NYC Transit Question.

[G Mack]

Hello,

I'm interested in attending the NYC Century Bike Ride this coming September. Need to know if I can carry a bicycle on the transit systems. As it stands now, I'm planning to stay somewhere on the New Jersey side and making my way into the city by rail or subway if possible. The ride is on a Sunday, Sept. 7th and starts at the north end of Central Park.

If anyone has information on where to stay, how to get to Central Park with a bike, or any thing that can help me get this planned, I would be most thankful.

Gregory

[MILW205]

I can't comment as to bikes on NJT, but when I was living in NYC I saw people on the subway with bikes on numerous occasions...you just need to use the service gate to get your bike in (i.e. don't use the turnstyle), and don't take one on during rush hours (which won't be an issue for you):

http://www.mta.info/nyct/safety/bike/ 

When taking NJT in, you'll arrive in Manhattan at 34th Street/Penn Station.  Transfer over to the Bronx-bound 2 or 3 lines and go to Central Park North/110th street, which is at the very northern edge of Central Park.  If you still have energy after your ride, there is a bike path along the Hudson River that you could take back to midtown to get your train back to NJ.

http://www.mta.info/nyct/maps/submap.htm

 

[G Mack]

MILW205,

Thank you for your reply. I've been able to locate a very good NYC map that shows the streets and rail lines. The route you mention is the very same that we realized would most likely be our best bet.

Look forward to the ride and will see if I can factor in the Hudson River path.

Thanks for the good information!

Gregory

P.S. I see you are in the Chicago area. I'm heading up there on July 12th & 13th for the Chicago LATE ride; a 25 mile bike ride through Chicago at night....GREAT FUN!

[gardendance]

http://www.njtransit.com/ has links to the train schedules. Don't know which line you're taking, the North Jersey Coast line and Morris and Essex line also serve midtown Manhattan, just not every trip, some go to Hoboken.

http://www.njtransit.com/pdf/rail/r0070.pdf, Northeast Corridor line says

Standard-frame bicycles are permitted in accessible cars only except on eastbound (inbound) trains arriving in New York weekdays between 6-10 a.m. or on westbound (outbound) trains departing New York between 4-7 p.m. Bicycles are not permitted on holidays, the day prior to a holiday, the days prior to Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, or the Friday after Thanksgiving. NJ TRANSIT Conductors may use their judgment, based on crowding and capacity, to make exceptions. Please note that a customer with a disability is given priority over a customer with a bicycle. There is no additional charge for the bicycle.

If your train takes you to Hoboken, or you're staying in Jersey City, you may take PATH to midtown Manhattan, about a block from Penn Station. http://www.panynj.gov/CommutingTravel/path/html/rules.htm says

You may not enter a PATH station with a bicycle on weekdays between 6:30 am and 9:30 am and between 3:30 pm and 6:30 pm. No more than two bicycles are permitted on a PATH car and bicycles are not permitted in the first railcar of a train.

NJtransit buses have the folding 2 bike racks that seem to be the trend nowadays, and several bus routes go to Manhattan, so for your non-holiday Sunday you should be able to get some public transit for your body and your bike.

If you're staying near Englewood-Fort Lee maybe you'll consider biking across the George Washington Bridge, then 8th Ave Subway, or bike to the beginning of the real ride.

I used to live in Philadelphia near the start of the Scenic Schuylkill Century, but a woman made me move to Burlington New Jersey. The last time I did the Century (the bike ride, not the train) I stayed Saturday night at my old house, so it was just a mile walk with my fiancee to the beginning of the ride, kiss her goodbye. After the ride, which was an extended century - 109 miles, it was then about a 4 mile ride to the Camden NJtransit Riverline station, bike on train to Burlington, then 2 mile bike ride to my new home. 48 years old, so I'm expecting you to be able to manage something before and after the ride with pedal power.