Company-paid tickets are a decent perk; you generally get cheap tickets booked a month or so in advance, and there’s multi-trip ticket options (10 rides in a 45-day period) if you need to be last minute with which day you’re coming in. See r/Amtrak for more.

You’d be primarily taking the Northeast Regional or Acela, both are about as reliable as can be if all is well with the Hudson tunnels.

As far as travel time, that depends on where in JC you’d live and what time you’d need to get to Newark (or NYC) by.

Getting to Newark from JC is easiest if you live a short walk one of the WTC-Newark PATH stops (Journal Sq, Grove St, Exchange Pl). Weekday morning frequencies are around every 5 mins, and budget some time to get around in Newark Penn. It’s harder if you have a connecting bus to the PATH.

Otherwise, it’s not a bad option either to live in NYC and go via NY Penn. Two options for pretty similar cost, these days.

Bloomfield has a municipality-run jitney (divided into two areas, north and south) which connects to four trains at Bloomfield Station in the morning, and five in the afternoon, rush directions.

That might work for you, but Allwood is a great option too.

https://www.bloomfieldtwpnj.com/332/Bloomfield-Shuttle

It’s effectively $0.50/ride, although you buy a punch pass of 50 rides for $25 (nonexpiring)

North end shuttle PDF schedule: https://www.bloomfieldtwpnj.com/DocumentCenter/View/10149/North-End-Bus-Route-September-27-2021

South end shuttle PDF schedule: https://www.bloomfieldtwpnj.com/DocumentCenter/View/10150/South-End-Bus-Route-September-27-2021

Inclement service schedule: https://www.bloomfieldtwpnj.com/DocumentCenter/View/10151/Level-1-and-Level-2-Notification

pros:

go28 is the better choice if you’re coming from along Bloomfield Ave (south of the Bloomfield station), connecting via the MOBO/M&E at Bloomfield/Broad St, or via the NLR at Bloomfield Ave/Broad St.

Luggage storage area and racks, different seating arrangement

It also is a decent choice if you are connecting at the EWR North Area from the #107 bus from NYC, or if you’re parking at P6. (You’d actually take the go28 towards Newark/Bloomfield)

Doesn’t get stuck in Elizabeth traffic (because it doesn’t go there), has traffic signal priority along Bloomfield Ave

cons:

It doesn’t touch Newark Penn (it runs down Broad St), so isn’t as helpful for NEC/NJCL/RVL, or any local buses which terminate there. 62 is way better at that.

It doesn’t run to Elizabeth or IKEA (less helpful for people connecting south of EWR)

It has wider stop spacing, so you might need to walk a bit more if by Bloomfield Ave.

Schedule got changed away from clockface (35m intervals instead of 15/30m) because it takes so long to get to and from the new terminal A.

look at that: frequent, relatively cheap service is what a lot of people want.

That route could totally support 6-12 min frequencies, especially during all this terminal/Airtrain construction.

Oh I know, the bus route looks like spaghetti.

I really hope that will be addressed when the new terminal Two gets built (even with just a bus-only connection) but knowing how they’re proposing connecting the new Airtrain with old B/C (1.5 mile long passageways), it’s clear that people not arriving via taxi are basically ignored.

And the AirTrain won’t even extend to the employee parking area, for the people who go to the airport every single day.

Pro tip:

Until the AirTrain replacement, if you’re coming to EWR via transit, use the NJTransit #62 bus from either Elizabeth or Newark Penn train stations, or the #go28 from Newark Broad St.

They stop at all terminals (right outside), operate basically 24/7, and are cheaper than the access fee that Port Authority charges to Airtrain users.

And they’re faster to the terminals than the train + Airtrain + shuttle bus/walk combo.

It’s my opinion that the NEC heavy rail line should go directly under the airport terminal area (like any modern airport in Europe), or at least extend the PATH (both of these options were disincentivized until recently by federal policy), but until then, this is what we’ve got.

