PATH (rail system)

Hudson & Manhattan Railroad The PATH system pre-dates the New York City Subway's first underground line, operated by the Interborough Rapid Transit Company. The Hudson & Manhattan Railroad (H&M) was planned in 1874, but it was not possible at that time to safely tunnel under the Hudson River. Construction began on the existing tunnels in 1890, but soon stopped when funding ran out. It resumed in 1900 under the direction of William Gibbs McAdoo, an ambitious young lawyer who had moved to New York from Chattanooga, Tennessee, and later became president of the H&M. The railroad became so closely associated with McAdoo that, in its early years, its lines were called the McAdoo Tubes or McAdoo Tunnels. Construction (lower left) and the IRT Lexington Avenue Line at Astor Place (center) Construction started on the first tunnel, now called the Uptown Hudson Tubes, in 1873. Chief engineer Dewitt Haskin built the tunnel by using compressed air to open a space in the mud and then lining it with brick. accidents, including a particularly serious one in 1880 that killed 20 workers, caused additional delays. The project was abandoned in 1883 due to a lack of funds. When the New York and New Jersey Railroad Company resumed construction on the uptown tubes in 1902, its chief engineer, Charles M. Jacobs, used a different method. He had workers push a tunnelling shield through the mud and then place tubular cast iron plating around the tube. and the southern tube was built the same way. The uptown tubes were completed in 1906. By the end of 1904, the New York City Board of Rapid Transit Commissioners had given the company permission to build a new subway line through Midtown Manhattan to connect with the Uptown Hudson Tubes, along with 26 years of exclusive rights to the line. The Midtown Manhattan line would travel eastward under Christopher Street before turning northeastward under Sixth Avenue, then continue underneath Sixth Avenue to a terminus at 33rd Street. In January 1905, the Hudson Companies, with $21 million in capital ($ in ), were incorporated to complete the Uptown Hudson Tubes and build the Sixth Avenue line, as well as construct a second pair of tunnels, the current Downtown Hudson Tubes. The H&M was incorporated in December 1906 to operate a passenger railroad system between New York and New Jersey via the Uptown and Downtown Tubes. The current Downtown Hudson Tubes were built about south of the first one. Three years of construction using the tubular cast iron method finished in 1909. The eastern sections of the tunnels, in Manhattan, were built with the cut and cover method. Opening in Newark was the H&MRR's terminus until the completion of Newark Penn Station in the late 1930s. Test runs of empty trains started in late 1907. Revenue service started between Hoboken Terminal and 19th Street at midnight on February 26, 1908, when President Theodore Roosevelt pressed a button at the White House that turned on the electric lines in the uptown tubes (the first train carrying passengers, all selected officials, had run the previous day). This became part of the current Hoboken–33rd Street line. The H&M system was powered by a 650-volt direct current third rail which, in turn, drew power from an 11,000-volt transmission system with three substations. The substations were the Jersey City Powerhouse, as well as two smaller substations at the Christopher Street and Hudson Terminal stations. In July 1909, service began between the Hudson Terminal in Lower Manhattan and Exchange Place in Jersey City, through the downtown tubes. The connection between Exchange Place and the junction near Hoboken Terminal opened two weeks later, forming the basic route for the Hoboken-Hudson Terminal (now Hoboken–World Trade Center) line. A new line running between 23rd Street and Hudson Terminal was created in September. and the 23rd Street–Hudson Terminal line was rerouted to Grove Street, becoming part of the current Journal Square–33rd Street line. A fourth line, Grove Street–Hudson Terminal (now the Newark–World Trade Center line), was also created. The Grove Street–Hudson Terminal line was extended west from Grove Street to Manhattan Transfer in October 1911, and then to Park Place in Newark on November 26 of that year. After completion of the uptown Manhattan extension to 33rd Street and the westward extension to the now-defunct Manhattan Transfer and Park Place Newark terminus in 1911, the H&M was complete. A stop at Summit Avenue (now Journal Square), located between Grove Street and Manhattan Transfer, opened in April 1912 as an infill station on the Newark-Hudson Terminal line, though only one platform was in use at the time. The station was completed by February 1913, allowing service from 33rd Street to terminate there. In 1908, McAdoo proposed to build a branch of the H&M southward to the Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal at Communipaw. When the rapid transit commissioners approved construction of the H&M's Sixth Avenue line in 1904, they left open the option of digging an east-west crosstown line. The New York and New Jersey Railroad Company received perpetual rights to dig under Christopher and Ninth Streets eastward to either Second Avenue or Astor Place. The openings of the 28th and 33rd Street stations were delayed because of planning for the Grand Central extension. The New York Times speculated that the downtown tunnels would see more passenger use than the uptown