The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced that the Hoboken PATH station has reopened following a 25-day closure to address critical infrastructure repairs and improvements across several elements of the 117-year-old system.
The closure was a major element of the Port Authority’s two-year $430 million PATH Forward program.
The full station closure enabled the agency to undertake track and station work on an expedited basis, negating the need for at least a year of severe service reductions and major schedule changes. Tracks and a massive track switch system were replaced, and many components of the station were refreshed and renewed. Additional platform and track work will continue in the weeks ahead, which can be completed within PATH’s existing weekend and overnight schedules.
Hoboken riders were welcomed back to the PATH system for free Tuesday morning as a gesture of appreciation.
“The Hoboken station and the PATH system itself turn 117 years old this week, highlighting both its enduring importance in our transit network and its need for continued investment and care,” said Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole. “We thank our riders for their patience and our regional transit partners for their coordination over the last 25 days. The critical infrastructure upgrades we’ve delivered thanks to this work will provide a more reliable commute for years to come.”
“We welcome riders back to a revitalized Hoboken station, where the closure has enabled a huge amount of refurbishment,” said Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton. “We appreciate the patience and flexibility that our riders have shown during this closure, as well as the support of our transit partners in providing strong travel alternatives during the closure. This work is critical to the continued rehabilitation of PATH’s 116-year-old system.”
“The massive amount of work that took place over just 25 days is a testament to the Port Authority’s commitment to modernizing a 117-year-old rail system. We thank our regional transportation partners for helping us navigate this closure, and our dedicated staff, who have volunteered their time and energy to make this challenging period as painless as possible for our customers,” said PATH Director/General Manager Clarelle DeGraffe. “We owe our PATH riders service that is safe and reliable, delivered to the best of our ability. Our message to them today: Thank you, and welcome back.”
The project’s scope included a refurbishment of the station’s concrete platform surface and replacement of four steep, narrow staircases original to the station with modern, safer staircases from the mezzanine to platform level. Additionally, station walls and ceilings received fresh paint, with columns painted Lackawanna green as an homage to the train terminal’s railroad past. The station also received new tiles, lighting and signage.
Track work included replacing the complex track switching system outside the station that allows trains to move between the station’s three tracks. The previous switch, at 35 years old, was prone to mechanical issues. The new track and switch infrastructure will lead to more reliable rides with fewer delays and disruptions.
The closure was a major component of the Port Authority’s two-year $430 million PATH Forward program. The program began with rehabilitation work at the Grove St station in 2024, replacing floor tiles, patching and repainting work, refinishing platform columns and installing LED lighting and electrical wiring. The weekend Grove St station bypasses associated with this PATH Forward work concluded ahead of schedule.
In late 2024, PATH also replaced 6,000 feet of track and installed an additional interlocking system between the Harrison and Journal Sq stations, which improved operational flexibility and reduced the impact of delays on passengers. This new interlocking enabled PATH trains to bypass disabled trains west of the Journal Sq station, allowing for a quicker resumption of service on the Newark-World Trade Center line. Additionally, PATH is completing a sea wall along the Passaic River that will protect the system from future flooding.
