PATH - Jersey City to NY

[Tin can]

We are staying a few days in NY after our cruise from Cape Liberty and are thinking about stopping in Jersey City and using the PATH to get into Manhattan.

 

We have stopped in Manhattan a few times before so thought it might be a nice change, there's a couple of Hyatt hotels that look nice with views of NY and its easier to get to from Cape Liberty and back to Newark from for our flight home to the UK.

 

Buying tickets looks a bit complicated though, I'm guessing it could be really busy and I have some probably misplaced concerns about safety.

 

Any words of comfort from any locals would be very much appreciated 😀

 

 

 

 

 

 

[princeton123211]

6 minutes ago, Tin can said:

We have stopped in Manhattan a few times before so thought it might be a nice change, there's a couple of Hyatt hotels that look nice with views of NY and its easier to get to from Cape Liberty and back to Newark from for our flight home to the UK.

It really depends on what you are planning to do in Manhattan the days you are there. The PATH is extremely convenient to lower Manhattan. It's much less convenient to Midtown and Upper East Side where a lot of tourists want to be for the sights, theater, dining as it only travels as far north as 33rd St-- essentially the far end of Penn Station. From there you are about a 10 block walk to the heart of Times Square and about 26 blocks to Central Park (which for most people will be a cab ride). 

 

12 minutes ago, Tin can said:

Buying tickets looks a bit complicated though, I'm guessing it could be really busy and I have some probably misplaced concerns about safety.

Tickets are fairly easy-- just kiosks. Buy a MetroCard which can be used on the PATH as well as NYC Subways. They also have an unlimited ride option but might be overkill if its just a commute to and from Manhattan each day.  

 

PATH will be busy during the weekdays, especially during the rush hours. It will be relatively sparse midday and on weekends. Worth noting that if you are staying over a weekend, service is limited and not as frequent. Perception of safety depends on comfort level but overall its fairly safe-- just be aware of your surroundings like in any other large city. It can sometimes get rowdy late at night with folks coming out of the bars. 

 

Also worth noting that if you were planning on using the Exchange Place stop, where a lot of the Hyatt properties are located near, the only service from there to Manhattan is the World Trade Center stop. To get to Midtown you'll have to double back to Grove St stop which will cost you time. Service into Manhattan from Grove St is limited on weekends. 

 

 

[Tin can]

2 minutes ago, princeton123211 said:

It really depends on what you are planning to do in Manhattan the days you are there. The PATH is extremely convenient to lower Manhattan. It's much less convenient to Midtown and Upper East Side where a lot of tourists want to be for the sights, theater, dining as it only travels as far north as 33rd St-- essentially the far end of Penn Station. From there you are about a 10 block walk to the heart of Times Square and about 26 blocks to Central Park (which for most people will be a cab ride). 

 

Tickets are fairly easy-- just kiosks. Buy a MetroCard which can be used on the PATH as well as NYC Subways. They also have an unlimited ride option but might be overkill if its just a commute to and from Manhattan each day.  

 

PATH will be busy during the weekdays, especially during the rush hours. It will be relatively sparse midday and on weekends. Worth noting that if you are staying over a weekend, service is limited and not as frequent. Perception of safety depends on comfort level but overall its fairly safe-- just be aware of your surroundings like in any other large city. It can sometimes get rowdy late at night with folks coming out of the bars. 

 

Also worth noting that if you were planning on using the Exchange Place stop, where a lot of the Hyatt properties are located near, the only service from there to Manhattan is the World Trade Center stop. To get to Midtown you'll have to double back to Grove St stop which will cost you time. Service into Manhattan from Grove St is limited on weekends. 

 

 

 

Thank you for that, it is really appreciated. Limited service at weekends has got me thinking as we arrive on Easter Sunday next year and have tickets for the Knicks at MSG so getting there and back from the hotel is something to think about.

 

Thanks again for your reply.

[njhorseman]

44 minutes ago, Tin can said:

 

Thank you for that, it is really appreciated. Limited service at weekends has got me thinking as we arrive on Easter Sunday next year and have tickets for the Knicks at MSG so getting there and back from the hotel is something to think about.

 

Thanks again for your reply.

 

The PATH station at 33rd St. is just short distance from MSG. A five minute walk at most.

 

Alternatively, if you were to stay in Newark at the Doubletree Newark Penn Station you can just take NJ Transit from Newark Penn Station to New York Penn Station, which is where MSG is located.  However, The hotel location in Jersey City you were considering is more attractive than Newark.

[Tin can]

58 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

 

The PATH station at 33rd St. is just short distance from MSG. A five minute walk at most.

