Riding commuter rail is so cool and so much cheaper

Submitted by ownage516 t3_10lyl6v in newjersey

To preface this post, I’ve lived in Jersey my whole life and driven everywhere. It got the job done, for the most part, but as I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned that I hate driving more than an hour. Also, driving into NYC and finding parking is an absolute bitch.

Enter, NJTransit. I was always so intimidated by the thing and have no idea how to use it. It took me a friend to show me how to use the trip planner on the app to go all the way from Fairlawn to Philly (I learned how to use the amtrack app that day too). Sure, it was slightly longer, but I’m not driving!

Yesterday I had to go into the city for a meet up and decided to that I was gonna take the train again. I only spent $14 to get to NY and $6 in subway costs. I saved myself in tolls and parking costs. That’s so fucking awesome! I’ve also heard they’re gonna add another toll soon? So I’m gonna avoid that too!

I think this is the coolest shit in the world but I don’t know who else to tell. I don’t think I’ll ever drive into the city again (unless if it’s super late or something) and I wanna ride the train so much more. Now my next mission is to figure out how the busses work 😅

Thanks for hearing me out! 😊

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asian_identifier t1_j603aya wrote

welcome to the new world old man

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ownage516 OP t1_j6071pa wrote

I’m only 28 😭

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techh101 t1_j60hrl0 wrote

The way you worded the post made you sound 60 🤣

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ownage516 OP t1_j60j6wm wrote

I did it to myself lol

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koalafishmutantbird t1_j60tzra wrote

A really close friend of mine used to live in East New York.. in the beginning I thought to myself how complex getting to him would be: Nj Transit, then metrocard, then finding the right subway, and so on and so forth.. but to my pleasant surprise, it really wasn’t that complicated.. just gotta cut through that bullshit intimidation factor.. all I had to do was get on the A or C all the way down to Euclid .. don’t get me wrong, the transit system here can be a pain but the nj transit app was a major help and a step in the right direction. Cheers !

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ownage516 OP t1_j60xlk1 wrote

Yeah, sometimes you need someone to spell it out for you

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MotorboatingSofaB t1_j5zrrh7 wrote

Mass transit is easy once you get used to it. The downside is being on someone elses schedule. Sometimes it is cheaper to drive in, especially if you split the cost with other people.

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ownage516 OP t1_j5zryy1 wrote

Yeah, If I was going with a whole party of folks, it makes more sense. But I tend to be pretty early to stuff, so it coincides

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emveetu t1_j60x3wd wrote

Thank God you're early to stuff because I am chronically late. It's nice to know there's somebody out there canceling out my lateness. Even if this is not true, I choose to believe it is.

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probably_not_serious t1_j612fmh wrote

Also it’s not available everywhere you’d like it to be. So sometimes it involves lots of walking to bus stops to finish your journey

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JeromePowellAdmirer t1_j617j43 wrote

For me small price to pay for tons more money to spend. Ideally I'll never have to cook a meal unless I actually desire to not just eat it but make it.

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zornucopia t1_j60fsqd wrote

genuinely happy for you but as someone who grew up taking the train it’s kinda funny that there is this whole world you never stepped foot in hahaha. glad you’ve been enjoying it

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thebruns t1_j646jte wrote

A few years ago I went on a date with a 25 year old NJ woman who had never been on a train or subway in her life. It blew my mind. And shed been into NYC many times.

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NJ_Bus_Nut t1_j60xym5 wrote

Me too. I enjoy riding the trains, and it gives me a better vibe than sitting in traffic and dealing with morons who can't drive.

I just wish we invested more on our public transportation and bring back rail travel to like it was during the CNJ, PRR, and Erie Lackawanna era.

besides, I'm bit of a railfan and busfan myself

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korbendallas35 t1_j609nc5 wrote

I’m a new Jack to NJ, and have been commuting into the city for the past few months since moving. 14 bucks one way into Penn for a while, but then I figured out taking a different train to Hoboken for 11 bucks and taking the PATH. My local station offers parking passes which helped me save literally 1200 bucks on daily parking. The monthly passes, while cheaper, aren’t much of a discount. Either way, beats driving in by a long shot.

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brenster23 t1_j60e9ks wrote

FYI monthly passes also include light rail and bus use (if you are traveling within the same zone).