tunnels because they better served the city's financial district. As an alternative, it was proposed to connect the Uptown Tubes to the Steinway Tunnel. A franchise to extend the Uptown Tubes to Grand Central was awarded in June 1909. By 1914, the H&M had not yet started construction of the Grand Central extension, and requested a delay. The Rapid Transit Commissioners declined the last one, effectively ending the H&M's rights to a Grand Central extension. The franchise for the Broadway line was ultimately awarded to the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Company (BRT) in 1913, as part of the Dual Contracts. In 1909, McAdoo considered extending the H&M in New Jersey, building a branch north to Montclair, in Essex County. A route extending north from Newark would continue straight to East Orange. From there, branches would split to South Orange in the south and Montclair in the north. Decline and bankruptcy A record 113 million people rode the H&M in 1927. The opening of the George Washington Bridge in 1931 and the Lincoln Tunnel in 1937 drew more riders out of trains and into their cars. The 33rd Street terminal was moved south to 32nd Street and reopened in 1939. The city had to pay the railroad $800,000 to build the new 33rd Street station; it reimbursed H&M an additional $300,000 for lost revenue. The 28th Street station was closed at this time as unnecessary since the southern entrances to the 33rd Street terminal were only two blocks away; it was later demolished to make room for the IND tracks below. The Manhattan Transfer station was closed in mid-1937, and the H&M realigned to Newark Penn Station from the Park Place terminus a quarter-mile () north; the Harrison station across the Passaic River was moved several blocks south as a result. The upper level of the Centre Street Bridge to Park Place later became Route 158. Promotions and other advertising failed to stem the financial decline of the H&M. The 19th Street station in Manhattan was closed in 1954. That year, the H&M entered receivership due to its constant losses. It operated under bankruptcy protection; in 1956 the two states agreed to settle its unpaid back taxes for $1.9 million. That year, the H&M saw 37 million annual passengers, and transportation experts called for subsidies. One expert proposed a "rail loop", with the Uptown Hudson Tubes connecting to the IND Sixth Avenue Line, then continuing up Sixth Avenue and west via a new tunnel to Weehawken, New Jersey. By 1958, ridership had dropped to 30.46 million annual passengers. Two years later, creditors approved a reorganization plan. During this time, H&M workers went on strike twice over wages: for two days in 1953, and for a month in 1957. Port Authority takeover In the early 1960s, planning for the World Trade Center resulted in a compromise between the Port Authority and the state governments of New York and New Jersey. The Port Authority agreed to purchase and maintain the Tubes in return for the rights to build the World Trade Center on the footprint of H&M's Hudson Terminal, which was the Lower Manhattan terminus of the Tubes. A formal agreement was made in January 1962; four months later, the Port Authority set up two wholly owned subsidiaries: the Port Authority Trans-Hudson Corporation (PATH) to operate the H&M lines, as well as another subsidiary to operate the World Trade Center. All of the Port Authority's operations would have been subjected to federal Interstate Commerce Commission rules if it ran the trains directly, but with the creation of the PATH Corporation, only the subsidiary's operations would be federally regulated. In September, the Port Authority formally took over the H&M Railroad and the Tubes, rebranding the system as Port Authority Trans-Hudson (PATH). Upon taking over the H&M, the PANYNJ spent $70 million to modernize the system's infrastructure ($ in ). The PANYNJ also repainted H&M stations into the new PATH livery. In 1964, the authority ordered 162 PA1 railway cars to replace the H&M rolling stock, much of which dated to 1909. The first PA1 cars were delivered in 1965. During excavation and construction, the original Downtown Hudson Tubes remained in service as elevated tunnels. The new terminal, west of the Hudson Terminal, opened in 1971. It cost $35 million to build, and saw 85,000 daily passengers at the time of its opening. Hudson Terminal was then shut down. In January 1973, the Port Authority released plans to double the route mileage of the PATH system with an extension from Newark Penn Station to Plainfield, New Jersey. A stop at Elizabeth would allow PATH to serve Newark Airport, where passengers could transfer to a people mover serving the terminals. Preliminary studies of the right-of-way, as well as a design contract, were conducted that year. The extension was approved in 1975. The Federal Urban Mass Transit Administration was less enthusiastic about the extension's efficacy and reluctant to give the Port Authority the $322 million it had requested for the project, about 80% of the projected cost. Eventually, the administration agreed to back it, but in 1977, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the two state legislatures had violated the U.S. Constitution's Contract Clause by repealing a covenant in the 1962 bond agreements in order to make the extension possible. In June 1978, the extension, by then estimated to cost $600 million ($ in ), was canceled in favor of improving bus service in New