Dinah blow your horn! NJ Transit offering express trains to Monmouth County beaches
Starting Saturday June 28, New York and Northern Jersey day trippers will have an alternative to the Garden State Parkway for getting to the beach in Monmouth County.
Freeholder Tom Arnone announced today that NJ Transit is offering express train service to Monmouth County on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, starting tomorrow and continuing through September 1.
Trains originating at New York Penn Station will stop at Secaucus, Newark Penn Station, Elizabeth, Rahway, Aberdeen-Matawan, Red Bank, Long Branch, Asbury Park, and then all station stops to Bay Head, without having to change trains in Long Branch. A travel time savings of approximately 25 minutes is expected from the normal travel time between New York and stations such as Belmar and Manasquan.
“I commend NJ Transit for offering this service and the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA) for allocating funding for this service,” said Arnone, liaison to the Department of Public Information & Tourism and board member of the NJTPA. “These express trains will help visitors and Monmouth County residents enjoy a day at the beach without the hassle of driving.”
A 2013 study conducted by NJ Transit and Rutgers University found that sixty percent of riders who visited the Jersey Shore by train said that they had no other means to make the trip. Other riders said that the train was more convenient and that it was a way to avoid traffic congestion.
“According to the study, Monmouth County is the most popular destination for weekend visitors and the majority of the visitors are coming for day trips,” said Arnone. “These riders are spending between $14 and $16 million dollars during summer weekends and deserve a fast, convenient way to get to and from the Shore. The new express trains offer convenience to our beachgoers with early morning and late night timeframes.”
Seating will be limited aboard the new express service, with customers strongly encouraged to purchase round trip tickets or beach packages (a savings of $6.50 off the cost of rail service and beach admission) prior to the start of their trip. NJ TRANSIT tickets and beach packages are available at ticket windows and ticket vending machines.
In addition to the train, Seastreak is offers ferry service directly to and from Sandy Hook from Manhattan.
file photo by Art Gallagher