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remarkability t1_j60zgc8 wrote

Even better-it’s not just travel in one zone (that’s the weekly unlimited pass benefit).

Monthly passes allow you to travel up to an equivalent number of bus zones shown on the chart on this page (travel flexibility section here: https://www.njtransit.com/tickets/train-tickets ). That includes unlimited local and interstate bus trips up to that number of zones!

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PaddyKaner t1_j60f15e wrote

When it works well, it's awesome.

When it doesn't, it's a pain in the ass.

I've gotten stranded at Long Branch waiting for a transfer a few too many times to not have a backup plan in place.

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remarkability t1_j60tnxk wrote

Electrification of the NJCL to Bay Head is such low hanging fruit, and will instantly slash travel times and increase reliability. Heck, even just consistently using dual mode locomotives from Bay Head would be decent.

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Blade_Dragonfire t1_j63ps6g wrote

They were supposed to back in the 80s I think, when they electrified from Matawan to long branch. Somehow the money got squandered/it cost more than expected and what was supposed to be enough to electrify the rest of the line only made it to long branch. Also why the arrow sets can only run to Matawan (not sure if any are on the schedule anymore), there's a phase break (voltage/phase change) just south of Matawan where the catenary (overhead wire) changes to the newer style from the 80s and goes from amtraks 12.5kv 60hz to 25kv 60hz. The transformers on the arrow sets can't handle this changeover automatically like the alp locomotives so they're limited to Matawan runs. Also why there's triangle stickers on the arrow sets says what voltage they can run at, either "12k" for the Newark division (nec, njcl), or "25k" for the Hoboken division (m&e, Gladstone)

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somepersonalnews t1_j61l059 wrote

Awww I remember how I felt before the first time NJ Transit fucked up my day…

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ownage516 OP t1_j61n0ui wrote

If I had something insanely time sensitive, I’d probably drive lol

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sharkethic86 t1_j6082ch wrote

Just really depends where you live. Unfortunately the train line that comes out to Hunterdon County doesn't run on the weekends for me ;(

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JimTheJerseyGuy t1_j63aulh wrote

Warren County hears your cries and adds its own.

I grew up in NYC and one of the big changes for me moving out here is the complete and utter lack of any sort of mass transit. Even where it exists (RVL), it’s useless; 1:30 from High Bridge to Newark is a joke.

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remarkability t1_j60qysv wrote

The RVL should ideally go to Phillipsburg/Easton (via Washington maybe?), with branches at Bound Brook to Flemington/New Hope (and on to Warminster/Doylestown SEPTA), and West Trenton.

It’s not Hunterdon, but MoBo to Hackettstown should also go out to Phillipsburg via Washington. And weekend/reverse peak service for all!

The sad part is that’s just a fraction of what used to exist in the area. And it’s not impossible or too low density—tiny clusters of houses in rural Swiss valleys can often have hourly service on electrified lines. Why can’t NJ’s rural municipalities of tens of thousands?

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lividtaffy t1_j604k1l wrote

Live in NJ, tried to go to school on Long Island. What would normally be a sub-2 hour drive is easily 4-6 hours on the train. While I agree rail is better in concept, our current system is only designed to efficiently deliver you to a specific set of destinations. Anywhere else it’s a crapshoot.

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[deleted] t1_j60hh5t wrote

[deleted]

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NMS-KTG t1_j6204fu wrote

It should be great for getting around the metro area as well. It should be a viable way to travel between towns, not just to the city

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[deleted] t1_j635h4v wrote

[deleted]

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NMS-KTG t1_j63pph5 wrote

That's an interesting strawman (which my fellow countrymen seem to be very fond of when it comes to transit discussions)

Obviously since New Jersey transit operates in... New Jersey, it should focus on proving mobility throughout New Jersey. However what you're talking does exist as a concept called through running. For example, an nj transit train would continue past peen and over to long island, instead of turning around.

Is that possible? Yes. Is that great? Yea. Should it be priority? Not imo

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[deleted] t1_j63z1pn wrote

[deleted]

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NMS-KTG t1_j64owqr wrote

Trains should get us around the region. That one instance of someone wanting to go to long island does not mean that trains shouldn't be able to effectively take us around the metro, especially with the upcoming congestion pricing in manhattan, improved rail service is a must

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[deleted] t1_j64sql4 wrote

[deleted]

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NMS-KTG t1_j64tchn wrote

NJT frequencies are terrible. I was thinking about taking the train about 4 stops to get back home, and I would have waited 45 minutes just for my train to arrive. Updated frequency is a must or it just becomes inconvenient.

