Created 10/25/07

The base fare on MTA New York City Transit is $2.00 . This applies whether you ride just one station or from the Bronx down to Coney Island. You can purchase a pay-per-ride Metrocard with the total amount you will need. The pay-per-ride Metrocard is also accepted on PATH trains to/from New Jersey, so if you are staying in a hotel there, you should add $1.50 to your Metrocard's value for each trip.

The FunPass, which allows unlimited subway travel during a single day, has worked well on our previous fests in New York City. It allowed us unlimited entry to the system. This means that should we leave the system unexpectedly at any time, it would not cost us any more than if we had remained in the paid area of the system. The FunPass will cover all NYCT subway rides during the day on Saturday, both our travels during the fest and your personal transportation between your hotel or home and the fest start and end points. The FunPass costs $7.00 . It is not accepted on PATH trains.

Those taking part in the Friday activities should put $2 on their pay-per-ride Metrocards for the planned rides.

If you choose to pay as you go, the transit fare is $2.00 each time you enter the system. On Saturday, we expect to enter the system once at 34th Street/Penn Station for the 2, and once at Grand Central for the 7. So that would be at least $4.00 per person. However, if you think you may need to enter the system two more times that day, say for rest room breaks or getting to/from the fest on your own, then the FunPass would be more economical for you since you would be entering the system a fourth time.

The one way fare on NJ TRANSIT's Newark Light Rail is $1.35. This fare can be purchased from vending machines in Newark Penn Station in the concourse leading to the light rail boarding platforms.

The Sunday NJ TRANSIT commuter rail trip can utilize round trip off peak fares, as well as interline fares. We will be riding from Newark Broad Street to Gladstone, then Gladstone to Hoboken, then Hoboken to Spring Valley, and finally Spring Valley to your final destination as the fest breaks up.

To get the most economical fares, I suggest the following. At Newark Broad Street, purchase an Off Peak Round Trip excursion to Gladstone. Also purchase an Off Peak Round Trip excursion to Spring Valley. The first 2 segments between Newark and Summit and between Summit and Gladstone will use the outbound portion of the Gladstone round trip. To get inbound from Gladstone to Hoboken, you will use the inbound portion of the Gladstone round trip, plus the Newark (Broad Street)-Hoboken portion of the Newark-Spring Valley round trip. From Hoboken to Spring Valley you will use the Spring Valley to Hoboken outbound ticket. Then you will use the inbound portion of your Spring Valley to Hoboken ticket to return. You may be left holding a Hoboken-Newark ticket that you may never use, but doing this is still more economical than purchasing one way tickets. If your final destination after the fest is elsewhere, you may adjust accordingly so you can connect through Secaucus Junction to New York-Penn Station or points in New Jersey.

Please note that the above example may not apply to everyone's situations. You can tailor your purchases to obtain the best value. Some other fares that may apply to you:
Newark Broad St.-Gladstone: $7.25 one way, $12.25 round trip
Gladstone-Hoboken: $7.50 one way
Newark Broad St.-Hoboken: $4 one way
Hoboken-Spring Valley: $6.75 one way, $10.25 round trip
Newark Broad St.-Spring Valley: $7.50 one way, $11.25 round trip
Spring Valley-Newark Penn Station: $7.50 one way
Spring Valley-New York Penn Station: $7.50 one way

Figure about $7-10 per person for each meal as well.