LIRR to raise fares, change services

Lack of Port Washington express trains continues to frustrate commuters

BY CAMERYN OAKES

The Metropolitan Transit Authority is proposing a series of changes to the Long Island Rail Road that will roll out over the next couple of months, including fare increases and service adjustments to the Port Washington and Oyster Bay branches.

On Aug. 20, monthly and weekly tickets for the LIRR will increase by up to 4.5%. Monthly ticket fares will not exceed $500, which the MTA website states is to address high ticket pricing for the furthest railroad zones.

For example, monthly fares from Zone 4, which includes New Hyde Park, East Williston, Great Neck, Manhasset and Port Washington, to Penn Station and Grand Central Madison will increase from $243 to $253.

For those traveling from Zone 7, which includes Albertson, Roslyn, Sea Cliff and Glen Cove, to Manhattan, monthly fares will rise from $277 to $287.

While ticket pricing will be increasing, fares will be lower than they were prior to the COVID-19 pandemic due to a 10% discount implemented in March 2022, according to the MTA website.

The discount for traveling off-peak will also be standardized at 26% for both the LIRR and Metro-North. The prior discount rates were established at

27.5% for the LIRR and 25% for MetroNorth, which provides service between New York City and the northern suburbs in New York and Connecticut.

The standardization of off-peak travel discounts will lead to an increase of 6% to 7% on LIRR off-peak tickets and an increase of 2% to 3% on MetroNorth off-peak tickets.

The LIRR will continue offering UniTicket fares to travel on both commuter rail and connecting bus and ferry services. Changes in these fares will be based in part on changes to weekly and monthly transit fares.

In tandem with fare changes, many LIRR branches will be implementing service changes on Sept. 5. These changes are being introduced to increase service to Penn Station and add more direct services to Brooklyn, according to the MTA website.

On the Oyster Bay Branch, the 7:17 a.m. train from Oyster Bay to Penn Station will have all riders transfer to an empty train at Jamaica. This is to reduce crowding, according to the MTA website.

The Manhattan-bound 7:01 a.m. train from Oyster Bay will also be converted to an express train. skipping the Glen Cove, Sea Cliff, Greenvale, Albertson and Mineola stations.

State Assemblymember Charles

Continued on Page 47