Jersey. Strikes Labor problems also beset PATH during this time. talks failed and workers walked out in April. A month into the strike, negotiations broke down again; the union returned to work in June. The 1980 New York City transit strike suspended service on the New York City Transit Authority (NYCTA)'s bus and subway routes for 10 days. A special PATH route ran from 33rd Street to World Trade Center via Midtown Manhattan, Pavonia–Newport, and Exchange Place during the NYCTA strike. PATH motormen also threatened to go on strike during this time for different reasons. The special service was suspended in April after some workers refused overtime. In June 1980, PATH workers again went on strike for higher pay, their first such action since 1973. During the strike, moisture built up in the tunnels and rust accumulated on the tracks; pumps in the underwater tunnels remained in operation, preventing the tubes from flooding. Alternative service across the Hudson River was provided by "inadequate" shuttle buses through the Holland Tunnel. The 81-day strike 1980s and 1990s Substantial growth in PATH ridership during the 1980s required expansion and improvement of the railroad's infrastructure. The Port Authority announced a plan in 1988 that would allow stations on the Newark–WTC line to accommodate longer eight-car trains while seven-car trains could operate between Journal Square and 33rd Street. Two years later, it announced a $1 billion plan to renovate the PATH stations and add new cars. Video monitors were installed in stations to make money from advertising. PATH also sought a fare hike, even though that would reduce its per passenger subsidy, to reduce its $135 million annual deficit. By 1992, the Port Authority had spent $900 million on infrastructure improvements, including repairing tracks, modernizing communications and signaling, replacing ventilation equipment, and installing elevators at seven stations per the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). A $225 million car maintenance facility was opened in Harrison in 1990. It replaced PATH's old Henderson Street Yard—a below-grade, open-air train storage yard at the northeast corner of Marin Boulevard and Christopher Columbus Drive just east of the Grove Street station. High tides from the December 1992 nor'easter flooded the PATH tunnels, including a section between Hoboken and Pavonia. Some water pumps within the system were overwhelmed. A section of ceiling in the World Trade Center PATH station collapsed and trapped dozens during the 1993 World Trade Center bombing; the station itself did not suffer any structural damage. Within three days, PATH service to the station resumed. In the summer of 1993, the Port Authority banned tobacco advertisements in all trains and stations. A new wash for cars opened in mid-September 1993 in Jersey City, replacing the one at the 33rd Street terminal. In April 1994, an ADA-compliant entrance to the Exchange Place station was opened. Two years later, three trains began running express on the Newark–World Trade Center service for six months, cutting running time by 3 minutes. Weekend Hoboken–World Trade Center service began in October 1996 on a six-month trial basis, and the express Newark–World Trade Center service was made permanent on the same day. 21st century September 11, 2001, and recovery The World Trade Center station in Lower Manhattan, under the World Trade Center, one of PATH's two New York terminals, was destroyed during the September 11 attacks, when the Twin Towers above it collapsed. Just prior to the collapse, the station was closed and all passengers evacuated. Exchange Place, the next-to-last station before World Trade Center, had to be closed as well because trains could not turn around there; it had also suffered severe water damage. Shortly after the attacks, the Port Authority started operating two uptown services: Newark–33rd Street and Hoboken–33rd Street, and one intrastate New Jersey service, Hoboken–Journal Square. The new Exchange Place station opened in June 2003. Because of the original alignment of the tracks, trains to or from Hoboken used separate tunnels from the Newark service. Eastbound trains from Newark crossed over to the westbound track just west of Exchange Place, where they reversed direction and used a crossover switch to go to Hoboken. Eastbound trains from Hoboken entered on the eastbound track at Exchange Place, then reversing direction and used the same crossover switch to get on the westbound track to Newark before entering Grove Street. A new entrance on Vesey Street opened in March 2008; the Church entrance was demolished. in April 2016 The construction of the permanent four-platform World Trade Center Transportation Hub started in July 2008, when the first prefabricated "ribs" for the pedestrian walkway under Fulton Street were installed. Platform A, the first part of the permanent station, opened in February 2014, serving Hoboken-bound riders. Platform B and the remaining half of Platform A opened in May 2015. The hub formally opened in March 2016 with part of the headhouse. Platforms C and D, the last two, were opened that September. An image captured by a PATH security camera showing water flowing into Hoboken during the storm went viral online and became one of several representative images of the hurricane. The first PATH trains after the hurricane were the Journal Square–33rd Street service, which resumed on November 6 and ran only