Station Review #52: Trenton Transit Center (Amtrak/NJT/SEPTA)

Trenton Transit Center is a major train station located along Clinton Avenue in Trenton, NJ. This station has service from Amtrak, NJT, and SEPTA. 

History

Old postcard of the train station 

Trenton has had train service for almost two centuries. Originally rail service to Trenton started in 1832, as Trenton was the terminus of the Philadelphia and Trenton Railroad. This arrangement stayed the same until 1865, when a new Trenton station was built on the site of the current station. This station was then rebuilt two other times, first in the 1976 and then again in 2006, with the current station being finished in 2008. 

Services

Section with NJT bus schedules. The area for train schedules is on the other side, behind the point of view of this photo. 

There are multiple types of services that run to Trenton Transit Center from multiple agencies: 

Amtrak

Many Amtrak trains use the Northeast Corridor to get to New York City/points north or south of that. These trains include: 

• Cardinal: New York City to Chicago via Philadelphia, Baltimore, DC, Charlottesville, Charleston (WV), Cincinnati, and Indianapolis

• Carolinian: New York City to Charlotte via Philadelphia, Baltimore, DC, Richmond, Raleigh, and Durham

• Crescent: New York City to New Orleans via Philadelphia, Baltimore, DC, Charlottesville, Atlanta, and Birmingham

• Keystone Service: New York City to Harrisburg via Newark, Trenton, Philadelphia, Coatesville, and Lancaster

• Northeast Regional: Boston to DC via Providence, New Haven, New York City, Newark, Trenton, Philadelphia, Wilmington, and Baltimore

• Palmetto: New York City to Savannah via Philadelphia, Baltimore, DC, Richmond, and Charleston (SC)

• Pennsylvanian: New York City to Pittsburgh via Newark, Trenton, Philadelphia, Lancaster, Harrisburg, Altoona, and Johnstown

• Silver Meteor: New York City to Miami via Philadelphia, Baltimore, DC, Richmond, Charleston (SC), Savannah, Jacksonville, Orlando, West Palm Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, and Miami

• Silver Star: Similar to the Silver Meteor except it goes through Tampa as well

• Vermonter: DC to Saint Albans, VT via Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York City, Hartford, Springfield (MA), Brattleboro, Montpelier, and Burlington

NJT

NJT runs two train services to and from Trenton Transit Center:

•  Northeast Corridor: Local train from Trenton Transit Center to New York Penn station
•  River Line: Interurban-esque (it may as well be an Interurban) service between Trenton and Camden via Bordentown, Burlington, Riverside, and Pennsauken. 

Additionally, NJT runs these buses out of Trenton Transit Center:

• 409 - Long-distance bus between Center City Philadelphia and Trenton Transit Center via US-130
• 418 - Long Distance express bus between Philadelphia and Trenton via Moorestown and Mount Holly
• 600 - Trenton Transit Center to Plainsboro
• 601 - The College of New Jersey to Hamilton Marketplace via Trenton Transit Center
• 606 - Hamilton Marketplace to Princeton
• 608 - West Trenton to Hamilton Station
• 609 - NJDOT complex to Quakerbridge Mall

• 611 - Trenton Circulator, a bus that loops around downtown Trenton
• 619 - NJDOT complex to Mercer County Community College
• 624 - East Trenton to Pennington 

SEPTA

SEPTA runs the Trenton line, a local train between Trenton and Philadelphia 30th Street Station. This train also runs on the Center City Commuter Tunnel towards Temple University station. Some trains may go past this and also change destinations and go towards Norristown or Chestnut Hill East, among other destinations, but it's best to consider these separate services regardless. 

SEPTA also runs the 127 bus, a bus linking Trenton to Morrisville, Levittown and Oxford Valley Mall.

GMTMA

The Greater Mercer Transportation Management Association runs two bus routes, one of which being the Route 130 Connection, a bus that links Trenton Transit Center to warehouses near Jamesburg via Cranberry and East Windsor. 

