parking, transit, and race morning
By PaceKit Team · Updated April 2026
Getting to the Jersey City Marathon start line has been, in the race's early years, the most-complained-about part of the entire experience. Multiple runners have reported arriving with prepaid parking and being unable to reach their garage due to road closures. Others have missed the start by 10 to 20 minutes because of traffic. This is a solvable problem, but you need to plan for it.
Option 1: PATH train (recommended). The Newport/Pavonia PATH station is steps from the start line. If you're coming from Manhattan, the PATH runs from World Trade Center, 14th Street, 23rd Street, and 33rd Street. The ride from WTC to Newport is about 10 minutes. This is the simplest, most reliable way to get to the race. Check the PATH schedule for Sunday morning service times, arrive by 6:00 AM, and you'll have plenty of time. No traffic, no parking, no stress.
Option 2: Prepaid parking garage. Parking is available in the Newport area garages for roughly $27 to $30 prepaid. Buy your spot in advance through the race website or garage operator. The critical detail: arrive very early. Race-morning road closures can block access to garages, and several runners in 2024 and 2025 reported being unable to reach their prepaid spot because of closed streets. Aim to arrive by 5:00 to 5:30 AM to avoid this.
Option 3: Driving and street parking. Not recommended. Jersey City road closures on race day are extensive, and navigating them in the dark at 5:00 AM is a recipe for frustration. If you must drive, park well outside the closure zone and walk or take the light rail to the start area. Note that the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail has not consistently operated on race mornings, so don't rely on it.
Option 4: Stay in Jersey City. Several hotels are within walking distance of the start (the race website lists room blocks). This eliminates the transportation problem entirely and is worth considering if you're traveling from outside the metro area.
Race-morning timeline. Gates open early. Bag check closes at 6:27 AM (strictly enforced). The race starts at 7:00 AM. If you purchased race-day bib pickup (available for an additional fee), arrive closer to 5:00 AM to account for lines. The JP Morgan Chase building near the start has opened its doors to runners in past years for warmth, which is a welcome touch.
Post-race. The post-race experience has been the other major logistical complaint. Early years had minimal food and drink at the finish, with whatever was available positioned far from the finish line. This has improved year over year, but the best advice is still: bring your own post-race snacks, and don't expect the finish area to have everything you need immediately.
The short version. Take the PATH. Arrive by 6:00 AM. Bring your own fuel. And don't try to drive into Jersey City on race morning unless you enjoy sitting in traffic while your corral time counts down.