Mid-Atlantic - Princeton to PHL or EWR? on Friday afternoon?

Exalted senior management hath sent word downwards to inform us of a Friday meeting at the friendly confines of Carnegie Center of Princeton, NJ, right along the royal road of US 1.

Leaving Princeton likely 3:00-3:30pm on Friday afternoon.....would thouest head towards PHL or EWR? Mapping shows EWR about 42 miles and 1 hour drive up US1....PHL 53 miles on 1 hour down on I-95.....but it's Friday afternoon!

With the number of minions attending, there's likely a rental car going both places.....but if I'm stuck driving one......what's everyone's advice?

(My initial thought is EWR since going to PHL means driving through Philly itself, but maybe Northern Jersey is complete gridlock after 3:07pm on Fridays?)

Thanks again as always for everyone's advice on my driving phobia in the NY/NJ area......at least this Okie cowpoke has learned that when those fancy restaurants say "jacket required" the cultural sub-text is also "remove chaps and spurs before entering."

Going to EWR, traffic can get pretty bad on Route 1 in the New Brunswick area in the late afternoon. I'm not sure about the traffic to PHL.

Is the train an option? New Jersey Transit trains run from Princeton Junction, which I think is about 1 1/2 miles from Carnegie Center, to EWR and would take about 45 minutes.

Second vote for the train in either direction - look for an Amtrak if you can (vs NJT) but either one will likely be a better ride than the traffic you'll be sitting in otherwise.

I would choose EWR. Traffic towards New Brunswick (entry to NJ Turnpike to EWR) will not be as bad as I-95 to PHL.

Also, train will be very good option. Take NJT from Princeton to Newark Airport station. Then use Airtran to go to your terminal.

If the airfares are the same, take the train to EWR.

Hi.....yes train from Princeton Jct to EWR is my first choice......but will be unsure if I can get a drop-off at station......there will be many co-workers at this meeting, so I'm likely shanghaied into a rental car after the meeting so corporate festivities can continue on the way.

Upon further research, the train station is quite close to the back of Carnegie Ctr...maybe there is a corporate campus shuttle bus? I'll check with meeting center......or maybe get colleagues to drop me off on their way to PHL......these things are always more complicated with more colleagues!

Interestingly, northbound Amtrak regionals stop at Princeton Jct only at 7:39pm and 8:30pm (Fares are $51 for a 36min trip to EWR and $37 for the later 24 min trip to EWR). New Jersey transit has trains about every 20 mins starting at 3:30pm, taking 45-50 mnins to EWR for $16.25.

And upon further review by the comptrollers booth, it's likely that PHL will be the goal, since airfares are so much lower versus EWR.......so now I'll check on train to PHL 30th St, then R1 every half-hour to PHL.

thanks to everyone

And upon further review by the comptrollers booth, it's likely that PHL will be the goal, since airfares are so much lower versus EWR.......so now I'll check on train to PHL 30th St, then R1 every half-hour to PHL.

thanks to everyoneThat's the real determining factor IMHO....airfare.

I'll add another vote for the train to EWR being the quickest option. However, IME Route 1 to EWR can be a huge mess on weekday afternoons.

Getting to PHL using 95 from north of Trenton is actually pretty reliable. Southbound 95 generally moves very well until you get about 5 miles north of downtown Philly. Once you get into the downtown area 95 opens up again and traffic is not bad all the way to the airport. While PHL is a greater distance than EWR for the OP IME it will likely take take less time on a weekday afternoon.

I'll add another vote for the train to EWR being the quickest option. However, IME Route 1 to EWR can be a huge mess on weekday afternoons.

Getting to PHL using 95 from north of Trenton is actually pretty reliable. Southbound 95 generally moves very well until you get about 5 miles north of downtown Philly. Once you get into the downtown area 95 opens up again and traffic is not bad all the way to the airport. While PHL is a greater distance than EWR for the OP IME it will likely take take less time on a weekday afternoon.

Hmmmm.....that's hopeful news, since as wise Analise notes (above), the lower airfares at PHL likely means it wins over the more convenient EWR.

Seems to be no useful train option southbound from Princeton Jct to Phila 30th St Stn.....Amtrak stops there only in morning...... a NJTransit connection at Trenton adds up to 60-90mins to 30th St Stn, then add 20+mins for the R1 to PHL itself. (However, if there was a bar car on this route, as in the E.M. Frimbo halcyon rail days, my colleagues would happily take the train option.)

I'm still hoping for the EWR option so I can again ride the "Longest non-stop on smallest-RJ flight in the USA" (according to other FT posters) on the EWR-OKC route, with 4 hours on a CO luxury liner RJ145......it is tolerable on the one-seat side exit row.

Thanks again....it's so nice to get local expert advice!

Hmmmm.....that's hopeful news, since as wise Analise notes (above), the lower airfares at PHL likely means it wins over the more convenient EWR.Flattery definitely works! ;) Thank you.

Seems to be no useful train option southbound from Princeton Jct to Phila 30th St Stn.....Amtrak stops there only in morning...... a NJTransit connection at Trenton adds up to 60-90mins to 30th St Stn, then add 20+mins for the R1 to PHL itself. (However, if there was a bar car on this route, as in the E.M. Frimbo halcyon rail days, my colleagues would happily take the train option.)No bar cars on NJ Transit...unfortunately.

If you are tied to PHL because of airfare, then I'd just drive. The traffic on 95 southbound at that hour isn't problematic--it really only gums up south of the airport. Taking the train to PHL is slow and a pain (as you've discovered), since you have to take NJ Transit and then wait at 30th St. for the SEPTA R1.

I have lived in either Philly or northern DE for the last 15 years, BTW, and have an unfortunate amount of experience with driving I-95 in the area.

I used to do that run frequently. EWR is quicker, but not by alot, 20 or 30 minutes maybe. At rush hour, as others have said, Route 1 is congested in whatever direction you go.

There used to be a company called the Princeton Airporter that ran a shuttle service to EWR and JFK and one of the pickups is the Hyatt right there in Carnegie Center. I just checked, the name's changed and it's now known as (both) State Shuttle or Olympic Airporter. Price is about $36 one way, with a discount if booked on-line. Also, the building next door used to have shuttles running to the train station but I'm not sure if it's solely for GE employees or even if it's still provided.

For the short trip on the train, I imagine Amtrak over NJT wouldn't be a huge issue.