Date: 202007
Local time of day: 0001-0600
Location: EWR.Airport, NJ
Flight conditions: VMC
Light: Night
Aircraft: Commercial Fixed Wing
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Taxi
ATC / advisory: Tower EWR
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: First Officer; Pilot Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Confusion; Communication Breakdown
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: Taxi
Result: Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Contributing factors: Chart Or Publication; Environment - Non Weather Related; Procedure; Airport; Human Factors
Primary problem: Procedure

Narrative: Standardization from airport to airport and even ramp to ramp could be improved.  Part of the conversation on the phone with Ramp Control included instruction we should contact ramp from the air; for at the least; gate assignment in the event it changed.  Only airport where I have heard this.  EWR is not easy on most (pre-COVID) days; adding this to the approach only adds to the workload when we already receive a gate assignment via an ACARS printout.  Further; the airport page contradicts ramps statement and reads GATE and RAMP entrance will be provided prior to landing.  If that means ATC will provide; I have yet to receive either from them prior to landing or contacting ramp or operations.  Maybe I am not understanding that statement.During this time of COVID-19 everything is different.  Where there was once a Ramp Control sometimes Ground or Tower now handles those responsibilities. Leaving ZZZ1 tonight; Tower handled Ramp; Ground and Tower responsibilities; simultaneously.  This may have caused some complacency which lead me to interpret the instructions of Tower to both us and the preceding aircraft to mean Ramp was closed and we were cleared to the gate.  Either way; with a mix of different ramps on the same field being open or closed; it would be helpful if Tower included 'Contact ramp control' at the end of their taxi instructions if required.Going forward radio calls will be attempted to Ramp prior to entry regardless of how vacant the ramp appears; what is heard told to another aircraft or what instructions are received from Tower.Landed Runway 22R at XA:XX pm and on rollout we heard Tower give the aircraft landing just prior their taxi instructions.  Part of those instructions were to taxi with Tower to the gate and Ramp was closed for the night.  We exited the Runway at E; and were given instructions from Tower to taxi with him to the ramp.  It was a short taxi.  As we turned left onto RD for Spot XX we saw our ground crew in the middle of the ramp ready to hook us up to the tug and tow us into the gate.  The Marshal was in front of the tug straddling the RD taxi line; lighted wands in hand; ready to guide us in while the wing walkers were to each side just as they are when we pull into a gate.  There was no other ground activity in the ramp area nor were any lights lit of the other parked aircraft; it was otherwise vacant.  We continued in with the assumption we were under Tower control; the ramp was safe and all Ramp Control was closed for the evening.  The activity in the surrounding ramp area supported that belief. Concerned we possibly made an error; an attempt to contact Ramp was made after setting the parking brake.  The Ramp Controller responded advising that particular ramp was indeed open.




Synopsis: Air carrier First Officer reported they taxied to the ramp as cleared by EWR Tower and did not contact Ramp Control because it appeared to be closed. First Officer stated that due to the changing responsibilities of controllers; it was difficult to know what the correct procedures were.