Five NJ Transit lines run directly into Penn Station NYC — connecting Manhattan to Trenton, the Jersey Shore, and the Morris and Essex suburbs.
NJ Transit operates from tracks 1–12 at Penn Station New York, on the southern side of the station near 7th Avenue. Most trains can also be accessed from Moynihan Train Hall across 8th Avenue, which shares the same tracks but offers a more pleasant waiting environment.
Five major lines run directly into Penn Station NYC. Other NJ Transit lines (Pascack Valley, Main/Bergen, Port Jervis) terminate at Hoboken Terminal — riders transfer to PATH or NY Waterway ferry to reach Manhattan.
Penn Station NY ≠ Newark Penn Station. These are two separate stations 30 minutes apart. Penn Station New York is in Midtown Manhattan; Newark Penn Station is in downtown Newark, NJ. Both are major NJ Transit hubs — make sure you're heading to the right one.
The busiest NJ Transit line — direct service to Trenton via Newark, Newark Airport, Metropark, New Brunswick, and Princeton Junction. Connects to SEPTA at Trenton for service to Philadelphia.
Jersey Shore service from Penn Station to Bay Head via Newark, Long Branch, and Asbury Park. Branches off the Northeast Corridor at Rahway. Heavy summer ridership.
Direct service to the Morris County suburbs via Midtown Direct routing. Continues to Hackettstown west of Dover. Major commuter route from towns like Summit, Madison, and Morristown.
Branches off the Morris & Essex line at Summit, serving the Somerset Hills area. Most peak trains run via Midtown Direct to Penn NY; off-peak service may require a Summit transfer.
Service from Penn NY to Hackettstown via Montclair, Boonton, and Dover. Most peak trains run direct to Penn; off-peak trains may terminate at Hoboken — check the schedule.
Service to High Bridge via Cranford, Westfield, and Plainfield. Most trains terminate at Newark Penn — a one-seat ride to Penn NY is available on select off-peak weekday trains. Most trips require a transfer at Newark.
Fares are zone-based — Penn Station NY is the origin, and pricing scales with distance. Same fare applies peak and off-peak (NJ Transit does not have peak/off-peak pricing for rail).
| Destination | One-Way | Monthly Pass |
|---|---|---|
| Secaucus Junction | $5.75 | $165 |
| Newark Penn Station | $5.75 | $165 |
| Newark Liberty Airport (incl. AirTrain) | $15.25 | — |
| Summit | $11.00 | $316 |
| New Brunswick | $13.50 | $386 |
| Long Branch | $19.00 | $543 |
| Princeton Junction | $19.00 | $543 |
| Trenton | $20.50 | $586 |
| Bay Head | $20.50 | $586 |
| Hackettstown | $22.00 | $629 |
2026 rates, approximate. Always verify exact fares on the official NJ Transit fare calculator. Source: njtransit.com/fares.
Round-trip and 10-trip discount. Round-trip tickets cost about 1.85x one-way. 10-trip tickets save roughly 15% vs. 10 individual one-ways and are valid for 30 days. Monthly passes pay off if you commute 16+ days per month.
Buy before you board. Conductors charge a $5 surcharge for onboard ticket purchases if a ticket machine or office was available at your origin. Use the NJ Transit Mobile App or a vending machine before boarding.
NJ Transit Mobile App (fastest). Buy electronic tickets on your phone, activate just before boarding. Free for iOS and Android. Same app shows live train status and track assignments.
Ticket vending machines. In the NJ Transit concourse and Moynihan Train Hall. Accept cards and cash. Print paper tickets in seconds.
Staffed ticket windows. Useful for monthly passes, multi-zone trips, or refunds. Located in both the Penn Station concourse and Moynihan.
Avoid onboard. $5 surcharge if a ticket machine was available at your origin. Only worth it if boarding from an unstaffed flag stop.
NJ Transit's Northeast Corridor and North Jersey Coast Line trains stop at Newark Liberty International Airport Station — connect to AirTrain Newark to reach the terminals. This is one of the fastest ways to get from Manhattan to EWR.
Combined ticket. A single $15.25 ticket from Penn Station NY covers the train AND AirTrain. Buy "NWK Airport" as your destination — don't buy a separate AirTrain fare.
Total trip time. About 25–30 min on the train + 8 min on AirTrain = 35–40 minutes door-to-door. Trains run frequently (every 15–30 min during the day).
Tracks aren't posted until 5–10 minutes before departure. Watch the departure boards in the NJ Transit concourse or Moynihan Train Hall. Once the track is announced, follow signage down to the platform.
Use Moynihan Train Hall. Most NJ Transit trains can be boarded from either the original Penn Station NJ Transit concourse or Moynihan Train Hall. Moynihan has more seating, daylight, and food options.
Secaucus Junction is your transfer. If your destination is on a Hoboken-terminating line (Pascack Valley, Main/Bergen, Port Jervis), take any Penn-bound train to Secaucus Junction and transfer there — it's the system's main hub.
Midtown Direct = direct from Morristown line. Morris & Essex trains run via "Midtown Direct" routing — meaning they go directly to Penn Station NY rather than Hoboken. Always confirm your train says "Penn Station NY" on the schedule before boarding.
Heading down the shore? The North Jersey Coast Line is the only direct rail line to the Jersey Shore. From Penn NY: about 1 hour to Long Branch, 2 hours to Bay Head. Heavy summer crowds Friday evenings and Sunday afternoons.
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