Parents Handbook

Directions by Auto Hotline: (609) 258-2222. This hotline provides recorded directions to Princeton University from all across the country.

Coming from the north (New York City area). Take the New Jersey Turnpike to Exit 9. Follow signs for Route 1 South (to Trenton). After approximately 12 miles on Route 1 South, exit right onto Route 571 to Princeton. This is Washington Road. At the first traffic light, turn left onto Faculty Road; the campus entrance will be on your right.

Coming from the south. Take the New Jersey Turnpike to Exit 8 onto Route 571 West. Continue on Route 571 across Route 1 and onto Washington Road. At the first traffic light, turn left onto Faculty Road; the campus entrance will be on your right.

Coming from Philadelphia via Route 95. In New Jersey, Route 95 becomes Route 295. From Route 295, take Route 206 North, the Lawrenceville/Princeton exit. Within five miles, Route 206 North takes you directly to Nassau Street. Follow Nassau Street to Washington Road; turn right onto Washington Road; go to Faculty Road (approximately one half mile). Turn right onto Faculty Road; the campus entrance will be on your right.

One-day visitor parking, weekdays. Visitors coming to campus on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. may park in Lot 21, near Jadwin Gym. A free campus shuttle operates frequently during weekdays until the early evening.

If you are planning to visit for more than one day, you will need to obtain a permit from Transportation and Parking Services, in the New South building, floor A, across from the West Garage.

Campus parking for evening events and on weekends. From 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. on weekdays and from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, visitors may park in most of the University’s numbered parking lots, including Lot 21 and the West Garage. Lot 10, on Williams Street, is recommended for events starting after 5 p.m. at the University Chapel, Prospect House and Murray Theater. The Office of Transportation and Parking Services regularly updates the parking map. Unnumbered lots, such as Alexander and Scheide-Caldwell, are not available to the public. Additionally, Lots 8, 9 and 18 are not open to the public at any hour. Overnight parking in any lot for visitors is prohibited, unless visitors have special permits issued by Transportation and Parking Services (see the website for hours).

Municipal parking in Princeton Borough. Three municipal parking garages that charge a fee are located on Chambers, Hulfish and Spring streets in downtown Princeton. Metered parking on Princeton streets is limited to one or two hours in most cases and operates from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. The meters in front of Wawa are enforced from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Sunday. There are some streets with longer-term parking meters that are within easy walking distance from campus. Parking regulations are strictly enforced.

Princeton University’s TigerTransit transportation system operates on a fixed route schedule during the academic year, providing safe, convenient and reliable transportation throughout the Princeton campus and surrounding community. The new TigerTransit transportation system offers stops at academic and administrative buildings; faculty, staff, graduate and undergraduate student housing; Nassau Street; and the Forrestal Campus and Princeton Plasma Physics Lab.

In addition, an on-demand call-in service is available nightly during the academic year for transport to campus locations and to Princeton Junction train station after the last Princeton Station (Dinky) train to campus is available. Please visit the Transportation and Parking Services website for additional information and service hours.

The Suburban Transit Corporation, (732) 249-1100, runs regularly scheduled bus service from the New York Port Authority Bus Terminal (8th Avenue and West 41st Street) to Nassau Street and the front gates of the campus. Buses to Princeton leave the Port Authority every half hour. During most of the day, buses to New York City leave from the main gate of the campus every half hour (five minutes after and 25 minutes before each hour). Travel time is approximately 90 minutes. Round-trip fare between New York City and Princeton is approximately $24.

Trains to Princeton Junction leave New York City’s Penn Station and Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station regularly.

From New York City, take the New Jersey Transit Northeast Corridor line to Princeton Junction and change for Princeton (see “The Dinky” below). A round-trip fare, including the transfer to Princeton, is approximately $23.

Amtrak, (800) 872-7245, also schedules regular stops at Princeton Junction, but its service is more limited. The fare to New York is $30 one way; the fare to Philadelphia is $25 one way.

From Philadelphia, take SEPTA to Trenton, New Jersey. Then take New Jersey Transit to Princeton Junction and change for Princeton (see “The Dinky” below). A round-trip fare is approximately $23.

This two-car train shuttle service, known locally as the “Dinky,” takes five minutes between Princeton Junction and the campus and costs $2.25 each way. The Dinky does not meet every train, so be sure to consult a current schedule when making travel plans.

Newark Liberty International Airport is the most convenient airport to Princeton. Shuttle service is available between Princeton and Newark Airport. The one-way fare is $30 ($25 with student ID) per person via Olympic Airporter, (800) 385-4000. Buses travel from Newark Airport to the Pennsylvania Railroad Station in Newark and the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York City. An AirTrain monorail links Newark Airport to a station on the NJ Transit and Amtrak rail lines for train service to Princeton Junction ($14).

There is no direct shuttle service to or from the Philadelphia International Airport. It is possible to take a SEPTA train from the airport to the Philadelphia 30th Street Station, transfer to another SEPTA train to the Trenton (NJ) station, and then transfer to a NJ Transit Northeast Corridor line northbound train to Princeton Junction.

Olympic Airporter also provides shuttle service from New York’s Kennedy Airport; the one-way fare is $53 ($48 with student ID). For details about transportation from New York’s LaGuardia Airport, consult your travel agent.

In addition, private arrangements may be made for transportation to/from all regional airports through the following companies: A-1 Limousine, (800) 678-2154 or (609) 951-0070 outside the U.S., and Concorde Limousine, (888) 426-2673; or by contacting your travel agent.

Finally, for more up-to-date information please consult the University’s travel portal.