But hey, at least they touted the wide arrival/departure car lanes, that’s totally an easy and spatially compact way for thousands of people to arrive. /s

https://www.njtransit.com/meadowlands

Here’s the link, they update it closer to the concert date with exact train times. From NYC, you’d change in Secaucus to a MetLife bound special trains.

Returning, you’d do the reverse, there’s shuttle trains every 10ish minutes to Secaucus, then you take any NYC-bound train back into Manhattan. You will likely wait at the MetLife station with other fans, so be prepared. Each train carries roughly a thousand people, every 10 minutes, so it depends on your artist’s popularity and whether a lot of other fans are going back to NYC. There’s usually good customer service helping you make the transfer at SEC.

The main problem with staying in NJ is that you’re competing with tens of thousands of fans for cabs, and then for road space. The nearby hotels on Rt 120 are geographically close but really not at all walkable to MetLife (unless you like walking on the side of a highway and entrance ramps without a sidewalk or shoulders).

I’d suggest staying around midtown, there’s lots of hotels there. There’s also decent options in the Long Island City/Queensboro Plaza area of Queens, and in downtown Brooklyn.

That I don’t know. I typically use it for evening events. It does have 1500 spaces though, but if it’s too full on a weekday, you can also try the Vince Lombardi P&R on 95 with another 1000 spaces. That one’s similar in its usage and restrictions, only real differences are that the bus schedule is only weekdays, have more limited running hours 6:15a-11:30p, but is marginally cheaper: $9.75 for one car + driver RT, $4 for additional passenger RT.

https://content.njtransit.com/pdf/schedules/bus/321

Go a couple times on different days and you’ll quickly get the feel for how full it is usually.

197 bus to Warwick. Sit back, relax, watch the Highlands pass by. Look over the Wanaque and Monksville Reservoirs and go the entire length of Greenwood Lake. Ascend the Bearfort Ridge. Feeling spry? Hike the AT from the creamery/eagle lookout on 17A to the state line trail.

When you get into Warwick, have lunch at one of the spots there, or double back and have a supper at Viaggio in Wayne.

Definitely this, especially if OP has non-9-5 hours. There’s loads of EWR workers doing what they’re doing, from ramp workers and FA s to A/P and pilots.

62 runs 24/7 (downtown Newark and Elizabeth)

37 runs 4am-11:30pm (Weequahic area in particular)

go28 runs basically 24/7 (along Bloomfield Ave in Bloomfield and Newark)

Ignore 67, very limited schedule.

Train (NEC or NJCL) to Airtrain is decent, but check the schedules carefully. 107 provides overnight bus service from NYC.

Pro tip: when I am less familiar with a route (or it’s raining/dark) I search for my origin/destination and set the “depart” time 10 mins before my bus does. Then I follow along in a mapping app like Transit or Citymapper. Both have a on-route guidance feature. NJTransit official app has this feature too, but it’s super clunky.

(Google maps can do this but doesn’t have live bus location)

You can set it up to warn you when you’re coming close to your stop, then of course, hit the stop request button right after you pass the stop before yours. You’ll be a pro soon!

Even better-it’s not just travel in one zone (that’s the weekly unlimited pass benefit).

Monthly passes allow you to travel up to an equivalent number of bus zones shown on the chart on this page (travel flexibility section here: https://www.njtransit.com/tickets/train-tickets ). That includes unlimited local and interstate bus trips up to that number of zones!

Small group discounts and fare credits would be such game changers. FWIW, if you have kids 5-11, they use the half price discounted fare (but are free on weekends/holidays the night before until the early morning after), and 0-4 are always free. Seniors 62+ and disabled also get that discount, which really can knock family costs down.

With adults, I’ve use the 10-trip (for bus) and 20-trip 20% discount packs as group pseudo-discounts. Groups of 8+ have official 25% discounts, but they’re annoying to file for.

Sometimes a car just is better if you’re filling it up, have people with mobility problems, or have inconvenient endpoints (don’t forget maintenance and depreciation). Options are good to have.