Former train services include:

Amtrak

• Atlantic City Express Service: Springfield, MA to Atlantic City via Newark, Trenton, and Philadelphia
• Broadway Limited: New York City to Chicago via Newark, Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, Lima, and Fort Worth
• Gulf Coast: New York City to Mobile via Philadelphia, Baltimore, DC, Charlottesville, Atlanta, Birmingham, and Montgomery
• Hilltopper: Boston to Catlettsburg, KY via New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, DC, Richmond, Petersburg, Lynchburg, Roanoke, and Bluefield
• Montrealer: DC to Montreal via Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York City, Hartford, Springfield (MA), Brattleboro, Montpelier, Burlington, Saint Albans, and Saint-Lambert
• National Limited: New York City or DC to Kansas City via Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Columbus, Dayton, Indianapolis, St. Louis, and Jefferson City
• Three Rivers: New York City to Chicago via Philadelphia, Paoli, Lancaster, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, Youngstown, and Akron

Other

• Belvedere-Delaware Railroad: Trenton to Manunka Chunk via Lambertville and Phillipsburg
• Belvedere-Delaware Railroad - Flemington Branch: Trenton to Flemington via Lambertville

Gallery

Platform with weird waiting room

Trenton Line Schedule

In comparison, an NJT schedule board.

Trains coming up

Huh, that's pretty neat

More platform shots

Benches

Canal

Another Trenton Line schedule, in a spot people won't see it this time

SEPTA Silverliner IV 

Inside one of those outdoor waiting spaces

This hallway has a lot of food places in it

Mini overpriced convenience store

One of the hallways you see if you enter the station from the outside

Flipboards :D

Outside the building

Really weird artpiece

River Line Platform

Bus Stop

A 606 bus

A 409 bus

This is also where the 127 boards from

The station building from that location

One issue I have with Trenton Transit Center is that Despite SEPTA service existing here, it is not accommodated much at all. The trains just so happen to stop there, not much more. There are no TVMs for SEPTA, nor a SEPTA ticket office, nor any fare validators for the Trenton Line. 

Things to do in Downtown Trenton

606 bus in downtown Trenton

There's not a whole lot to do in Downtown Trenton, but you can still have a day of fun there. 

There are a few museums, the NJ senate-house, a theatre, a few small parks and monuments, and some restaurants. There is also a small college campus there too.

Despite the fact that there is a lot there, Downtown Trenton is oftentimes pretty dead and empty feeling. 

Statistics:

Name: Trenton Transit Center 

Agency: Amtrak, NJT, SEPTA

Line(s): Cardinal, Carolinan, Crescent, Keystone Service, NEC, Northeast Regional, Palmetto, Pennsylvanian, River Line, Silver Meteor, Silver Star, Trenton Line, Vermonter

Locality: Ewing and Carroll, Downtown Trenton

City/Township: Trenton

County: Mercer

State: New Jersey 

Ridership: NEC: 1,916 per weekday, Trenton Line: 448 per weekday, River Line: 914 per weekday, Amtrak: 254,694 annually

Amenities Checklist:

Accessible: ✓

Bathrooms: ✓

Bicycle parking: ✓

Clean Station: ✓

Connections to other transit routes: ✓

Convenience Store/similar place inside: ✓

Easy passage for each side: ✓

Fare Payment Kiosks (if applicable): NJT Only

Good Wayfinding: ✓ 

Indoor Shelters: ✓

Maps: ✓

Multiple entrances/exits: ✓

Seating: ✓

Shelters: ✓

Station In Good Condition: ✓

TVMs: NJT Only

Ticket Offices: ✓

TOD: ✓

Train Departure/Arrival Info (signs that update/screens): ✓

Updated/Useful Signage: ✓

Final Verdict: 8.5/10

Station Directory

--------MASSACHUSETTS--------

--------Suffolk County--------

South Station

Back Bay

--------Norfolk County--------

Route 128

--------RHODE ISLAND--------

--------Providence County--------

Providence

--------Washington County--------

Kingston

Westerly

-------CONNECTICUT--------

--------New London County--------

Mystic

New London

--------Middlesex County--------

Old Saybrook

--------New Haven County--------

New Haven Union 

--------Fairfield County--------

Bridgeport

Stamford

--------NEW YORK--------

--------Westchester County--------

New Rochelle

--------Manhattan Borough--------

’’’’’’’’Zone 0 (NJT)’’’’’’’’

