What to Know
- New Jersey Transit suspended the Atlantic City Rail Line so that crews can install Positive Train control safety technology.
- About 1,000 round-trip weekday passengers need to find a different route thanks to the suspension.
- Buses, PATCO, the River Line, carpooling and ride-hail services could be used as options to get around during the closure.
Taking the train to or from the Jersey Shore this fall? Forget about it.
New Jersey Transit suspended its Atlantic City Rail Line Wednesday so that crews could install Positive Train Control (PTC). The suspension will remain in place into early next year so that the system that can automatically stop trains and prevent collisions can be fully instituted.
About 2,000 weekday trips (amounting to around 1,000 round-trip passengers) on average are taken on the AC Rail Line, NJ Transit says.
For those passengers taking the ACRL to and from Philadelphia, there will be several alternative route options and 25 percent discounts offered throughout the closure. The full list of alternatives is below.
The Atlantic City Rail Station will remain open despite the suspensions to offer parking, bus and Jitney service, including a special jitney between the Atlantic city rail and bus stations. You can also still purchase tickets at vending machines at all nine ACRL stations.
During the suspension, service to Philly will terminate at PATCO's 8th and Market streets station rather than 30th Street Station.
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Passengers not wanting to take the bus can also utilize ride-hailing and carpooling services through NJ Rideshare. Lyft is even offering 25 percent off for passengers taking the ride-hailing service between Philly and the Absecon and Egg Harbor train stations.
As NJ Transit works toward implementation of PTC, they have begun limited service on the Raritan Valley Line.
For more detailed information on closures and alternative routes, visit New Jersey Transit’s website.
Alternate travel options for ACRL:
NJ TRANSIT Bus Route No. 340 Lindenwold Atlantic City Express Shuttle: This shuttle will operate as an express route between Atlantic City Bus Terminal and Lindenwold PATCO, making stops only at the Absecon and Egg Harbor City rail stations. Service will operate daily, throughout the day, at a similar frequency to the ACRL.
NJ TRANSIT Bus Route No. 340 Cherry Hill - Pennsauken - WRTC Shuttle: This route will operate as an express route, connecting the Cherry Hill Station with Pennsauken Transit Center and the Walter Rand Transportation Center (WRTC) in Camden. At WRTC, cross-honoring will be in effect with PATCO (for travel to 8th/Market Station), with NJT buses to Center City Philadelphia, and with the No. 551 express bus to Atlantic City. Service will operate daily, throughout the day, at a similar frequency to the ACRL. This shuttle service ends at midnight daily.
NJ TRANSIT Bus Route No. 417 Pennsauken Transit Center – 30th St. Station Philadelphia: This route will cross-honor rail tickets and passes with an origin or destination of Philadelphia. Customers must have a rail ticket or pass with a Philadelphia origin or destination for travel on this route at no additional charge.
NJ TRANSIT Bus Route No. 555 Avandale Park-Ride - 30th St. Station Philadelphia: This route will cross-honor rail tickets and passes with an origin or destination of Philadelphia. Customers must have a rail ticket or pass with a Philadelphia origin or destination for travel on this route at no additional charge.
NJ TRANSIT Bus Route No. 551 Express: This route will cross-honor rail tickets with an origin or destination of Atlantic City or Philadelphia and will be accepted at Atlantic City Bus Terminal (AC Bus Terminal), Avandale Park-Ride (Sicklerville), Walter Rand Transportation Center (WRTC), Camden and Greyhound Bus Terminal (10th and Filbert streets, Philadelphia).
NJ TRANSIT Bus Route No. 554: The No. 554 will cross-honor all rail tickets and passes and provide hourly service to/from all rail stations between Atlantic City and Lindenwold.
All NJT bus routes serving Center City Philadelphia from Walter Rand Transportation Center (WRTC) in Camden: These routes will cross-honor rail tickets and passes with an origin or destination of Philadelphia. Customers must have a rail ticket or pass with a Philadelphia origin or destination for travel on these route at no additional charge.
PATCO (Lindenwold, Walter Rand Transportation Center (WRTC) in Camden and 8th St./Market St. ONLY): PATCO will cross-honor rail tickets and passes with an origin or destination of Philadelphia at Lindenwold, WRTC in Camden and 8th St./Market St. in Philadelphia for service to/from Philadelphia. Customers must have a rail ticket or pass with a Philadelphia origin or destination for travel on PATCO at no additional charge. Customers should retain their rail tickets and passes for cross honoring on PATCO.
River LINE: Tickets with an origin or destination of Philadelphia will be accepted for travel between any two stations on the River LINE
