Route Guide:
The Journal Square - 33rd Street line operates direct on weekdays between 6:30AM and 11:30PM.
At all other times, it is combined with the Hoboken - 33rd Street line and makes an additional stop at Hoboken.
Journal Square is a large station and a major transfer point on PATH. From here, you can
travel directly to downtown or midtown Manhattan, as well as Newark. The station consists of two island platforms,
each serving two tracks. The southern platform is for eastbound trains, while the northern platform is for
westbound trains. Downtown (WTC) trains typically arrive on the wall track of the southern platform and midtown
(33rd Street) trains typically arrive on the center track. The complex also contains a bus station and large
parking garage.
After departing Journal Square, you will travel through a large open cut. Rock cliffs are
visible on both sides of the tracks. A still in use freight track runs parallel to the PATH tracks on the north
side. To your right, you will eventually see a PATH maintenance complex. Large concrete roadway bridges pass over
the tracks about 30 feet above.
As the tracks come out of the cut, they almost immediately descend into the portal of the
underground portion of PATH. A curve in the tunnel immediately after entering aligns the tracks with Columbus Drive
above. Soon you'll enter Grove Street.
Grove Street is an underground station with a single island platform and an exit on either
side of the platform. It's a very simple station, but is also very busy. As the train leaves Grove Street, it will
pass over a series of switches where this line diverts from the Newark-World Trade Center line before turning north
and arriving at Newport.
The current Newport station was originally built to serve the Erie railroad passenger terminal
that was located here decades ago. In fact, the column capitals in the station have an embossed "E" on them to
designate this. After the demise of the railroad, the neighborhood was rebuilt as a planned community known as
Newport. The name of the station became Pavonia-Newport to signify the old and new neighborhood names. Today, it is
known simply as Newport. Sometime between 2004-2005, the abandoned wall platform was reopened. Before then, the
center island platform served both tracks. Now the wall platform serves 33rd Street and Hoboken trains while the
center island platform serves Journal Square and World Trade Center trains.
After the train departs Newport, it continues to head north until a sharp turn heads the train
east and under the Hudson River. The trip under the river is uneventful, however once across the river, the train
must negotiate a series of sharp (almost 90 degree) curves as it winds its way towards the Christopher Street
station. Look between the cars as the train is turning to see just how sharp these curves are.
Immediately upon exiting one of the curves, the train pulls in to Christopher Street. This
station contains one island platform. There is a single entrance/exit on one end of the platform. The exit takes
you through a series of staircases and winding corridors as you ascend to the street.
After the train departs Christopher Street, the train enters more sharp curves as it heads
northeast towards 9th Street.
9th Street looks very similar to Christopher Street in that there is a single island platform
and a single entrance/exit with a series of winding corridors and stairs.
From here to the end of the line, the journey is generally straight with few turns. The train
is now under 6th Avenue and heading north.
Soon you'll arrive at 14th Street, a very busy station. This station has two side platforms
each serving one track. There is a full height wall between the tracks for the entire length of station. This
creates the appearance of having two separate stations. There is a single entrance/exit at the center of each
platform. The northbound (towards 33rd Steet) trains exit directly to the street. The southbound (towards NJ)
trains enter/exit through the NYC subway station entrance.
If you look closely as the train is between 14th Street and 23rd Street, you can see the
abandoned 19th Street station. The station was closed in the mid 1950's but still exists and is used for storage
today. The train quickly approaches the next station, 23rd Street.
The train departs 33rd Street and heads south before quickly approaching the 23rd Street
station. This station is similar to 14th Street in that it consists of two side platforms with a full-height wall
between the tracks. There is a single entrance/exit in the center of each platform. Both entrances/exits lead to
the NYC subway 6th Avenue line platform where you can connect with the subway or continue upstairs and out to the
street.
After an uneventful trip to 33rd Street, you'll arrive at the final station. This is a large
station with four platforms and three tracks. Trains that arrive at one of the side tracks typically allow
passengers to disembark onto the side platforms while new passengers enter the train from one of the center
platforms. This allows the crowded trains to empty and fill quickly. |