NJ TRANSIT: Faithful Heading To Philly For Pope's Mass Should Buy Tickets Ahead Of Time
NEWARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- For those still considering heading to Pope Francis' public Mass this Sunday in Philadelphia, NJ TRANSIT officials are urging that you plan ahead and buy train tickets in advance.
Since NJ TRANSIT has two main rail lines connecting to greater Philadelphia -- the River Line out of Trenton going to Camden and the Atlantic City Express straight into Philly -- Executive Director Ronnie Hakim is "encouraging people to take a look and identify where it works best for them and their family."
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Hakim told WCBS 880's Levon Putney the railroad is selling special papal train tickets on either line for Saturday and Sunday. So far, only about 3,300 of the 28,000 tickets for both lines have been sold.
"So we still have plenty of tickets available and what I'm concerned about is that people aren't planning," he said.
Special papal tickets on the Atlantic City Rail Line will be sold between 5 a.m. and 1:45 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday for hourly departures from Atlantic City to Philadelphia's 30th Street Station.
River Line tickets will be sold both days between 6 a.m. and 1:45 p.m. for departures sold in scheduled two-hour windows.
Hakim said those planning on heading to Philadelphia should help themselves and buy tickets online to avoid lines at the stations.
Pope Francis heads to Philadelphia on Saturday following a whirlwind trip in New York City.
On Friday, the pontiff started his day with meetings and a speech at the United Nations General Assembly, followed by an interfaith service at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum.
Later Friday, Francis will meet students at a school in East Harlem, greet thousands of faithful in Central Park, and hold mass at Madison Square Garden.
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