JoannaD

I have a trip planned for NYC next week, and we're staying in North Bergen, NJ. Will public transportation be a problem? The hotel has a shuttle, but it only runs until ten at night and since we have some shows planned we'll be in the city later than that. Do regular city buses, either NY or NJ lines run late into the night/early morning?

Also worried about Republican convention traffic. We'll be spending most of our time in Times Square area so we won't really be in the heart of the convention area, but traffic problems are bound to spill over everywhere.

Any help or advice would be very appreciated. Thanks

Joanna

Budman

Here's a couple of links to help in your planning since I don't know exactly where you are staying. Also, your hotel could probably help you out as to what type of public transportation is available in the area. Here's the first link to New Jersey transit.
http://www.njtransit.com/

I would recommend the New York water taxi from Weehawken to 38th street. They provide busses from there to the theater district and back.

http://www.panynj.gov/ferry/fermain.HTM

nytraveler

Subways and buses in NYC run 24/7 - but that won;t help you get out of Manhattan. Not sure about NJ buses - or eactly where youwould need them to. You could consults

NJTransit.com for info once the hotel tells you which bus line you'll need totake to get there

Where does the shuttle run to? Are you sure it goes to Manhattan? Or does it just go to the train station? (Perhaps you could do train and cab?)

Ryan

First, I believe Budman is thinking of the NY Waterway Ferry, not the New York Water Taxi. The latter doesn't stop in Weehawken.

Depending on where you're traveling from in North Bergen, you likely have several bus options that run along either Bergenline Avenue or Kennedy Blvd. I might suggest you check with the hotel to see which bus line runs closest to their location. Many of the NJ Transit buses will have late night hours.

Here is a link to the trip planner section of the NJ Transit website. Once you type in the address, you'll be shown all the various transit options.

http://atisweb.njtransit.com/cgi-bin....pl?resptype=U

You don't mention if you have a car. If you do, then certainly one transit option is to drive to the NY Waterway location on River Road in Weehawken and take the ferry over. As indicated, they have shuttle buses that run across the various parts of midtown and downtown. The ferry to Weehawken will run until approximately midnight. If you don't have a car, the issue will be getting to and from the NY Waterway Weehawken location. There are bus routes but you'd need to check with NY Waterway as those routes may not run at all times and aren't covering every area of Hudson County.

One last option should you miss the ferry and are unwilling or unable to take the bus is to take the PATH train to the Hoboken terminal. Hoboken is about 5 miles from North Bergen and there are always plenty of cabs available. Figure the fare to North Bergen will run between $15 and $20.

Cicerone

Some good info so far. Website for New York Waterway is www.nywaterway.com or call 1-800-53-FERRY. NY Water also runs some buses.

You should call and confirm with the hotel that they are still running the shuttle during the convention. Some hotels and limo companies are not running their regular shuttles during this time because traffic going in and out will be restricted and chaotic.

Taking NJ Transit buses to and from the Port Authority bus terminal at 42nd Street and 8th Ave is a good way to get in and out of the city, as there is direct access to the Lincoln Tunnel for the Port Authority and the buses do not have to be so much in the tunnel traffic. It is a short walk from the Port Authority bus terminal to the Times Square area at 42nd Street and Broadway. However, to the extent you can take the ferry, I think that is your best option during the convention as you will have the least traffic via that method.

Leona

The Weekawken ferry operates on weekdays from 6 a.m. until 1 a.m. There is a cabstand when you get off for transportation back to your hotel.

mclaurie

Actually the NY Water taxi http://nywatertaxi.com/jersey.php
does have service from Jersey City to the South Street Seaport, but it doesn't run late into the night. It would be a good/fun way to see that part of the city and avoid midtown altogether if you can get to their pier in Jersey City.

Ryan

McLaurie,
your advice on NY is usually good. But, on the left side of the Hudson, you've got to trust me at least on this one. The NY Water Taxi Jersey city location is at least 7 to 8 miles from North Bergen and it has no direct bus or train service that can get you remotely close. (Not to mention that parking rates are much higher there than at the Weehwaken location of NYWaterway.)

The OP would be going pretty far out of their way to effectively get to the same place (either uptown or downtown) they can get to via the NY Waterway, the bus, or the PATH train.

mclaurie

OK Ryan

JoannaD

Thanks for all the replies. I will double check with the hotel to make sure the shuttle is running during that time. It goes straight to Port Authority station so for the times it's running we'll probably rely on that.

I had already checked NJ transit, and there is a bus that went close by the hotel until a little after one a.m., but I wasn't sure if there would be any route changes because of the convention. I will call them to find out for sure.

Thanks everyone. I really appreciate the advice.

Ryan

Joanna,
Unlikely the route would change on the bus. The entrance to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Manhattan is right at the exit of the Lincoln Tunnel. Buses go right from the tunnel to the terminal. One the NJ side, the convention shouldn't impact local bus routes in the slightest.

If anything, given the disruption of NJ Transit trains into Penn Station, buses will be viewed as an alternative to the train.

What might occur is the bus being stopped outside the tunnel for a police search.

puddy

Joanna,

What is your hotel? The only major ones in North Bergen that I am aware of are a Days Inn and a Super 8, neither are very convenient for public transportation... at least that I know of.

Cathy61

We stayed at the Super 8 in North Bergen last summer and took a shuttle bus that stopped right at the hotel into New York (Port Authority Station). The fare was $2 each way. I believe the shuttle ran until after midnight and stopped at a few other hotels. The only problem was that on the return trip, the shuttle stops about 1 1/2 blocks from the hotel (by a Toys-R-Us store) and the walk at night can be a little scary.

JoannaD

Puddy, we're staying at the Super 8. From the online schedules it looked like Route 156 had a bus stop at the cross street. (I'll sheepishly admit, I'm really bad at reading maps, so I could quite easily be wrong on that.)

Cathy, thanks for that info. I guess they changed the shuttle because the hotel said it's only until 10 now. I wasn't aware it didn't stop directly at the hotel on the return trip. I'll have to check on that. Thank you.