Princeton Junction Experiences (Matawan: leasing, living in, buses)

[njposter]

I know this has been discused briefly in other posts, but I am posting to get specific information from anyone with first hand experience. I will shortly be moving go the Princeton area and will need to take the NJ transit from Princeton Junction to NY. I would like experiences on this issue, specifically -
1) I know the wait is very long for a spot. Are there any other options? I hear about public spots but not sure what the situation is. Is is first come first serve? What time do you need to show up?
2) What is the situation with the station in the morning? I know from my current commute it is chaos at the station in the morning and getting about 100 feet can take 5 minutes with all the cars. Is this the case at Princeton Junction?
3) I hear people hold on to their passes and lease them out. How do you get info on this. If you do have info on this please send me a private message.
4) Any other tips, etc?
Thanks.

[Viralmd]

You can take the bus: there's a Park & Ride at exit 8A on the NJ Turnpike. Most everyone in my office who lives there takes that option.

[luckyduck]

I've heard of park & ride, but I thought it was carpooling. Do you know what transportation company manages the buses at 8A, so I can contact them? I will also need to commute from Princeton Junction to NY, but not until September, and I will be taking my 4 y.o. daughter.

I have taken the train during different points of morning rush hour and when I tried taking it between 7:45 and 8:15, I NEVER got a seat and had to stand all the way to NYP. Earlier or later, I always had a seat, so I'd suggest getting there early to ensure a comfy ride. The wait on the platform itself is not so bad, but the train is already nearly full by the time it pulls in. I understand what you mean about overcrowding... I used to live in Queens and remember how packed it would be on the trains. Rest assured, even though I had to stand on the NJ Transit, it was NEVER as uncomfortable as those sardine cans called subways! When I say nearly full, I just mean most of the seats are taken

You may also want to check out this forum if you are now living in the area. I've learned a bit about the commute from the Road & Rails section:

West Windsor & Plainsboro Today: WWP Chat

Good luck!

[njposter]

Thanks for the info. I don't think I will do the park and ride due to location of my office. However, wondering if there is any way to get a parking permit as the wait is so long?

[Viralmd]

Nope. Last I heard from my colleagues is that the wait is eight years. When I lived in Princeton, ten years ago, it was three years...

[kort677]

Originally Posted by njposter

Thanks for the info. I don't think I will do the park and ride due to location of my office. However, wondering if there is any way to get a parking permit as the wait is so long?

the only way to get the permit is to file and wait your turn

[gelato]

One possibility is to drive to the Hamilton station and take the train from there. Apparaently, there's plenty of parking at the Hamilton station and it is not that far from Princeton.

[Viralmd]

Actually, I have a colleague from Hamilton - the wait there is only three years, mostly because the station was recently expanded.

[juliann1977]

Check Craigslist for people leasing their permits. My husband will soon have a similar problem commuting from Aberdeen-Matawan, and we've seen a few permits listed there.

[Hippo]

Can anyone confirm what luckyduck says with respect to getting seats on the train - that is, that you must take a train that departs princeton junction by 7:45am in order to get a seat? What time do you have to arrive at the station to get parking? Once on the train, does the train run express to Penn Station? Are there any delays coming into Penn Station in the morning - I believe there are only 2 tracks that feed into Penn Station under the Hudson River. Seems like it would get a bit congested. Thanks.