LIRR Is Officially On Strike!
The MTA Long Island Railroad (LIRR) is suspended system wide as the workers are officially on strike! Here are the options available to you:
LIRR strike is in effect
LIRR service is suspended due to a strike.
A strike will have a devastating impact on the nearly 300,000 passengers who depend on the LIRR to get where they need to go every single day. MTA leaders will continue to negotiate with the unions to resolve the strike.
However, we want riders to be prepared.
Work from home if possible
Unfortunately, there is no substitute for the Long Island Rail Road, and its shutdown will cause severe congestion and delays. Avoid nonessential travel and work from home if possible.
If you must commute, give yourself ample travel time, no matter which mode you take. There will be congestion on the roads and travel alternatives will be near or at capacity due to an influx of additional riders.
Travel alternatives
Shuttle buses
The MTA will provide limited shuttle bus service on weekdays for essential workers and those who cannot telecommute. Buses will run during peak hours (toward Manhattan from 4:30 to 9 a.m. and to Long Island from 3 to 7 p.m.) to/from six locations on Long Island to subway transfer points in Queens. There will also be limited reverse peak service available on some routes.
Peak and reverse peak direction service
- Bay Shore (LIRR) to Howard Beach-JFK Airport A Train
- Huntington (LIRR) to Jamaica-179 St at Hillside Av and 179 St
- Ronkonkoma (LIRR) to Jamaica-179 St at Hillside Av and 179 St
Peak direction service only
- Hempstead Lake State Park, near Lakeview (LIRR), to Howard Beach-JFK Airport
- Hicksville (LIRR) to Howard Beach-JFK Airport
- Mineola (LIRR) to Howard Beach-JFK Airport
There is no charge for shuttle bus service. Tap and ride using your phone, credit or debit card, or OMNY Card for transfers to the subway and MTA buses.
NICE Bus
Nassau County customers should also consider using NICE Bus to connect to/from points in Queens, both at peak and reverse peak times. See below for MTA locations with NICE Bus connections.
- 179 St
- Far Rockaway-Mott Av
- Flushing-Main St
- Jamaica Bus Terminal, a short walk from the 169 St
- Jamaica Ctr-Parsons/Archer
Visit the NICE Bus website for more information and service changes, or use the NICE GoMobile app to plan your trip. Use your phone, credit or debit card, or OMNY Card to tap and ride on NICE Bus.
Passenger drop-off locations
We recommend using the following subway stations as passenger drop-off points. These stations are close to major roadways that lead to and from Long Island. These stations do not have parking lots, so please do not plan to park there.
- Far Rockaway-Mott Av
- Kew Gardens-Union Tpke
- Ozone Park-Lefferts Blvd
- Sheepshead Bay
- Woodhaven Blvd
Accessible travel alternatives
Accessible travel options will be available on Long Island and in Queens.
- Shuttle buses will transport customers from Bay Shore, Hempstead Lake State Park, Hicksville, and Mineola to Howard Beach-JFK Airport station.
- Shuttle buses will transport customers from Huntington and Ronkonkoma to Jamaica Center-Parsons/Archer station.
Refunds for monthly ticket holders
We intend to issue prorated refunds to May monthly ticket holders for any business day that service is suspended due to the strike, pending board approval. Check back soon for more details on how to apply for a refund.
xoxo Transit Blogger
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MTA Statement On Congestion Pricing Ruling
The MTA CEO & Chairman Janno Lieber released a brief statement after federal Judge Lewis Liman said the Trump administration’s attempt to revoke approval for the first-of-its-kind program was unlawful, handing a victory to the MTA following a months-long legal battle.
Here is the statement sent directly to me by the MTA to share with my readers:
“We’ve said it all along, and Judge Liman’s clear, detailed ruling leaves no doubt: congestion pricing is legal. It’s here to stay. And it works.
Traffic is down, business is up, and we’re making crucial investments in a transit system that moves millions of people a day.
Today—once again—Secretary Duffy failed and New York is winning.”
