Giant Stadium Bus?
 

My husband and I are lucky enough to have tickets to one of the Springsteen concerts at Giant Stadium in late July. We're making a NY weekend out of it, staying near Times Square. Any thoughts on how to get from Manhattan to the Meadowlands and back? I heard there was a bus, no trains, but will they be running after the show? Thanks!

The NJ Transit runs a bus from the Port Authority to the Meadowlands for events. (Not sure which gate it leaves from at the PA.)

The buses leave the Stadium about a 1/2 hour after the event ends. It's been some time since I've taken it so you might want to check the Meadowlands website for the current schedule of departures from NY.

Yes, there should be special buses from Port Authority that will drop you at the door and bring you back. Pre-9/11 they used to leave from what they called "Area X", which is 41st Street, between the two terminals. Although 41st Street is now blocked off, they very well may still leave from there, but at any rate, when you buy your tickets ask for the bus to the Stadium that leaves from Area X. Make sure you specify Area X or you may get stuck on another bus that stops nearby, but not THAT nearby.

al, could you add a few more details, please -- have the same problem for a sporting event (and I'm not that familiar with NYC).

Where in the Port A. Bldg. do you go for those tickets? Presumably you can buy a round-trip ticket but your last comment about "Area X" is a little confusing -- are you talking about getting stuck on another bus outbound, inbound, or what?

PS: Am I the only one who saw this title and thought for a second that it was for a really really big bus from a stadium? Or a really big bus with stadium seating? Or is it just Friday?
8-)

Port Authority Bus Terminal is actually 2 buildings -- a north building, between 41st and 42nd Street on 8th Avenue and a south building, between 40th and 41st Street on 8th Avenue. You will go in the SOUTH building and walk straight, towards the back. You'll see the NJ Transit tickets windows on the left. There's lots of them, you can't miss it. Buy a round trip.

Area X is the gate number, although it's not really a gate. It's outside on 41st Street, between the 2 buildings. (It's best to confirm this when you buy your tickets because, like I said before, they have blocked off the street between the buildings presumably so a terrorist doesn't drive a dynamite-laden van down there and blow up the buildings. Area X still exists, it just might be somewhere else.)

There's a Plan B, too. If there is no Area X bus (for some reason), buy a round trip ticket to the Meadowlands Racetrack and walk from the track to the Stadium.

Thanks Al for your specific instructions. I'm a little familiar with PA, but its been about 20 years since I've been in there.

I got a chuckle about the 'really big bus' comment. I hadn't thought about it when I made the post and just wanted to be specific with my topic. Or I could just blame it on Friday!

Give yourself plenty of time. There will probably be a big crowd buying tickets to the same bus. So plan on standing in line for a bit.

So, how was the concert and how hairy was it getting back from the concert on those buses?

Haven't gone yet, this weekend!