MTA Urges NYers To Take Train To LI Beachers, Offers Escorted Tours

LONG ISLAND, NY — With the summer season now in full swing, Metropolitan Transportation Authority/Long Island Rail Road officials are urging residents and visitors alike to skip the traffic and take the train to enjoy all the festivitiees.

MTA LIRR President Rob Free joined elected officials and tourism organizations Tuesday to remind New Yorkers that "mass transit is the best way to get to Long Island beaches this summer" and highlight the LIRR’s summer packages and escorted tours.

"Whether you’re heading to the beach, park, or winery, the LIRR is the best way to explore everything Long Island has to offer this summer," said Free. "And with the return of our Summer Saturdays discount, monthly ticketholders can travel anywhere the LIRR goes and bring two friends or family for just $1 each.”

"We are coming off a record-breaking Memorial Day Weekend and all signs point to a record-breaking Long Island summer, which is music to the ears of our small and family-owned businesses," said Discover Long Island President and CEO Kristen Reynolds. "Tourism is a $6.6 billion industry on Long Island, and I expect the number to continue to go up. So there's no better summer to take the train and avoid the traffic in order to get from Point A to Point Z."

The LIRR is offering enhanced service for the beach season. The Thursday seasonal express train to the Hamptons departs from Penn Station at 4:07 p.m. is re-branding it as the Thursday Cannonball. The train departing 5:13 p.m., operating express to Jamaica then making all local stops from Babylon and arriving at 8:30 p.m. in Montauk that previously operated Fridays only, will now operate on Thursday and Fridays for the entire summer.

In total on Thursdays, there are seven trains arriving at Montauk between 10:58 a.m. and 11:39 p.m. On Fridays, there are nine trains to Montauk between 10:58 a.m. and 11:39 p.m.

For those who prefer to spend their summer weekends on Long Island’s North Fork, the LIRR has doubled the amount of weekend trips between Ronkonkoma and Greenport from four to eight.

The Cannonball departs Penn Station at 4:07 p.m. and runs express to Westhampton, followed by Southampton, Bridgehampton, East Hampton, and Montauk. The train will run every Friday through Labor Day Weekend. It will also run Wednesday, July 3, for those getting away for the July 4 holiday.

The LIRR also offers extra service on the Montauk Branch throughout the day on Friday and on weekends. For the return trip on Sunday, the MTA recommends leaving later in the evening to avoid large crowds.

LIRR and Metro-North's "Summer Saturday" discount program allows monthly ticketholders to travel anywhere the railroads go and bring friends or family for just $1 each. Between Saturday, July 6, and Saturday, August 31, the railroads will honor all monthly tickets for travel to and from all LIRR and Metro-North stations during weekends, regardless of what stations are printed on the ticket. Monthly ticket holders traveling Saturdays will be able to bring up to two additional travelers for only $1 per person each way.

On Tuesday, May 14, the LIRR reached its highest ridership for a single weekday since the pandemic with 260,745 riders, the MTA said. The ridership record coincided with a Grand Central Madison record — 41 percent of riders traveled to Grand Central Madison on Tuesday, the highest split with Penn Station since the terminal opened for full service last February, officials added.

Summer Packages

MTA Away is offering discounted LIRR beach packages and escorted tours to many popular Long Island attractions, including the Montauk Lighthouse, wine country, cruises and mansions— generating incremental ridership while supporting the Long Island economy and local businesses.Click here for details.

Tickets for the LIRR’s summer packages and escorted tours can be purchased at Gray, Green or Blue Ticket Machines and ticket windows at LIRR stations. Select "MTA Away Deals," then "Long Island Deals" or "Escorted Tours," then the tour or package. Multiple tickets/vouchers will print.

Here are some of the options available:

Long Beach

The Long Beach station is a short walk to the boardwalk and many local eateries. The package includes discounted train tickets to/from the Long Beach LIRR station, admission to the beach, and a voucher for discounts at various Long Beach merchants. The City of Long Beach bus is free. The package is valid on weekends now through June 23, then daily from June 27 through September 2.

Splish Splash

This summer package includes discounted admission to Splish Splash Water Park, discounted train ticket and a Suffolk Transportation bus ride to and from the Ronkonkoma LIRR station. This package is valid daily from June 19 to September 2. The Suffolk Transportation bus leaves Ronkonkoma Station for Splish Splash at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. The Suffolk Transportation bus leaves Splish Splash for Ronkonkoma Station at 4 p.m. and 5 p.m.

