When does NJ Transit service go back to normal?

NJ Transit says the regular schedule resumes on November 15, 2026, subject to completion of safety testing.

Can I use my NJ Transit ticket on PATH?

During the cutover, rail tickets are cross honored on PATH only between Hoboken and 33rd Street, and on the NY Waterway ferry from Hoboken to West 39th Street.

When is Hudson Tunnel blasting in Hudson County?

Up to three times a day at 9 a.m., noon and 3 p.m., weekdays only, expected to run into early next year.

When will the new Hudson River tunnel open?

It is a multi year project. Recent reporting targets the mid 2030s.

NJ Commuting This Fall: Portal Bridge Work and the Hudson Tunnel

By the MoveMatched editorial team · Last updated 2026-11-01

Two big rail projects are changing commutes between New Jersey and Manhattan this fall. NJ Transit is running reduced and rerouted service while the Portal North Bridge cutover finishes, through November 14, 2026. And the Hudson Tunnel Project has started boring the new rail tunnel, with controlled blasting at a shaft on the Weehawken and Hoboken border. Here is what to expect and how to think about it if you are choosing a town.

What is happening with NJ Transit service right now?

From October 11 to November 14, 2026, trains can use only one track between Newark and Secaucus while Amtrak connects the new Portal North Bridge. That means fewer weekday trains into Penn Station New York on the Northeast Corridor and North Jersey Coast Line, and longer trip times on many lines.

On weekdays, Midtown Direct trains on the Morristown Line, Gladstone Branch and Montclair Boonton Line go to Hoboken instead of Penn Station. On weekends they run to Penn Station. NJ Transit says the regular schedule resumes on November 15, subject to safety testing.

How do I get into Manhattan from Hoboken during the work?

NJ Transit is cross honoring tickets on other services during the cutover:

PATH, only between Hoboken and 33rd Street.
NY Waterway ferry, between Hoboken and the Midtown West 39th Street terminal.
NJ Transit buses, including route 126 between Hoboken and the Port Authority Bus Terminal.
Monthly and weekly passes for October and November are sold to and from Hoboken. Check NJ Transit's page for the exact rules for your ticket.

What is the Hudson Tunnel Project doing in Hudson County?

The Gateway Development Commission started mining with the first tunnel boring machine on October 8, 2026. Two machines will build the first 5,100 feet of new tunnel from North Bergen to the Hudson County Access Shaft on the Weehawken and Hoboken border, at roughly 30 feet a day. That section is expected to take about a year.

At the shaft, crews reached bedrock at 80 feet and plan controlled blasting to about 130 feet. Production blasting was expected to start as early as November 2 and run into early next year. Blasts are planned for up to three times a day, at 9 a.m., noon and 3 p.m., Monday to Friday only, with warning whistles before each one. The blasting is contained in the shaft.

When will the new tunnel open?

The new tunnel is a long term project. Recent reporting puts the target for the new tunnel in the mid 2030s, followed by a rebuild of the existing North River Tunnel. For a move you make this year, plan around today's service, not the future tunnel.

I'm moving to New Jersey. How should this change my choice?

Pick a town by testing the commute you will really do. If you are looking along the Morris and Essex or Montclair Boonton lines, know that this fall's Hoboken diversion is temporary, and try the trip again after November 15. If you are near the shaft site in Weehawken or Hoboken, ask about the construction schedule when you tour.

Towns with more than one way into Manhattan, such as PATH plus ferry or bus, give you a backup when one line has problems. Each MoveMatched town guide lists the stations and stops near the center of town.

A commute checklist for this fall

Check NJ Transit's cutover page before each week.
Buy the right ticket: to Hoboken on weekdays during the work.
Leave extra time and avoid the busiest peak trains if you can.
Save NJ Transit and PATH alerts on your phone.

Questions people ask

When does NJ Transit service go back to normal?: NJ Transit says the regular schedule resumes on November 15, 2026, subject to completion of safety testing.
Can I use my NJ Transit ticket on PATH?: During the cutover, rail tickets are cross honored on PATH only between Hoboken and 33rd Street, and on the NY Waterway ferry from Hoboken to West 39th Street.
When is Hudson Tunnel blasting in Hudson County?: Up to three times a day at 9 a.m., noon and 3 p.m., weekdays only, expected to run into early next year.
When will the new Hudson River tunnel open?: It is a multi year project. Recent reporting targets the mid 2030s.