Transportation and Parking

What to expect -

As you know, Princeton University is growing. Undergraduate class size has doubled since our time. In 1961, 686 of us graduated. Today the Class of 2026 numbers some 1,500. The campus has expanded as well, so you'll see many new buildings, including the new Art Museum, around the main campus core. There may be a few building sites unfinished, but most will be complete. The faculty has expanded as well, so the student - faculty ratio remains about 5 to 1, as it was in our time. The students are top notch and very helpful, as you'll see when you meet our student crew, led by a great guy. He's Will Rhoades '27, from North Carolina. And of course, there are many more alumni attending reunions now than ever before. Expect crowds of fellow Tigers in party mode!

Our headquarters will be in Forbes College, 115 Alexander Road, across from the old "Dinky Station" location. In 1961 it was still "The Princeton Inn". It became Forbes College in 1984. Forbes patio overlooks scenic Springdale Golf Club, and is across the street from the campus transportation center. The "Old Guard" will share space at Forbes with us.

One of two major car parking centers is a short walk or golf cart ride from Forbes. You may drop passengers and luggage off at Forbes, and personal golf carts may park here, but there is no car parking at Forbes. So where should we park? (Parking maps will be available at check-in, but are not yet available.)

1. Parking near Forbes. For those of us who can walk 100 yards, the Theater Drive Garage is the nearest to Forbes. It's across Alexander St., between Forbes and Baker Rink. However, for those who need assistance walking, the first choice would be the ADA parking area adjacent to the parking garage. This lot is served by golf carts that can bring you and your guests to Forbes. From Forbes, drive south on Alexander St. and turn left at the traffic light on Faculty Road. Follow the directions to parking. Note that Faculty Road is the only way to drive to the two primary parking lots, including the Stadium Drive Parking Garage and lot across campus near the stadium.

2. Parking near Princeton Stadium. When parking near Baker Rink is full, you will be directed to follow Faculty Road to the Stadium Drive Garage. Just follow the signs past Washington Road intersection. Lake Carnegie will be on your right. There is frequent Campus Circulator bus service from the Stadium Drive Garage to the Bus station on Alexander St., directly across from Forbes. The bus is air conditioned, ADA and wheelchair accessible. The ride to the Bus station takes about 15 minutes. The good news - Princeton's buses and parking are free of charge! And, as its name implies, the Campus Circulator Buses run all day and until 3 am around the campus up Alexander St., across Nassau St., down Washington Rd and along Faculty Rd. back to Alexander St., making multiple stops.

3. With the addition of the Stadium Drive Garage, Reunions parking options on campus have expanded. That being said, attendees are still strongly encouraged to use hotel shuttles where offered, transit, or carpool when traveling to campus to avoid traffic and potential re-routing if a campus parking lot is full. Additionally, ridesharing wherever possible is encouraged. Uber and Lyft are readily accessible and provide a reliable transportation option.

Those driving might encounter traffic delays or be redirected to overflow parking lots, particularly if arriving on Friday afternoon or Saturday morning. Parking professionals will be onsite to direct arriving vehicles to:
o Theater Drive Garage and Lot 20
o Stadium Drive Garage (with shuttle service)
o Meadows Drive Garage (with shuttle service)
o Prospect Ave Garage and adjacent lots (no shuttle service)
o Overflow lots at Lakeside Apartments and Lawrence Apartments (with shuttle service)
o Grad College Lot 19 (limited shuttle service)

Alternatives to campus traffic and at-capacity lots include parking at the Princeton Junction train station in West Windsor and taking the Dinky to campus. Parking is available for $7 daily (including the option to park for multiple days overnight) with the Dinky running all day and well after midnight on Friday and Saturday. Round Trip fare is $6.

o Most on-street meters in Princeton are free of charge after 8:00 pm
o There are public garages on Chambers, Hulfish & Spring Streets

Transportation to and from events - Many of us have mobility issues now and may have concerns about getting around. Realizing this, we have planned most of our events and all meals at Forbes. However, let's say you wanted to go from Forbes over to the Art Museum, or to another location on campus, and want a ride. The best way would be to take the Tiger Trolley, which runs continual loops along Elm Drive in the middle of campus, looping past the ADA parking lot near Baker Rink, then back up to the Art Museum. The Trolley stop nearest to Forbes is at Baker Rink, about 100 yards away from Forbes. Please walk to the trolley if you can. If you would rather request a golf cart ride, read on -

Requesting a Golf Cart ride - For scheduled events we will endeavor to provide golf cart request sheets at the check-in table before the events. It will help us plan for rides if you use the request sheets.

For unscheduled events call our student crew, Frank, or Joe, whose cell phone numbers are listed on our reunion program, and we'll do our best to fill your request. At busy times, please be patient!

The P-rade, of course, is Saturday at 2 pm. Our Burning Bright as Ever! class will march, we in our bright reunion jackets, ladies in their new scarves, all wearing sunglasses and led by the one and only Princeton Tiger! (A good photo op!) We'll brief the class on P-rade transportation Friday night.

We'll be bused from Forbes to Nassau Hall before the P-rade, so please have an early lunch! Afterwards, we can walk back to Forbes, or wait for a golf cart ride, if desired.

If you've rented a golf cart, you may ride it in the P-rade, but it must be parked at Nassau Hall by our crew before 12 noon. You can ride the bus up to Nassau Hall before the P-rade, and drive your cart back to Forbes afterwards.

If you'd prefer to ride the free "Tiger Trolley" in air-conditioned comfort in the P-rade and back to Forbes, that's fine, just sign up Thursday or Friday on the "Tiger Trolley" P-rade sign-up sheet at Forbes. First come, first served.

Remember, we have many transportation options at our reunion location. We're a short walk across the street from the University's bus transportation center, the Theater Drive parking garage, and the Dinky station. From the transportation center, shuttle buses loop continually to hotels along Route 1 and back. The Uber and LYFT taxi line is right in front of Forbes, along Alexander Road. For campus transportation, Campus Circulator buses run around the edges of campus, and the Tiger Trolleys prowl on Elm Drive in the center of campus.

If your mobility needs require more help, it is available. It may be possible to rent a golf cart for your personal use, either for the P-rade or for the entire Reunion. (A 3-day golf cart rental costs $990, P-rade only, $550.) Eligibility is restricted to alumni holding state-issued proof of a handicap designation. Orders must be placed with the University asap through a specific online form:
Personal Golf Cart Rental Order Form: https://princeton.reunioniq.com/shop/golfcart26

Trolley Map