Amtrak on Monday begins a nearly five month track upgrade project at New York Penn Station.

Because of the work, NJ Transit is shuffling schedules for two morning and three afternoon rush-hour trains on the Northeast Corridor and North Jersey Coast lines.

A morning train and an evening train on the North Jersey Coast Line will be diverted to Hoboken. A morning train and an evening train on the Northeast Corridor will terminate and originate in Newark Penn Station.

The North Jersey Coast Line train that would leave New York Penn Station at 6:51 p.m. will be canceled.

“There are going to be some service adjustments, and minor service adjustments on our other lines, too, so we do encourage our customers to do their homework," spokeswoman Nancy Snyder said.

In the morning, the following changes will take effect on Monday:

• NJCL train 3216, the 6:11 a.m. eastbound Long Branch departure, will now depart at 6:23 a.m. and will be diverted to Hoboken renumbered as 2604.
• NEC train 3122, the 7:06 a.m. eastbound departure from New Brunswick, will terminate at Newark Penn Station renumbered as 5822.

For the afternoon rush:

• NJCL train 3267, the 5:25 p.m. departure from New York, will originate from Hoboken at 5:22 p.m. renumbered as 2609.
• NEC train 3171, the 5:43 p.m. departure from New York, will originate at Newark Penn Station at 6:03 p.m. renumbered as 5869.
• NJCL train 3441, the 6:51 p.m. departure from New York, will be canceled.

Snyder said passengers that normally take the affected trains may want to consider taking earlier or later trains, or private carrier buses such as Suburban Transit and Coach USA from Mercer and Middlesex Counties.

North Jersey Coast Line customers could consider using Academy buses from PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel.

North Jersey customers also can consider NY Waterway’s ferry from Belford or Seastreak ferry from Highlands or Atlantic Highlands.

She stressed if you do take a rescheduled train that terminates in either New Brunswick or Hoboken, there will not be any cross-honoring, so passengers should be sure to only buy tickets to those destinations where they can then get a separate ticket for a PATH train into New York.

She pointed out the total number of passengers expected to be directly affected by the changes is about 5,000, but travelers on other trains may also be indirectly affected by shifting schedules.

“Customer service ambassadors will be assisting our customers in the morning peak hours at Secaucus, Hoboken and Newark Penn Station.”

In the afternoon, the Ambassadors will be at New York Penn Station, Secaucus, Hoboken and Newark Penn Station.

You can contact reporter David Matthau at David.Matthau@townsquaremedia.com

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