Princeton is best reached via the Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), New Jersey (NJ) or the Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), Pennsylvania (PA) airport. Both are about 1 hour away by car, but Newark is slightly closer and more easily reached with public transportation. See directions below.

Princeton can also be reached by John F. Kennedy (JFK) airport in New York City or LaGuardia Airport (LGA) in New York City. Both are 90-120 minutes away by car, and travel by public transportation is difficult, requiring you to first travel to “Penn Station,” a main train station in New York City. From Penn Station you may take a train (“New Jersey Transit” company – “NJ Transit”) to Princeton Junction and then Princeton.

Click HERE for map of the Princeton Campus

I. TRAIN from New York City or Newark Liberty International Airport to Princeton (recommended). “New Jersey Transit” (NJ Transit) operates trains which run south from New York City (“Penn Station”) to Princeton. Most of the trains stop at Newark Liberty International Airport. (From the airport terminals, take the monorail to the airport train station).

There are several NJ Transit lines; make sure you take a train on the “Northeast Corridor Line” in the direction of Trenton. The town of Princeton is about 3 miles from the train line. Take the train to “Princeton Junction”, which takes about 60-70 minutes from Penn Station (about 40-50 minutes from Newark Airport). From Princeton Junction, there is a short shuttle train (called “the Dinky”) which goes between Princeton Junction and Princeton (also operated by NJ Transit). Click HERE for the NJ Transit Northeast Corridor Line schedule.

If you are going to a hotel near Route 1, take a taxi from the Princeton Junction station (walk down to the parking lot when you get off the train – there are taxis there). The hotel might also have a shuttle bus and pick you up for no cost – call the hotel. If you are going to the Nassau Inn in Princeton, you can take a taxi from Princeton Junction, or take the Dinky train to Princeton. The Nassau Inn is about a 10 minute walk (1/2 mile = 800 meters) from the train station in Princeton. To take the “Dinky” to Princeton, go down the stairs from the train platform after getting off the train from Newark/New York, and walk back in the direction towards NY. The Dinky train is the small train on the separate track.

There are no reservations on NJ Transit, and all tickets are the same class (no 1^st class, 2^nd class, etc). Buy train tickets when you are ready to travel at either a ticket office or ticket vending machine at Penn Station in New York or at Newark Airport Station (there may be only vending machines at Newark Airport station). For the vending machines, the 3-digit station code for Princeton Junction is “164”and that for Princeton is “172”. The code for Penn Station in New York is “000.” The machine accepts credit cards. The cost one-way from New York to Princeton is about $15.00. It is a little less to Princeton Junction, and a little more from Newark Airport because of a special airport fee. If you are going to Princeton, the machine might give you 2 tickets – one for the train to Princeton Junction and another for Princeton Junction to Princeton.

Note: The national train organization “Amtrak” also operates trains from New York City (Penn Station) to Washington DC along the “Northeast Corridor Line”. Only a few of these trains stop at Newark Airport or Princeton Junction. Click HERE for the latest Amtrak schedule between New York and Washington, DC.

This is possible but not convenient.

a. Take the train connection from Kennedy Airport to Penn Station in New York City (time about one hour). For information click HERE.

b. From Penn Station, follow the direction from New York City to Princeton above in Item I.

Travel from Philadelphia to Princeton by train is possible but not convenient:

a. From Philadelphia Airport, take the SEPTA regional rail (215) 580-7800) “R1 line” from Philadelphia International Airport to 30^th Street Station in Philadelphia (about 20 minutes).

b. Take the SEPTA “R7 line” from Philadelphia to Trenton, NJ. (about 60 minutes). There are only 1 or 2 trains per hour.

c. Probably from the Trenton station you should take a taxi to your hotel in Princeton. The cost will be $25 - $40.

d. If you really like trains, from Trenton to Princeton Junction you can take a train on the NJ Transit “Northeast corridor line”. About a 10-minute ride, one or two trains per hour. From there you can take a taxi to your hotel or the “Dinky” train to Princeton (See Item 1 above)

 

IV. DRIVING to PRINCETON from NEW YORK CITY, NEWARK LIBERTY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, or NEW YORK KENNEDY AIRPORT
1.a. From New York City (Manhattan), take either the Lincoln or Holland Tunnel to the New Jersey Turnpike (Highway 95) and go south. Go to step 2 below.

1. b. From Kennedy Airport (JFK in New York), take the Belt Parkway West (towards Manhattan), and then the Verrazano Narrows Bridge (highway 278) into Staten Island and then continue to New Jersey. Once in New Jersey take the New Jersey Turnpike (Highway 95) south. Go to step 3 below. You will have to pay a toll at the bridges. Do not go to an “EZ Pass-only” lane at the tolls – these are for cars with wireless identification systems.

