the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, NJ TRANSIT is offering extra service to get you where you’re going this holiday season! Customers will have more travel options and flexibility for attending special events, family gatherings and New Year’s Eve festivities with additional service offered on buses, trains and light rail lines.
This holiday season is also a great time to ride NJ TRANSIT with your children. NJ TRANSIT is giving customers more than two weeks of continuous savings through a special extension of the Family SuperSaver Fare. For the holidays, all children, age 11 or younger, ride free with any fare-paying customer. So take advantage, grab the family and enjoy the ride! The Family SuperSaver Fare will be in effect for the entire holiday period, starting at 7 p.m. Friday, December 20 until 6 a.m. Monday, January 6, on the entire NJ TRANSIT system.
For complete schedule and fare information, download the NJ TRANSIT mobile app, visit njtransit.com or call 973-275-5555.
Christmas Eve, Tuesday, December 24
NJ TRANSIT trains will operate on a weekday schedule on all lines with additional “early getaway” service from Penn Station New York, Newark Penn Station and Hoboken Terminal starting at 1 p.m. on the Northeast Corridor, North Jersey Coast, Raritan Valley, Morris & Essex, Pascack Valley and Port Jervis lines. There will be no midday busing on the Port Jervis Line; rail service will operate all day. Certain trains will also add stops at Secaucus Junction and Newark Airport stations, with details available on the rail printable schedules page at njtransit.com.. Newark Light Rail, HBLR, and River LINE will operate on a regular weekday schedule. Most buses will operate on a weekday or holiday schedule with “early getaway” service from Port Authority Bus Terminal and the Jersey City waterfront between noon – 4 p.m. Customers are advised to consult their timetable for the holiday schedule or visit njtransit.com for details.
Christmas Day, Wednesday, December 25
NJ TRANSIT trains will operate on a weekend/major holiday schedule on all lines, including bus service on the Gladstone Branch. Hudson-Bergen Light Rail will operate on a weekend schedule. Newark Light Rail and River LINE will operate on a Sunday schedule. Bus schedules vary by route. Customers can check timetables online at www.njtransit.com. Select bus routes will operate fewer trips during the traditional morning and evening peak periods. Customers are advised to consult their timetable for holiday schedules or visit njtransit.com for more details.
On Thursday, December 26 and Friday, December 27, trains will operate on a modified weekday schedule with certain morning peak period trains cancelled and additional mid-to-late morning trains operating on the Northeast Corridor and North Jersey Coast lines. Rail customers are encouraged to visit njtransit.com and check rail timetables for details and travel before 9 a.m. on these days, if possible, when ridership is lighter. Buses and light rail lines will operate on a weekday schedule. Select PABT bus routes will have more frequent service operating inbound to PABT on some lines during the late morning hours and outbound from PABT during the early and late evening hours. Consult timetable or visit njtransit.com/Bus Holiday Service Guide for details.
On Saturday, December 28, trains will operate on a weekend schedule. Buses will operate on a regular Saturday schedule. Consult timetable or visit njtransit.com/Bus Holiday Service Guide for details. Newark Light Rail and River LINE will operate on a Saturday schedule. HBLR will operate on a weekend schedule. Consult njtransit.com for more information.
On Sunday, December 29, trains will operate on a weekend schedule. Meadowlands service will operate for the Giants vs. Eagles game.
On Monday, December 30, trains will operate on a modified weekday schedule with certain morning peak period trains cancelled and additional mid-to-late morning trains operating on the Northeast Corridor and North Jersey Coast lines. Rail customers are encouraged to visit njtransit.com and check rail timetables for details and travel before 9 a.m. on these days, if possible, when ridership is lighter. Buses and light rail lines will operate on a weekday schedule. Select PABT bus routes will have more frequent service operating inbound to PABT on some lines during the late morning hours and outbound from PABT during the early and late evening hours. Consult timetable or visit njtransit.com/Bus Holiday Service Guide for details.
On New Year’s Eve, Tuesday, December 31, trains will operate on a modified weekday schedule (same as December 26, 27 and 30) until 6 p.m. There will be no getaway service. In the evening, extra North Jersey Coast and Morris & Essex Lines trains will operate to New York. Some trains that normally depart New York/Hoboken on weekday evening will not operate on the evening of December 31. Special printable schedules that cover the period from 6 p.m. on New Year’s Eve until 6 a.m. on New Year’s morning will be available at njtransit.com by Friday, December 20. Rail travel information for New Year’s Eve will also be available via the Trip Planner and Station-to-Station features on njtransit.com.
