Passenger Trains > Recommended lodging location in NJ question.

A couple of friends and I plan to go to Washington,DC the first week of November by car. Being a bit of a mileage collector, I would like to ride NJT's River LINE, the shuttle from Princeton Jct to Princeton and if time allows Newark's light rail system.

I would like a good location (hotel) to use as a base camp. I plan to arrive Thursday evening, ride trains Friday and head to Gaithersberg, Saturday. I would like a hotel close to a station so I could leave the car parked for the day. Any suggestions, please?

Thank-you in advance for any info.

Gerry Gaugl
Ottawa ON

There are a few motels in Mt. Laurel, NJ on Route 73 near the exit of the New Jersey Turnpike which is about 4 miles south of the River Line. If you google Mt. Laurel and motel, you can probably find the name of one. There are no motels or hotels of which I am aware within walking distance of the River Line. However, it is very safe to park your car for the day at the station parking lot in Pennsauken, NJ which is just south of Route 73 or on the streets of the town of Palmyra, NJ which is about 1/2 mile north of Route 73. If you choose to park your car on the street in Palmyra, I would suggest the first block Morgan Ave. to the east of the tracks by the Lutheran Church. We take care of the pipe organ in that church and have parked our van there for hours at a time and have never had a problem. The neighorhood in Palmyra is residential and very quiet and safe. The NJT transit police patrol the parking lots regularly, so the Pennsauken location would be fine too. The River Line is a very interesting line as there is single track and double track operation on private right-of-way, street running in places, and a long stretch of high speed running near the north end as you approach Trenton, NJ. Along the Camden waterfront, there are spectacular views of the Philadelphia skyline across the Delaware River. Look for a very large mural painted on the side of a building near the Rutgers University stop in Camden that features a PRR steam locomotive. The mural is on the right side of the tracks as you are going south on the train.

There are also a number of motels and hotels along US Route 1 within 10-15 minutes of the Princeton station on NJT. Daily parking is somewhat limited but there is a lot of parking available at the new Hamilton station, located about halfway between Princeton and Trenton on the NEC - also close the the various motels along Rt. 1.

if you are trying not to have to use a car, there is a hilton garden inn next to the bridgewater NJT stop on the Raritan Valley, there is also a hilton next to the Metropark station on the NEC. Both would be a good place to use as a base.

Adam

There is now a Marriott in Trenton, the "Marriott at Lafayette Yard", which is within walking distance of the NJT/River Line terminals. It may have reasonable rates on the weekends, since Trenton is not much of a tourist destination. It's the only hotel in downtown Trenton (there used to be none at all).

Anywhere north of Trenton is going to be fairly expensive, although you might price the hotel mentioned at Metropark.

moonliter Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> A couple of friends and I plan to go to
> Washington,DC the first week of November by car.
> Being a bit of a mileage collector, I would like
> to ride NJT's River LINE, the shuttle from
> Princeton Jct to Princeton and if time allows
> Newark's light rail system.
>
>

I'm assuming you figure to stay somewhere in NJ on your way down to DC.

Mid-day service on the NJT Pascack Valley Line (Hoboken - Spring Valley, NY) will begin on 10/28, (change from an NEC train at Secaucus), so this is more new mileage to consider.

There is a relatively new Hampton Inn in Harrison, NJ (across the river from Newark). In daylight you can walk to the NJT Broad Street station (ex DL&W), which is also the end of the new Light Rail extension. The hotel has van service to Newark Penn Station.

A room on the back side (river side) should give you a nice view of the 200 or so daily NJT trains crossing the Passaic River drawbridge.

I've never stayed there, so can't comment on quality.