Madison Square Garden

I need some information regarding train into nyc for a concert Friday night at msg. I don't go too often and so I'd like to see if anyone can help me out with. How far is penn station from msg?

townie14 ✉
Jul '14

You're in so much luck it's not even funny! NY Penn Station is actually the basement of MSG so it's literally an escalator ride.

You could take a a train out of Hackettstown and transfer at Dover for mid-town direct (pros: free, secure parking, cons: takes a tad longer and you'll have to be on the 9pm train cause it's the last).

Your other option is to leave out of Dover or another stop along the Morris and Essex line (Dover, Denville, Morris Plains, Morristown, etc.). That last train I believe runs at 1 for a 2:30am arrival, could be wrong though.

Have a great time, have a beer for me! I heard Blake Sheldon puts on a great show. :-)

TrainGuy ✉
Jul '14

I usually drive to Parsippany and park in the lot across from Applebee's at the intersection of route 46 east and beverwyck road and catch Lakeland bus. It's worth the drive to Parsippany. Lakeland also goes to New York from Rockaway mall and I believe Budd Lake but I'm not sure on the latter.

Ess ✉
Jul '14

The Lakeland buses to both Rockaway Mall and Budd Lake (rte 46) are somewhat limited in how many they run. I think it would be as bad or worse than the train for a late concert. But Parsippany is ideal - they run those buses very frequently as well as late into the night. It's not as convenient to have to get to and from Port Authority. But the number of buses they run is likely to be worth that. Particularly if you already know the subway to get back and forth.

GC ✉
Jul '14

I used to live in Parsippany and found that the Park & Ride at Rt 46 and Beverwyck was an excellent way to go. The tickets could be bought at the Liquor store in the mall across the street (near Radio Shack). As soon as I'd get there (the Port Authority), I'd go downstairs to their ticket window and buy return tickets, putting them in a different pocket from where I kept my wallet or money "just in case". You can then walk the one block East to the Times Square Subway station and then the 1, 2 or 3 trains to the Penn Station/Madison Square Garden stop, or walk the 8 "short" blocks south to get there, or take a taxi (is "Cash Cab" still on?), to get there.

I say "short" blocks by the way because in that section of Manhattan the East/West side of the block is called a "long" block and the North/South sides are called "short" blocks, due to the difference in length.

Lakeland's bus schedule:

http://www.lakelandbus.com/bus-schedule

Lakeland ticket-agents:

http://www.lakelandbus.com/ticket-agents

MTA map of NYC Subway system:

http://web.mta.info/maps/submap.html

MTA's main web page:

http://www.mta.info/nyct

As I remember it (could be different now) 7th Ave. was "better" to go down than 8th Ave. when walking in the evening.

Have tons of fun!

Phil D. ✉
Jul '14

I've gone to MSG on PATH train as well. Drive to Jersey City - Journal Square and park - if coming back after 12 - tell the attendant. Cost about $10 for parking and then ~$2.50 for PATH each way. About 1 block walk to MSG. Did this for Springsteen concerts in 1999...so a few years ago.

For more recent Springsteen (~'07) did Dover station - low cost parking (large lot on ? St.) and then NJ transit - watch the time of return trains to Dover (Springsteen concert that I attended was Sat. night). Met friends at concert and went alone - felt very safe returning late to Dover. Not many on train at the end, but well lit parking lot, train platform, etc.

Have fun!

ss2cats ✉
Jul '14

Path train also runs 24 hours so you can't miss it.

Sally23 ✉
Aug '14