NEW RAIL TIMETABLES TAKE EFFECT OCTOBER 28

Expanded service on Pascack Valley and Raritan Valley lines; additional late-evening service to and from Newark and New York

October 24, 2007
NJT-07-111

NEWARK, NJ ¿ Customers will benefit from new travel options on several NJ TRANSIT rail lines¿including expanded service on the Pascack Valley and Raritan Valley lines, and additional late-evening service on the Northeast Corridor and North Jersey Coast lines¿as a result of new timetables that take effect October 28.

In addition, minor adjustments have been made to several trains across the system. Customers are encouraged to review new timetables, which are available at customer service offices, online at www.njtransit.com or by calling 1-800-772-2222.

New bi-directional, off-peak and weekend Pascack Valley Line service

Pascack Valley Line customers will benefit from 121 new trains per week, including bi-directional, off-peak and weekend rail service for the first time¿courtesy of four "passing sidings" constructed along the alignment. NJ TRANSIT will offer 15 new trains each weekday, as well as 23 Saturday and 23 Sunday trains.

As part of this schedule change, NJ TRANSIT will add a stop at Oradell Station to Train 1610. In addition, the last train from Hoboken will depart at 12:43 a.m. every night, providing consistent late-night service.

Extended service on the Raritan Valley Line

On the Raritan Valley Line, NJ TRANSIT will add service between Raritan and High Bridge by extending eight trains¿four in each direction¿thanks to the completion of a new passing track near White House Station. Customers will benefit from earlier morning peak-period service originating in High Bridge and later evening service west of Raritan, as well as new mid-day service between Raritan and High Bridge.

In addition, some weekday trains will be renumbered. Customers who have signed up for "MyTransit," NJ TRANSIT¿s system for sending up-to-the-minute travel information to cell phones and other electronic devices, are reminded to update their account preferences to reflect the new train numbers.

Additional service to meet demand

In response to growing ridership in Newark, NJ TRANSIT will add new late-evening express service on the Northeast Corridor and North Jersey Coast Line, which also will provide arena guests more convenient travel options after concerts, Devils games and other sporting and entertainment events.

  • Four new express trains will be added to the Northeast Corridor schedule after 9:20 p.m., serving Newark Liberty International Airport, then expressing to New Brunswick, Princeton Junction, Hamilton and Trenton.
  • Three new express trains to Long Branch will be added to the North Jersey Coast Line schedule, in addition to local trains terminating in South Amboy. Between 9 p.m. and 10:30 p.m., NJCL customers will now enjoy at least two departures per hour from New York and Newark. Currently, NJ TRANSIT operates one train per hour after 9 p.m.

These new trains will originate at New York Penn Station, benefiting customers returning home from late-evening activities in Manhattan, and will operate Monday through Friday.

Other service change highlights across the system:

  • Northeast Corridor: A new, mid-morning New Brunswick express train will be added, departing Trenton at 10:30 a.m. This train will connect with a new local train that will begin at New Brunswick.
  • North Jersey Coast Line: An additional morning peak period shuttle train will be added from Bay Head to Long Branch, closing a 42-minute gap in service for customers between Bay Head and Long Branch.
  • Montclair-Boonton Line: A new MidTOWN DIRECT train will be offered from New York Penn Station at 12:34 a.m. on weekdays, providing later service out of New York. Customers may transfer at Newark Broad Street Station for travel to Summit, Gladstone, Dover and intermediate points.
  • Morris & Essex Lines: A new MidTOWN DIRECT train to Dover will be offered from New York at 10:13 p.m. on weekdays, serving customers returning from late-night events. Two morning peak and two evening peak period Dover trains will be extended to Lake Hopatcong.
  • Main/Bergen County Line: Several midday and evening trains will begin and end their trips at Ridgewood or Waldwick stations. Some customers traveling from Suffern, Mahwah, Ramsey Route 17, Ramsey and Allendale stations may have to adjust their trips.
  • Atlantic City Line: Train 4619 will operate 10 minutes later from Philadelphia in response to customer requests.

About NJ TRANSIT

NJ TRANSIT is the nation's largest statewide public transportation system providing nearly 865,000 weekday trips on 240 bus routes, three light rail lines and 11 commuter rail lines. It is the third largest transit system in the country with 162 rail stations, 60 light rail stations and more than 18,000 bus stops linking major points in New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia.