Journal Square isn't pretty. If you're looking for the gleaming glass towers of the Waterfront or the brownstone charm of downtown Jersey City, you're in the wrong place. But if you want to understand how this city actually breathes, you have to stand in the middle of the Journal Square Transportation Center. It’s chaotic. It’s loud. Honestly, it’s a bit of a concrete maze. But for over 30,000 people every single day, this brutalist hub is the only reason they can afford to live in New Jersey and work in Manhattan.
It’s the anchor.
Most people just call it "the Square." Built over the tracks of the old Pennsylvania Railroad, the current station—managed by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey—is more than just a PATH stop. It’s a multi-modal beast. You’ve got the PATH trains running 24/7 to Newark, Hoboken, and New York. You’ve got a massive bus terminal that connects the "Heights" to the "West Side" and everywhere in between. Then you have the sheer verticality of it, with the towering Journal Squared skyscrapers now looming over the concrete plazas like something out of a sci-fi flick.
The Survival Guide to the PATH Tracks
Let’s get the logistics out of the way because navigating this place for the first time is stressful. You enter through the main plaza off Kennedy Boulevard. You’ll see the statue of Jackie Robinson—a nod to the fact that he played his first professional game at Roosevelt Stadium nearby—and then you dive underground.
The Journal Square PATH station operates on a simple but sometimes confusing layout. There are four tracks. Usually, the Newark-bound trains and the World Trade Center-bound trains share the platforms in a way that makes sense once you’ve done it a thousand times, but will leave a tourist staring at the digital clocks in a panic.
- Track 1 and 2: Usually your Newark or Harrison-bound side.
- Track 3 and 4: This is where you catch the trains to 33rd Street (via Hoboken on weekends) or World Trade Center.
One thing people always get wrong: the weekend schedule. If you’re trying to get to Christopher Street or 14th Street on a Sunday, the train will stop in Hoboken. It adds ten minutes. You just have to accept it. The PATH is one of the few 24-hour rail systems in the world, which is a blessing when you’re stuck in the city at 3 AM, but the "night owl" headways can be a brutal 40-minute wait. Check the RidePATH app. Seriously. It’s the only way to keep your sanity.
Why the Bus Terminal is Actually the Secret Boss
While everyone talks about the train, the bus terminal at Journal Square is arguably more important for local Jersey City life. It sits above the train tracks. If you’re heading to the Jersey Gardens mall, Bayonne, or just trying to get up to Central Avenue in the Heights, you’re coming here.
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It’s split into platforms. Unlike a lot of modern stations, this one feels very 1970s—lots of heavy concrete and yellowing signs. But it works. The NJ Transit buses (like the 80, 87, or 119) share space with private "jitney" buses. Those little white shuttles? They’re faster and often cheaper, though they drive like they’re in a Fast and Furious sequel. If you’re brave, they’re the best way to get to GWB Plaza or Union City.
The Reality of the Neighborhood Shift
For decades, Journal Square was a bit "down at the heels." The Loews Jersey Theatre—that gorgeous, palatial movie palace across the street—sat largely dormant or underutilized for years. But things are moving. Fast.
The development around the Journal Square train station is staggering. We’re talking thousands of luxury apartments. The "Journal Squared" towers—the tallest of which hits 70 stories—have completely changed the skyline. This has created a weird tension. You have the "old" Journal Square, where you can still get a $2 slice of pizza or find a storefront selling calling cards, and the "new" Square, where people are paying $3,500 for a studio and looking for a cold brew.
Is it gentrifying? Obviously. But the station acts as a Great Equalizer. On the platform, you’ll see a corporate lawyer in a tailored suit standing next to a construction worker and a kid going to Saint Peter’s University. Everyone is equally annoyed when the signal problems at Dutch Kills cause a 15-minute delay.
A Few Things Nobody Tells You
Don't buy the first coffee you see. There are better spots if you walk two blocks toward Bergen Avenue.
The wind. Oh, the wind. Because of how the buildings are positioned and how the station sits in a cut, the main plaza acts like a wind tunnel. Even on a mild day, you’ll see people clutching their hats. In January, it feels like the Arctic.
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Also, the parking situation is a nightmare. There is a parking garage attached to the station, but it’s pricey. If you’re trying to do a "Park and Ride," you’re better off looking at the Harrison station or just taking a Lyft to the Square. The surrounding streets are almost entirely permit-only or have aggressive two-hour meters. The Jersey City parking authority does not play around.
Safety and the "Vibe"
Is it safe? Yeah, generally. It’s a high-traffic area with a heavy police and PAPD (Port Authority Police Department) presence. Like any major urban hub, it has its share of "characters." You'll see unhoused individuals or people asking for change near the turnstiles. Just keep moving. If you’re there at 2 AM, stay in the well-lit areas near the booths.
The real danger is the escalators. I'm only half-joking. The escalators at Journal Square are notoriously finicky. One of them is almost always "under repair," leading to a fun communal groan as everyone realizes they have to hike up three flights of stairs because the mechanical gods are angry that day.
The Historic Soul
You can't talk about this station without mentioning its history. This was the site of the Jersey Journal newspaper headquarters, which is how the area got its name. Before the PATH, it was the Hudson and Manhattan Railroad. This was the "uptown" to downtown's "downtown."
When you stand on the platform, look at the tracks. You are sitting in a massive man-made trench. They literally carved through the Bergen Hill (part of the Palisades) to make this happen. It was a feat of engineering in 1912, and it’s still the backbone of the region’s economy today. Without this specific point of transit, Jersey City would just be another suburb instead of the "Sixth Borough."
How to Navigate Like a Local
If you want to master the Journal Square train station, stop looking at the maps on the wall and start watching the floor. The tiles and the flow of the crowd will tell you where to go.
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- Get a SmartLink card. Stop fumbling with the MetroCard or the new OMNY-style taps if you’re a daily commuter. The SmartLink is more reliable for PATH-specific refills and offers bulk discounts that actually save you money over time.
- The "Kiss and Ride" is a lie. Trying to drop someone off right at the entrance on Kennedy Blvd is a recipe for a traffic ticket and a lot of honking. Use the side streets or the designated drop-off zones a block away.
- Check the Loews. Before you head into the station, look at the marquee across the street. Even if you aren't catching a train, that theater is one of the most incredible interiors in the tri-state area. They often do tours or classic movie screenings.
- Food choices. If you have a long layover between a bus and a train, walk over to India Square on Newark Avenue. It’s about a 10-minute walk. You’ll find the best dosa and samosas in the state. It beats the station snacks every single time.
Actionable Steps for Your Commute
Moving to the area or just passing through? Here is how to actually handle it.
First, download the RidePATH app immediately. The digital signs in the station are occasionally wrong, but the app’s GPS tracking for trains is usually spot-on. If you see a "Boarding" status, you have about 90 seconds to get through the turnstiles and down the stairs.
Second, if you’re commuting into World Trade Center, try to board the train at the very front or very back. The middle cars are always packed because they align with the escalators at the other end. A little extra walking on the platform saves you from being squished against the door for twenty minutes.
Finally, keep an eye on the redevelopment. The area is changing so fast that Google Maps sometimes can't keep up with which exits are open or closed due to construction. Look for the physical "P.A." (Port Authority) signage for the most current pedestrian routes.
Journal Square isn't just a place to wait for a train. It’s the gritty, functional, and surprisingly historic engine of Hudson County. It doesn't care if you like it; it just cares that it gets you where you’re going. Keep your head up, your card ready, and watch out for the wind.