in daytime. Service was extended west to Harrison and Newark on November 12, in place of the Newark–World Trade Center service. Christopher Street and Ninth Street were reopened during the weekend of November 17–18, but remained closed for five days afterward. Normal weekday service on the Newark–World Trade Center and Journal Square–33rd Street lines resumed on November 26. On weekends, trains operated using the Newark–33rd Street service pattern. The PATH station at Hoboken Terminal suffered major damage after floodwaters as high as submerged the tunnels; it was closed for several weeks for $300 million worth of repairs. The Newark–33rd Street route was suspended for two weekends in mid-December, with the Newark–World Trade Center running in its place, in order to expedite the return of Hoboken service. Hoboken Terminal reopened in December for weekday daytime Hoboken–33rd Street service, followed by the resumption of weekday 24-hour PATH service in early 2013. The Hoboken–World Trade Center trains resumed in late January, and all normal service was restored by March. The Downtown Hudson Tubes were severely damaged by Sandy. As a result, to accommodate repairs, service on the Newark–World Trade Center line between Exchange Place and World Trade Center was to be suspended during almost all weekends, except for holidays, in 2019 and 2020. However, weekend service was restored in June 2020, six months ahead of schedule. 2010s improvements The Port Authority began rebuilding the Harrison station in 2009. It has longer and wider platforms to allow 10-car trains; street-level-to-platform elevators within the platform extensions, in compliance with the ADA, and architectural modifications. The westbound platform of the new Harrison station opened to the public in October 2018 and the eastbound one the following June. In January 2010, Christopher O. Ward, as executive director, announced that PATH would be spending $321 million on communications-based train control (CBTC) with Siemens' Trainguard MT, upgrading its signal system for an increase in ridership. CBTC would replace a four-decade old fixed-block signaling system. The Port Authority also spent $659 million to upgrade 13 platforms on the Newark–World Trade Center line to accommodate 10-car trains; until then, the line could only run eight-car trains. The Newark–World Trade Center line west of Journal Square was converted to PTC in April 2018, followed by the segments of track east of Journal Square the following month. This caused delays across the entire system when train operators had to slow down and manually adjust their trains to switch between the two signaling systems. PTC was tested on the Uptown Hudson Tubes from July to October 2018, forcing weekend closures. and the entire system was converted by December. The Port Authority also installed two amenities in all PATH stations. Cellphone service was added for all customers by early 2019. Countdown clocks, displaying the time the next train arrives, were installed in all PATH stations that year. Subsequently, in June 2019, the Port Authority released the PATH Improvement Plan, calling for over $1 billion in investments, including $80 million to extend Newark–World Trade Center line platforms, as well as funding for two ongoing projects: $752.6 million to complete the CBTC system by 2022 and $215.7 million on the new PA5 cars by 2022. The goal is to increase train frequencies on the Newark-World Trade Center line by 40 percent, and 20 percent on other lines, during rush hours. Every train on the Newark–World Trade Center line would be nine cars long. In addition, the platform at Grove Street would be extended eastward, at the Marin Boulevard end of the station, and two additional cross-corridors would be added at Exchange Place. The Port Authority would also allocate funds to study the implementation of 10-car trains. In September 2019, service on the Newark–World Trade Center and Journal Square–33rd Street lines would be increased by 10 percent during rush hours, reducing the headway between trains from four minutes to three. Train service returned to 96 percent of 2019 levels in June 2020, yet ridership continued to lag far below pre-pandemic numbers, rebounding to only 60 percent of 2019 ridership by February 2022. Amid the spread of the Omicron variant, PANYNJ was projected to reach $3 billion in pandemic losses by March 2022. The platform-lengthening project was finished the same year. In February 2023, it was announced that nine-car operation on the Newark–World Trade Center line would begin the next month; nine-car trains began operating on March 22, 2023. PANYNJ commissioners voted in late 2023 to spend $230 million replacing some wheel sets on the PA5 fleet and replacing tracks on the New Jersey side. In 2024, the PANYNJ announced that it would spend $430 million to refurbish four stations and replace railroad switches as part of the PATH Forward program. In addition, the agency announced that the Hoboken Terminal station would be closed and extensively refurbished during February 2025. As part of its 2026–2035 capital plan, the PANYNJ announced in November 2025 that it would increase weekend service, with all four weekday lines running during the weekend, and that fares would incrementally increase annually from $2.90 to $4.00 by 2029. In 2026, the PANYNJ announced that it would replace turnstiles at all PATH stations for $3.5 million. The PATH Forward improvements were completed