Community Corner

NJ Transit Announces 'Bike-Friendly' Trains on Weekends

Under the newly revised Bike Aboard program, train crew members will be able to open unused rail cars on designated bike trains as needed to provide additional capacity for cyclists.

NJ Transit announced they will designate select "bike-friendly" trains on weekends as well as make other "common sense" improvements in support of the transportation needs of the cycling community, according to a press release from NJ Transit.

“After gathering valuable input from members of the cycling community, we worked to make some common sense changes that help make NJ Transit one of the most bicycle-friendly systems in the region,” said Transportation Commissioner and NJ Transit Board Chairman James Simpson. 

Starting on Saturday, Aug. 11, all weekend trains on the Raritan Valley Line and Atlantic City Rail Line and on rail service to and from Hoboken Terminal will become “bike-friendly” trains, providing capacity for up to 12 bicycles per train, according to the press release. 

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The current policy allows for bicycle access only on open rail cars, meaning if four cars of a six-car train are open to customers, that train can accommodate only eight bicycles, the press release explained. Under the newly revised Bike Aboard program, train crew members will be able to open unused rail cars on designated bike trains as needed to provide additional capacity for cyclists.

As part of the expanded Bike Aboard program, NJ Transit will be offering 418 designated bike trains on weekends on the Raritan Valley, Main/Bergen County, Pascack Valley, Gladstone, Montclair-Boonton and Atlantic City Rail lines, according to the press release. An additional 273 non-designated bike trains on weekends can accommodate up to two bicycles per car on the Northeast Corridor, North Jersey Coast and Midtown Direct lines. 

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“By implementing designated bike trains on weekends on most of our rail lines, in addition to the regular weekend trains, we are providing capacity for up to 7,200 bicycles on Saturdays and Sundays combined,”  Simpson said.

Starting in October, NJ Transit will reprint rail timetables to clearly indicate designated bike trains with a special bicycle icon near the train number.

“Following Commissioner Simpson’s call for a quick resolution to customer concerns about bicycle access, we took a fresh look at our Bike Aboard program to identify further adjustments that would enable us to significantly expand access for our bicycle-riding customers,” said NJ Transit Executive Director Weinstein. 

“The expanded capacity on weekends will make cycling to train stations a viable option for more customers, allowing them to complete the ‘last mile’ between the train station and their destinations.”

NJ Transit appointed Project Manager of Capital Programs Rob Angellow as the agency's new bicycle advocate, to ensure the agency stays in touch with the needs of the cycling community, according to the press release.

NJ Transit also implemented a streamlined internal process for resolving issues about bike access in real time when customers contact the Transit Information Center at 973-275-5555 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. daily, when the agency provides live operator assistance. 

NJ Transit’s Bike Aboard program does not require preregistration or permits, and there is no additional charge for bringing bicycles onboard trains.

Below are the highlights of NJ Transit’s expanded bicycle policy:

Collapsible bicycles are permitted on all NJ Transit trains at all times. Standard-frame bicycles are permitted on many NJ Transit trains as described below:

  • On weekdays:  Bicycles are permitted on all weekday trains on all lines except inbound trains that end in Hoboken, Newark or New York between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. and outbound trains that originate in Hoboken, Newark or New York between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.  These trains are indicated by a Q in public timetables.   Trains on which bicycles are permitted may accommodate up to 2 bicycles on each single-level rail car and up to 8 bicycles on each multilevel rail car subject to crowding or the accessibility needs of other customers.
  • On weekends:  Bicycles are permitted on all weekend Raritan Valley, Gladstone, Montclair-Boonton, Main, Bergen County, Pascack Valley, Port Jervis, and Atlantic City Line trains.  These trains will be designated bike trains and will accommodate up to 12 bicycles per train.  Larger groups may be accommodated with advance reservations by calling our Group Sales Department at 973-491-7220.  Bicycles are also permitted on all Northeast Corridor, North Jersey Coast Line and Morristown Line trains with the exception of trains ending in New York between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. and trains originating in New York between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.  Trains on which bicycles are permitted may accommodate up to 2 bicycles on each single-level rail car and up to 8 bicycles on each multilevel rail car subject to crowding or the accessibility needs of other customers.
  • On holidays and business days before holidays:  Bicycles are not permitted on trains (with the exception of the Atlantic City Line) on New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, day after Thanksgiving, Sunday after Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Bicycles are not permitted on the day before Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, but are permitted on the holidays themselves.
  • Other times:  Bicycles are not permitted on substitute bus service during rail service outages.

The revised policy will be available on njtransit.com starting August 10.

Questions and comments about NJ Transit’s Bike Aboard program received via the “Contact Us” form on njtransit.com will be forwarded to the Bicycle Advocate for review.


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