Ride the train to Giants Staium save on parking and its fast

Riding the rails to Jets, Giants games
Early reviews by fans are enthusiastic

East Rutherford, N.J. - Stephen Berlinski can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times he's been on a train, but NJ Transit's new service to Giants Stadium is going to change that.
"It's so convenient, it's unbelievable," said the Middletown native and Rams fan after taking his 14-year-old son, Brent, to the preseason game between the Jets and the Rams on the train.

"The transfer is so easy — NJ Transit's got people all over the place in Secaucus," Berlinksi continued. "Then the new stadium is right there, and I mean right there, when you get off the train. The old one is a little bit of a walk, but you've got cops with guns around so it's safe. And afterwards, we got home in less than two hours. You can't beat it."
Jonathan Leopoldo and Joe Iorio, both of Goshen, said the decision to use the new service rather than drive was a no-brainer.
"You don't have to worry about traffic," Leopoldo said.

Added Iorio: "It takes a lot of the stress off and you can eat on the train and save money on food, too. No $10 for a hot dog at the stadium."
Phil Lockwood and Joe Dranoff, who boarded at Suffern and immediately popped some beers, used the new service to attend an AC/DC concert and will never drive to the stadium again.
"It makes life 100 times easier," Lockwood said.

Leopoldo agreed, even though he and Iorio had a mix-up with their tickets and had to wait for the 12:50 a.m. train home.
"The wait went pretty quick ... and we made some friends on the train back," Leopoldo said. "And, yeah, too bad the Jets lost, but (new quarterback Mark) Sanchez was awesome!"
Stephen and Brent Berlinski, however, opted to leave at halftime and catch the 10:08 train — and missed seeing the Rams come from behind and win.

"I didn't want to keep him out too late, and I was unsure about a lot of things this first time," Stephen Berlinski said. "But the next time, we'll go on a Sunday and we'll stay."
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FOOTBALL TRAIN AT A GLANCE
THE SCHEDULE
Check train schedules down and back carefully at njtransit.com. The best matches between Sunday train and game times are from NJ Transit's Ramsey/Route 17 station, but adequate matches can be had from Metro-North's Port Jervis Line stations for some kickoffs.
The Ramsey station is located at the Spring Street exit of Route 17 south, 18 miles from Harriman. It's got a five-story parking garage - look for the tall clock tower - as well as bathrooms and a 24/7office.
PARKING
On weekends, parking is free at Orange County stations and $2 at Ramsey.
At Ramsey, you get a parking ticket when you arrive, but don't pay it until you leave. Vending machines accept cash or credit cards. Hang on to the ticket - you've got to use it to get out of the garage.
TICKETS
Vending machines on station platforms can be a little tricky to use on the first try. Get to the station early or buy tickets in advance. They accept cash or credit cards.
Your destination is the Meadowlands Sports Complex, not Secaucus or East Rutherford.
FARES
Off-peak fares are in effect evenings and weekends. Fares to the Meadowlands are the same as those to Secaucus Junction - $17 round-trip from Salisbury Mills/Cornwall, for example, and $10.25 from Ramsey.
Commuters can use their monthlies to take the train to the game at no extra charge.
FOOD AND DRINK
You can eat and drink onboard trains, all of which have at least one bathroom. Take your garbage with you - trash and recycling bins are on the platforms.
New Jersey's open-container laws mean no beer-drinking when you're walking around the station or to the stadium. And remember, no coolers or backpacks are permitted in the stadium.
THE SECAUCUS TRANSFER
Trains to the game originate in Hoboken and stop in Secaucus before continuing to the stadium. Most fans will change trains in Secaucus for the 10-minute trip.
Hoboken boarding will appeal to commuters who want to go to stadium events weeknights before heading home - like the U2 and Bruce Springsteen concerts next month.
Trains start running about 31"2 hours before games and stop about two hours afterwards. Frequency will ebb and flow depending on demand, but you should plan on leaving the stadium about 20 minutes before your train home departs.
Secaucus, a big station on multiple levels, is papered with green "Meadowlands" signs and NJ Transit has extra staff throughout on game days. And you can't go wrong following the crowd in Jets or Giants colors.
In the rotunda on the top level, the station has a newsstand and a bar that are open Sundays, banks of clean bathrooms and a customer service office.
THE MEADOWLANDS STATION
The new station is steps away from the new stadium that is now scheduled to open next year and about a 10-minute walk across the equivalent of a parking lot to the old stadium.
NJ Transit police, New Jersey State Police and New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority staff are deployed along the way.