Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Hello...we are moving to Cranford in December and I am hoping to get some insight on commuting to NYC. Do you have a preference of bus or train (Raritan Valley Line)? What are some of the pros and cons? According to the njtransit.com, the bus takes 45 minutes? Is this accurate? Thanks!
Depends on where in NYC you want to go. Train will involve a transfer at Newark Penn either to the PATH or train to Penn Station. The bus goes direct to PA. yes, long lines are not uncommon and sometimes you might have to wait for the next bus or two to avoid standing room. 45 mins is probably more realistic for evening ride. For the morning, add maybe 10 more mins.
I don't commute to Manhattan, but I do live in Cranford and often take the train to the city. I think I'd prefer this to a bus. You do have to switch in Newark, but it is a pretty easy ride most of the time. Personally, I feel like buses are less reliable.
Maybe the bus takes 45 minutes without traffic but at rush hour I'd bet it could take longer. I'm not sure though because I have never taken a NJ Transit bus to the city. Another plus for the train is PATH connection at Newark rather than staying on NJ Transit, depending on where you will be working and whether or not PATH would be more useful for you.
Where do you have to go within NYC. If you are heading downtown or lower part of midtown, take RVL down to Newark Penn and switch over to the PATH train to WTC or 33rd street. If you need to head to the upper part of midtown or uptown area, take the bus to Port Authority and perhaps a quick subway ride to the final destination. The total trip time, I estimate will be around 40-65 minutes depending on where you want to go provided there are no extreme delays.
There are proposals, however to Make the RVL a single seat ride to NYC, but unfortunately that's during non peak hours. To resolve peak hour issues, an additional set of tunnels into NY Penn is needed and the hunter interlocking needs to be reworked into a flyover interchange to avoid delays & conflicts with the ever Busy NEC, NJCL, and Amtrak Services using Northeast corridor tracks.
Last edited by Adi from the Brunswicks; 11-27-2013 at 09:25 PM..
Thanks for your help! I work in midtown on the east side.
If you are working around 50th street along Lexington Ave, then I would recommend taking a bus to PA and then the E train to reach east side. Total commute time will be around 54 minutes provided there are no delays.
bus in the morning, train home. Your monthly train pass is good on the bus too. It will have a zone printed on it
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
