New Jersey Transit, where the trains are free, but you’ll have to channel your inner Indiana Jones to survive the journey.
If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to get a free ride with a side of chaos, just ask the good people trying to navigate Newark’s Penn Station this week. NJ Transit, in what was likely meant to be a feel-good gesture, is offering a week of free rides. Sounds like a dream, right? Except there’s one small catch: the trains aren’t running.
Yes, you read that correctly. The trains are free because they’re not really going anywhere. It’s like being handed a golden ticket to Willy Wonka’s factory only to find out the chocolate river has dried up.
Commuters, hoping to take advantage of this rare opportunity to save a few bucks, are instead finding themselves stuck in Penn Station purgatory. The delays are rampant, and the station is packed with confused travelers wandering aimlessly, probably questioning their life choices. And who can blame them? It’s like showing up to a buffet only to find out they’ve run out of food.
Jason Hartelius, clearly not impressed with the situation, took to Twitter to express his frustration. “Hard to ride the trains for free WHEN THE TRAINS AREN’T RUNNING!!!” he tweeted, summing up what everyone else was thinking. He added that Penn Station is a “MESS,” and honestly, is there a better word for it?
The cherry on top is his sarcastic shoutout to NJ Transit for managing to mess up even the “make-good” free rides. But it doesn’t stop there. Jason also called out Governor Murphy, asking if he’s going to give even more free rides to make up for this debacle.
So, if you’re planning to hop on a free train ride this week in New Jersey, maybe pack some snacks, bring a good book, and prepare for the adventure of a lifetime—or at least a lot of waiting.
New Jersey Transit’s website says all of the delays are related to Amtrak work in the Hudson River tunnels.