Just because you can doesn't mean its optimal, which is the problem

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just4u11 t1_j60cek8 wrote

Why would you want to go to school in Long Island? There are plenty of great in-state schools

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lividtaffy t1_j60enzv wrote

I really liked the campus but had the same realization after my first semester and transferred out. Dumb kids make dumb decisions lol

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Lyraxiana t1_j61k5pu wrote

>I think this is the coolest shit in the world but I don’t know who else to tell.

I just think it's sweet that you came to reddit to tell anyone who would listen to the good news because you just had to tell someone.

You made me smile.

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ownage516 OP t1_j61mxp8 wrote

Lol thanks. Had to get it off my chest

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Lyraxiana t1_j61pwhi wrote

I mean, it's certainly got me curious about the rail system.

I'm like how you were before-- it's big, it's scary. NTY.

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kittyglitther t1_j5zxbx7 wrote

Got rid of my car and never looked back. It's so much easier and less complicated without one, not to mention the amount of money saved and the impact on my carbon footprint.

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jd158ug t1_j60bwvu wrote

Having moved to north NJ from Philly suburbs, where public transport is absolutely garbage, I appreciate it too. I lived NW of Philly, closest train was a 25 minute drive, and the trains were once every 2 hours.

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Mugstotheceiling t1_j60oa0b wrote

SEPTA is so bad to the suburbs, borderline useless. And they wonder why 676 is a parking lot most of the time.

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SailingSpark t1_j615gor wrote

I just wish it was easier to get from Philly to NY. For me to use Mass Transit from my home here in Atlantic County, I have to hop the NJT in Absecon, go to 30th street, ride Septa to Trenton, wait out in the open for Amtrak, and then ride that to NY.

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Shadow1787 t1_j61lo4j wrote

Have you thought about taking the river line to Trenton? I think the ac express line stops at pennsauken and you can take a train to Trenton.

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TellMeYMrBlueSky t1_j616f1h wrote

You don’t need to ride septa to Trenton to wait for Amtrak. Amtrak stops at 30th street on its way to NY. (Unless you’re talking about taking NJ Transit from Trenton to NYC?)

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Mugstotheceiling t1_j61awnh wrote

Doing that (SEPTA -> NJT) is definitely cheaper than a 30th -> Penn Amtrak ticket. But not as convenient and Trenton station a bit sketchy.

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dualOWLS t1_j630981 wrote

I will never forgive Christie for what he did to NJT including getting rid of NJT trains from 30th to NYC Penn. What a moron.

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TellMeYMrBlueSky t1_j65zz37 wrote

I didn’t realize NJT used to run all the way to 30th street! That sucks that they don’t run that anymore. And yeah I feel you. I remember reading about NJT getting all sorts of praise in the mid 2000s as one of the best regional rail systems in the country. By like 2010 or 2012 at the latest all the coverage had switched to “NJT is a dumpster fire. Read about how it’s been run into the ground in only half a decade!”

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wingedfreak t1_j606h2g wrote

When it works, it works well. I’ve commuted to NYC for 11 years. Sometimes it doesn’t work. And those are the days that stick out.

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streamlinkguy t1_j60gjlv wrote

I am taking it for the first time to go to JFK to catch a flight. Wish me luck.

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remarkability t1_j60noe1 wrote

Anytime you want to learn buses, I’m very willing to help, just see my post history! (Feel free to send me a DM)

They’re a bit more complicated than trains, due to NJT’s weird fare zone structure, but can provide an entirely new car-free layer of transportation to you, one that covers much more territory.

Out in Fair Lawn, you mainly have the 164 to PABT, the 171 to GWB (both four zone interstate, $6), and a bunch of other expresses and local routes. I’ll bet a stop is within a 5 minute walk of you. Your destination doesn’t have to be NYC either—buses in the northeast area of NJ make it easy to get home from a bar, meet up with a friend to take their car, help you hike one-way routes, go to the airport, connect to the train, etc. That’s in addition to all the regular boring things people do, like go shopping, visit friends, go to appointments, recreation, religious places, and oh yes, get to work or entertainment.

