<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2007-04-19</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000798288</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>NEW PLAN EXCEL REALTY TRUST INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>NXL</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001396499</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Super IntermediateCo LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O CENTRO PROPERTIES LIMITED, CORPORATE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>OFFICES, 3RD FLOOR, 235 SPRINGVALE ROAD</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>GLEN WAVERLEY</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>C3</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>3150</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>AUSTRALIA</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001396500</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Super LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O CENTRO PROPERTIES LIMITED, CORPORATE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>OFFICES, 3RD FLOOR, 235 SPRINGVALE ROAD</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>GLEN WAVERLEY</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>C3</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>3150</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>AUSTRALIA</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001396501</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>CPT Custodian Pty LTD</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O CENTRO PROPERTIES LIMITED, CORPORATE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>OFFICES, 3RD FLOOR, 235 SPRINGVALE ROAD</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>GLEN WAVERLEY</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>C3</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>3150</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>AUSTRALIA</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $.01 par value per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-04-19</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>6879036</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>33.15</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>91202530</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnotes</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Represents additional shares of Common Stock tendered prior to the expiration of, and acquired by Super MergerSub Inc. (&quot;MergerSub&quot;) pursuant to, MergerSub?s previously announced tender offer for all of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (the &quot;Offer&quot;) pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger dated February 27, 2007, as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time (the &quot;Merger Agreement&quot;), by and among the Issuer, Excel Realty Partners, L.P., Super IntermediateCo LLC (&quot;Parent&quot;), MergerSub and Super DownREIT MergerSub LLC.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The number of shares of Common Stock reported hereon do not include any shares of Common Stock which MergerSub currently intends to acquire from the Issuer pursuant to the exercise its Top-Up Option (as defined in the Merger Agreement).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Represents all of the shares of Common Stock acquired by MergerSub pursuant to the Offer.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">This Form 4 is being filed by each of Parent, Super LLC (&quot;Super&quot;) and CPT Custodian Pty Limited (&quot;CPT Custodian&quot;).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">These shares of Common Stock are directly owned by MergerSub. MergerSub is (i) directly owned 100% by Parent, (ii) indirectly owned 100% by Super and (iii) indirectly owned 50% by Centro Super Holding Trust No. 1 and 50% by Centro Super Holding Trust No. 3, for which trusts CPT Custodian is the responsible entity. As a result, each of Parent, Super and CPT Custodian may be deemed to indirectly beneficially own all of the shares of Common Stock owned by MergerSub.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Andrew Scott</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-04-19</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Andrew Scott</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-04-19</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Andrew Scott</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-04-19</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
