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I am from central NJ and from time to time have a need to travel into Manhattan or Brooklyn area.
Sometimes, I take NJT Train directly into NY Penn Station or via PATH to the World Trade Center station, but this round trip costs almost $30 from my area. Driving directly into Brooklyn or Manhattan is also costly, with brige, tunnel, and turnpike tolls.
The option I'm considering now is driving to Newark Penn or Harrison, where I can catch PATH into the city. Would this be the most cost-effective option for brief trips to the city (I'm talking a quick turnaround of a couple hours)? If so, what's the parking situation like right now in Harrison and Newark Penn and what's the cheapest parking option there to suit my needs?
I did some cost analysis for traveling from Princeton Junction station into NYC. Hope this information could be of some benefit to others.
NJ Transit train service between Newark Penn and NY Penn cost about $4 each way (whether it's combined into a longer trip or individual), while PATH trains cost $1.75 each way for a $3.50 round trip. In that sense, it's always cheaper to change from an NJ Transit train over to a PATH train at Newark Penn, which can deliver you either to 33rd St next to NY Penn or down to the World Trade Center.
Round trip between Princeton Junction and Newark costs $21.50 right now. Let's analyze the benefit of combining driving with an NJ Transit train service in the Northeast Corridor, assuming a fuel economy of 22 MPG and the cost of gas around $3.30 per gallon. Assume also the route with no tolls, such as Rt 1.
For example, if we drive to New Brunswick station and take the train there, the round trip to Newark Penn is $18, so we save $3.50 on train fare but the gas cost for the Princeton -- New Brunswick round trip is about $4.50. This is how the following table is built:
Round --- FROM ---------- Train Savings --- Gas Expense
Trip to ---Station Name
Newark
COST
$18.00 --- New Brunswick --- save $3.50 ---- gas $4.50
$16.50 --- Edison ----------- save $5.00 ---- gas $5.80
$14.00 --- Metuchen -------- save $7.50 ---- gas $6.40
$12.00 --- Metropark -------- save $9.50 ---- gas $7.50
$9.50 ---- Rahway ---------- save $12.00 --- gas $8.50
$5.50 ---- Elizabeth --------- save $16.00 --- gas $10.20
Train prices are designed carefully, and they take into account the fact that many people might prefer convenience over savings. Still, the benefit to driving is clearly there, especially if you don't mind to drive all the way up to Elizabeth or even Newark and especially if you can manage to find some free parking in those areas!
Which brings the question -- is there any free parking or cheap short-term meter parking to be had in Elizabeth around the train station?
At that point I would consider parking at Newark, Harrison, or some of the other PATH station areas like Journal Square or Pavonia/Newport since the PATH fare by itself is about &1.75 or $2 or so.
Since the PATH fare doesn't get any cheaper as you get closer to NYC I would check out parking in Harrison or Newark Penn which is just across the Passaic River from Harrison. About an equal drive to either and you do not have to deal with taking a NJ T train to get there.
Here's one of the cheapest ways I know. Getting in & out of Manhattan is very expensive nowadays. Drive to Harmon Meadow in Secaucus and park in one of the lots. Get the 320 bus in front of the hotels there. It costs like $3-4 each way and drops you at Port Authority. Buses run after midnight back to Secaucus. NJT tolls also $3-4 each way from Central NJ. Coach buses run pretty late from East Brunswick - Port Authority. I think they're like $9-10 each way
There's also a $10 lot on Columbus in Jersey City close to the Grove St. PATH station. It might close after dinner though. They FINALLY built a parking lot at Secaucus Junction. It might be $10 for a few hours.
The bus is a genius idea, but alas it's not the best idea in my case.
Driving to Seacaucus is a looong way from central NJ, and unless you take toll roads, getting up there is a PITA. And if you take toll roads, the cost benefit is gone anyway.
So Elizabeth remains the most sensible place to drive, which I estimate to cost about $10 in gas round trip, and the route of getting there isn't too bad, even if you take Rt 1. Then, NJ Transit train to Newark Penn for $5.50 round trip, then PATH into NYC for $3.50 round trip. And if free parking can be had in Elizabeth, all the better. A bus service from Elizabeth into NYC is $13 round trip, but using the train it's only $9 round trip.
In principle, driving to Newark or Harrison seems like an option, but gas, time, and parking prices defeat the purpose of going father North than Elizabeth, in my opinion.
Any decent free or cheap meter parking in Elizabeth near the train station?
In ye days of olde, I used to park under this railroad trestle in Harrison for free, or also used to park right in front of the Pavonia PATH station which was nothing but 6 foot tall weeds and some abandoned warehouses back then. Free all day long except sometimes JC cops would write bogus parking tickets in JC, which would be dismissed if you went into court. I don't think you can park anywhere around any parts of JC easily these days. In the evenings I still park near Newark Penn on the street for free. Maybe there are spots during the day? I haven't tried.
Not sure of the current parking situation in E'town.
Ha... I'm not even that old (33), and I miss the days of olde...
Quote:
Originally Posted by captne76
In the evenings I still park near Newark Penn on the street for free. Maybe there are spots during the day? I haven't tried.
Not sure of the current parking situation in E'town.
Evenings is what, after 6 pm? Yea, basically I'd drive up to Elizabeth or even Newark is I knew I could score free parking there... I may need to drive up there sometime to scope things out.
It really depends on where in central NJ youre coming from exactly though.
None the less, Newark will be the closest PATH to you, so simply drive into the Ironbound, look for free parking spots around the McWhorter St. area. If you arrive at around 8-10 AM, it will seem as though they are all filled up, but if you dont mind a little bit of a walk (half mile at the MOST), you will always have free open parking at the END of McWhorter St., and just get out and walk along NJ Railroad St. all the way to Penn Station.
Then just take PATH to WTC (about 15-20 minutes) and immediately after exiting the WTC station will be the Chambers St. Subway station, where you can catch the A,C,E,2,3 trains directly into brooklyn.
So the only costs are PATH+MTA fares, and excluding your gas, (you should already be familiar with how much gas you use coming from wherever you are to Newark)
$3.50 + $4.50 = $8, to go from Central NJ to Brooklyn, and back, in a timely manner.
And of course, probably $5 in gas at the most round trip? Given Newark's proximity to Central NJ.
None the less, Newark will be the closest PATH to you, so simply drive into the Ironbound, look for free parking spots around the McWhorter St. area. If you arrive at around 8-10 AM, it will seem as though they are all filled up, but if you dont mind a little bit of a walk (half mile at the MOST), you will always have free open parking at the END of McWhorter St., and just get out and walk along NJ Railroad St. all the way to Penn Station.
Ah that's exactly the info I was looking for!! Thank you so much!
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