And once you glance up from your phone and look from your bus to the people driving cars while using their phone it just might make you want to take transit into NYC every time.

Can NJTransit get better? Ohhhh yeah. I’ve got a long list. But it’s halfway decent at what it does.

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BCNJ09 t1_j606exn wrote

As a commuter, I'd take the train if only all the stations by me didn't force you to pay for parking. The closest one that doesn't is Plauderville and that fills up FAST on weekdays.

The bus isn't bad; the "zone" system is the dumbest thing in the world and impossible for people to figure out without looking at a route map (and even then it's convoluted) - you should just be able to put in your origin and destination and pay a fare based on that.

Pro tip: if you're traveling from NYC, the MINIMUM number of zones is three, esp. if you're coming from Fair Lawn.

The bus has also been getting nicer now that they're replacing the old ones with ones that actually have air vents that work and seat more people.

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just4u11 t1_j60ckbl wrote

My street has a bus to the train station, free if you have a monthly pass

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BCNJ09 t1_j60ednt wrote

Prospect Ave had something similar to Essex St. but not often enough where it'd work for commuting purposes. Seemed more like a "toss the seniors a bone" thing.

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just4u11 t1_j60fg1j wrote

Yeah, the one by me is great, it hits the major points in town in a loop with a stop at the train station

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68ch t1_j60iys8 wrote

I live in Hudson county, and the bus into NYC is 2 zones. But I agree it’s confusing for anyone not familiar with the system.

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Aden1970 t1_j60td6e wrote

I take the bus to NYC all the time.

The bus service certainly needs improvements and updating, but it’s functional.

I just wish we invest more on light rail, it would be so much cheaper than widening the roads. Plus public transportation helps local businesses so it’s a win win.

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Rainecc t1_j611i5z wrote

I used to only take the train but now I prefer the bus. 100% agree the zone system and route maps are confusing. I can get to my destination fine but coming back usually I land a little farther from home than i’d like… i just need to do more research

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remarkability t1_j61kka0 wrote

Pro tip: when I am less familiar with a route (or it’s raining/dark) I search for my origin/destination and set the “depart” time 10 mins before my bus does. Then I follow along in a mapping app like Transit or Citymapper. Both have a on-route guidance feature. NJTransit official app has this feature too, but it’s super clunky.

(Google maps can do this but doesn’t have live bus location)

You can set it up to warn you when you’re coming close to your stop, then of course, hit the stop request button right after you pass the stop before yours. You’ll be a pro soon!

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Unusual-Okra9251 t1_j5zsius wrote

Love it. I take the RiverLine light rail and the Northeast Corridor when I need to commute to my office. It's about an hour door to door. I could drive which should take 35 minutes up the Turnpike, but today, the one day I needed to drive and be somewhere after work, I was stuck in a massive traffic jam. It just reminds me how much nicer it is to relax or work on the train and not worry about drivers.

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ownage516 OP t1_j5zsylr wrote

Totally agree. It’s more time, but I have my phone on me so I’m not pulled away from anything.

Kinda wish we have more light rail here in north Jersey

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jsingh21 t1_j61zjzl wrote

Not always what if the train had a delay? Which happens quite often.

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MasterDave t1_j6267i4 wrote

If your argument is that there’s more train delays than there is traffic I’m pretty sure the evidence won’t hold up.

You just never take a train without some buffer time, same as when you’re driving.

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jsingh21 t1_j61zmls wrote

What if the train had a delay then you would wish you drove there lol.

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Unusual-Okra9251 t1_j6239ot wrote

I've been doing it for years, and I've never had a delay bad enough to regret taking the train. I have my laptop so I can just work or fuck around online. Beats the hell out of sitting in traffic, especially with my car and it's heavy clutch pedal. Not fun in bumper to bumper traffic.

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sutisuc t1_j60nziu wrote

It’s definitely better than driving into NYC but the problem is the lack of frequency and that all the lines are basically designed to get you in and out of NYC rather than as a way to get around the state with ease.

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nicklor t1_j61n3a2 wrote

Very true if you want to go to the shore from central jersey it's like a 1.5 hour ride instead of a 40 minute drive and that's not even mentioning the huge area between the northeast corridor and the coastline with no easy train access.