1.c. From Newark Airport (EWR), from the airport exit follow signs for the NJ Turnpike South. Follow the signs carefully. After about one or two miles you will come to the turnpike entrance. Go to step 2 below.

2. The NJ Turnpike is a toll road – you will receive a paper ticket when you enter. You will need this when you get off the turnpike. When you come to the toll booth area as you enter to receive your ticket – do not drive in the lanes marked “EZ Pass only”. These are reserved for cars with wireless ID systems. Take the NJ Turnpike south to Exit 9 (New Brunswick). As you leave the turnpike, you must return the paper ticket you received when you entered, and pay a toll in cash (a few US dollars). After the toll booths, take the first right turn onto the ramp for Route 18 north. Immediately after you enter Route 18, take the left side of a fork in the road, then staying in the right lane after the fork. Almost immediately you cross a highway bridge (going over Route 1), and then turn right to loop back onto Route 1 south in the direction of Trenton.

3. Once on Route 1, it is about 16 miles to the Princeton area.

3a. If staying in a hotel on Route 1, you can drive directly to your hotel. (All conference hotels except the Nassau Inn in Princeton are on Route 1).

3.b. To get to Nassau Inn in downtown Princeton, or the Princeton campus, take the Washington Road exit (about ½ mile after the Harrison St. exit), and turn right (between the gas stations) toward Princeton. The campus and downtown Princeton are located approximately a mile straight ahead. To get to Nassau Inn, once on Washington Rd., cross the lake and go up the hill through campus. At the 4^th traffic light (Nassau St/Route 27, with movie theatre on the corner) turn left. Go through the next traffic light (Witherspoon St), and then turn right at the next corner onto Palmer Square. In 50 meters you must turn right, then left in another 20 meters. The hotel is on the left just past the back of the post office. The door is under the arch which crosses the street – you can pull your car over on the left side under the arch to check in. See the map of campus and downtown Princeton. The hotel can give you information on a garage in which you can park your care. Click HERE for a map showing location of Nassau Inn.

Take Interstate 95 north from Philadelphia and cross the Delaware River (on Route 95) into New Jersey. About 9 miles into New Jersey, get onto Route 1 north. The Princeton area begins about 2 miles north on 95, with Washington Rd about 4 miles north.

To go to Route 1 hotels, follow the directions for the hotel from Route 1.

To go to Nassau Inn or Princeton itself, take Route 1 to the Washington Rd exit. There are 3 gas stations on the corner. The exit is a small “traffic circle”.. Go three quarters of the way around the circle to effectively turn left towards Princeton. Then follow the directions in Item 4 above.

Airporter (800) 385-4000 to and from Newark Liberty International Airport and JFK International Airport. This commercial van (small bus) service stops regularly at Baker Rink and Forbes College on the Princeton Campus and Nassau Inn in Princeton as well as select hotels on the Rt. 1 (so a ride from Newark Airport may take longer than expected).

A-1 Limousine (800) 678-2154, or (609) 951-0070 outside the U.S.

Concorde Limousine, (888) 426-2673

Royal Limousine,(609) 371-7400

a. To get to the reception on Sunday night at Prospect House by car, turn right on Washington Rd. Cross the lake and go up the hill to campus. The 2^nd traffic light after the lake is Prospect Ave, with a large modern white building on the right. Go past this building, past the next light at the pedestrian crosswalk, and turn right immediately after on William St. You can park on William St, or in parking lots on the left or right side of William St. (Because it is Sunday, you are allowed to park in these lots (except the left side of the lot on the left of William St is reserved for residents (there is a sign). Then follow the map HERE to walk to Prospect House (about a 5 minute walk).

 

b. If you are coming from Nassau Inn to the reception at Prospect house, walk on foot (5 minutes). See the campus/downtown map HERE.

If you are coming from the “Dinky” train station in Princeton (see Train travel in Item I above), walk (about 1 km, 12 minutes). Follow the footsteps on the ISTDM Campus Map.

If you are coming from the Nassau Inn in Princeton, walk. (about 800 meters, 10 minutes).

If you are coming by car (from Route 1 hotels, or elsewhere), parking on campus is very difficult. You will have to park at the edge of campus and take a shuttle bus to the Friend Center. From Route 1, heading north on Washington Road (away from Route 1), turn right onto Faculty Road (first stoplight after Route1, just after crossing the lake). (If you are heading south on Washington Road from Nassau Street/Route 27, turn left onto Faculty Road instead.) After passing Jadwin Gym, turn left on FitzRandolph Road (first street on left after turning onto Faculty Rd, about 600 meters from Washington Rd) and then take the first left turn into Parking Lot 21. Take the “Blue Line” shuttle bus transportation to the Friend Center (where ISTDM Sessions will take place). There are small shelters in parking lot 21 where the bus stops. See the ISTDM map for shuttle stops.

See directions to parking lots 21 for further details.