NJ TRANSIT ANNOUNCES TRAVEL OPTIONS FOR ANNUAL STEEPLECHASE
Customers Strongly Encouraged to Purchase Roundtrip Tickets in Advance for Far Hills Event
October 12, 2018
NEWARK, NJ — NJ TRANSIT is offering special rail service between Hoboken and Far Hills to transport customers to and from the 98th running of the Far Hills Race Meeting on Saturday, October 20. NJ TRANSIT’s Far Hills Station on the Gladstone Branch of the Morris & Essex Lines is located directly across the street from Moorland Farms, the site of the event.
Due to federally mandated PTC installation, weekend rail service on the Gladstone Branch will be temporarily suspended on October 14th and replaced by bus service. However, select rail service will operate for race day only. The timetable is available online at https://www.njtransit.com/AdminTemp/farhills10-20-18.pdf.
After all race patrons have left Far Hills, bus service will again replace rail service with the previously announced schedules.
IMPORTANT NOTE: For this special event, Customers are advised that NO BEVERAGES INCLUDING ALCOHOL, OPEN OR CLOSED, WILL BE PERMITTED on any train, bus or platform to and from Far Hills on Saturday, October 20. This policy will be strictly enforced.
To avoid lines, customers are strongly encouraged to purchase roundtrip tickets in advance. Customers boarding at Far Hills on October 20 without a valid ticket or pass will be required to purchase a special ticket prior to boarding the train for $20. The special ticket is valid until 11:59 p.m. on October 20 only for travel between Far Hills and any NJ TRANSIT rail station.
On October 20, ticket offices will be open special hours at Summit, Berkeley Heights, Lyons, Bernardsville, Far Hills, Gladstone, and Dover. See www.njtransit.com for specific times.
Schedule highlights for October 20 include:
- As is normal with travel to/from special events, customers’ decisions on when to travel may result in overcrowding on certain trains and more capacity on others. Customers should allow additional travel time and be patient if they cannot board the first train they encounter.
- Traveling to Far Hills:
- Trains will depart Hoboken at least once per hour from 7:31 a.m. until 11:20 a.m., with more frequent service between 8:39 a.m. and 10:35 a.m.
- Extra trains will depart Summit at least once per hour from 8:14 a.m. until 1:14 p.m., with more frequent service from approximately 9:00 a.m. until approximately 11:20 a.m.
- Traveling from Far Hills:
- From 3:59 p.m. until 7:03 p.m., Gladstone Branch train service will operate from Far Hills.
- Trains may depart Far Hills as they are filled, but the last train of the day will not depart Far Hills before 7:03 p.m.
- There will be no rail service to or from the Peapack and Gladstone stations. Frequent shuttle bus service will operate between Gladstone and Far Hills throughout the day. Buses will operate at least every 30 minutes, but may operate more often if they are full.
Important Travel Tips
- Customers should afford themselves ample time to reach their final destination and use good judgment in their travels.
- Due to anticipated high ridership, customers are strongly encouraged to purchase roundtrip tickets in advance to avoid lines.
- Bicycles are not permitted on Gladstone Branch trains for this day.
- Parking will be prohibited at Far Hills Station between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. on Saturday, October 20. The parking lot will be used for Steeplechase Transportation Operations.
About NJ TRANSIT
NJ TRANSIT is the nation's largest statewide public transportation system providing more than 944,000 weekday trips on 251 bus routes, three light rail lines, 12 commuter rail lines, and through Access Link paratransit service. It is the third largest transit system in the country with 165 rail stations, 62 light rail stations, and more than 18,000 bus stops linking major points in New Jersey, New York, and Philadelphia.
This document and others are available for translation on njtransit.com.