New Yorkers traveling by train this fall may want to check their schedules before heading to the station. Amtrak and NJ Transit are reducing service to and from NYC for more than a month, with some trains canceled or cut back from October through mid-November as crews tackle a major infrastructure project.
The good news? Train service isn’t shutting down completely. But with hundreds of trains affected and major changes coming to the Northeast Corridor, commuters and travelers will want to know exactly what’s changing — and when.
The disruptions are tied to the final phase of the Portal North Bridge project, which is replacing the aging, 116-year-old Portal Bridge over New Jersey’s Hackensack River. Crews will move the final track from the old bridge onto the new one, temporarily leaving just one track available between Newark and Secaucus and limiting the number of trains that can run into New York Penn Station.
When will Amtrak and NJ TRANSIT service be interrupted in NYC?
The project spans roughly five weeks, beginning in mid-October and ending in mid-November 2026:
- Friday, October 9: Cutover work begins in the evening.
- Saturday, October 10: Amtrak schedule adjustments go into effect.
- Sunday, October 11: New NJ TRANSIT adjusted schedules take effect.
- Sunday, November 15: Regular NJ TRANSIT schedules are expected to resume (subject to safety testing).
- Monday, November 16: Full return to normal Amtrak and NJ TRANSIT service.
Which Amtrak trains will be affected?
Amtrak will adjust over 280 total trains between October 10 and November 15:
- Acela: Reduced from 20 to 18 weekday trains.
- Northeast Regional: Reduced from 44 to 40 weekday trains.
- Keystone Service: Reduced from 24 to 10 weekday trains between Philadelphia and New York City (full service continues between Harrisburg and Philadelphia).
- Long Distance Routes: No changes in service levels.
Which NJ TRANSIT trains will be affected?
Major schedule adjustments and cancellations will impact service into and out of New York Penn Station across multiple lines:
- Northeast Corridor (NEC): Reduced from 133 to 113 weekday trains.
- North Jersey Coast Line (NJCL): Reduced from 99 to 87 weekday trains.
- Raritan Valley Line (RVL): Reduced from 51 to 50 weekday trains.
- Special disruption: On Saturday, November 7, Conrail track maintenance will replace trains with buses between Cranford and Newark.
- Morristown Line & Gladstone Branch: Reduced from 148 to 139 weekday trains.
- Diverted service: All weekday Midtown Direct trains will be diverted to Hoboken instead of NY Penn Station. Weekend connections will occur at Secaucus instead of Newark Broad St.
- Montclair-Boonton Line: Reduced from 64 to 60 weekday trains.
- Diverted service: All weekday Midtown Direct trains will be diverted to Hoboken.
- Main Line, Bergen County Line, Pascack Valley Line & Port Jervis Line: Service frequency remains largely unchanged (except for adjusted connection times).
- Amtrak and NJ TRANSIT are adding 44 weekday shuttle trips and 34 weekend shuttle trips between Secaucus Junction and NY Penn Station to maintain connections.
- Port Jervis Line work: From October 11 to November 14, 8 weekday midday off-peak trains will be replaced by buses with a rail connection at Ramsey Rt. 17.
- North Jersey Coast Line (Brielle Bridge): From October 11 to October 25, maintenance will halt train service between Manasquan and Bay Head. Buses will replace trains at Bay Head and Point Pleasant, connecting to rail at Manasquan.
What support will be available to riders?
NJ Transit is adding extra support and alternative travel options during the service changes. Affected riders can use their NJ Transit rail tickets on buses and, for certain routes, have tickets cross-honored on PATH and NY Waterway ferries, with additional peak-hour ferry service.
The agency will also provide real-time service alerts, station signage, additional staff at major stations, and a discounted 20-trip FLEXPASS option for frequent riders.
What should travelers do?
Travelers should check their train schedule before heading to the station and allow extra time for their journey. NJ TRANSIT recommends that commuters who can work remotely do so during the cutover, while those who need to travel should consider traveling outside peak periods when possible.
For Midtown Direct riders diverted to Hoboken, NJ TRANSIT will cross-honor tickets on PATH between Hoboken and 33rd Street, NY Waterway ferries between Hoboken and Midtown, and NJ TRANSIT bus service to the Port Authority Bus Terminal. Those alternative services may have limited capacity and could be crowded during peak hours.
🌐 For more information, see the official project press release and briefing.