Princeton to NYC | The Commute... (Jersey City: crime, home, school)

[davenj08]

Originally Posted by qwertynyc

3 DRIVING | Does anyone do the drive from Princeton in through the Lincoln tunnel to midtown? When does the traffic start building up - I'd be arriving in the city at 7am, so I'm guessing I wouldn't have much traffic on the way in? maybe 1:15, 1:20min? What about coming home, if I was leaving at 3PM? Would love to know what that commute time looks like with traffic.

Go to the bathroom or your bedroom. Close the door. Look in the mirror, and slap yourself hard on the face. Then repeat "I will never again think of driving from Princeton to midtown".

Listen to the wisdom from the folks on the forum here and do the train commute.

PS - do not actually slap yourself.

[qwertynyc]

Ha! Love the advice davenj08..

I’d prefer the train- but I also lose time not having the optimal train schedule..

Is parking at Princeton Junction easy? Is it a quick walk after parking to the train platform?

[EANJ]

Originally Posted by pejp

I don't have much insight to specific times, but I have a friend (more of acquaintance), who moved down to Princeton to be closer to his wife's family, while continuing to work in Midtown. Within a few months he managed to negotiate just 3 days a week in the office, and after the current situation passes, is hoping to make it permanent WFH. When I asked him, he said it just wasn't sustainable and would have to find another job. I'm sure there are people that do it, but realistically, you're looking at least 3 hours per day in transit.

He negotiated just 3 days per week in NYC, and is hoping to make it permanent WFH...BECAUSE, for the most part, is just wasn't sustainable! I would say your friend is absolutely correct.

[EANJ]

Also, remember, there is a massive difference between doing the Princeton to NYC commute once in a while, every so often, or even one day a week...compared to every single day, or even three days a week. Big difference. Massive. The former is an inconvenience...the latter is the norm and a lifestyle.

[connotative]

1. Trains leaving Penn Station before 4:30 not overly crowded. Expect a seat. There is a lot of changeover in Newark, where many get off and many others get on.

2. Figure 60 minutes for the trains to Princeton Jct -- a little less for the nonstops from Newark, a little more for the locals.
3. I don't know anyone who actually drives. It was back in the 1980s that I last entertained the idea of driving into the city on a weekday. (The last time I had to do the drive, it took 2 hours from the George Washington Bridge to Princeton, and that wasn't during rush hour.) The Lincoln Tunnel and Midtown traffic is unimaginably bad. Thousands of people take the train from Mercer County for a good reason. I simply cannot imagine doing that drive before having to work a full day and then after working a full day.



OP, keep in mind that the times in the schedule are not set in stone. They may change from year to year. Don't worry so much about it -- there will still be several expresses and several locals per hour. Once on the train, it is quite comfortable especially with the new double-deckers. You can read, work, zone out, relax -- whatever you want to do. Especially on the nonstop expresses from Newark to Princeton Jct. It is much, much more comfortable than commuting by bus.



Daily parking available for a fee at Princeton Junction. Walk is within 5 minutes to the platform.


There is a garage at the Princeton station, from where you would take the "Dinky" shuttle train to Princeton Jct.

[Mightyqueen801]

Originally Posted by davenj08

Go to the bathroom or your bedroom. Close the door. Look in the mirror, and slap yourself hard on the face. Then repeat "I will never again think of driving from Princeton to midtown".

Listen to the wisdom from the folks on the forum here and do the train commute.

PS - do not actually slap yourself.

I find that sticking tweezers into the outlet next to the sink does the trick. The GFI kicks in before any real damage is done, but there's still enough of a shock for the mind to associate driving to the city with pain. And if you watch yourself in the mirror while you do it, the face you'll make is hilarious.

[qwertynyc]

Thanks everyone for the helpful (and comical) feedback!

As far as trains go, it looks like if I take the dinky, my total train time would be about 1:08 give or take a few. it takes 10 min most for me to get from Penn to my job, and it should take about 10 min to bike to Princeton station where we're looking (I prefer a bike in the am)

So door to door it looks like a 1:30min commute, but on a Train where I'm not dealing with crazy angry road rage..

Here's the timetable - can I generally depend on that 1:08 min commute time at these hours?

06:26 AM
Depart PRINCETON
* 06:31 AM
Arrive PRINCETON JCT. 
06:37 AM
Depart PRINCETON JCT. – Northeast Corridor 3918
07:34 AM
Arrive NEW YORK PENN STATION – Northeast Corridor #3918
PRIN #4112
1 hour, 8 minutes


04:13 PM
Depart NEW YORK PENN STATION
* 05:09 PM
Arrive PRINCETON JCT. 
05:16 PM
Depart PRINCETON JCT. – PRIN 4157
05:21 PM
Arrive PRINCETON – PRIN #4157
Northeast Corridor #3943
1 hour, 8 minutes

[Mightyqueen801]

Yeah, we Jerseyans are a comical bunch indeed, often with a sick or at least cynical sense of humor.

I think you'll do fine on the train commute. Over the years, I drove, took the bus, and took the train, and I vote for the train, hands down. Especially if you work right near Penn.

Train also gets through in snowy weather when bad roads shut down or slow down roads.

[EANJ]

Originally Posted by qwertynyc

Thanks everyone for the helpful (and comical) feedback!

As far as trains go, it looks like if I take the dinky, my total train time would be about 1:08 give or take a few. it takes 10 min most for me to get from Penn to my job, and it should take about 10 min to bike to Princeton station where we're looking (I prefer a bike in the am)

So door to door it looks like a 1:30min commute, but on a Train where I'm not dealing with crazy angry road rage..

Here's the timetable - can I generally depend on that 1:08 min commute time at these hours?

06:26 AM
Depart PRINCETON
* 06:31 AM
Arrive PRINCETON JCT. 
06:37 AM
Depart PRINCETON JCT. – Northeast Corridor 3918
07:34 AM
Arrive NEW YORK PENN STATION – Northeast Corridor #3918
PRIN #4112
1 hour, 8 minutes


04:13 PM
Depart NEW YORK PENN STATION
* 05:09 PM
Arrive PRINCETON JCT. 
05:16 PM
Depart PRINCETON JCT. – PRIN 4157
05:21 PM
Arrive PRINCETON – PRIN #4157
Northeast Corridor #3943
1 hour, 8 minutes

Sounds great! You've done your due diligence, got everything worked out, and all your proverbial ducks in a row...Just remember...you don't commute to work on a BB...you don't commute to work in a spreadsheet...and you don't commute to work in a formula.

Any given Sunday

That's why they run the races

Man plans...God laughs

Your commute...is in real life...every day when you get out of bed...and your feet hit the floor...life has a funny way of getting in the way of plans.

Good luck and all the best! I hope it works out great for you!

[qwertynyc]

It’s the truth..

The commute on my bike living in the city is certainly a dream.. it’s just all of the other factors that need to average out.