Final work to shift tracks onto the new Portal North Bridge between Newark and Secaucus will reduce NJ Transit service for five weeks, from Oct. 11 to Nov. 15. Weekday Midtown Direct trains on the Morris & Essex, Gladstone and Montclair-Boonton lines will run only to Hoboken instead of New York Penn Station. Riders can use the same ticket on PATH, NY Waterway ferries and the 126 bus. Weekday Northeast Corridor trains will drop from 133 to 113, and North Jersey Coast Line trains from 99 to 87. Normal service resumes Nov. 16.
If you commute by train from New Jersey to Manhattan, you will need to rework your schedule for five weeks starting this weekend. From Sunday, Oct. 11, through Nov. 15, NJ Transit will run fewer trains, and some lines will not go to New York Penn Station.
Final Work to Leave a Bridge More Than 100 Years Old
The reason is the Portal Bridge over the Hackensack River. Located between Newark and Secaucus, the swing bridge was built in 1910. It swung open each time a boat passed, and it often failed to lock back into place properly, leaving trains stopped. The work to move the tracks onto the new Portal North Bridge right beside it will be completed during this period.
During construction, only one of the two tracks will be in use. As a result, the number of NJ Transit trains passing between Newark and Secaucus will be cut in half, and train service systemwide will be reduced by about 10%. Timetables will change on every line except the Atlantic City Line. NJ Transit President Kris Kolluri said, "After five weeks of adjustments, more than a century of swing-bridge delays will be gone."
How to Transfer at Hoboken
Riders on the Morris & Essex, Gladstone and Montclair-Boonton lines will be affected most. All weekday Midtown Direct trains, which normally go straight to Penn Station, will run only to Hoboken. Weekend trains will continue to Penn Station as usual.
At Hoboken, riders can show their train ticket and use three modes of transportation: PATH trains (Hoboken to 33rd Street), NY Waterway ferries (Hoboken to Midtown) and the NJ Transit 126 bus (Hoboken to the Port Authority Bus Terminal). PATH accepts train tickets only at the Hoboken and 33rd Street stations. Tickets will not be accepted at Newark Penn Station or the World Trade Center station, so riders should be careful.
PATH will add trains to handle the increased ridership. On weekdays from 7 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., it will run the Hoboken–33rd Street line every 6 minutes, and from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., both the Hoboken–33rd Street and Hoboken–World Trade Center lines every 6 minutes. On the Oct. 12 Columbus Day holiday, PATH will also run the added weekday-schedule trains.
Riders Transferring at Secaucus Also Affected
The Bergen County Line, Main Line and Pascack Valley Line already end at Hoboken, so their routes will not change. However, riders who transfer at Secaucus to a train bound for Penn Station may find trains more crowded than usual because of the reduced number of trains. NJ Transit will fill the gap by adding shuttle trains between Secaucus and Penn Station.
Amtrak will also reduce service. Weekday Acela trains will drop from 20 to 18, Northeast Regional trains from 44 to 40, and Keystone trains between Philadelphia and New York from 24 to 10, changing the schedules of more than 280 trains. Separately, work on the Brill Bridge, a movable bridge on the North Jersey Coast Line, and track maintenance on the Port Jervis and Raritan Valley lines will take place during the same period.
The revised timetables are posted by line in the NJ Transit app and on its website. Many riders will find that their usual train number has been eliminated or that departure times have moved earlier, so it is a good idea to check the night before you commute. Riders from Fort Lee and Palisades Park who travel to and from Manhattan by bus are not directly affected by this work.