Buses will operate on a modified weekday or holiday schedule with “early getaway” service from Port Authority Bus Terminal and the Jersey City waterfront. There will also be early evening service inbound and extra outbound service from PABT after midnight on select routes. Customers are advised to consult timetables or visit njtransit.com/Bus Holiday Service Guide for more details.
Hudson-Bergen Light Rail, Newark Light Rail, and River LINE will operate on a regular weekday schedule. River LINE will run extended service every 30 minutes. The last River LINE train out of Camden due to the Philadelphia fireworks will be approximately 12:45 a.m., the train will run as far north as necessary. Specific trip information will be available on njtransit.com.
IMPORTANT NOTE: NJ TRANSIT is prohibiting all beverages on all of its trains, light rail vehicles and buses on Tuesday, December 31, 2019, and the early morning hours of Wednesday, January 1, 2020. This policy will be strictly enforced.
After midnight (early January 1), additional late-night trains will operate on all rail lines until approximately 5 a.m. Some trains that normally depart New York/Hoboken/Newark from 12:01 a.m. until 1:30 a.m. on New Year’s morning are cancelled and will be replaced with later trains. After 5 a.m., trains will operate on a weekend/major holiday schedule. Customers should visit njtransit.com for details, including special printable schedules that cover the period from 6 p.m. on New Year’s Eve until 6 a.m. on New Year’s morning (which will be available by December 20). Expanded bus service will be provided from the Port Authority Bus Terminal (PABT) until approximately 2 a.m. Some routes will be departing from alternate areas within the PABT. Visit njtransit.com/Bus Holiday Service Guide for specific schedule details and departure gate assignments.
On New Year’s Day, Wednesday, January 1, after 5 a.m., trains will operate on a weekend/major holiday schedule, including bus service on the Gladstone Branch and Meadowlands service for the Agudath Israel event at MetLife Stadium. Bus service will also be provided. The first bus from Secaucus to MetLife Stadium will depart at 9:30 a.m. from platforms 9 and 10 at the Secaucus bus plaza. River LINE will operate on a Sunday schedule. Newark Light Rail will operate on a Saturday schedule. Hudson-Bergen Light Rail will operate on a weekend schedule. Bus service will vary by route. Customers are advised to visit njtransit.com for details.
Travel tips
Check Schedules in Advance: Plan your trip online to take advantage of extra trains and buses.
Travel Early: On December 26, 27, 30 and 31 NJ TRANSIT rail lines will operate on a modified weekday schedule. Avoid the crowds by traveling during the traditional peak-period (6-9 a.m.) when ridership is light.
Allow Extra Travel Time: Traffic congestion during the holidays may affect bus travel times to and from New York City, so customers should plan accordingly.
Luggage: Travel as light as possible. Passengers with luggage or packages should use the overhead racks or designated luggage spaces. On multilevel trains, customers with large bags should use the mezzanine levels at the ends of each car.
Ticketing: Purchase round-trip tickets at the start of your trip to speed your return and use the NJ TRANSIT mobile app, which is available for free download on any web-enabled iOS or Android device, to make the purchase even easier. To make a purchase, customers simply install the app and then create an account, which will securely save a customer’s profile information and purchase history for ease of use. Customers can also use ticket vending machines or see a ticket agent, if available, to avoid possible surcharges. Reminder: Bus customers departing Port Authority Bus Terminal must purchase tickets before boarding.
Customers are encouraged to download or update the NJ TRANSIT mobile app to set up and receive customized service alert information via push notifications. Visit the You Tube video for easy instructions on setting up custom push notifications.
Stay connected to NJ TRANSIT social media during your commute. Search for rail, bus or light rail-specific Twitter accounts for the best information
Twitter: @NJTRANSIT
@NJTRANSIT_NEC
@NJTRANSIT_NJCL
@NJTRANSIT_ME
@NJTRANSIT_MOBO
@NJTRANSIT_MBPJ
@NJTRANSIT_PVL
@NJTRANSIT_RVL
@NJTRANSIT_ACRL
@NJTRANSIT_HBLR
@NJTRANSIT_NLR
@NJTRANSIT_RL
@NJTRANSIT_NBUS (North Jersey Bus)
@NJTRANSIT_SBUS (South Jersey Bus)
Facebook: facebook.com/NJTRANSIT
YouTube Channel: TheNewJerseyTransit
Sign up for the My Transit alert system on njtransit.com, which delivers travel advisories for your specific trip to your cell phone via email or text