 

Alternatively, if you were to stay in Newark at the Doubletree Newark Penn Station you can just take NJ Transit from Newark Penn Station to New York Penn Station, which is where MSG is located.  However, The hotel location in Jersey City you were considering is more attractive than Newark.

 

Thank you for that, do you think public transport in and out of NY would be an issue on Easter Sunday which is when the game is on at the MSG.

[princeton123211]

1 hour ago, Tin can said:

Thank you for that, do you think public transport in and out of NY would be an issue on Easter Sunday which is when the game is on at the MSG.

It will be running on a more limited weekend/holiday schedule but it will be running. 

[shof515]

1 hour ago, Tin can said:

 

Thank you for that, do you think public transport in and out of NY would be an issue on Easter Sunday which is when the game is on at the MSG.

Path trains usually run about every 20-30ish minutes on the weekends. NYC subways can be about the same depending on the train line 

[GTJ]

3 hours ago, Tin can said:

 

Thank you for that, do you think public transport in and out of NY would be an issue on Easter Sunday which is when the game is on at the MSG.

No. With "limited" service on weekends, you might have to wait for as long as 20 minutes for a train. For impatient New Yorkers, waiting 20 minutes for a train is an eternity, yet for many who use public transportation elsewhere a 20-minute interval between trains is "frequent" service. To that extent, it is your call as to whether waiting up to 20 minutes for a train would be an "issue."

 

Here is a quick summary of Sunday transportation services.

PATH trains, Newark - Jersey City - Lower Manhattan: every 20 minutes, travel time 22 minutes

PATH trains, Jersey City - Hoboken - Midtown Manhattan: every 12 minutes, travel time 27 minutes

NJT trains, Newark - Midtown Manhattan: 3 trains per hour (average every 20 minutes), travel time 18 minutes

 

Sometimes, on an exceptional basis, maintenance and construction work may change the above schedule. Trains operate around the clock, but do operate less frequently during overnight periods. There is a free transfer in Jersey City between the two PATH train routes (travel time between Newark and Midtown Manhattan is 37 minutes, plus the time required to make the free transfer in Jersey City). Regular PATH fare is $2.75, payable with a MetroCard that is readily available at all PATH stations. Regular NJT fare is $5.25, payable at ticket counters or machines available at all NJT stations.

 

As to New York City subway trains, here is a quick summary of Sunday transportation services.

L: every 4-5 minutes

S (42nd St): every 5-10 minutes

7: every 7-1/2 minutes

1, 2, 4, 6: every 8 minutes

Q: every 8-12 minutes

A, G: every 10 minutes

J, M: every 10-12 minutes

C, D, E, F, N, R, S (Franklin Av), 3, 5: every 12 minutes

S (Rockaway Park): every 20-24 minutes

Staten Island Railway: every 30 minutes

[Tin can]

30 minutes ago, GTJ said:

No. With "limited" service on weekends, you might have to wait for as long as 20 minutes for a train. For impatient New Yorkers, waiting 20 minutes for a train is an eternity, yet for many who use public transportation elsewhere a 20-minute interval between trains is "frequent" service. To that extent, it is your call as to whether waiting up to 20 minutes for a train would be an "issue."

 

Here is a quick summary of Sunday transportation services.

PATH trains, Newark - Jersey City - Lower Manhattan: every 20 minutes, travel time 22 minutes

PATH trains, Jersey City - Hoboken - Midtown Manhattan: every 12 minutes, travel time 27 minutes

NJT trains, Newark - Midtown Manhattan: 3 trains per hour (average every 20 minutes), travel time 18 minutes

 

Sometimes, on an exceptional basis, maintenance and construction work may change the above schedule. Trains operate around the clock, but do operate less frequently during overnight periods. There is a free transfer in Jersey City between the two PATH train routes (travel time between Newark and Midtown Manhattan is 37 minutes, plus the time required to make the free transfer in Jersey City). Regular PATH fare is $2.75, payable with a MetroCard that is readily available at all PATH stations. Regular NJT fare is $5.25, payable at ticket counters or machines available at all NJT stations.

 

As to New York City subway trains, here is a quick summary of Sunday transportation services.

L: every 4-5 minutes

S (42nd St): every 5-10 minutes

7: every 7-1/2 minutes

1, 2, 4, 6: every 8 minutes

Q: every 8-12 minutes

A, G: every 10 minutes

J, M: every 10-12 minutes

C, D, E, F, N, R, S (Franklin Av), 3, 5: every 12 minutes

S (Rockaway Park): every 20-24 minutes

Staten Island Railway: every 30 minutes

 

Thank you for taking the time to post that really useful information it is appreciated.