Jones Beach

The package includes discounted rail to and from the Freeport LIRR station and bus transportation (NICE Bus N88) to the East or West Bathhouses at Jones Beach. The package is valid daily now through September 29 and can be used for concerts at Jones Beach Theater.

Robert Moses

The package includes discounted train tickets to/from the Babylon LIRR station and Suffolk County Transit bus (15) tickets to/from the beach. The package is valid daily from June 22 through September 2.

Fire Island Beaches: Kismet, Fire Island Lighthouse, Ocean Beach & Ocean Bay Park (Bay Shore Station)

The Kismet package includes discounted train tickets to/from the Bay Shore LIRR station, round trip taxi (David Brothers Taxi) vouchers, and round trip Fire Island Ferries ferry vouchers and admission to the Lighthouse. The package is valid daily now through September 2.

The Ocean Beach and Ocean Bay Park packages include discounted train tickets to/from the Bay Shore LIRR station, round trip taxi (David Brothers Taxi) vouchers and round trip Fire Island Ferries ferry vouchers. The packages are valid daily now through September 2.

Fire Island Beaches: Cherry Grove, Fire Island Pines & Sunken Forest at Sailors Haven

The Cherry Grove and Fire Island Pines packages include discounted train tickets to/from the Sayville LIRR station, round trip taxi (Colonial Taxi) vouchers to/from the ferry terminal, and round trip Sayville Ferry ferry vouchers. The packages are valid daily now through September 2.

The Sunken Forest at Sailors Haven package includes discounted train tickets to/from the Sayville LIRR station, round trip taxi (Colonial Taxi) vouchers to/from the ferry terminal, and round trip Sayville Ferry ferry vouchers. The package is valid daily now through September 2.

Fire Island Beaches: Davis Park & Watch Hill

The Davis Park packages include discounted train tickets to/from the Patchogue LIRR station, round trip taxi (Lindy's Taxi) vouchers to/from the ferry terminal, and round trip Davis Park Ferry ferry vouchers. The package is valid daily now through September 2.

The Watch Hill package includes discounted train tickets to/from the Patchogue LIRR station, and round trip Davis Park Ferry ferry vouchers. Please note: the ferry to Watch Hill is located a short walk from the west end of Patchogue station at 160 West Avenue. No taxi vouchers are included. The package is valid daily now through September 2.

Escorted Tours

Montauk Lighthouse

The tour includes round-trip rail and bus transportation, a visit to Montauk Village, admission to the Montauk Point Lighthouse Museum, and a stop at Gosman’s Dock to eat and shop.

North Fork Fruit and Hard Cider

This escorted tour package includes discounted round-trip rail, bus transportation, tastings at the Riverhead Ciderhouse, fruit picking at Wickham’s Fruit Farm, and a visit to the Village of Greenport.

Gatsby Mansions

The tour includes discounted round-trip rail, bus transportation, admission to the Vanderbilt Museum, admission to Old Westbury Gardens, and a stop at Huntington Village for lunch.

Gatsby Mansion & Oyster Fest

For Saturday, October 19, the package includes discounted round-trip rail, bus transportation, admission to the Vanderbilt Museum, and the Oyster Fest.

For Sunday, October 20, the package includes discounted round-trip rail, bus transportation, admission to Old Westbury Gardens, and the Oyster Fest.

North Fork Vineyards

For Saturday tours: July 20, 2024, September 21 and October 26 this escorted tour package includes discounted round-trip rail, bus transportation, wine tastings at Duck Walk Vineyards and Pindar Vineyards, and a visit to the Village of Greenport.

For Sunday tours: August 11 and October 6, this escorted tour package includes discounted round-trip rail, bus transportation, wine tastings at Jason's Vineyard, and a visit to the village of Port Jefferson.

Sunday Cruise to Fire Island Lighthouse

This escorted tour package includes discounted round-trip rail, bus transportation, a three-hour cruise and buffet lunch on the Lauren Kristy, admission to the Fire Island Lighthouse, and a stop at the village of Babylon for shopping and dining.

Greenport Lighthouse Cruise

This escorted tour package includes discounted round-trip rail, admission to the East End Seaport Museum, and a two-hour narrated cruise and tour of the “Bug Lighthouse.”

LIRR Escorted 190th Anniversary Tour

This escorted tour package includes discounted round-trip rail, bus transportation, admission to the Railroad Museum at Greenport and Riverhead, a ride on a G-16 park train, 'The Greenport Express,' and an LIRR 190th Anniversary commemorative book in addition to some LIRR 190th anniversary merchandise.