Submitted by Intermissionz t3_102aycm in newjersey
Looking for the suggestions for time/cost efficient methods to commute from East Brunswick to the World Trade Center. Driving any leg of the journey is a possibility, commute would be on average 2-3 days per week, so monthly passes may not be cost effective. Thanks all!
Drive to Harrison, PATH to WTC
Jersey Ave Park and Ride, Take NJ Transit NE Corridor to Newark Penn and switch to Path to WTC. During morning commute a lot of trains start from Jersey Ave and express to Newark Penn.
Drive to Liberty State Park, light rail to Exchange Place, PATH to WTC
If you’re gonna go this route I would do the ferry skips a step, https://www.libertylandingcityferry.com/ right from liberty landing across to world financial center, runs most of the day back and forth, $7 cash each way, I think parking was $7 or so but that was maybe 6 years ago we did this to avoid all the costs of the train from Raritan to get to lower manhattan
Driving the shortest distance possible will reduce your total costs the most. It’s ~$40 daily driving costs from EB to Newark, for instance, before parking.
To WTC, you’d best be served trains going to Newark Penn Station, then PATH. From Newark Penn, it’s 25 mins by PATH to WTC, allow 30.
Buses ending at PABT need a 25 min A/C/E leg, trains ending at NY Penn need a 20 min A/C/E leg, walking included for both. It’s out of your way, but an option in case PATH to WTC has troubles.
On the bus side, there’s actually a CoachUSA aka Suburban Transit bus line #600 which goes direct from East Brunswick to downtown NYC, making stops along Varick and Broadway, including right at WTC. Here’s the current schedule: https://web.coachusa.com/CoachUsaAssets/files/99/route600.pdf
It is one of the lines leaving from Nielson Parking Plaza, and it also departs from the East Brunswick Transportation Center, if that’s closer. Both have $5 daily parking.
Trips are $13.20/one way, but if you’re going in 2-3x a week, the 20-trip multi ride bundle is $216 saving you $48. The total daily discounted amount is $21.60 round trip before parking. Travel time is 1h20m. That’s definitely the most seamless, but is dependent on tunnel traffic.
There’s also a peak hours/days bus option connecting to the PATH in JC; the NJT #68 goes up NJ 18, then arrives in JC about 45 minutes later at Grove St PATH. Then it’s a 7 minute ride to WTC. Schedule: https://content.njtransit.com/pdf/schedules/bus/68 Cost is $7.75, a 7 zone “intracommuter” ride. 20-trip bundles (poorly named “flex pass”) are $124. But then you have to add on PATH, at $2.75/one way or 20-trip $52, for a total of $17.60 round trip before parking. A bit quicker than CoachUSA, and cheaper, but with a connection.
On the train side, Jersey Ave is a great location, as others mentioned, for its frequency and express options. It’s $6/day in lot 3, or there are monthly $60 rates through ParkAmerica, worth it if you’re going 10x/month or more. It’s 1h10 total trip time on the NEC including transfer time at Newark, before driving time to/from Jersey Ave. That’s $9.75/one way and $156 20-trip flex, plus PATH as above for a total daily amount of $20.80 before parking. This one is best if there’s some massive accident on the roads, you live on the west side of EB, or you don’t like buses.
For flexibility, both CoachUSA 100/300/400/500 and NJTransit #138 serve PABT in Midtown, useful if you have work hours outside peak times.
Keep your eyes out for South Amboy’s ferry project, it would be about a 20 minute drive away from you. I’d expect a 40 minute ferry ride, definitely going to be a pricey contender though, but a nice occasional change of pace on a spring/summer day.
I highly recommend trying all these options a couple times at full one way price, just to see what fits your style. Note that with the buses, you’ll need to wave to them as they approach the stop to signal for a pickup, and that you need to push the stop button to request a stop.
Definitely don’t forget to register through your work for pretax transportation benefits, which can help you save additional money on both tickets and transit parking.
goodluck any way!
Coach USA from the park and ride in the towers center where the Hilton is will take you right into fidi I believe
True, wasn’t running when I took that route before PATH reopened.
I would drive into Manhattan over Newark.
Coach USA route 600 takes you from East Brunswick to Lower Manhattan
Move
That’s the least transfers, but definitely the most costly, and not necessarily the quickest door to door (usually around 2-2.5 hrs weekday mornings, including walking and parking)
Parking around WTC is $30-40, tolls inbound are $20.75, outbound tolls are $7, operating a car for 80 miles a day is around $52 (gas, consumables, depreciation, maintenance, insurance/registration), for a total effective daily cost of $110.15, being generous with the parking prices.
Four such car trips would be the equivalent of a monthly unlimited bus pass.
BCNJ09 t1_j2s2vev wrote
If you don't mind the drive to the ferry terminal, it's a fast and comfortable option. There's also the Coach USA bus that can give you a one-seat ride from basically right in front of the WTC to East Brunswick.