Electrification of the NJCL to Bay Head is such low hanging fruit, and will instantly slash travel times and increase reliability. Heck, even just consistently using dual mode locomotives from Bay Head would be decent.

The RVL should ideally go to Phillipsburg/Easton (via Washington maybe?), with branches at Bound Brook to Flemington/New Hope (and on to Warminster/Doylestown SEPTA), and West Trenton.

It’s not Hunterdon, but MoBo to Hackettstown should also go out to Phillipsburg via Washington. And weekend/reverse peak service for all!

The sad part is that’s just a fraction of what used to exist in the area. And it’s not impossible or too low density—tiny clusters of houses in rural Swiss valleys can often have hourly service on electrified lines. Why can’t NJ’s rural municipalities of tens of thousands?

Anytime you want to learn buses, I’m very willing to help, just see my post history! (Feel free to send me a DM)

They’re a bit more complicated than trains, due to NJT’s weird fare zone structure, but can provide an entirely new car-free layer of transportation to you, one that covers much more territory.

Out in Fair Lawn, you mainly have the 164 to PABT, the 171 to GWB (both four zone interstate, $6), and a bunch of other expresses and local routes. I’ll bet a stop is within a 5 minute walk of you. Your destination doesn’t have to be NYC either—buses in the northeast area of NJ make it easy to get home from a bar, meet up with a friend to take their car, help you hike one-way routes, go to the airport, connect to the train, etc. That’s in addition to all the regular boring things people do, like go shopping, visit friends, go to appointments, recreation, religious places, and oh yes, get to work or entertainment.

And once you glance up from your phone and look from your bus to the people driving cars while using their phone it just might make you want to take transit into NYC every time.

Can NJTransit get better? Ohhhh yeah. I’ve got a long list. But it’s halfway decent at what it does.

You’re good to use it, no expiration! Just buy a single one way for the return trip.

One way tickets and round trip tickets (which are really just two one ways) in the app never expire until they are activated, and can be used in either direction between the stops. It’s one of the great things about NJT.

Printed ones might have an expiration, check the face/back of the ticket.

Buy a one way, but try using the previous one first. If for some reason it’s not accepted, you have the new one way right there as a backup.

I’ve done this tons of times. 320 has some particular rules, but has decent frequency all day/evening.

North Bergen is a gated park and ride, $10 includes parking for one car (max 24 hrs) and one round trip ticket to/from NYC (perforated down the middle). There is a discounted combo amount if you are a senior citizen or disabled. Parking is not paid separately.

Monthly passes or discounted bus tickets (like 10-trip or 20-trip flexpass) are NOT accepted to/from North Bergen P&R. You can buy one way/round trip mobile tickets for this ride via the app, but there are no discount options; it’s $3.25 one way adult or $1.45 one way 5-11/62+/disabled (under 5 is always $free).

Think of it like a combined price of $6.50 bus RT + $3.50 parking. I guess you could buy your ticket separately, but then you’re just wasting the printed ticket that comes with lot entry.

Procedure:

You drive up to the gate, get a ticket from the machine. Then you park inside, walk to the machine by the actual stop (under the bridge, or the shelters on the north end). It will validate your parking ticket, and issue one round trip ticket to NYC. The machine usually takes cash and credit/debit (it may do contactless too, but I forget).

You also have the option at the machine of purchasing extra tickets for additional people with you. Or they can get their tickets on the app. (#320, 2 zones “to/from NY”)

Then you take the trip to NYC, keep the parking ticket, and hand one half of the bus ticket to the bus driver, each direction. PABT gates are 204 door 1 from 6am-10pm, 320 from 10:01pm-1am, and 81 for the couple runs after 1am. Schedule adherence depends on the people who didn’t decide to take the bus, and are causing traffic in the tunnel. Use Citymapper or Transit app (green reverse N icon) for live bus times/location, or the NJT MyBus (stop #21436 eastbound). Google maps does not have live NJT bus times.

When you arrive back at North Bergen P&R, get in your car and drive out, inserting the validated parking ticket into the gate machine.