I personally feel this is a terrible decision as congestion pricing is a scam & quite frankly unconstitutional. Sadly our justice system is filled with so many activists disguised as judges, rulings like this have become commonplace.
xoxo Transit Blogger
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Winter Storm 02-24-26 2pm Update
A winter storm has brought heavy snowfall to our area.
Our crews have prepared by salting outdoor areas at stations, deploying snow-fighting equipment, and monitoring switches and tracks. But we’re also taking precautions to ensure trains and buses can operate safely, and there will be service changes on subways, buses, the Long Island Rail Road, Metro-North Railroad, and Access-A-Ride. Keep reading to see those changes.
Our customers’ safety is our top priority. Keep these things in mind:
- Allow yourself extra travel time.
- Use extra caution, especially on stairs, platforms, and when boarding or exiting trains and buses.
- Check service status on the MTA or TrainTime apps, or on our website.
- Chat with us in our apps if you have questions about service.
- Sign up for real-time email or SMS alerts to get updates on service as they happen.
Stay safe, and thanks for riding with us.
Subway
Some express trains are running local. Check the MTA app or Service Status to see if your train is impacted.
Bus
Expect longer waits for local buses, since we’ve removed articulated buses from service during the storm.
Long Island Rail Road
The LIRR is operating limited service on the Port Washington, Ronkonkoma, Babylon, Montauk, Oyster Bay, and Port Jefferson branches:
- Hourly service on the Port Washington Branch
- Weekend service on the Ronkonkoma Branch
- Reduced weekend service on the Babylon Branch, with added stops at Valley Stream and Lynbrook
- Weekend service on the Montauk Branch, limited to trains between Speonk and points west
- Weekend service on the Oyster Bay Branch
- Weekend service on the Port Jefferson Branch
- Weekend service to/from Brooklyn
- Limited shuttle service to/from Grand Central, running express between Jamaica and Grand Central
- No service on the Far Rockaway, Hempstead, Long Beach, or West Hempstead branches, between Ronkonkoma and Greenport, or between Speonk and Montauk
Metro-North Railroad
On Tuesday, Metro-North will operate half-hourly service during the morning and evening peaks on the Hudson, Harlem and New Haven lines. The New Canaan and Danbury branches will be on a weekend schedule. Waterbury and Wassaic branch service will be replaced by buses.
Haverstraw-Ossining Ferry substitute bus service will resume operation. View the special bus schedule.
The Hudson Rail Link will resume operation. View special schedules for Riverdale and Spuyten Duyvil.
The Port Jervis and Pascack Valley lines will operate on a Presidents Day schedule. Visit NJ Transit’s website for updates.
Access-A-Ride
Access-A-Ride Paratransit is operating very limited service for essential trips only.
If you have a non-essential trip scheduled for Tuesday, please cancel your trip as soon as possible by using the MY AAR app or calling 877-337-2017, prompt #3.
There will be no penalties for no show or late cancellations Tuesday.
xoxo Transit Blogger
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Winter Storm 02-24-26 Noon Update
A winter storm has brought heavy snowfall to our area.
Our crews have prepared by salting outdoor areas at stations, deploying snow-fighting equipment, and monitoring switches and tracks. But we’re also taking precautions to ensure trains and buses can operate safely, and there will be service changes on subways, buses, the Long Island Rail Road, Metro-North Railroad, and Access-A-Ride. Keep reading to see those changes.
Our customers’ safety is our top priority. Keep these things in mind:
- Allow yourself extra travel time.
- Use extra caution, especially on stairs, platforms, and when boarding or exiting trains and buses.
- Check service status on the MTA or TrainTime apps, or on our website.
- Chat with us in our apps if you have questions about service.
- Sign up for real-time email or SMS alerts to get updates on service as they happen.
Stay safe, and thanks for riding with us.
Subway
Some express trains are running local. Check the MTA app or Service Status to see if your train is impacted.
Bus
Expect longer waits for local buses, since we’ve removed articulated buses from service during the storm.