New York Penn

--------New Jersey--------

--------Hudson County--------

        Secaucus Junction

--------Essex County--------

’’’’’’’’Zone 1 (NJT)’’’’’’’’

Newark Penn

Newark Liberty International Airport

’’’’’’’’Zone 2 (NJT)’’’’’’’’

’’’’’’’’Zone 4 (NJT)’’’’’’’’

--------Union County--------

’’’’’’’’Zone 5 (NJT)’’’’’’’’

        North Elizabeth

        Elizabeth

’’’’’’’’Zone 6 (NJT)’’’’’’’’

’’’’’’’’Zone 7 (NJT)’’’’’’’’

        Linden

’’’’’’’’Zone 8 (NJT)’’’’’’’’

        Rahway

’’’’’’’’Zone 9 (NJT)’’’’’’’’

--------Middlesex County--------

’’’’’’’’Zone 10 (NJT)’’’’’’’’

Metropark

’’’’’’’’Zone 11 (NJT)’’’’’’’’

        Metuchen

’’’’’’’’Zone 12 (NJT)’’’’’’’’

’’’’’’’’Zone 13 (NJT)’’’’’’’’

        Edison

’’’’’’’’Zone 14 (NJT)’’’’’’’’

New Brunswick

        Jersey Ave

’’’’’’’’Zone 15 (NJT)’’’’’’’’

’’’’’’’’Zone 16 (NJT)’’’’’’’’

’’’’’’’’Zone 17 (NJT)’’’’’’’’

’’’’’’’’Zone 18 (NJT)’’’’’’’’

--------Mercer County--------

’’’’’’’’Zone 19 (NJT)’’’’’’’’

Princeton Junction

’’’’’’’’Zone 20 (NJT)’’’’’’’’

        Hamilton

’’’’’’’’Zone 21 (NJT)’’’’’’’’

’’’’’’’’Zone 22 (NJT)’’’’’’’’

Trenton Transit Center

--------PENNSYLVANIA--------

--------Bucks County--------

’’’’’’’’Zone 4 (SEPTA)’’’’’’’’

        Levittown/Tullytown

        Bristol

’’’’’’’’Zone 3 (SEPTA)’’’’’’’’

Croydon

Eddington

Cornwells Heights

--------Philadelphia County--------

Torresdale

’’’’’’’’Zone 2 (SEPTA)’’’’’’’’

Holmesburg Junction

Tacony

Bridesburg

’’’’’’’’Zone 1 (SEPTA)’’’’’’’’

North Philadelphia

’’’’’’’’CCC Zone (SEPTA)’’’’’’’’

30th Street

TRENTON LINE TRAINS CONTINUE TO SUBURBAN, JEFFERSON, AND TEMPLE UNIVERSITY STATIONS 

--------DELAWARE--------

--------New Castle County--------

Wilmington

Newark

--------MARYLAND--------

--------Harford County--------

Aberdeen

--------Baltimore City--------

Baltimore Penn

--------Anne Arundel County--------

BWI/Thurgood Marshall Airport

--------Prince George’s County--------

New Carrolton

--------DC--------

Washington DC Union Station

Trenton Transit Center

Hamilton Avenue

Cass Street

Bordentown

Roebling

Florence

Burlington Towne Centre

Burlington South

Beverly-Edgewater Park

Delanco

Riverside

Cinnaminson

Riverton

Palmyra

Route 73-Pennsauken

Pennsauken Transit Center

36th Street

Walter Rand Transportation Center

Cooper Street-Rutgers

Aquarium

Waterfront Entertainment Center