in late April 2026. The weekend service changes effect on May 17, 2026. estimated at that time to cost $500 million; the study began in 2012. In September 2013, ''Crain's'' reported that New Jersey Governor Chris Christie would publicly support the extension, estimated by then to cost $1 billion. The governor asked that the airport's largest operator, United Airlines, consider flying to Atlantic City International Airport as an enticement to further the project. In February 2014, the Port Authority's Board of Commissioners approved a 10-year capital plan that included the PATH extension to NJ Transit's Newark Liberty International Airport Station. The alignment would follow the existing Northeast Corridor approximately one mile (1.6 km) further south to the Newark Airport station, where a connection to AirTrain Newark is available. In late 2014, there were calls for a reconsideration of Port Authority funding priorities. The PATH extension followed the route of existing Manhattan-to-Newark Airport train service (on NJ Transit's Northeast Corridor Line and North Jersey Coast Line as well as Amtrak's Keystone Service and Northeast Regional). On the other hand, there was no funding for either the Gateway Tunnel, a pair of commuter train tunnels that would supplement the North River Tunnels under the Hudson, or the replacement for the Port Authority Bus Terminal. In December 2014, the PANYNJ awarded a three-year, $6 million contract to infrastructure design firm HNTB to do a cost analysis of the Newark Airport extension. In 2017, the PANYNJ released a 10-year capital plan that included $1.7 billion for the extension; at the time, construction was projected to start in 2020, with service in 2025. A presentation at two December 2017 public meetings showed the new PATH station would include a park-and-ride lot and a new entrance from the nearby Dayton neighborhood. An extension of the PATH to Newark Airport was still being considered in mid-2022, but the PANYNJ announced in March 2023 that it was deferring funding for the Newark Airport extension to a future capital plan. In December 2025, the PANYNJ announced that the Newark Airport PATH extension would be delayed by ten years because the agency was prioritizing the ongoing replacement of the AirTrain Newark. Marion station proposal West of Journal Square in Jersey City, the NWK-WTC line runs through the Marion Section parallel to the Conrail Passaic and Harsimus Line freight line. A pedestrian bridge crosses the tracks. Since the 1980s, there have been calls for an infill station to be built there. In 2018, the government of Jersey City and the PANYNJ reached an agreement that included a feasibility study for a potential station, which resulted in the "Marion PATH Station Physical Feasibility Study". The senior U.S. Senator, the Hudson County Executive, and the Mayor of Jersey City have written letters encouraging the PANYNJ to continue with the project. The estimated cost of construction varies and could be funded by nearby real estate developers. == Route operation ==

PATH operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. During weekday hours, PATH operates four train services, direct descendants of the four original services operated by the H&M, These levels of ridership notwithstanding, PATH runs at a deficit, losing about $400 million per year. While some of its recent improvements, particularly in Harrison, have spurred local development, it cannot benefit from that directly as the Port Authority is limited to the revenue it makes from the fees, fares, and tolls it collects, with the state and local governments collecting the sales, income and property taxes arising from development. Its costs are correspondingly increased by having to comply with FRA regulations. PATH is thus subsidized by the Port Authority from surpluses at its airports and seaports. Services The PATH system has of route mileage, counting route overlaps only once. During the daytime on weekdays, four services operate: During off-peak hours, passengers wanting to travel from Hoboken to Lower Manhattan were told to take the Journal Square–33rd Street (via Hoboken) service to Grove Street and transfer to the Newark–World Trade Center train. An intrastate Journal Square–Hoboken service was also operated after the attacks. In the meantime, it was replaced by the Journal Square–World Trade Center (via Hoboken) and the restored Journal Square–Hoboken services, since all stations between Christopher and 33rd Streets were closed during the weekends. In 2026, the three weekday lines will start running on weekends as well, replacing the Journal Square–33rd Street (via Hoboken) service pattern. the route began operating 9-car trains in 2023. The only non-accessible stations are the four intermediate stations on the Manhattan side of the Uptown Tubes–Christopher Street, Ninth Street, 14th Street, and 23rd Street. == Fares ==

