daisyho

My husband is going to Jersey city (USA) for business trip next week for 1 week there only. This is his first time there, so he also want to visit New York, do some shopping at night time. Here are my questions for him:

1. His hotel is Courtyard by Marriot at 540 Washington Boulevard, Jersey City. The hotel said Pavonia Newport train station is just next to the hotel. Can someone write us how he could take the train to go to Times Square, and the famous 5th avenue of lower Manhattan? Appreciate that you could write in details the connection stations and so.

2. How long the trip takes for both Times Square and 5th Avenue?

3. What time the train station and NY subway station close at night?

4. What are the business hours of most of the shopping mall and shops in downtown? Are they opened on Sunday? Do they have extended business hours on weekdays like in Europe?

Many thanks,
Daisy

allan_b

NY Subways are open 24/7, although you ma have to wait up to 1/2 hour on some lines between midnight and 5am.

You need a PATH train to Newport. The nearest PATH staion to Times Square is 34th Street and Sixth Ave, a 10 minute walk to Times Square.

Manhattan is not a mall kind of place. Most stores and shops are open every day and close between 7pm and 9pm. There is a nice mall at Newport and many people in Manhattan go there to save on sales tax.

adisim

The subways and trains run all night. There are department stores along 5th avenue and most have late evenings a few times a week. They are open 7 days a week. Bloomingdales is on Lexington and 59th street. He can then walk a few blocks west toward Fifth Avenue and he'll be around the southern part of central park, the plaza hotel and the huge toy store FAO schwartz. Saks Fifth Avenue is about 10 blocks south near Rockefeller Center and there is a very large Banana Republic as well as lots of stores in the mall around rockefeller center. Everything should be opened fairly late since it is the holiday shopping season. Rockefeller Center has a huge christmas tree and ice rink. Macy's on 34th street is closer to Times Square (around 45th street). The streets will be crowded, taxis slow, so if the weather is ok, walking is usually best. If you tell me what kind of shopping he plans on doing, I could be more specific with help.

nytraveler

Between Thanlsgiving and Christmas the department stores - and many of the smaller stores - have extended hours - usually staying open until 9 or 10 at night except for Sunday (may close about 7 on Sunday). Also they often open earlier - as early as 8am. He should be prepared for huge crowds everywhere in the city - especially ground floors of major stores (elbows are needed at times in getting through the crowds).

suzanne

Your husband's hotel is right next to the Newport Center Mall. If he took the PATH train from Newport-Pavonia to 34th and 6th he would be in the middle of the busiest shopping area in the city, with Macy's, the Manhattan Mall, and tons of individual stores. Mind you, it's going to be crowded beyond belief!

The PATH train runs all the time but from midnight to 5:30 AM the trains run only about once ever 30 minutes. The ride to 34th St. would be about 20 minutes. Times Square is a 10-15 minute walk from there.

The NYC subways are always open, but only PATH trains go to NJ.

The "famous 5th Avenue shopping" is not downtown - it's upper Midtown, in the 50s...about a mile from the 34th&6th PATH station. He can take the V train (NYC subway, so there's no free transfer from PATH) from the 34th & 6th station northbound to 5th Avenue at 53rd St. The ride is only a few minutes. The crowds on 5th Avenue will also knock his socks off, but he'll see some nice Christmas displays, including the Rockefeller Center tree.

daisyho

Thank you all for your very useful info. I just wish that I could go with him. (I?ve been to NYC several times and love the city very much. Shopping in NYC is so great comparing to other Western city e.g. Sydney. Where stores are closed by 6pm.

My husband is never been there, so he?s very interested in browsing around times square, going to empire state building, mega bookstore and toy store, etc. So here are some more questions, please help again:

1.Would there be any Christmas lighting and decoration around Times Square by next week?

2.I?ve searched that there are Barnes & Noble book stores at 465 River Rd, Edgewater (NJ) and another one at 2289 Broadway(NYC). How could he get to these stores by train/subway?

3.Is the Empire state building opened these days? Does it worth going up there?

4.How?s the weather now in NY/NJ? Could he walk say 10-20 minutes from Path Station on 34th st to say FAO Schwartz in this winter time?
5.Is the Path Station on 34th St within walking distance from NY subway where he could further make transfer if Thank you all for your very useful info. I just wish that I could go with him. (I?ve been to NYC several times and love the city very much. Shopping in NYC is so great comparing to other Western city e.g. Sydney. Where stores are closed by 6pm.

My husband is never been there, so he?s very interested in browsing around times square, going to empire state building, mega bookstore and toy store, etc. So here are some more questions, please help again:

1.Would there be any Christmas lighting and decoration around Times Square by next week?

2.I?ve searched that there are Barnes & Noble book stores at 465 River Rd, Edgewater (NJ) and another one at 2289 Broadway(NYC). How could he get to these stores by train/subway?

3.Is the Empire state building opened these days? Does it worth going up there?

4.How?s the weather now in NY/NJ? Could he walk say 10-20 minutes from Path Station on 34th st to say FAO Schwartz in this winter time?

