PATH delays Hoboken lines as Portal Bridge riders crowd terminal Tuesday morning

The crowding PATH warned about at Hoboken Terminal showed up Tuesday morning, Oct. 13, the second weekday of the Portal North Bridge diversion that is sending every weekday NJ Transit Midtown Direct train to Hoboken.

Replying to a rider on X at 8:49 a.m., PATH said: “We apologize for the overcrowding you’re experiencing. Due to the Portal Bridge construction, PATH is cross-honoring NJ TRANSIT tickets, which has resulted in additional passengers at Hoboken this AM.” The agency added that it was preparing to issue delays. (PATH on X)

At 8:51 a.m., PATH posted that the NWK-WTC, JSQ-33 and HOB-WTC lines were delayed (PATH). At 9:23 a.m., it said delays continued on the JSQ-33, HOB-WTC and HOB-33 lines (PATH).

PATH announced at 9:34 a.m. that those three lines were resuming normal service (PATH), then posted a correction two minutes later, at 9:36 a.m., saying the delays were continuing (PATH). At 9:40 a.m., PATH said the JSQ-33, HOB-WTC and HOB-33 lines were resuming normal service (PATH).

PATH did not say how many riders were affected or how long the delays lasted for individual trains.

As Hudson TV reported Oct. 7, NJ Transit is diverting all weekday Midtown Direct trains on the Morristown Line, Gladstone Branch and Montclair-Boonton Line to Hoboken from Oct. 11 through Nov. 14 while Amtrak moves the final track onto the new Portal North Bridge. NJ Transit is accepting Hoboken tickets on PATH between Hoboken and 33rd Street, and both agencies warned of significant crowding. PATH said it is adding weekday rush-hour service at Hoboken through Nov. 13 and urged riders who can to travel before 7 a.m. or after 9 a.m.

Regular Midtown Direct service is expected to return Sunday, Nov. 15.

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