Will I be able to get a parking spot around noon on a weekday at the Princeton Junction station? I have never had any problem on the weekend, but I remember someone saying that during the week, it is impossible.
If that is the case, do you think Trenton would be a better bet?

I am going up to New York - we have matinee tickets for Harry Connick Jr. in The Pajama Game. I'm really excited.

Suki,

My husband says this is true it is close to impossible. Residents have even rented out driveways. My husband says Trenton is not much better. He suggest going to Hamilton Station. It is right off of Sloan Ave. He believes they may also have a garage now. Enjoy your show.

Thanks diann. I will check out Hamilton Station.

We parked at Hamilton a few weeks ago on a Saturday. We got there about 8:45 AM and actually had to hunt for a parking spot! They don't have a garage there. It's all outdoor parking.

Ooops, aren't they building one? Well Suki I don't know what time your play is but I would suggest getting to the train station early. We did find parking at Trenton but we were there at 7 a.m. on a weekday when we we spent a day in NY. I think early is key and still would think Hamilton would be your best bet.

I'm going to the city tomorrow and expect to get to the train station around 11, certainly not the best time to get a parking spot.

Can anyone offer any alternatives. I'm thinking I might have to take Amtrak from Philadelphia, but yikes, that's expensive!

Oh, I could possibly drive, and park in a garge on the UWS but driving in the city on a weekday doesn't appeal particularly.

ttt

I have often found weekday mid day parking at Jersey Ave in New Brunswick. Its the next stop from P Jct.Go to NJ transit for station location and mapquest for directions.

thanks, joe. I think I'll try that.

You can also try the main New Brunswick train station, on Albany Street (route 27). Express trains run a little more frequently from there, and you can park right across the street in the Ferren Mall deck.

where are you coming from?
melissa

I ended up parking at a garage in Trenton just across the street from the train station. There was plenty of parking even though I arrived around noon on Tuesday. It was a lot more expensive than a municipal lot - it cost $24 for about 32 hours, but it was convenient. On the weekends, I would stick to the $3 parking at Princeton Junction. By the way, I was coming from Downingtown, PA, west of Philadelphia.

I'm sorry that this is too late to help with Suki’s situation, but another good daytime option is the Princeton (not Princeton Junction) train station, where parking is free on Alexander Street (there are also metered spaces in the station parking lot and near McCarter Theater—you can park all day for a few bucks in change). From the Princeton Station, you can take the “Dinky” (a dinky little train that travels about 2.7 miles—the shortest daily commuting rail line in the country) to the Princeton Junction station. When you get to the Junction, walk through the tunnel to the other side of the mainline tracks if you’re going to New York.

Taking the Dinky may add a little time to your trip—check New Jersey Transit’s online schedules at www.njtransit.com. The Dinky will also add $2.50 to the cost of your trip, depending on which type of ticket you purchase. Be sure to buy your ticket from a machine (cash, credit cards, and debit cards are accepted) before you get on the Dinky, or you’ll get hit with a $5 additional charge. Also, if you’re traveling during rush hour (weekdays between around 5:30 am and 9:00 am traveling to New York, and around 4:00 pm and 7:30 pm traveling from New York), buy two one-way tickets, NOT a round trip ticket. The round-trip tickets can only be used on off-peak trains—something New Jersey Transit doesn’t make very clear. If you travel on an off-peak ticket during rush hour, you’ll have to pay the conductor the difference on the train.

Hi Cardinal Owl.
Are you sure about those parking spaces in Princeton? I was there last December to look around and I was amazed by the lack of parking and posted signs limiting parking to 2 hrs or less. I admit I don't live there so I don't know all the ins and outs. I agree that riding the "dinky" is part of the experience or travelling.

Good point--you do have to watch those signs (the Princeton PD loves to write parking tickets). However, there are usually a bunch of spaces on Alexander Street approaching the Dinky Station from Route 1. You may have to park a block or two away, but these spaces are free (Read the parking signs carefully--many look like no parking signs but merely state that you can't park there weekdays between 2:00 AM and 6:00 AM, a measure in place to keep students from leaving their cars on the street for weeks on end).

I can report that you can indeed park free on Alexander Street for the day close to Princeton Station and just take the Dinky over to Princeton Jct. to catch the train to New York. I had no trouble finding a free spot at about 9AM on a weekday maybe two blocks from the station. It worked out pretty well - no hassle having to deal with huge parking lots at Princeton Jct, assuming you could even find a spot there. Worst case, you would have to park a few extra blocks down Alexander Street - but at Princeton Jct. even if you could find a spot you might have to walk quite a ways back to the station.

Funny that they call this train the "Dinky." In Portland, ALL the MAX light rail trains are about this size!

Andrew

Andrew, thanks for that piece of information. I'm sure I will use it in the future.