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savasanaom t1_j60tvsx wrote

I live up in the Bergen/Morris area and have friends in jersey city. I’ve given up driving there. The traffic alone is horrendous, plus add on another 30 minutes for street parking. No thanks.

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felipe_the_dog t1_j61v965 wrote

On most days I rather get full strength punched in the dick than drive to Jersey City and find parking

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Avionic7779x t1_j60r7r2 wrote

Massive shoutout to NJ Transit for existing, I'd go insane without a decent rail service here. And they're mainly electrified!

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LR-NJ t1_j60zbn8 wrote

Having rode the NJT buses and trains and light rail (& PATH train) I can say you are not missing anything with the bus. FYI: There are two different NJT bus types. A local with bench seating and standing areas, and long haul types with two seats on each side with a walkway in the middle.

While the long haul are more comfortable, I’d rather drive than take a bus. (But I’d much rather take a train than drive.)

On a final note, not sure where you live but since you mentioned Philly; the light rail from Camden to Trenton is a nice scenic trip if you ever have time or the need to ride it. It’s only about an hour each way (so long as there are no delays 😭)

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jsingh21 t1_j61z9ql wrote

Took the train back in the day to college. Got tired of real fast. You just started using trains. Watch when you get those annoying delays shit sucks. Like when you want to go home you get out early and during midday even was a long wait depending on the time like half hour. But not that long. Then imagine if there is a delay, you got out early now stuck waiting. Also, you get constant delays at times. For one day the train is 15 minutes late. One day 30 minutes late. Your dependent on someone's schedule all the time. Your a prisoner can't leave when you want and just go home. The worst is nighttime if you had a late class. There was like one train and had to wait like 49 minutes for it. After that, there was one like an hour later. Many times you caught waiting a half hour. Then shit if you want to eat and are hungry but you want to get home on time ughhh.

Shit forgot to mention the shuttle to the train, which has delays too. Your first dependent on that schedule then the train. At night the shuttle doesn't come to every 5 minutes. Takes fucking forever.

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No_Organization6843 t1_j60mdx2 wrote

Woot! I used to live right off the Bergen County Line and loved taking advantage of the trains and the Jitneys to avoid driving. Up until just a few years ago the trains ran only every two hours and service was more limited on weekends, but I'm glad to see they've increased frequencies to keep up with the new demand.

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joeycannoli9 t1_j60o54n wrote

I don’t commute with NJT but I take the train whenever going into the city. Much less stress and easier than driving. Hope NJT continues to expand to the suburbs

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Draano t1_j613owk wrote

I commuted from Belmar to lower Manhattan by train and it took 2:20 each way on a good day. Then I started taking the bus from the Monmouth rest area on the parkway. It was $30 less per week and took 1:40.

I liked rail - very smooth ride, comfortable and quiet. But losing an extra 1:20 of my life per day, nearly 7 hours a week, was just nuts.

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Bamaji1 t1_j61cv8v wrote

South of long branch on the NJCL is a looooooong trip. Especially if you don’t get a direct train and have to switch to an electric train at long branch.

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Draano t1_j61e35y wrote

Express made 8 stops and the local made 16.

Since I was going to WFC, I'd go to Newark Penn Station and switch to the PATH. So any train would get me to Newark.

Its been over a decade, but I still get an uneasy feeling when I hear the 05:25 train's horn sound when letting the dogs out.

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sweetbitter_1005 t1_j61knxt wrote

Lived in Northern Jersey my entire life and I've never driven my own car into the city. I always take the train! It's so relaxing and easy! Glad you discovered it!

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NMS-KTG t1_j61zl5y wrote

Welcome to the NJTransit world! Grew up taking the train to nearby towns and only driving where the train would not take us. NJT can be great if you plan accordingly.

Reach out to your representatives for better service. Never stop bugging them about it.

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kconnors t1_j623zwm wrote

It's all good until there are unexpected NJ transit train delays or problems on the tracks.

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MasterDave t1_j625hqs wrote

Or a wreck on the GSP, or construction, or you hit a pothole going 95 and completely fuck your car. Or you get robbed at a gas station at 2am on the way back.

If you’re always looking for the worst you can find it.

Transit over driving is more awesome more of the time guaranteed. Plus there’s a bonus chance of dying a lot less than people who drive everywhere all the time, statistically at least.

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kconnors t1_j6lkoil wrote

All that is fine and true. Just don't always rely 100 percent on efficiency from NJ Transit trains.

