NJ Transit and Amtrak are launching five weeks of reduced train service beginning October 11, affecting the Northeast Corridor, North Jersey Coast Line and other commuter routes as crews complete the Portal North Bridge transition.

NEWARK, NJ — Hundreds of thousands of New Jersey rail passengers face five weeks of schedule changes, fewer trains and additional transfers beginning Sunday, October 11, as Amtrak and NJ Transit begin the final phase of work connecting the new Portal North Bridge to the Northeast Corridor.

The disruptions will continue through Saturday, November 14, with regular schedules expected to return Sunday, November 15, pending successful safety testing.

The changes affect nearly every NJ Transit rail line, including the North Jersey Coast Line, which connects Jersey Shore communities in Ocean and Monmouth counties with Newark and New York City.

During construction, trains will be restricted to a single track between Newark and Secaucus, forcing NJ Transit to reduce service into New York Penn Station.

The official NJ Transit schedule advisory warns passengers to expect canceled or consolidated trains, different departure times and altered stopping patterns.

Northeast Corridor and Coast Line face fewer trains

The Northeast Corridor and North Jersey Coast Line will continue operating into New York Penn Station, but on reduced schedules.

Passengers traveling from Trenton, Princeton Junction, New Brunswick, Metropark, Rahway and other Northeast Corridor stations should expect changes to their regular commuting patterns.

The preliminary service plan indicates weekday Northeast Corridor trains will be reduced from approximately 133 to 113, eliminating about 20 scheduled trains.

That represents roughly a 15% reduction in weekday train frequency.

Jersey Shore commuters traveling from Long Branch, Red Bank, Middletown, Aberdeen-Matawan, Point Pleasant Beach and Bay Head will also need to check temporary timetables.

NJ Transit has warned that remaining trains may be more crowded, particularly during peak commuting hours.

Bay Head and Point Pleasant passengers face additional disruption

The North Jersey Coast Line faces a separate construction project during the first two weeks of the Portal Bridge work.

Beginning Sunday, October 11, NJ Transit will perform maintenance on the movable rail bridge crossing the Manasquan River between Brielle and Point Pleasant Beach.

The work is expected to continue through October 25.

During that period, buses will replace trains between Bay Head and Manasquan.

The temporary bus operation will affect passengers traveling through southern Monmouth County and northern Ocean County.

Travelers from Bay Head and Point Pleasant should allow additional time for the bus connection, particularly if transferring to trains heading toward Long Branch, Newark or New York City.

Midtown Direct trains diverted to Hoboken on weekdays

Commuters on the Morris & Essex, Gladstone Branch and Montclair-Boonton lines face a major change.

All weekday Midtown Direct trains that normally operate into New York Penn Station will instead terminate at Hoboken Terminal.

Passengers heading into Manhattan will need to transfer to PATH, NY Waterway ferry service or NJ Transit’s Route 126 bus.

NJ Transit has arranged limited ticket cross-honoring to help accommodate the transfers.

PATH service between Hoboken and 33rd Street in Manhattan will be increased during weekday morning rush hours, with trains scheduled approximately every six minutes between 7 and 9:30 a.m.

Weekend Midtown Direct trains will continue operating to New York Penn Station.

Raritan Valley Line loses one-seat rides to Manhattan

Raritan Valley Line commuters will temporarily lose their direct weekday service into New York Penn Station.

Trains that ordinarily provide one-seat rides to Manhattan will instead originate or terminate at Newark Penn Station.

Passengers continuing into New York will need to transfer to another train or alternate transportation.

The Port Jervis Line will also experience weekday bus substitutions between Suffern and Port Jervis, while additional maintenance work is scheduled for the Raritan Valley Line in November.

The Atlantic City Rail Line is the only NJ Transit rail line exempt from the Portal Bridge schedule changes.

Why NJ Transit is shutting down part of the corridor

The disruptions are connected to the final transition from the century-old Portal Bridge to its replacement over the Hackensack River.

The original Portal Bridge entered service in 1910 and has long been a source of delays along one of the nation’s busiest passenger rail corridors.

Its movable swing span must periodically open for marine traffic, and mechanical problems have repeatedly interrupted Amtrak and NJ Transit service.

The new Portal North Bridge is a fixed, higher-elevation structure designed to eliminate those openings and reduce breakdowns.

The project is part of the broader Gateway Program to modernize rail infrastructure between New Jersey and New York.

“Five weeks of adjusted schedules will deliver a modern, high-level bridge that ends a century of swing-bridge delays for customers traveling the Northeast Corridor to and from New York,” NJ Transit President and CEO Kris Kolluri said in the agency’s September 17 announcement.

“We worked closely with Amtrak on a service plan that maximizes capacity and keeps every rail line running, and we thank our customers for their patience as we complete the final step of this long-awaited project.”

What commuters should know before Monday morning

The temporary weekend schedule takes effect Sunday, October 11. The first weekday schedule follows Monday, October 12, even though it is Columbus Day.

NJ Transit is encouraging customers to travel outside the busiest morning and evening periods whenever possible.

The agency recommends traveling before 7 a.m. or after 9 a.m. during the morning commute, and before 4 p.m. or after 7 p.m. in the evening.

Passengers are also being encouraged to work remotely where possible because trains and alternate transportation services may experience significant crowding.

All affected riders should review the temporary schedules before leaving home, particularly those who regularly rely on direct trains into Manhattan.

For Jersey Shore residents, the combined Portal North Bridge transition and Brielle Bridge maintenance means some commutes could require additional transfers and longer travel times.

The five-week schedule changes are expected to end November 14, with regular service returning November 15 if final inspections and safety testing are completed successfully.