How to Commute From Livingston to NYC: Step-By-Step Guide

Written by Mimi D in Commuting from NJ to NYC

Do you live in Livingston, New Jersey, but need to go to the city for work? You have a number of commuting options, whether you own a car or not. 

To commute from Livingston to NYC you can either drive to the city, take a taxi, or take public transportation. New York City is around 30 miles away from Livingston, but that will depend on what part of the city you need to go to. Public transportation is cheap and only takes around 90 minutes. 

In this article, we will discuss the different options you have for traveling from Livingston to New York City for work. 

How to Drive to New York City

One option is driving from Livingston to New York City. You will need to own a car, and you may get stuck in rush hour traffic. New York City can get really congested during rush hour. In addition, you will need to pay for parking in the city, unless you can park your car at your work for free. 

One way to drive from Livingston to New York City is to take I-78 E. This trip will take around 40 minutes to an hour, depending on traffic, and will take you into Manhattan. It is a quick and easy way to get into the city. The general route will be as follows:

  • Get on NJ-24 E in Summit 
  • Take the I-78 Express E/Phillipsburg–Newark Expressway to the Holland Tunnel
  • Continue onto Varick St and W Broadway 

This is perhaps the most straightforward way to get into the city. 

However, there is another route you can take, which runs through Jersey City. If you have to stop in Jersey City, you can take this route. Otherwise, you might only want to take it if there is a lot of traffic on the I-78, because this route is slightly longer. The route goes as follows:

  • Get on the I-280 E
  • Follow the I-280 E onto the Newark-Jersey City Turnpike and take exit 17A from I-280 E
  • Continue onto the Newark-Jersey City Turnpike towards Jersey City
  • Merge onto NJ-139 E
  • Continue on to the Holland Tunnel and continue as in the previous directions into Manhattan 

It is worth mentioning that both of these routes have tolls. If you are driving yourself, you might want to consider getting an EZ Pass. 

Getting an EZ pass will speed up your daily commute to the city. People who drive into New York City every day find that an Easy Pass helps them avoid long lines at the cash-only toll booths. EZ Pass holders can usually drive through quicker as their EZ Passes are automatically scanned and their toll fees are billed to them later. Those who do not own an EZ Pass will not be able to go through the EZ Pass lane at the tolls. 

Here are some things you should know before signing up for an EZ Pass:

Join a Carpool

Many people don’t know this is an option, but if you don’t enjoy taking public transport (which we will cover in the next section), you can join a carpool. This will help you save money on tolls. 

A carpool is basically a group of people who go into the city everyday together. Perhaps you will drive your car in one day per week while other people will drive the other four days (assuming you are commuting into the city five days a week for work). 

Joining a carpool is an easy way to avoid having to catch public transportation, which can mean you might end up missing the bus one day. Your carpool may also be able to pick you up straight from your house, so you will not have to walk to the bus stop or take an Uber there. 

Take a Bus

There is a bus that runs from Morristown to the Port Authority station in Manhattan. From the Port Authority, you will be able to take buses around New York City or even to outside New York City, such as New Jersey and upstate New York. You will also be able to exit the bus terminal and take the subway around the city. 

The Community Transit bus can be taken from Mt. Pleasant Avenue in Livingston. It will take up to an hour and a half for it to arrive at the Port Authority Terminal. However, it is a cheap way to get into the city, as it only costs a few dollars. 

The bus comes around once an hour. For updated schedules, you can go to the Community Transit website.

If you need to get to Penn Station, you can get off the bus at Prospect Street and ML King Junior. From there, you can take the train at the Brick Church station to Penn Station. This train comes around once an hour and will take around half an hour to get from Brick Church to Penn Station. From Penn Station, you can catch other buses or trains around New York City as well. 

Another option is to catch the 77 bus, which will be the first leg of your journey, from South Livingston Avenue or North Avenue in Livingston. Take the bus to the Port Authority Bus Terminal. If you need to get to Manhattan, you can always just stay on the bus until you get to the Port Authority Bus Terminal. Your other option is to get off at Martin Luther King Jr Blvd at S Harrison Street and take the train from Brick Church to Newark Broad Street, and from there on to Penn Station. 

As you can see, taking public transportation can involve a change or two, and it can also involve some walking. If you do not have the extra time to do this, driving yourself, joining a carpool, or taking a taxi or Uber might be a better option. 

Take a Taxi, Uber, or Lyft

Finally, your final option is to take a paid ride to New York City. This will obviously cost more money, so it is not really recommended as a daily commute. However, if you usually take the bus and then miss it one day due to waking up late, you may have no other option than to pay for a taxi. 

The cost of a taxi can vary, but expect to pay up to $150 per ride, or even more. This will depend on demand, which taxi company you are using, the traffic you will be sitting in, and more. You can also take an Uber or Lyft. It is recommended to check Lyft before ordering an Uber, as Lyft is oftentimes (but not always) cheaper. You may also be able to choose Lyft’s Wait and Save option if you have more time. 

Finally, another option is taking an Uber, Lyft, or Taxi part way. For example, you can take the bus to the Port Authority and take an Uber from there to your workplace. 

Stay Overnight

A final option is actually staying overnight in the city in a cheap hotel, motel, hostel, or Airbnb. This is not the best option as it can get expensive, but you may want to do it sometimes if you have to get into your workplace early in the morning or if your employer will be paying for it as a business expense. 

Conclusion

As you can see, there are plenty of ways to get from Livingston to New York City every day. You don’t have to take the same route every day. For example, you can take the bus sometimes and drive in at other times. It all depends on your budget, how much time you have, and whether you are willing to drive for up to an hour or more while sitting in traffic.

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