The Port Authority charges a single flat fee to ride the PATH system, regardless of distance traveled. single-ride fares and two-trip tickets charge $ per trip; 10-trip, 20-trip, and 40-trip cards charge $ per trip; a single-day unlimited, $; a seven-day unlimited, $; and a 30-day unlimited, $. A half-fare senior SmartLink costs $ per trip. Since June 2025, disabled riders have also been allowed to apply for half-fare tickets. Single ride tickets are valid for two hours from time of purchase. While some PATH stations are adjacent to or connected to New York City Subway, Newark Light Rail, Hudson-Bergen Light Rail, and NJ Transit commuter rail stations, there are no free transfers between these different, independently run transit systems. PATH began testing out a new contactless payment system called TAPP, similar to MTA's OMNY system, at some stations in December 2023. TAPP readers accept only TAPP cards, debit and credit cards and digital wallets; the SmartLink cards and OMNY are not compatible with the readers. History Tier-based fares The H&M used a tier-based fare system where a different fare was paid based on where the passenger was traveling. For instance, prior to September 1961, an interstate fare to or from all stations except Newark Penn Station was 25 cents, while an intrastate fare was 15 cents. That month, the interstate fare was increased to 30 cents, and the intrastate fare to 20 cents. A fare to or from Newark Penn, regardless of the origin or destination point, was 40 cents because the station's operations were shared with the Pennsylvania Railroad at the time. Under Port Authority operation, the PATH fare to and from Newark was lowered in 1966, standardizing the interstate fare to 30 cents. The intrastate fare of 15 cents was doubled in 1970, resulting in a flat rate for the entire system. Tokens PATH fares were paid with brass tokens starting in 1965. The Port Authority ordered 1 million tokens in 1962 and bought a half-million more in 1967. The Port Authority discontinued the sale of tokens in 1971 as a cost-cutting measure, since it cost $900,000 a year to maintain the token fare system. The agency replaced the turnstiles in its stations with new ones that accepted the 30-cent fare in exact change. QuickCards A paper ticket called the QuickCard, introduced in June 1990, was valid only on the PATH system. It stored fare information on a magnetic stripe. as sales were phased out across the system and at NJ Transit ticket machines. By late 2008, PATH had deactivated all turnstiles that accepted cash; they continued to accept the various cards. Current payment methods SmartLink Prior to the implementation of TAPP in 2023, It was first made available in July 2007 at the World Trade Center. The SmartLink can be connected to an online web account system allowing a cardholder to register the card and monitor its usage; it allows for an automatic replenishment system linked to a credit card account, wherein the card balance is automatically refilled when five trips remain (for multiple-trip cards) or five days (for unlimited-ride cards). On May 4, 2026, sales of single-ride SmartLinks discontinued and replaced with paper tickets, while multi-trip passes and unlimited passes sold at TAPP vending machines instead. The MetroCard is a magnetic stripe card, like the QuickCard. PATH riders paying their fare using MetroCard insert the card into a slot at the front of the turnstile, which reads the card and presents the MetroCard to the rider at a slot on the top of the same turnstile. Other types of MetroCards, including unlimited-ride MetroCards, are not accepted on PATH. Plans for using the MetroCard on PATH date to 1996, when the Port Authority and MTA first considered a unified fare system. At the time, the MetroCard was still being rolled out on the MTA system, and more than 80% of PATH riders transferred to other modes of transportation at some point in their trip. In November 2003, the Port Authority announced that the MetroCard would be allowed for use on PATH starting the following year. The Port Authority started implementing the MetroCard on PATH in 2005, installing new fare collection turnstiles at all PATH stations. These turnstiles allowed passengers to pay their fare with a PATH QuickCard or an MTA Pay-Per-Ride MetroCard. MetroCard sales officially ended on December 31, 2025, although existing MetroCards could continue to be used until they expired. MetroCard vending machines were located at all PATH stations. The machines used to sell Pay-Per-Ride MetroCards; allow riders to refill SmartLink cards; and sell Single Ride PATH tickets for use only on the PATH system. There are two types of MetroCard vending machines: large machines, which sell both TAPPLinks and accept cash, credit cards, and transit benefits cards; and small machines, which do not accept cash or sell PATH single-ride tickets but otherwise perform the same functions as the large vending machines. In November 2021, the Port Authority indicated that it would instead implement its own fare payment system—which looks and functions the same as OMNY, has lowercase branding, and is designed by Cubic Transportation Systems, which also designed OMNY. This fare system is named TAPP, short for Total Access PATH Payment. TAPP accepts debit and credit cards and phones for fare payment, but does not accept OMNY cards. The rollout of TAPP at all New Jersey stations was completed by early May 2024 and was rolled out at all stations in New York later that month. On December 4, 2025, TAPP machines and physical TAPP cards were introduced. From May 4, 2026, unlimited passes available through TAPP instead of SmartLink, and multi-trip passes sold at TAPP vending machines. == Rolling stock ==