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_Dorvid t1_j62awfc wrote

I’m glad you’ve been enjoying using the train! I live in Rahway, and we have access to both the Northeast Corridor and the Coast Line, so we get frequent service and get a lot of convenience.

I’ve been able to go up and down the state just taking the train. The only thing I wish is that the administration stopped listening to the dummies that want nothing more than every road to be a 10 lane autobahn and instead focused on rail for more than commuting to the city.

We have a great rail system and it’s quietly one of our biggest assets as a state. I would want to see that trend continue and give people all over the state more opportunity in the process. I hope you’ll write to your state legislator about your positive experience!

Edit: typo

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seancurry1 t1_j63e9pn wrote

Please write or call your congressional representative (and mine), Josh Gottheimer, and tell him this!

He’s currently trying to kill NYC’s proposed car tax on the grounds that people from North Jersey drive into the city for work, which couldn’t be further from the truth. The vast majority of NNJ commuters to NYC take NJ Transit because in the whole, it’s pretty great. (It certainly beats the hell out of driving in and parking every day.)

He needs people like us to make a big deal about this. Thank you for sharing, and please continue to!

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blockytraditionalist t1_j63jybj wrote

As a consultant to NYCT, and a train enthusiast, I love having accessible, easy to use, reliable public transit. I can't fathom having to spend an hour plus drive one way for work.

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ownage516 OP t1_j640qkf wrote

Wish we had more trains up here in Murica. Would ride it all the time

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twothumbswayup t1_j61n3vc wrote

Moved to nj and still not managed to take mass transit into the city. The intimidation is real! Hopefully I’ll get it figured out soon enough as I do enjoy a stroll thru the big smoke without spending a fortune in parking and tolls

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NMS-KTG t1_j620pue wrote

Which train line are you on? Do you have questions?

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BrainFraud90 t1_j6285s6 wrote

If you like NJ Transit, try taking intercity trains in Western Europe or Japan if you ever get a chance. Such a nice way to travel!

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ownage516 OP t1_j62bfv5 wrote

I really wanna go to Japan and check out their transit!

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SashaAndTheCity t1_j62balh wrote

If you’re going from / to Fair Lawn then keep in mind that it’s the Bergen line, but if you’re going at a time of day (like after dinner in the city) when you won’t get a train for a while, check the Main line to nearby stations (like Glen Rock Main Line if you normally go to Radburn, as an example). If someone picks you up or you take a Lyft, it can be faster than waiting a while.

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ownage516 OP t1_j62bm71 wrote

Is there a way to see a schedule for each station like Radburn? Cause I notice it drops off after 11ish

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SashaAndTheCity t1_j62c9b9 wrote

Do you have the app? They have all the info there, you can easily buy tickets, save favorite trips/stations, etc. It takes me maybe 10 seconds to buy and activate a ticket :)

A tip - when looking up the schedule, the day of the week matters, but week to week generally doesn’t unless there’s a holiday. In case you get an error, use this tip.

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ownage516 OP t1_j62fzee wrote

I’ve been using the app lol. I’m not sure how to see whole schedule for the day though

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SashaAndTheCity t1_j62gvws wrote

If you’re only seeing a part of the schedule, it’s usually because the day is partly over, so change the day. Lmk if that works.

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dsarma t1_j63d9au wrote

So my friend of almost a decade lives in NJ and has done for as long as I’ve known her. I discovered a bus that will take me from about 2~ish blocks from my place, and drops off in front of her apartment building. Yes it takes about an hour, but it’s super cool to me that I can hit up other locations in jersey without having to detour to Manhattan.

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BF_2 t1_j63iycl wrote

Back in the '80's I bought a house at the Shore, fairly near work. I actually commuted by bicycle a few times, but that was borderline. Then I lost that job and expected to have to move, but got a job near Rt. 1, West Windsor. Well, it's a good thing I've always had a car, because there was no bus from the shore to Trenton or anywhere nearby! I looked into a commuter van, but got nowhere. So for 20 years I drove the route. Couldn't even carpool. It truly sucked, but I needed the job and couldn't afford to buy a house near work -- taxes alone were too high, much less housing prices. I still don't comprehend how NJ lacks cross-state transit. Even Rt. I-195 was a fairly late development, with Rt. 33 being the only alternative before that went in, and that passed through a couple towns on the way, really slowing down the travel.

