PATH Station – Journal Square

It’s no NY Port Authority but considering that its in Jersey City the PATH station is not to shabby. Thanks to PATH its super convenient to get into New York City, Newark Airport and the Red Bull Arena in Harrison.
The station is pretty clean except for occasional homeless people. I wish there was a newsstand in there for convenience. There is a Duane Reade right outside on the upper level. The station does need a major update. The escalators and elevators are occasionally not working, very inconvenient for people on wheelchairs or parents with strollers.

Outside of the station is ok, with ample convenience locations like Dunkin and 7 – 11 within easy walking distance, and a Duane Reade just outside the turnstyles.
Within the turnstyles, there is no access to a news stand or anything else.
Often when I’ve connected to Newark here I was curious about what was «topside» now I know after a recent visit. Now I also know that I can’t just go up and grab a bottle of water, without paying again. Why?
The station and platform itself is nothing to write home about, with it’s «outdoor, but fully sheltered» feel.
The markings for the trains are clear enough. Heading back to Manhattan, the trains on one side are clearly marked as heading toward 33^rd st. and on the other side to the WTC.
Slightly passed rush hour at 11:30, I found myself waiting a good 15 minutes for a train to the WTC. That’s way too long, and the crowd on the platform had built significantly while I was waiting there. On average I wait about 6 mins for any giving train in the MTA subway system, here is was more than double that, and I’m being generous. As a person that relies on public transportation often, I think that can be improved.

As far as transportation stations go, the JSQ PATH is pretty convenient. It serves both of the main PATH lines (the WTC and the 33^rd street lines), so it’s easy to transfer from one to the other. This makes it easy to get to NYC (you can be downtown in 10 mins), or also to get to Newark Airport (via Newark Penn station).
It also houses a main bus station, although the number of bus lanes has been diminished in recent years. Although not as large as the bus depot at Newark Penn, you can still get to a number of locations in the area.
Directly outside the station, you can also hail a cab at the taxi stand, which is useful since you can’t flag a cab down on the streets in NJ like you can in Manhattan.
There’s a deli inside the station, useful if you need to grab something quick on the run. Outside the station there’s a McDonalds, 7 – 11, Popeyes, and a few other places within walking distance.
The downsides to the station include the weather — the tracks themselves are covered, so you won’t get wet if it’s raining/​snowing. However, the tracks are exposed to the elements, meaning it’s freezing in the winter. The surrounding area has been improved over the years, but it can feel isolated at times, although I’ve never had any problems (if you’re coming home late night from the city on a weekend, there will be lots of people getting off the train with you).
Overall: 3.5 stars. There’s a lot to be improved, but it’s definitely one of the better transportation hubs in the area (not a maze like Port Authority).

i lived in journal square for 8 years. a path train is a path train. port authority’s hq is located here, and i have grievances to air, begin rant:
what in the ever loving eff are you people thinking when you made a decision to explore the cessation of overnight train service?
cost savings? people use this damn train, that you continuously fail to maintain, never mind, upgrade, to get to work. it is not for a bunch of drunken college students. you will further destroy njs already weak economy.
maybe you should explore the cessation of redundant positions and eliminate excessive overtime opportunities for your pensioned employees. no one can function working 100 hour weeks. who approves that?
you are the worst run government entity in the entire united states of america.
end rant
i may update. we will see.

Anything operated by the Port Authority has to be bad, but this isn’t terrible.
The tracks are outside, but there is a small heated waiting area for those extra cold nights. Sucks because you’re suspect to the weather down there but at least you can still get a signal so it’s not too bad.

I dont know where to start with JQ transportation, even if i get what i pay the buses sucks, never on time and so dirty.
New york has terminals that can keep you warm in the winter, here you just stuck in the cold freezing. So disorganized, this system is one hot mess and something needs to be done

This is a hub in Jersey, city used to be my transit point between 2 bus routes from office to home and vice-​versa. This is the hub for all buses, trains/​paths –I used to take the path to NYC, Hoboken and so many diff places.
A lot of homeless people hang around this place just like any other major trains/​bus station hub in a big city. It could get scary during late nights so be careful and vigilant and look forward for your journey ahead. it’s great to ride the buses/​trains from here and go to almost aNy place in NY/​NJ!

I personally take the jitneys (mini-​buses) to the journal square area to visit various doctors occasionally. All buses seem to come into and out of this station, there is also the PATH that will take you to Hoboken, Newark and the city.
Though I have never had any troubles, there have been times where I have felt uncomfortable with some of the people that are hanging out there looking for hand outs. I am just glad I am here during the day and don’t have to deal with more unsavory characters that probably come out during the late night hours.
Convenient for me is when I leave by the Summit Avenue Exit there is a Dunkin Donuts right there for me to get my caffeine fix.

Journal Square is a lounge for homeless people it feels like.
Many times I’ve walked through and had to hold my nose because it smelled so bad in the hall ways. You would think with a police office in the building in the same hall way they would kindly ask the homeless people to go to a shelter to get cleaned up or something.
It gets one star for being handi cap accessible because some of the other path stations are not!

I don’t love JSQ, but I certainly don’t hate it either. It has a standard overpriced Duane Reade, newsstand, bathrooms (during the day, at least), Bank of America, and a 24-​hour café for those drunken times when it isn’t as convenient to wander outside the hub. There are also random kiosks where you can buy hats, incense, or watch batteries. I’ve actually gotten a few watch batteries changed for $ 5 a pop and the guy was really nice.
Another plus about JSQ — at least when the temperatures are agreeable — is the outdoor platform. It’s nice to stand outside and get some fresh air while waiting for the train, as we all know sometimes those stations can get really hot and stuffy (9^th Street PATH, I’m looking at you).
As others have mentioned, the design is a bit awkward. Usually, this doesn’t bother me much since I live very close to the Magnolia and Summit side. However, what I do not agree with is the late night blocking of that particular exit. I don’t necessarily feel unsafe walking home by myself late at night, but I feel safer when I’m in a wide, well-​lit corridor (with a Port Authority police station) than a dimly lit barren street at 3 am. At least there are always cabs at the station and there isn’t ever much of a wait.

Decent station. Path takes you to NYC. Buses elsewhere. Duane Reade is there which is helpful.
Overall building is kind of ugly, but it is a transit station. Safer than Newark.