Current roster , there is only one model, the PA5. In 2005, the Port Authority awarded a $499 million contract to Kawasaki to design and build 340 new PATH cars under the PA5 order to replace the system's entire existing fleet. With an average age of 42 years and some cars dating back as far as 1964, the fleet was the oldest of any operating heavy rail line in the United States. The Port Authority announced that the new cars would be updated versions of the MTA's R142A cars. The first of these new cars entered revenue service in 2009; all of them were delivered over the next two years. The Port Authority exercised a subsequent contract for 10 additional PA5 cars, bringing the total to 350. In December 2017, the Port Authority exercised an option to buy 50 extra PA5 cars for $150 million, for an ultimate total of 400 PA5 cars. Subsequently, in July 2018, Kawasaki was awarded a $240 million contract to refurbish the 350 existing PA5 cars between 2018 and 2024. The contract also called for Kawasaki to build and deliver 72 new PA5 cars starting in 2021, for a total of 422 cars; the first of the additional PA5 cars arrived in September 2022. The new cars are being built by Kawasaki Heavy Industries in the U.S. at Lincoln, Nebraska and tested in Yonkers, New York. The 350 existing cars are being refurbished in Yonkers. Since 1990, all PATH trains are stored and maintained at the Harrison Car Maintenance Facility in New Jersey, located east of the Harrison station. Another train storage yard (Waldo Yard) exists east of the Journal Square station. Seventy-five cars in classes E through G were added in 1921–1923, allowing the H&M to lengthen all train consists to a uniform eight cars. Although classes E-G had similar exterior dimensions to classes A-C, the E-G series had higher capacity, were heavier, and had substantially different window designs compared to the A-C series. In 1927, an additional 12 MP38 cars were ordered under the MP38A classification, as well as four Class H cars. Known collectively as the "red cars" for their PRR-derived paint scheme, they suffered from corrosion and design defects, and were unusable by 1954. After the Port Authority took over operation of the H&M Railroad in 1962, it started ordering new rolling stock to replace the old H&M cars. The St. Louis Car Company built 162 PA1 cars in 1964–1965. PA1, PA2, and PA3 cars had painted aluminum bodies, and two doors on each side. Back-lit panels above the doors displayed the destination of that particular train: HOB for Hoboken, JSQ for Journal Square, NWK for Newark, 33 for 33rd Street, and WTC for World Trade Center. PA4 cars had stainless steel bodies, and three doors on each side. Back-lit displays above the windows (between the doors) displayed the destination of that particular train. Although all four orders contained "A" cars with cabs at one end, the PA1 and PA2 orders also contained some "C" cars. Trains could comprise three to eight cars, but in order to operate, there had to be an even number of "A" cars in the consist, including one "A" car at each end. All PA1-PA4 equipment was retired from passenger service by 2011. However, they were deemed too large to be displayed there; as a result, car 745 was instead donated to the Shore Line Trolley Museum, while car 143 was donated to the Trolley Museum of New York. == FRA railroad status ==

, which is used by PATH but owned by Amtrak While PATH operates as a heavy rail rapid transit system, it is legally a commuter railroad under the jurisdiction of the FRA, which oversees railroads that are part of the national rail network. PATH's predecessor, the H&M, used to share trackage with the Pennsylvania Railroad between the Hudson interlocking near Harrison and Journal Square. The line also connected to the Northeast Corridor near Harrison station and also near Hudson tower. PATH also shares the Dock Bridge near Newark Penn Station with Amtrak and NJ Transit. Although PATH operates under several grandfather waivers, it still must meet more stringent requirements than other American rapid transit systems, such as the proper fitting of grab irons to all PATH rolling stock, installation of PTC, and compliance with the federal railroad hours of service regulations. Additionally, all PATH train operators must be federally certified locomotive engineers, and the agency must conduct more detailed safety inspections than other rapid transit systems. These requirements increase PATH's per-hour operating costs relative to other rapid transit systems in the New York City and Philadelphia areas. For instance, in 2012, it was three times more expensive to operate per hour than the New York City Subway despite having only a fraction of the latter system's length and ridership. The PANYNJ has sought to switch its regulator to the Federal Transit Administration, which oversees rapid transit, but the FRA has insisted that safety concerns require PATH to remain under its purview. Alternatively, the Port Authority has considered transferring PATH to NJ Transit. == Media and popular culture ==

