NJ TRANSIT’s weekday Midtown Direct trains will serve Hoboken instead of New York Penn Station during the final phase of Amtrak’s Portal North Bridge rail work, scheduled from October 11 to November 15, 2026.
Passengers heading to Manhattan will need to transfer to PATH, NJ TRANSIT’s No. 126 bus or NY Waterway ferry services. PATH will add weekday peak-hour trains to accommodate the extra passengers, though travellers should expect crowding and allow additional journey time.
PATH Increases Rush-Hour Service
During the disruption, PATH will shorten the interval between trains from eight minutes to six minutes on selected routes:
- Morning peak, 7am–9:30am: Additional service from Hoboken to 33 St.
- Evening peak, 4pm–7pm: Additional service on the Hoboken–World Trade Center and Hoboken–33 St lines.
On Columbus Day, October 12, PATH will run its regular weekday schedule with these additional peak-hour trains.
Crowding is expected during weekday commuting hours from October 12 through November 13, particularly at Hoboken.
Where NJ TRANSIT Tickets Will Be Accepted
PATH will accept NJ TRANSIT Midtown Direct tickets at designated Hoboken turnstiles during the morning peak period and at 33 St in the peak travel direction.
PATH ticket cross-honouring will not be available at Newark or World Trade Center stations. This restriction applies even though PATH is adding evening service on the Hoboken–World Trade Center line.
NJ TRANSIT tickets will also be accepted on these alternative connections:
- NY Waterway ferries between Hoboken and Midtown Manhattan.
- NJ TRANSIT No. 126 buses between Hoboken and the Midtown Bus Terminal.
PATH and NJ TRANSIT customer service agents will be available at Hoboken to help passengers make their connections.
Reduced Rail Capacity into New York Penn Station
The bridge work will restrict trains to a single track between Newark and Secaucus where the corridor crosses the Hackensack River.
That reduced capacity will affect both NJ TRANSIT and Amtrak services into and out of New York Penn Station, with temporary timetable changes during the work.
NJ TRANSIT trains will continue serving Newark Liberty International Airport. Airport-bound passengers should check the revised schedules and leave extra time to reach their flights.
Allow Extra Time at Busy PATH Stations
Hoboken is expected to handle the largest number of diverted Manhattan-bound passengers. Newark Penn Station, Exchange Place, Newport, Grove Street and 33 St may also experience intermittent peak-hour crowding.
Additional PATH staff and Port Authority police officers will be deployed to help manage passenger flow on trains and around station exits.
Travellers can find alternative travel arrangements and temporary timetables on NJ TRANSIT’s Portal Bridge service information page.
