New Jersey Trains Are Free Next Week — What to Know

New Jersey Transit is making it easier to get to the beach this Labor Day holiday weekend by offering free tickets for all customers.

The transit system, which runs up and down the Jersey Shore as well as to other popular destinations like Philadelphia, is making fares free from Aug. 26 to Sept. 2, according to the company. Free fares extend to all lines and all modes of transportation.

“Understanding that our commuters have faced many disruptions this summer, we are providing a one-week fare holiday for NJ TRANSIT riders,” New Jersey’s Gov. Phil Murphy said in a statement, adding, “We also encourage New Jerseyans to take advantage of this opportunity, and we continue to be thankful to the many New Jerseyans who depend on public transit.”

Beach goers who take advantage of the free tickets next week can ride the train’s North Jersey Coast Line to popular towns along the Jersey Shore, including Asbury Park, Belmar, and Point Pleasant. Travelers can also take the train right to Atlantic City with the Atlantic City Line, which runs all the way from Philadelphia down to near the boardwalk.

NJ Transit also offers a way to escape to the mountains with either its Main Line or Bergen Line, which each take travelers right to upstate New York. Explore Harriman State Park, the second-largest park in the New York state parks system, or head about 10 minutes up the road from the train station for shopping at the Woodbury Common Premium Outlets, which features more than 250 different stores.

Travelers who already purchased a monthly August pass for NJ Transit will receive a 25 percent discount on their September pass.

The free fares come as summer heatwaves disrupted travel on both Amtrak and NJ Transit, including when a circuit breaker malfunction led to power loss between New York City’s Penn Station and Newark’s Union Station in June, The Associated Press reported.

In July, Amtrak warned high temperatures could continue to affect operations, especially since “extreme heat can cause rail, bridge and overhead wires to expand.”