PATH management has two principal passenger outreach initiatives: the "PATHways" newsletter, distributed for free at terminals, as well as the Patron Advisory Committee. Other passenger outreach initiatives include "PATHursday", allowing passengers to provide enhancing service suggestions. Similarly, the "PATH Riders' Council" allows feedback about their system design, service, and decision-making. PATH has offered various "Community Poster Competitions" with schools, "Transit Lines Poetry Stories" featuring poet pieces tied with New York and New Jersey region, and "Arts In Transit" and "PATH Performs!" displaying local artists' work and performances. Media restrictions , PATH regulations state that all photography, filmmaking, videotaping, or creations of drawings or other visual depictions within the PATH system is prohibited without a permit and supervision by a PATH representative. According to the rules, photographers, filmmakers, and other individuals must obtain permits through an application process. According to New Jersey newspaper Hudson Reporter, this ban excludes members of the general public who want to take pictures, and the photography and filmography ban only applies for commercial or professional purposes. The general public is allowed to take pictures of PATH stations and all other Port Authority facilities except in secure and off-limits areas. Tunnel decoration On trains bound for Newark or Hoboken from World Trade Center, a short, zoetrope-like advertisement was formerly visible in the tunnel before entering Exchange Place. There was another similar advertisement, visible from 33rd Street-bound trains between 14th and 23rd Streets near the abandoned 19th Street station. Every year, around Thanksgiving, PATH employees light a decorated Christmas tree at the switching station adjacent to the tunnel used by trains entering the Pavonia/Newport station. This tradition started in the 1950s when a signal operator hung a string of Christmas lights in the tunnel. While PATH officials were initially concerned about putting up decorations in the tunnel, they later acquiesced and the tradition continued. After the September 11 attacks, a backlit U.S. flag was put up beside the tree as a tribute to the victims. In popular culture PATH trains and stations have occasionally been the setting for music videos, commercials, movies, and TV programs. For instance, the White Stripes's video for "The Hardest Button to Button" was filmed at 33rd Street. Additionally, the premiere for season 19 of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit was filmed in the World Trade Center station. The PATH system is also often used as a stand-in for the New York City Subway, as in John Wick: Chapter 2 where it was portrayed as a "Broad Street bound Z train". == Major incidents ==

Train collisions • On August 31, 1922, two H&M trains collided in heavy fog at Manhattan Transfer, injuring 50 people, eight of them seriously. • On July 22, 1923, another collision near Manhattan Transfer killed one person and injured 15 others. • On January 16, 1931, a seven-car H&M train derailed a switch and collided with a wall at 33rd Street, injuring 19 passengers. • On August 22, 1937, a 5-car H&M train crashed into a wall at Hudson Terminal, injuring 33 passengers. • On November 26, 1938, 22 passengers were injured when an H&M train sideswiped a PRR engine in Kearny, east of the former Manhattan Transfer station. • On April 26, 1942, a six-car H&M train derailed at Exchange Place. Five people were killed and 222 more were injured. A subsequent investigation found that the motorman was intoxicated. • On December 17, 1945, a seven-car H&M train collided with a steel barrier on the Dock Bridge west of Harrison, killing the motorman and injuring 67 passengers. • On December 13, 1958, an H&M train rear-ended another one at Journal Square, injuring 30 passengers, none seriously. • On October 16, 1962, 26 people were injured in a crash between two H&M trains at Hudson Terminal. • On July 23, 1963, a PATH train collided with a PRR engine east of Harrison, killing two passengers and injuring 28 more. • On January 11, 1968, a rear-end accident at Journal Square injured 100 of the approximately 200 combined passengers on the two trains, 25 of them seriously. • On October 21, 2009, a PATH train crashed into a bumper block at the end of the platform at 33rd Street. Approximately 13 of the 450 people on board suffered minor injuries; two crew members and five passengers were hospitalized. An investigation by the Port Authority determined that the cause was human error. • On May 8, 2011, a PATH train crashed into a bumper block at Hoboken Terminal, injuring 34 people; the NTSB said the train engineer failed to control the speed of the train as it entered the station. • On October 10, 2019, a PATH train derailed and collided with the platform at Newark Penn Station. No one was on the train at the time. • On July 12, 2025, a PATH train derailed at the Hoboken station interlocking. The Port Authority said that the likely cause of the derailment was a guard rail on the then recently installed interlocking. Other incidents • A train near Exchange Place caught fire on June 3, 1982, injuring 28 people. • Part of the ceiling at Journal Square fell onto the platform on August 8, 1983, killing two and injuring 12. A subsequent investigation found that the ceiling collapse had occurred due to the station's poor design, bad supervision procedures during construction, and inadequate maintenance. • In July 2006, an alleged plot to detonate explosives in the Downtown Hudson Tubes (initially said to be a plot to bomb the Holland Tunnel) was uncovered by the FBI. According to officials, this plan was unsound due to the strength of both tunnels, as well as various restrictions in both the Holland Tunnel and the PATH system. Three of the eight planners were arrested. • On January 7, 2013, an escalator at Exchange Place suddenly reversed itself, resulting in five injuries. After the incident, all of the escalators in the PATH system were inspected. • On the morning of August 4, 2025, a train caught fire at the Newport station. == See also ==