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BackInNJAgain t1_j63oxrr wrote

It depends on the time of day for me. I'll drive to the city early on Sunday morning because I enjoy urban cycling and like to bring my bike. It's also a lot faster than the train (40 minutes vs 1 hour) and I can leave whenever I want vs. the Sunday schedule where trains are few and far between. I'll also drive if I'm visiting friends and know I probably won't leave the city before 1 AM because the last train is at 12:30.

Weekdays I always take the train because it's convenient and faster (1 hour vs. 90 minutes to get through the Lincoln Tunnel backup).

Im kind of bummed because my town used to have direct bus service to New York (one hour) that stopped two blocks from my house, but they've consolidated routes now and that same trip is now two hours and 10 minutes which is ridiculous.

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casp514 t1_j64zs2j wrote

i briefly lived in fair lawn and yeah, getting from there to the city via transit is mind blowingly easy and affordable. i had friends sleep over where i was staying multiple times just to get to the city easier in the morning. i now live in philly and somehow getting to nyc is a time consuming nightmare unless you want to pay hundreds for amtrak. ended up driving to hamilton station and taking the train - so worth it

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venturesomesagar t1_j65cnco wrote

Lives in Jersey for 13 years now. I feel the same. Not only do you save on transit, but also, you don’t have to drive. I do have an electric scooter which I ride from my house to the train station. From Iselin NJ, it takes me 1 her door to door. That’s crazy timing. While driving, I was once stuck in the holland tunnel for almost 90mins. I seriously believe that public transit are way better for commute. Also, I use the time to scroll. That’s what i am doing right now. PS. It’s cool until the train. The buses are crazy and are almost never on time. Trains are fun.👍

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rokrishnan t1_j6a9l1w wrote

It's pretty awesome. I live a stone's throw away from Princeton Junction for that reason. NJT is not the greatest, but when compared to most of America we're blessed to have a halfway-decent train system. The double-deckers are actually quite nice (by U.S. commuter rail standards).

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whodisacct t1_j5zvag8 wrote

From where I live it’s $30 RT for a 90 minute ride ride. I’m usually with my entire family. $150 RT for all of us not including any subway ride.

Or I can drive (45-60 min) to where I need to be. $15 toll, $20 gas, $50 for parking.

3+ people in my car and the car is cheaper.

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ownage516 OP t1_j5zvlss wrote

Of course! It depends on the use case. I never said everyone should be doing it

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whodisacct t1_j5zyufn wrote

I wish it worked out better for me, honestly. I’d much rather sit on a train than drive.

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bensonr2 t1_j605y9b wrote

I agree if you are commuting to nyc, philly city center mass transit is the way to go.

But as much as I love trains NJ Transit suuuuuucks. Unless you are the first few stops on the line usually the commuter bus lines are faster; often significantly.

I'm out in Morris county, less then 45 min into Manhattan without traffic. Train is over 90 minutes. Usually the independent bus line, even with tunnel traffic, is significantly less. Worst case scenario if there is really really bad traffic its 90 min, basically the same as the train if it has no delays.

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remarkability t1_j60w1lr wrote

Small group discounts and fare credits would be such game changers. FWIW, if you have kids 5-11, they use the half price discounted fare (but are free on weekends/holidays the night before until the early morning after), and 0-4 are always free. Seniors 62+ and disabled also get that discount, which really can knock family costs down.

With adults, I’ve use the 10-trip (for bus) and 20-trip 20% discount packs as group pseudo-discounts. Groups of 8+ have official 25% discounts, but they’re annoying to file for.

Sometimes a car just is better if you’re filling it up, have people with mobility problems, or have inconvenient endpoints (don’t forget maintenance and depreciation). Options are good to have.

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bensonr2 t1_j64dhn6 wrote

IDK why you are getting downvotes on this. Look I want to support public transit but for family trips taking NJ Transit train all the way makes no sense.

That said I will try to avoid driving into Manhattan if I can. My go to is to park at Secaucus junction, I think that's usually about 25 bucks. Then to just take the train from Secaucus is only a couple bucks each. So even with gas the Turnpike toll its significantly cheaper and faster then taking the train from our local station.

Even our relatives who live by stations that are only a few stops from Penn it usually faster and cheaper then just 2 train tickets.

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