The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), serving residents in New York City, Long Island, southeastern New York state, and Connecticut, recently held a grand opening ceremony for its Grand Central Madison.
Full Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) service began Monday. Full service adds 271 LIRR trains daily, offering access to Midtown east, Queens, and Brooklyn, and increases LIRR system-wide service to 936 trains daily.
With the implementation of the new schedules, there will be more than 500 additional station stops in Brooklyn and Queens, and during the peak period, an LIRR train into Penn Station or Grand Central every 3 to 6 minutes and service to Atlantic Terminal approximately every 12 minutes.
To provide a seamless connection between the systems, the MTA introduced the “Combo Ticket” that enables travel between Long Island, Manhattan’s northern suburbs, and Connecticut with one fare.
“Faster service and more trains will help bring the heart of New York City closer to Long Islanders and Queens residents, and the surge in reverse commuting will be a shot in the arm for Long Island employers looking to access a bigger talent pool,” MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said. “It’s a win-win.”
Grand Central Madison is part of a $17.7 billion investment to modernize the Long Island Rail Road. It is the first major new railroad terminal to open in the United States in 67 years and the first extension of the LIRR in 112 years since Service began to Penn Station in 1910.
A total of 100 projects are planned system-wide, including the renewal and upgrade of 36 stations and 17 bridges.