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LIRR Service Info Update 05-19-26

Posted by
on May 19th, 2026 at 11:58 am

Here is the latest service info update I was sent by the MTA Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) to share with my readers:

he Long Island Rail Road strike has ended, and limited service will resume on Tuesday, May 19. Customers should continue to work from home on Tuesday if possible. The first trains will operate on the Babylon, Huntington, Port Washington, and Ronkonkoma branches, with service on the other branches resuming shortly after that. The first trains to operate are as follows:

Babylon Branch

Huntington/Port Jefferson Branch

Port Washington Branch

Ronkonkoma Branch

Limited shuttle bus service and other travel alternatives remain available while we work to restore service. Please see below for details. If you need assistance, please call 511.

Travel alternatives

Shuttle buses

The MTA will provide limited shuttle bus service on Tuesday 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​
  • Huntington (LIRR) to Jamaica-179 St F at Hillside Av and 179 St
  • Ronkonkoma (LIRR) to Jamaica-179 St F at Hillside Av and 179 St

Peak direction service only

  • Hempstead Lake State Park, near Lakeview (LIRR), to Howard Beach-JFK Airport A​
  • Hicksville (LIRR) to Howard Beach-JFK Airport A​
  • Mineola (LIRR) to Howard Beach-JFK Airport A​

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 can use 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.

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 A​
  • Kew Gardens-Union Tpke EF​
  • Ozone Park-Lefferts Blvd A​
  • Sheepshead Bay BQ​
  • Woodhaven Blvd J​

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 A​ station.
  • Shuttle buses will transport customers from Huntington and Ronkonkoma to Jamaica Center-Parsons/Archer EJZ​ 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

You might enjoy reading these related entries:
LIRR, Service Alerts
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LIRR Resumes Service At Noon

Posted by
on May 19th, 2026 at 12:40 am

Long Island Rail Road service will resume beginning at noon on Tuesday.

Beginning at 12 p.m. Tuesday, hourly train service will operate on four main branches with electric train service, including Ronkonkoma, Babylon, Port Washington, and Huntington.

Full service is expected to be restored in time for the evening rush hour and the Knicks game at Madison Square Garden.

Full peak service is expected across all branches, including diesel service by the evening commute.

Tuesday morning will follow Monday’s contingency bus service.

MTA shuttle buses

Shuttle buses will run between the Ronkonkoma and Huntington LIRR stations and the Jamaica 179th Street subway stop in Queens. There, commuters can take the F train into Manhattan.

Buses will also run from the Bay Shore, Hicksville and Mineola stations as well as Hempstead Lake State Park. Those shuttles will go to the Howard Beach – JFK Airport subway station, where commuters can connect to the A train.

The shuttle 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.

NICE bus

Nassau County commuters should consider using NICE bus to connect to Flushing-Main Street to catch the No. 7 subway train or to the Jamaica Bus Terminal in Queens, which is a short walk to the 169th Street subway station for the F train.

Passenger drop-off locations

The MTA has a list of subway stations it recommends as drop-off points. They say these stations are close to major roadways that lead to and from Long Island.

 

 

 

 

Note: These stations do not have parking lots.

Accessible travel alternatives

There will be accessible travel alternatives 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 A station.

And buses will transport customers from Huntington and Ronkonkoma to Jamaica Center-Parsons/Archer EJZ station.

xoxo Transit Blogger

You might enjoy reading these related entries:
LIRR, Service Alerts
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2026 LIRR Strike Comes To An End

Posted by
on May 19th, 2026 at 12:07 am

The MTA Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) strike of 2026 has come to an end after 3 days. Here are the details:

Negotiators have reached a deal to end a strike that has brought North America’s largest commuter rail system to a standstill.

The deal between the Long Island Rail Road and union leaders was announced on Monday.

The two sides had bargained for years before the strike began Saturday. The shutdown has forced roughly 250,000 commuters who ride the system each weekday to work from home or find alternate routes to and from the city.

The five unions represent about half its workforce, including engineers, signalmen and trainmen.

The unions and the MTA have been negotiating for months on a new contract, with talks stalled over workers’ salaries and healthcare premiums.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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LIRR
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LIRR 2026 Strike Latest Update

Posted by
on May 18th, 2026 at 12:49 am

The National Mediation Board has stepped in to the LIRR strike to try to help resume bargaining between the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the striking unions.

The coalition of five Long Island Rail Road unions and the MTA were summoned to a meeting in Manhattan.

The federal labor agency governs labor relations for railroads and airlines.

The news comes hours after New York Governor Kathy Hochul called for talks to resume to end the strike by LIRR unionized workers, which has shut down the Long Island Rail Road, North America’s largest commuter rail system.

The five unions represent about half its workforce, including engineers, signalmen and trainmen.

The unions and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority have been negotiating for months on a new contract, with talks stalled over workers’ salaries and healthcare premiums.

Hochul is urging the roughly 250,000 people who ride the system to work from home on Monday, if they can.

xoxo Transit Blogger

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LIRR
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LIRR Is Officially On Strike!

Posted by
on May 16th, 2026 at 12:50 am

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 F at Hillside Av and 179 St
  • Ronkonkoma (LIRR) to Jamaica-179 St F at Hillside Av and 179 St

Peak direction service only

  • Hempstead Lake State Park, near Lakeview (LIRR), to Howard Beach-JFK Airport A​
  • Hicksville (LIRR) to Howard Beach-JFK Airport A​
  • Mineola (LIRR) to Howard Beach-JFK Airport A​

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.

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 A​
  • Kew Gardens-Union Tpke E F​
  • Ozone Park-Lefferts Blvd A​
  • Sheepshead Bay BQ​
  • Woodhaven Blvd J​

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 A​ station.
  • Shuttle buses will transport customers from Huntington and Ronkonkoma to Jamaica Center-Parsons/Archer EJZ​ station.

Shuttle Bus Map

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

You might enjoy reading these related entries:
LIRR