5.Is the Path Station on 34th St within walking distance from NY subway where he could further make transfer if required?

6.Does he need to buy train/subway pass for staying a week there (if there is such pass available)?
7.Please also suggest other attractions/shopping that worth visiting during this festival season.

Many thanks for your help,
Daisy

adisim

Of course, the walk depends on what your husband is used to. New Yorkers tend to walk a lot, if he is dressed warmly enough the walk from 34th street, or Times Square, to FAO Schwartz isn't very long. But it is a lot longer than 10 minutes- the walk is about 30 city blocks. Times Square is always lit up but the christmas lights are on 5th avenue, especially near Rockefeller Center in the 50's. There is a large Barnes and Noble near Rockefeller Center. There is also a large one near lower 5th avenue- around Union Square/14th street. On a clear day, or night, the view from the Empire State Building is definitely worth it. I don't know about train connections but someone at the desk of the hotel should know. Many subways stop at Union Square and the Barnes and Noble should be opened until about 11 PM. Most trains going downtown from Rockefeller Center, Times Square, or Macy's at 34th street will stop within a block. One thing that he should do if he has time is walk over the Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan (he can take the subway from City Hall in lower Manhattan and walk back into Manhattan). The view of the skyline is incredible, both during the day and as the lights come on in the evening(but still not what it was).

daisyho

Thanks Adisim. A few more questions:

1. Is it required to pay service charge say 10% on top of the bill for taking a cap in New York and New Jersey?
2. Do you know by who much the sales tax in NJ is less than that in NY?
3. Is there a Barnes & Noble store in the Newport Mall?
4. Is there any tax rebate program for tourist in NJ/NY? If so, for what amount he could claim for tax exemption?

Thx again,
Daisy

Bo

If taking a taxi from NYC to NJ, the fare is double the meter plus tolls (toll is approx. $6). This is because the NYC taxi can't pick up a fare to take back to NYC. From midtown, figure the total fare to be about $30.

NJ tax is 6%, NYC is ~8.65%. However, in NJ there is no tax on clothes, shoes, other necessities... and this is the real advantage.

There is no Barnes and Noble bookstore in Newport, but there is a small bookstore there, maybe B. Dalton? (but no cafe in the bookstore so it's not a 'lounge' type of place). There is a Barnes and Noble in nearby Hoboken (easily accessible via PATH or LightRail) with a Starbuck cafe in it, although not too many people tend to congregate there (they'd sooner hang out at one of the other local cafes).

I don't know of any tax rebate program, but if there is one, i suspect it's a national program and not specific to NY/NJ.

nytraveler

The US does not have any tax rebate program. Once you pay the money is gone.

If by service charge you mean a tip - yes all cab drivers expect a tip - this is how they really earn their living since taxi prices in New York are very low. The tip should be 20% of the meter amount and in no case less than $1.

allan_b

There is no sales tax rebate program.

BudgetQueen

Cabs from Manhatten- Jersey are more than $30. This is from the airport but tolls are the same and costs similar from nearby areas.

http://www.ny.com/transportation/airports/NWK.html

Bo

BudgetQueen,

Rates from Newark Airport are a fixed rate and a much further distance to NYC than Jersey City. Technically the portion of the fare that takes place in NJ is the only part of the fare that is supposed to be doubled, but expect to pay double the entire fare as that is what everyone does. I still stand by the fare to be about $30 plus toll and tip.

Regardless, it's really not worth it and the PATH or ferry are the best options.

daisyho

I saw that there are numerous Barnes & Nobles bookstore in mid-town and central park area, please suggest which one is the better and bigger one, in terms of store size and comfort:

Lincoln Center or 82th Street/Broadway, or Rockefeller Center.

thx
Daisy

mp

The B&N on Broadway and 65th(Lincoln Center) is less convenient than the one at Rock Center but is a bit bigger - (the one on Broadway is another 20 blocks uptown) but all 3 are huge. For a better independent bookstore more centrally located, you can try the newly relocated Coliseum Books across from the 42nd Street Library at 42nd Street and 5th Avenue. Try their website - www.coliseumbooks.com Most of the books stores are open 10AM-10pm, dpending on the location. The B&N on Broadway and 66th is open til 11pm I think.

If your husband exits the Path Station at 34th and 6th, walks one block east toward the Empire State buiding, to 5th Avenue, then walks up 5th to Central Park, he will have a great tour of Midtown - and will hit both Coliseum & and a B&N.
Advise him to wear comfy shoes and bring a hat and gloves - yesterday it was in the 50's and today it became winter - sunny and cold!

rb_travelerxATyahoo

New York State has a few weeks each year where this is no sales tax on clothing purchases under ? ($110?) -- one of those weeks are around the end of August ... I don't know when any others are ... maybe after Christmas?

BudgetQueen

I still stand by the fare to be about $30 plus toll and tip.



thanks for the clairfication- the problem was your orginal post claimed it was $30 total.