One of the main means to commute to the heart of Princeton, located at the southern edge of the…read moreuniversity, whereas long ago, it was located close to the entrance of Princeton (near current day Blair Hall of Princeton U), and then relocated to another stop meters south until 2013, which became The Dinky Bar & Kitchen almost a year ago, making this the third iteration, being a part of the current modernization of the university (bigger buildings, more parking). Nowadays, there's plenty of features that can make this station worthwhile to depart and leave from, including a nearby bus/shuttle/taxi stop, Wawa (which to be short, is as shiny as a diamond, even for Princeton U), bike racks, and most of Princeton U to explore, or attend. If commuting by rail, this station is the only way in/out of Princeton, offering a brief 5 minute ride on the historic "Dinky" route, shuttling passengers in/out of Princeton to Princeton Junction (or West Windsor) in a 5 minute ride, from then, you can connect with other routes on the NEC (as south as Trenton, or as north as Newark/New York), and Amtrak's routes. Ticket prices, it's 3$ to go to/from this station to/from Princeton Junction, and to the bewilderment of first timers, it's a separate trip, where the conductors are mostly lenient on making them buy a ticket on the train (3+5$ = 8$), and hypothetically, it'll be: 6.75$ for a Princeton-Trenton ride, 17.75$ for Princeton-New York Penn, or 19$ from Princeton-Newark Liberty Int'l Airport, all one way, but two tickets.
In terms of amenities, there's a train shelter/waiting rooms almost immediately near the tracks that are pleasant in winter, open air seating/tables outside, great for summer, 4 NJ Transit TVMs, a Wawa, which in my opinion is leagues better vs the store in Princeton Junction's station, and a bathroom in Wawa. Fortunately, the rooms are open as long as the station is, in contrast to PCJ. The buses outside will offer connections to the rest of Princeton, and nearby communities, such as Montgomery, Lawrence, and more, as well as inside the university, and there's rarely taxis outside.
Timing, it can range from an hour, 10 minutes to 90 minutes (70-90) to ride to/from this station to/from NY Penn, 25 minutes to/from Trenton, and 5 minutes to Princeton. Fortunately the "Dinky" arrives in sync most of the time when the (NJT) trains roll in, giving you 2-5 minutes to react and head out, same can be said for the opposite, while giving you ample time to park, purchase tickets, and more.
Now for my cons, it's a bit upsetting to have to walk all the way from one end of the university to Nassau Hall to get into Princeton proper, but it's a good way to see the sights and be at peace! In cases of severe storms and/or snow, the line may be disrupted, giving commuters the option of switching to buses. It's an annoyance since the trip may take longer and may not be in tune with PCJ's timing, but at least they honor bus/rail tickets.
It's a good station, and with plenty of conveniences, ample time to explore Princeton U, good restaurants/Wawa, and the chance to bike, you're in good hands here. Almost never felt like I was "unsafe here", but I'm sure Princeton U's police give a fair inspection every time. Until next time!
