Where should I park overnight, coming from South Jersey, to take a train to NYC?
August 5, 2010 7:29 AM Subscribe
Where should I park overnight, coming from South Jersey, to take a train to NYC?
Right now I'm in South Jersey. Swedesboro, to be specific, right off exit 2 of the Turnpike. A friend of mine will be in NYC this weekend and I want to visit.
I have a car but I don't want to drive in NYC, so I'd like to park somewhere and take the train. Depending on timing I might be staying overnight in NYC.
So where do I park? Trenton seems obvious -- it's the end of the line -- but somehow leaving a car in Trenton overnight doesn't sound like the smartest thing in the world.
I've seen this question and this question but I'm specifically looking for places where I can park overnight.
Right now I'm in South Jersey. Swedesboro, to be specific, right off exit 2 of the Turnpike. A friend of mine will be in NYC this weekend and I want to visit.
I have a car but I don't want to drive in NYC, so I'd like to park somewhere and take the train. Depending on timing I might be staying overnight in NYC.
So where do I park? Trenton seems obvious -- it's the end of the line -- but somehow leaving a car in Trenton overnight doesn't sound like the smartest thing in the world.
I've seen this question and this question but I'm specifically looking for places where I can park overnight.
Princeton Junction is nice but the lot there is tiny, I would try the Hamilton Train Station, they have a big lot.
posted by InsanePenguin at 7:36 AM on August 5, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by InsanePenguin at 7:36 AM on August 5, 2010 [2 favorites]
Metropark in Edison. It is right off the Turnpike. NJ Transit or the more expensive Amtrak goes straight to mid-town with minimal stops.
posted by otto42 at 7:36 AM on August 5, 2010
posted by otto42 at 7:36 AM on August 5, 2010
Definitely Hamilton.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 8:03 AM on August 5, 2010
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 8:03 AM on August 5, 2010
+1 to Metropark.
A 1-way fare is $10 (vs $15 for Hamilton), and the station is about 10 minutes further away (by car) from Swedesboro compared to Hamilton, and is 30 minutes closer (by train) to New York.
posted by schmod at 8:08 AM on August 5, 2010
A 1-way fare is $10 (vs $15 for Hamilton), and the station is about 10 minutes further away (by car) from Swedesboro compared to Hamilton, and is 30 minutes closer (by train) to New York.
posted by schmod at 8:08 AM on August 5, 2010
Best answer: When I do this (starting from Philadelphia) I park at Metropark, the only NJ transit station named after a parking lot! The garage is huge. Their website says the customer service on-site is open 24 hours, which suggests to me that overnight parking is allowed, but you might want to call to make sure; I've kept my car there until midnight but not overnight.
posted by escabeche at 8:09 AM on August 5, 2010
posted by escabeche at 8:09 AM on August 5, 2010
+1 for Hamilton. It is damned nice and damned cheap. I've also done Edison, which is closer but kinda depressing-er.
posted by julthumbscrew at 8:16 AM on August 5, 2010
posted by julthumbscrew at 8:16 AM on August 5, 2010
Response by poster: escabeche, it does look like they have overnight parking at Metropark. Metropark is also an Amtrak station, which probably explains the presence of the overnight parking.
If I were doing this from Philly I'd just head over to 30th Street and take the train (or boltbus/megabus/etc.), but I don't live in Philly any more, and crossing the Delaware twice is really a stupid way to do this trip.
posted by madcaptenor at 8:16 AM on August 5, 2010
If I were doing this from Philly I'd just head over to 30th Street and take the train (or boltbus/megabus/etc.), but I don't live in Philly any more, and crossing the Delaware twice is really a stupid way to do this trip.
posted by madcaptenor at 8:16 AM on August 5, 2010
Nthing Hamilton.
posted by shallowcenter at 8:18 AM on August 5, 2010
posted by shallowcenter at 8:18 AM on August 5, 2010
Response by poster: To all the people who've suggested Hamilton: is there overnight parking there?
posted by madcaptenor at 8:21 AM on August 5, 2010
posted by madcaptenor at 8:21 AM on August 5, 2010
Response by poster: Never mind: the web side of the parking operator says there is overnight parking at Hamilton. And also at Metropark.
posted by madcaptenor at 8:25 AM on August 5, 2010
posted by madcaptenor at 8:25 AM on August 5, 2010
To all the people who've suggested Hamilton: is there overnight parking there?
Well, yeah, otherwise we wouldn't have recommended it.
posted by InsanePenguin at 8:54 AM on August 5, 2010
Well, yeah, otherwise we wouldn't have recommended it.
posted by InsanePenguin at 8:54 AM on August 5, 2010
Nthing Metropark (but i've never been to Hamilton). Metropark has tons of parking though.
posted by jeb at 9:22 AM on August 5, 2010
posted by jeb at 9:22 AM on August 5, 2010
Hamilton. Definitely.
I lived in Collingswood, NJ and then Philadelphia and worked in Hamilton for a year so the Northeast Corridor and I are BFFs. The parking garage is nice and safe and conveniently located off 295 which is key. That makes it more convenient than any of the other options. (Princeton Junction, New Brunswick, Edison, Metropark et. al. require that you switch over from 295 to 1 which is not a hugely huge deal, but is usually more effort than it is worth.)
Also, Hamilton is a sleepy little suburb nestled between Trenton and Princeton. Though I have no data to back this up, I suspect crime is less of an issue in Hamilton than it is elsewhere along the Northeast Corridor.
posted by greekphilosophy at 9:43 AM on August 5, 2010
I lived in Collingswood, NJ and then Philadelphia and worked in Hamilton for a year so the Northeast Corridor and I are BFFs. The parking garage is nice and safe and conveniently located off 295 which is key. That makes it more convenient than any of the other options. (Princeton Junction, New Brunswick, Edison, Metropark et. al. require that you switch over from 295 to 1 which is not a hugely huge deal, but is usually more effort than it is worth.)
Also, Hamilton is a sleepy little suburb nestled between Trenton and Princeton. Though I have no data to back this up, I suspect crime is less of an issue in Hamilton than it is elsewhere along the Northeast Corridor.
posted by greekphilosophy at 9:43 AM on August 5, 2010
Response by poster: Thanks for the answers. As it turns out, I never took this trip! But I will be seeing this friend this weekend. In California, where I live now.
posted by madcaptenor at 8:39 PM on August 31, 2010
posted by madcaptenor at 8:39 PM on August 31, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by elis at 7:34 AM on August 5, 2010