Long Island Rail Road
The LIRR is operating limited service on the Ronkonkoma, Huntington, Babylon, Oyster Bay, Montauk, and Port Washington branches:
- Hourly service on the Port Washington and Ronkonkoma branches
- Reduced weekend service on the Babylon Branch, with select morning westbound trains stopping at Valley Stream
- Weekend service on the Montauk Branch, limited to trains between Speonk and points west
- Oyster Bay Branch service operating westbound in the morning and in both directions after the morning rush
- Weekend service on the Port Jefferson Branch
- Weekend service to/from Brooklyn
- Limited shuttle service to/from Grand Central, running express between Jamaica and Grand Central
- No service on the Far Rockaway, Hempstead, Long Beach, or West Hempstead branches, between Ronkonkoma and Greenport, or between Speonk and Montauk
Metro-North Railroad
On Tuesday, Metro-North will operate half-hourly service during the morning and evening peaks on the Hudson, Harlem and New Haven lines. The New Canaan and Danbury branches will be on a weekend schedule. Waterbury and Wassaic branch service will be replaced by buses.
Haverstraw-Ossining Ferry substitute bus service will resume operation. View the special bus schedule.
The Hudson Rail Link will resume operation. View special schedules for Riverdale and Spuyten Duyvil.
The Port Jervis and Pascack Valley lines will operate on a Presidents Day schedule. Visit NJ Transit’s website for updates.
Access-A-Ride
Access-A-Ride Paratransit is operating very limited service for essential trips only.
If you have a non-essential trip scheduled for Tuesday, please cancel your trip as soon as possible by using the MY AAR app or calling 877-337-2017, prompt #3.
There will be no penalties for no show or late cancellations Tuesday.
xoxo Transit Blogger
You might enjoy reading these related entries:- Winter Storm 02-24-26 2pm Update
- Winter Storm Service Change Updates
- LIRR Thanksgiving 2021 Service Plan Info
- LIRR Labor Day 2015 Service Plan
- LIRR July 4th Service Plan Info
Winter Storm 2026 Service Update
A winter storm has brought heavy snowfall to our area. Customers are strongly advised to avoid travel.
Our crews have prepared by salting outdoor areas at stations, deploying snow-fighting equipment, and monitoring switches and tracks. But we’re also taking precautions to ensure trains and buses can operate safely, and there will be service changes on subways, buses, the Long Island Rail Road, Metro-North Railroad, and Access-A-Ride. Keep reading to see those changes.
Our customers’ safety is our top priority. If you must travel, keep these things in mind:
Allow yourself extra travel time.
Use extra caution, especially on stairs, platforms, and when boarding or exiting trains and buses.
Check service status on the MTA or TrainTime apps, or on our website.
Chat with us in our apps if you have questions about service.
Sign up for real-time email or SMS alerts to get updates on service as they happen.
Stay safe, and thanks for riding with us.
Subway
train service is suspended.
Some express trains are running local. Expect delays, some of which could be severe, especially on lines that run outdoors. We will update the service status box if your train is impacted.
Bus
Expect longer waits for local buses, since we’ve removed articulated buses from service during the storm.
Long Island Rail Road
LIRR service is fully suspended until further notice. Check the TrainTime app or our website for details on service. We will restore train service once it is safe to do so.
Metro-North Railroad
On Monday, Metro-North will operate on a reduced schedule on the Hudson, Harlem, and New Haven lines, including the Wassaic, New Canaan, Danbury, and Waterbury branches.
The Hudson Rail Link connecting bus will be suspended. The shuttle buses that have been substituting for the Haverstraw-Ossining Ferry due to river ice will also be suspended.
West of Hudson service on the Port Jervis and Pascack Valley lines is temporarily suspended as of Sunday evening. Visit NJ Transit’s website for updates.
Access-A-Ride
Access-A-Ride Paratransit will not be taking any reservations after 9 p.m. Sunday, to coincide with New York City’s traffic ban. Paratransit customers can call for updates on when service will resume and reservations can be made again.
xoxo Transit Blogger
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