Station Review #153: Secaucus Junction (NJT/MNRR)


Secaucus Junction is a station on NJT's combined lines, serving the entirety of the commuter rail network of New Jersey sans the Atlantic City Line, along with the MNRR Port Jervis Line. The station was built and inaugurated in September of 2003 and has single-handedly been one of the most important completed rail projects in the entire northeastern US that was built this century. 

Tour

Map

Secaucus Junction is a giant station, albeit a very well designed one. It's large enough to need a map of the station itself inside of it. There's also paper schedules for every single train that goes through Secaucus Junction as well

The hallway that map is in

Elevator

Staircase

TVMs and info screens

Bus terminal

The outside of the station

Odd maintenance tunnel

Bottom floor area

This floor has escalators, elevators, and TVMs, among other things

Stairs

Main room

Here, there's a variety of things like stores and restaurants, as well as ticket offices as well. It was originally designed to be reminiscent of older large stations like Grand Central and the original New York Penn station, among others.  

Another side, with fare gates

Not shown nearby is also a telephone room and a bathroom. 

One of the platforms

The platforms have benches, elevators, and escalators. Everything on both platforms is fully accessible.  

Bus Connections

There are several buses that run to Secaucus Junction from NJT and E-Z Ride:

E-Z Ride:

  • 273 Harmon Meadow Shuttle: This is a bus that links Secaucus Junction with some nearby apartments in Secaucus, going in a loop. This bus runs during rush hours only, running about once every 15 minutes. 
  • 566 - The Monarch: This bus links Secaucus Junction with an apartment building in East Rutherford, only otherwise stopping at the Secaucus City Hall. This bus runs during rush hours only, running every 40 minutes. 

NJT

  • 2 - Jersey City (Journal Square) to Secaucus: This is a shuttle bus that links Jersey City and Secaucus together, though it seems to do so in the most roundabout way possible. This runs about half hourly to hourly most days
  • 124 - PABT to Secaucus Junction: This is an express bus linking PABT to Secaucus Junction. This bus only runs during rush hours, with a bus about once every half hour. 
  • 129 -  PABT to Secaucus Junction: This is similar to the 124 bus, though it's much more deviatory and more frequent. Outside of rush hour, this bus becomes hourly.  
  • 329 - Secaucus Junction to Harmon Cove: This is a very odd bus, and I'm honestly surprised that this is ran by NJT and not by E-Z Ride or some other group. It's a rush hour only shuttle between an apartment complex in Secaucus and Secaucus Junction station that runs once every half hour or so.  
In all fairness, I guess that this is also a bit of a weak point for Secaucus Junction. None of these bus connections are any good. 

Points of Interest Near Secaucus Junction

One of the Secaucus marshes

There's not much nearby, owing to the marshes the station is located around. Much of what is there is nearby is business parks. There's a single apartment complex and a highway, and a bit of parking. It's not a fun time walking around Secaucus Junction, even if the town of Secaucus itself is accessible. The inability of getting to Secaucus proper from the station is an actual problem the residents and people who work in Secaucus deal with and mention often. 

Statistics


Name: Secaucus Junction
Agency: NJT/MNRR
Line(s): Bergen County Line, Gladstone Branch, Main Line, Meadowlands Line, Montclair-Boonton Line, Morristown Line, Northeast Corridor Line, North Jersey Coast Line, Pascack Valley Line, Port Jervis Line, Raritan Valley Line (some trips)
Locality: Secaucus Junction 
Municipality: Secaucus
County: Hudson
State: New Jersey
Ridership: 203,202 riders per average weekday (2024)

Amenity Checklist


Accessible: ✓
Bathrooms: ✓
Bicycle parking: ✓
Clean Station: ✓
Connections to other transit routes: ✓
Convenience Store inside: ✓
Easy passage for each side: ✓
Existence is justifiable: ✓
Fare Payment Kiosks (if applicable): ✓
Good Wayfinding: ✓
Indoor Shelters: ✓
Maps: ✓
Multiple entrances/exits: ✓
Multiple Rooms: ✓
Adequate Parking: ✓
Restaurant inside: ✓
Safe to use: ✓
Adequate Seating: ✓
Shelters: ✓
Station In Good Condition: ✓
TVMs: ✓
Ticket Offices: ✓
TOD: ×
Train Departure/Arrival Info (signs that update/screens): ✓
Updated/Useful Signage: ✓

Final Verdict: 9/10
 

Station Directory


Lower Level

 

Main Line

--------New Jersey--------
--------Hudson County--------
''''''''Zone 1''''''''
Hoboken
Secaucus Junction
--------Bergen County--------
''''''''Zone 2''''''''
Kingsland
Lyndhurst
--------Passaic County--------
''''''''Zone 3''''''''
Delawanna
''''''''Zone 4''''''''
Passaic
''''''''Zone 5''''''''
Clifton
''''''''Zone 6''''''''
Paterson
''''''''Zone 7''''''''
Hawthorne
--------Bergen County--------
''''''''Zone 8''''''''
Glen Rock (Main Line)
''''''''Zone 9''''''''
Ridgewood
''''''''Zone 10''''''''
Ho-Ho-Kus
Waldwick
''''''''Zone 11''''''''
Allendale
''''''''Zone 12''''''''
Ramsey
Ramsey Route 17
''''''''Zone 14''''''''
Mahwah
--------New York--------
--------Rockland County--------
Suffern

