The commuter “summer of hell” is coming to a close.
The Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) announced Aug. 24 that it will resume regular weekday service on Sept. 5. The new fall schedule, which will be in effect until Nov. 12, can be seen here.
Additionally, the discounted fares and temporary bus and ferry service put in place as alternative travel options will end effective Sept. 1.
The LIRR announced its revised summer schedule in mid-June, just prior to the long-anticipated emergency repair work by Amtrak on Penn Station tracks began on July 10. The work impacted an estimated 10,000 LIRR customers who ride during peak hours.
For northeast Queens residents, three rush hour trains — one in the morning and two in the evening — were eliminated in the summer schedule on the Port Washington line. Bayside commuters had mixed feelings going into the so-called summer of hell in July, but disruptions proved not to be as chaotic as originally expected, according to reports.
“Our goal was to provide our customers with a range of alternative travel options and planning tools to limit the repair work’s impact on the daily commute,” MTA Chairman Joseph J. Lhota said. “I want to thank our customers for their patience and willingness to try the temporary travel options, as well as our employees for their hard work to make the transition as smooth as possible.”
Riders with questions or concerns can contact the LIRR’s Customer Service Center by calling 511 or 718-217-LIRR.
