Beginning Tuesday, February 17, PATH riders are advised to expect temporary crowding on trains and at stations such as Hoboken during weekday peak travel times. This is due to Amtrak’s planned work transferring rail operations to the new Portal North Bridge, which will divert NJ TRANSIT Midtown Direct service to terminate at Hoboken instead of New York-Penn Station through Friday, March 13.
NJ TRANSIT has informed its customers that during this period, eastbound rail travelers can connect at Hoboken to alternative services including PATH, NJ TRANSIT bus No. 126, or NY Waterway ferry service. NJ TRANSIT stated it urges weekday rail customers to work remotely “to the greatest extent possible during this time period.”
PATH will increase service during peak hours but warns that temporary crowding may still occur at the Hoboken station. To support diverted passengers between Hoboken and Midtown Manhattan, PATH will cross-honor NJ TRANSIT ticket-holders and pass-holders for Morristown Line, Gladstone Branch, and Montclair-Boonton trains at designated turnstiles in both the PATH Hoboken and 33 St stations. Additionally, NJ TRANSIT offers cross-honoring on NY Waterway ferries between Hoboken and Midtown as well as on bus No. 126 between Hoboken and the Midtown Bus Terminal.
During Amtrak’s project work, all rail services using the Portal Bridge over the Hackensack River will operate on a single track between Newark and Secaucus. This will reduce weekday service frequency for lines running through this corridor—including those into and out of New York Penn Station—and suspend direct Midtown Manhattan service via NJ TRANSIT.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey oversees key infrastructure like John F. Kennedy International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, bridges, tunnels, port facilities, and the PATH system across a district spanning about 1,500 square miles in both states. The agency funds its construction projects primarily from its own revenues while supporting regional economic growth through transportation investments (https://www.panynj.gov/port-authority).
Hoboken’s PATH station is expected to see increased traffic for Manhattan-bound riders during rush hours since more trains will be terminating there temporarily instead of New York-Penn Station. Other affected PATH stations include Newark-Penn Station, Exchange Place, Newport, Grove Street and 33 St., where temporary crowding may also occur due to diverted commuters from NJ TRANSIT.
Additional customer service staff from PATH along with Port Authority police officers will be present at key locations in stations such as egress points to help manage crowding conditions.
NJ TRANSIT continues encouraging workers who can do so to switch to remote work or commute outside traditional peak hours in order to ease congestion for those who must travel or avoid crowded conditions.