Bergen County Line

--------New Jersey--------
--------Hudson County--------
''''''''Zone 1''''''''
Hoboken
Secaucus Junction
--------Bergen County--------
''''''''Zone 3''''''''
Rutherford
''''''''Zone 4''''''''
Wesmont
Garfield
''''''''Zone 5''''''''
Plauderville
''''''''Zone 6''''''''
Broadway Fair Lawn
Radburn
''''''''Zone 7''''''''
Glen Rock (Boro Hall)
''''''''Zone 9''''''''
Ridgewood
''''''''Zone 10''''''''
Ho-Ho-Kus
Waldwick
''''''''Zone 11''''''''
Allendale
''''''''Zone 12''''''''
Ramsey
Ramsey Route 17
''''''''Zone 14''''''''
Mahwah
--------New York--------
--------Rockland County--------
Suffern

Port Jervis Line

--------New Jersey--------
--------Hudson County--------
Hoboken
Secaucus Junction
--------Bergen County--------
Ridgewood
Ramsey-Route 17
--------New York--------
--------Rockland County--------
Suffern
Sloatsburg
--------Orange County--------
Tuxedo
Harriman
Salisbury Mills
Campbell Hall
Middletown/Town of Walkill
Otisville
Port Jervis
 

Pascack Valley Line 

 
--------New Jersey--------
--------Hudson County--------
''''''''Zone 0''''''''
Hoboken
Secaucus Junction
--------Bergen County--------
''''''''Zone 3''''''''
Wood-Ridge
''''''''Zone 4''''''''
''''''''Zone 5''''''''
Essex Street
Anderson Street
''''''''Zone 6''''''''
New Bridge Landing
River Edge
''''''''Zone 7''''''''
Oradell
''''''''Zone 8''''''''
Emerson
''''''''Zone 9''''''''
Westwood
Hillsdale
''''''''Zone 10/MNR''''''''
Woodcliff Lake
Park Ridge
Montvale
--------New York--------
--------Rockland County--------
Pearl River
Nanuet
Spring Valley
 

Meadowlands line (game days only) 

 
--------New Jersey--------
--------Hudson County--------
''''''''Zone 1''''''''
Secaucus Junction
Meadowlands 
 

Upper Level

 

Northeast Corridor 

 
--------New York--------
--------Manhattan Borough--------
''''''''Zone 0''''''''
New York Penn
--------New Jersey--------
--------Hudson County-------- 
''''''''Zone 1''''''''
Secaucus Junction
--------Essex County--------
Newark Penn
Newark Liberty International Airport
--------Union County-------- 
''''''''Zone 5''''''''
North Elizabeth
Elizabeth
''''''''Zone 7''''''''
Linden
''''''''Zone 8''''''''
Rahway
--------Middlesex County--------  
''''''''Zone 10''''''''
Metropark
''''''''Zone 11''''''''
Metuchen
''''''''Zone 13''''''''
Edison
''''''''Zone 14''''''''
New Brunswick
Jersey Avenue
--------Mercer County--------  
''''''''Zone 19''''''''
Princeton Junction   <----->   Princeton
''''''''Zone 20''''''''
Hamilton
''''''''Zone 22''''''''
 

North Jersey Coast Line 

 
--------New York--------
--------Manhattan Borough--------
''''''''Zone 0''''''''
New York Penn
--------New Jersey--------
--------Hudson County--------
Secaucus Junction
--------Essex County--------
''''''''Zone 1''''''''
Newark Penn
Newark Liberty International Airport
''''''''Zone 2''''''''
''''''''Zone 3''''''''
''''''''Zone 4''''''''
--------Union County--------
''''''''Zone 5''''''''
North Elizabeth
Elizabeth
''''''''Zone 6''''''''
''''''''Zone 7''''''''
Linden
''''''''Zone 8''''''''
Rahway
--------Middlesex County--------
''''''''Zone 9''''''''
Avenel
''''''''Zone 10''''''''
Woodbridge
''''''''Zone 11''''''''
''''''''Zone 12''''''''
Perth Amboy 
South Amboy
''''''''Zone 13''''''''
''''''''Zone 14''''''''
--------Monmouth County--------
''''''''Zone 15''''''''
Aberdeen-Matawan
''''''''Zone 16''''''''
Hazlet
''''''''Zone 17''''''''
Middletown (NJT)
''''''''Zone 18''''''''
Red Bank
''''''''Zone 19''''''''
Little Silver
Monmouth Park
''''''''Zone 20''''''''
Long Branch

- - - - DIESEL TRANSFER OUTSIDE OF RUSH HOUR - - - -

Elberon
''''''''Zone 21''''''''
Allenhurst
Bradley Beach
''''''''Zone 22''''''''
Belmar
Spring Lake
''''''''Zone 23''''''''
--------Ocean County--------
Bay Head
 

