NEW YORK — Full Long Island Rail Road service to Grand Central Madison began this morning (Monday, Feb. 27) as part of the introduction of schedules that bring a 41% increase in weekday LIRR service systemwide.
The shift to the new schedule and introduction of service to the new station from all LIRR branches — many direct, some requiring a change of trains — follows a Sunday ceremony at Grand Central Madison featuring U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, MTA CEO Janno Lieber, and other federal and local officials following a train ride from LIRR’s Jamaica station.
The new schedules add 271 trains on weekdays, increasing the systemwide total to 936 trains per day. Of those, 296 will serve Grand Central Madison [see “Grand Central Madison … debuts,” Trains News Wire, Jan. 25, 2023]. Information on the new schedules, including timetables, is available here.
“LIRR is thrilled to be offering more frequent service and more flexibility to our customers,” said Catherine Rinaldi, interim president of the LIRR and president of Metro-North Railroad, in a press release. “Grand Central Madison also provides connectivity between LIRR and Metro-North for the very first time, opening up a new era of regional rail travel for customers of both railroads.”
Hochul said the full opening of the new station is a public transportation feat that will shorten commutes, giving commuters time back in their busy lives to spend with their families, friends and communities. Grand Central Madison will dramatically expand service and operate more reliably for commuters and reduce overcrowding at Penn Station.”
