Penn Station trains cut for five weeks as Portal North Bridge work begins Oct. 9
Amtrak cuts Keystone trains to 10 a weekday and some NJ Transit lines end at Hoboken while crews connect the second track on the new Hackensack River bridge.
For about five weeks starting the weekend of Oct. 10, Amtrak and NJ Transit will send fewer trains into New York Penn Station while crews shift service to the Portal North Bridge, the new Hackensack River crossing in New Jersey.
Work starts on the evening of Friday, Oct. 9. Amtrak’s reduced timetable covers Saturday, Oct. 10, through Sunday, Nov. 15. NJ Transit’s changed schedules begin Oct. 11. NJ Transit expects to bring back its usual schedules on Nov. 15 if safety testing goes as planned, and all service should be back to normal on Monday, Nov. 16.
Why Penn Station trains are being cut
The Portal North Bridge spans the Hackensack River between Newark and Secaucus, on the stretch of track that carries Manhattan-bound trains. One track already runs over the new bridge. To connect the second, every train in the area has to share a single track. The fixed bridge will replace a 116-year-old swing bridge, and trains have long been held up whenever it opens.
Amtrak and NJ Transit schedule changes
Amtrak has changed more than 280 trains in all. On weekdays, Acela drops to 18 trains from 20 and the Northeast Regional drops to 40 from 44. Keystone Service between Philadelphia and New York takes the deepest cut, falling to 10 weekday trains from 24. Keystone keeps its full schedule between Harrisburg and Philadelphia, and long-distance routes keep their current service.
On NJ Transit, weekday Northeast Corridor trains fall to 113 from 133 and the North Jersey Coast Line falls to 87 from 99. Other lines lose fewer trains. Riders on three routes face a bigger change: on weekdays, Midtown Direct service on the Montclair-Boonton Line, the Gladstone Branch and the Morristown Line will terminate in Hoboken, with none of those trains continuing to Penn Station.
Hoboken offers three ways into Manhattan that honor eligible NJ Transit tickets and passes: PATH trains running to 33rd Street, NY Waterway boats crossing to Midtown and Route 126 buses heading to Port Authority. To keep connections intact, NJ Transit will run extra shuttles linking Penn Station with Secaucus Junction. Travelers should allow extra time and check their train’s schedule before leaving.
Quick answers
When do the Penn Station train cuts start and end?
Work begins the evening of Oct. 9. Amtrak's reduced service runs Oct. 10 through Nov. 15, and full normal service is planned for Nov. 16.
Which NJ Transit trains will go to Hoboken instead of Penn Station?
Weekday Midtown Direct trains on three routes, the Montclair-Boonton Line, the Gladstone Branch and the Morristown Line, will terminate in Hoboken.
How do NJ Transit riders get from Hoboken to Manhattan?
Eligible tickets and passes can be used on PATH trains to 33rd Street, NY Waterway boats to Midtown or Route 126 buses to Port Authority.
