What to Know
- Don’t think about starting the SantaCon festivities this weekend while riding NJ Transit, Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North
- The move coincides with the annual SantaCon events in New York City and Asbury Park, New Jersey
- SantaCon is a massive bar crawl in which participants dress up as Santa Claus, elves and other holiday-themed costumes
Don’t think about starting the SantaCon festivities this weekend while riding NJ Transit, Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North.
All participating “Santas” riding NJ Transit will have to wait until arriving at their final SantaCon destinations — either New York City or Asbury Park — to get their drink on as the transportation agency has officially banned all beverages on its trains, light rails and buses from Saturday, Dec. 8, and Sunday morning, Dec. 9.
“No beverages of any kind, in any type of container, open or closed, will be permitted on board trains, buses or light rail vehicles during this time,” NJ Transit said, adding that the policy “will be strictly enforced.”
The ban was implemented due to rowdy incidents that took place in past SantaCons.
Meanwhile, LIRR and Metro-North announced it will impose a 24-hour ban on alcohol starting Saturday, Dec. 8 at noon in an effort "to maintain safe and orderly travel during this weekend's SantaCon event," the MTA said in a statement, adding that its police officers will be on duty at Penn Station, Grand Central Terminal and other stations in the area, as well as on trains, to enforce the ban, confiscate alcoholic beverages and issue summonses.
The MTA's ban on alchohol has been in effect for the past five years.
Local
SantaCon is a massive annual bar crawl in which participants dress in red and white resembling jolly old St. Nick, elves and other holiday-themed costumes.
