realizing the mistake; we notified Ground and with them got to where we needed to be. As we reread the chart; it seemed to us that the taxi instructions and taxi markings also contributed. There were no markings that showed Taxiway B from the ramp and we would have had to taxi out RA to get to [Taxiway] B. The taxi instructions should have told us how to get to [Taxiway] B. Better situational awareness; better familiarity on the part of the crew; and better markings and taxi instructions all could have prevented the situation.
After pushback an Air Carrier Captain began taxiing on the ramp thinking he was on Taxiway B and because of the lack of signage; his airport unfamiliarity and incomplete ATC taxi instructions did not know to transition to Taxiway B.