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I am speaking from sporadic drives rather than regular commutes, but IMO commuting to Baruch via the GWB (if you pick Ft Lee or Englewood) would be a PITA.
You might check out West New York and Weehawken, as someone said. It would be roughly 25-30 mins. each for you, avoiding the awful Hoboken traffic bottleneck. Weehawken has one too but heading south rather than toward Tenafly. The commute for her would be almost as good as it gets thanks to the wonderful minibuses to the Port A on Blvd East in West New York and Weehawken, which come every 5 mins. That is assuming you are in the bluffs section of Weehawken. It also has a waterfront section just S of Edgewater and a Heights section between Union City and Hoboken. The waterfront dwellers mainly use the ferry, I think, and it also goes to Edgewater. It's handiest for those working way downtown or on the W side, but it has bus and subway connections to other areas including fairly close to Baruch. Fares, Routes & Schedules
The other town that comes to mind is Secaucus which has a lot of bus and train options for getting to Manhattan and isnt too long a drive for you.
Anything else I can think of is much longer for one of you. One does get used to long commutes after a while but it's awfully nice in a relationship if they're fairly equal. Good luck.
thanks for the info! any idea of the town life in weehawken? as thats on the list to check out but never been there. Also JC heights not sure if thats what you mentioned as "heights" area. Also saw some places in Union City but don't know that area either? Trying to have a bus option as I understand the ferry can be pricy? Although all options are open at the moment!
Aargh, I just wrote you a long reply and lost it in a little board crash.
There is some town life in Weehawken, but not much. If you're interested in free yoga, tennis, or other adult ed classes, you can meet people that way, or at fundraisers for the library. There are only a few restaurants. It's partly because the town is so geographically divided. The three sections (bluffs, waterfront, heights -- north of the Jersey City heights) are quite cut off from each other. The waterfront may have its own community, I don't know. What I described is mainly in the bluffs part where Weehawken's tiny commercial center, high school, library and senior center are. (Adult ed offerings are in the HS and senior center.) The heights are primarily residential. I am also not sure how the commute from the heights is -- it's the bluffs that have the easy access to the Boulevard East mini-buses. I think the heights depend on NJ Transit and perhaps some people hike over to the light rail in Union City.
Union City is close enough to expand your opportunities, at least for cheap eats and shopping. I went to church there. The commercial center (Bergenline Ave) is right next door to the bluffs section of Weehawken. UC is VERY Latino, with lots of recent immigrants who don't speak English; in fact it can be hard to find people who speak English. But city leaders are trying to market it as the next Hoboken so there are lots of apartments and condos and there may be something of a young Anglo scene there. I never saw it. They had Shakespeare in the park one summer and there's a movie theater and I was once shocked to see a van on the Turnpike proudly labeled Union City Opera Company. I thought I would have heard if there was any opera there but apparently not!
Besides the ferry in Weehawken, there's the light rail which also serves Union City. It would take your s.o. to Hoboken, where she would grab a PATH train to Penn Station or 23 St (so a two-fare commute AFAIK -- I never used it so not quite sure). Here's the map. https://www.njtransit.com/pdf/LightR...r_hblr_map.pdf
If your girlfriend is bussing it from UC or Weehawken to Baruch college, she's looking at one bus and two train rides or two buses and one train ride. Not exactly ideal. I think the best location is Hoboken. She can take the PATH to 23rd st and just walk the rest of the way (although it's a pretty long walk).
Hoboken means you both have about a 45 minute commute. But I love Hoboken, so I'm partial to it I guess. We have friends that live in West New York on the water and they really like their area, too. They live in the area right by the Acme and Starbucks shopping center on River Road. Quick bus or ferry into the city.
I commute from Hoboken to far north Bergen Co--way past Tenafly and my commute is about 50 minutes, so I feel like Tenafly would be much easier.
Hoboken means you both have about a 45 minute commute. But I love Hoboken, so I'm partial to it I guess. We have friends that live in West New York on the water and they really like their area, too. They live in the area right by the Acme and Starbucks shopping center on River Road. Quick bus or ferry into the city.
I commute from Hoboken to far north Bergen Co--way past Tenafly and my commute is about 50 minutes, so I feel like Tenafly would be much easier.
That might be an idea. OP didn't provide a budget, so if they can afford Hoboken, that might work. River Road traffic, but I get you get used to it.
I agree with Weehawken suggestions. Compared with Hoboken and downtown Jersey City, Weehawken offers cheaper rent, and parking is both cheaper and less difficult.
Door to door commute would be around 45 minutes to both Tenafly and Baruch.
Five routes connect Weehawken to Bergen County - NJ Turnpike, 1-9, JFK Boulevard, Boulevard East, and River Road. Plenty of redunancy exists in case the preferred route, probably the NJ Turnpike, is tied up with traffic. Driving out of Weehawken in the morning is easier than driving out of Hoboken and Jersey City.
Commute to Baruch - Bus to Port Authority, R-W subway 3 stops to 23rd, 5 to 10 minute walk from subway to Baruch. Alternate route - Bus or light rail to Hoboken Terminal, PATH train to 23rd, walk to Baruch.
Nightlife in Weehawken is limited. What town life exists focuses on children (nice parks, sports programs) and senior citizens.
Union City has lower rents, more difficult parking, and slightly longer commute to Manhattan, compared with Weehawken.
One way to look at it is as an opportunity for daily exercise. Having lived in NYC for almost 30 years, I walked a LOT. My rule of thumb was, never take a subway if I can walk it. I almost never took buses at all (too slow). It would take her 20-30 mins to walk from Port Authority to Baruch, she would be refreshed and healhier from the regular exercise, and she could save by dropping her gym membership. At least that's how I always handled it. I often wish there were more reason to walk in the 'burbs but there arent many places to go within a 30 minutes' walk, at least if you dont want to lug heavy groceries 1.5 miles.
Thanks for all the info! Definitely plenty to go on. The goal is get as close to my job as possible without killing her on the commute! Weehawken sounds like a solid option to look at only concern would be enough to do around the area. Hoboken is last resort on my end as its close to an hr each way for me with traffic and everything.
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