Schedule and terms: https://content.njtransit.com/pdf/schedules/bus/320

There’s also a stored value card available for park and rides only (like this one), meant for very frequent park-and-riders. All it saves is time. It allows you to prepay, have automatic top-up billing, and issues the bus ticket when you enter, rather than needing to go to the machine by the stop. If you will use this lot every day, that’s probably the way to go for ease of use. If it’s only a few times a month, maybe not worth it.

You may also have a bus to NYC nearer to you, which of course may save on the $0.65/mi average costs of driving to the P&R (likely the most expensive part of your trip), but the P&R is a great deal if you’re traveling with a bunch of people in the car.

Yes! If you’re going to be by Mountain Ave west of Murray Hill Station, it’s two zones to Summit. East of Murray Hill, it’s one zone. It does not serve the area west of Summit Medical Group Berkeley Heights Urgent Carw Center (it goes south of 78 there).

If you are getting a monthly rail pass, you can take this bus for free (or any NJT bus up to any 9/10/11 zone ride, depending on the cost of your station’s monthly pass in the “Travel Flexibility” section here: https://www.njtransit.com/tickets/train-tickets )

Get a monthly if you’re making 15+ round trips a month or like the convenience of not having to deal with train/bus tickets. They go by the calendar month, so you may have to get a weekly or 20-trip to get to the beginning of the next one.

Otherwise, do 20-trip “flex” passes if you make 8-15 round trips a month, and single tickets if fewer than 8 round trips a month.

For max flexibility, I’d suggest a monthly pass from Murray Hill or Berkeley Heights, that way you can either take the Gladstone Branch or get on/off at Summit via the bus or car.

Don’t forget pretax transit benefits! https://www.njtransit.com/taxbenefits

Another thing to consider beyond using the Gladstone Branch of the M&E line (and walking/biking to your closest station) is the NJTransit 986 bus, which connects to Summit (and also to New Providence/Plainfield stations). https://content.njtransit.com/pdf/schedules/bus/986

Between these three stations, you have lots of options. Definitely opt for a walkable or bikeable last leg if you can.

Lakeland Bus has its 78 service running down 512 into Berkeley Heights, then Springfield Ave through New Providence and into Summit, then Broad St to the Summit Park & Ride, then express to PABT. It’s good to know that route as an option.

by conflict, I mean that the turn itself logically conflicts with pedestrians/bicyclists/perpendicular vehicle traffic going across the intersection on their green light, and potentially also people in the parallel crosswalk finishing their movement.

The statute is here: https://law.justia.com/codes/new-jersey/2021/title-39/section-39-4-115/

Turning right (on green or red) requires that:

1. the driver intends to turn
2. the intersection is controlled by a signal or officer
3. proper care is taken to prohibit accidents by the driver

Additionally, if the light is red, it is required for the driver to:

4. not turn if there is a sign disallowing a turn on red
5. come to a full stop
6. observe traffic in ALL directions
7. yield to vehicles traveling in the direction of the turn
8. stop and remaining stopped for pedestrians crossing the roadway in a marked or unmarked crosswalk
9. make the turn from and to the rightmost part of both roads unless posted otherwise.
10. Only then shall they proceed to make a turn.

First, a driver can choose to not intend to turn right until there's a green light. Second, a driver is required to take proper care to prevent accidents and observe traffic in all directions, yielding to vehicles and pedestrians. Turning right on red is inherently more dangerous than proceeding on a green signal. They might observe traffic and take proper care longer than you'd do it, and might consume the entire red light depending on their judgment, and that's ok.

Both of these happen in time before the "shall proceed" section.

Turning right on red is merely an option given to the driver at the intersection, not a requirement. Some don’t feel comfortable making a conflicting turn, and that’s ok. They might also have seen a hazardous situation that you don’t.

That’s how all white-background signs work, like speed limits or parking regulations. Those laws exist and apply to the road without the sign, these white-background signs are simply reminders of the existing law.

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.