Raritan Valley Line (rush hour only)

 
--------New York--------
--------Manhattan Borough--------
''''''''Zone 0''''''''
New York Penn
--------New Jersey--------
--------Hudson County-------- 
''''''''Zone 1''''''''
Secaucus Junction
--------Essex County--------
Newark Penn
--------Union County-------- 
''''''''Zone 5''''''''
Union
''''''''Zone 6''''''''
Roselle Park
''''''''Zone 7''''''''
Cranford
''''''''Zone 8''''''''
Garford
Westfield
''''''''Zone 8''''''''
Fanwood
''''''''Zone 10''''''''
Netherwood
''''''''Zone 11''''''''
Plainfield
--------Middlesex County-------- 
''''''''Zone 12''''''''
Dunellen
--------Somerset County-------- 
''''''''Zone 14''''''''
Bound Brook
''''''''Zone 15''''''''
Bridgewater
''''''''Zone 17''''''''
Somerville
Raritan 
''''''''Zone 18''''''''
North Branch
--------Hunterdon County-------- 
''''''''Zone 19''''''''
White House
''''''''Zone 20''''''''
Lebanon
Annandale
''''''''Zone 21''''''''
High Bridge 
  

Montclair-Boonton Line (Midtown Direct trains only)

 
--------New York--------
New York Penn
--------Manhattan Borough--------
''''''''Zone 0''''''''
--------New Jersey--------
--------Hudson County-------- 
''''''''Zone 1''''''''
Secaucus Junction
--------Essex County--------
''''''''Zone 2''''''''
Newark-Broad Street
''''''''Zone 4''''''''
Watsessing Avenue     

Bloomfield

Glen Ridge

''''''''Zone 5''''''''
Bay Street
Walnut Street  
Watchung Avenue 
Upper Montclair
''''''''Zone 6''''''''
Mountain Ave
Montclair Heights
--------Passaic County--------
Montclair State University
''''''''Zone 8''''''''
Little Falls
''''''''Zone 9''''''''
Wayne-Route 23 Transit Center
Mountain View
--------Morris County--------
''''''''Zone 10''''''''
Lincoln Park
''''''''Zone 11''''''''
Towaco
''''''''Zone 14''''''''
Boonton
Mountain Lakes
''''''''Zone 16''''''''
Denville
''''''''Zone 17''''''''
Dover
''''''''Zone 19''''''''
Mount Arlington
Lake Hoptacong
Netcong
Mount Olive
--------Warren County--------
Hackettstown 
 
 

Morris & Essex Line (Midtown Direct trains only)   

 
   
--------New York--------
--------Manhattan Borough--------
''''''''Zone 0''''''''
New York Penn 
--------New Jersey--------
--------Hudson County-------- 
''''''''Zone 1''''''''
Secaucus Junction
--------Essex County--------
''''''''Zone 2''''''''
Newark-Broad Street
''''''''Zone 4''''''''
East Orange
Brick Church
Orange
''''''''Zone 5''''''''
Highland Avenue
Mountain
South Orange
''''''''Zone 6''''''''
Maplewood
''''''''Zone 7''''''''
Millburn
''''''''Zone 8''''''''
Short Hills
--------Union County--------
''''''''Zone 9''''''''
Summit
--------Morris County--------
''''''''Zone 10''''''''
Chatham
''''''''Zone 11''''''''
Madison
''''''''Zone 12'''''''' 
Convent
''''''''Zone 14'''''''' 
Morristown
''''''''Zone 16'''''''' 
Morris Plains
Mount Tabor
Denville  
''''''''Zone 17''''''''
Dover
''''''''Zone 19''''''''
Mount Arlington
Lake Hoptacong
Netcong
Mount Olive
--------Warren County--------
Hackettstown 
 
 

Gladstone Branch (Midtown Direct trains only)

 
--------New York--------
--------Manhattan Borough--------
''''''''Zone 0''''''''
New York Penn 
--------New Jersey--------
--------Hudson County-------- 
''''''''Zone 1''''''''
Secaucus Junction
--------Essex County--------
''''''''Zone 2''''''''
Newark-Broad Street
''''''''Zone 4''''''''
East Orange
Brick Church
Orange
''''''''Zone 5''''''''
Highland Avenue
Mountain
South Orange
''''''''Zone 6''''''''
Maplewood
''''''''Zone 7''''''''
Millburn
''''''''Zone 8''''''''
Short Hills
--------Union County--------
''''''''Zone 9''''''''
Summit
New Providence
Murray Hill
''''''''Zone 11''''''''
Berkeley Heights
--------Morris County--------
''''''''Zone 11''''''''
Gillette
''''''''Zone 14''''''''
Stirling
Millington
Lyons
--------Somerset County-------- 
''''''''Zone 16''''''''
Basking Ridge
Bernardsville  
''''''''Zone 17''''''''
Far Hills
''''''''Zone 18''''''''
Peapack
Gladstone   
 
  
     

  




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