By Emma Miller
Whether you are heading out of the city or just into Manhattan for the parade or some shopping, here are all of the transit schedule changes that the MTA has announced for Thanksgiving weekend.
Trains and buses will be on alternate schedules from Wednesday, Nov. 21, until Sunday, Nov. 25. All bridge and tunnel work for roads and tracks will be suspended over the weekend to accommodate extra travel. Any necessary work will be done overnight when traffic is lightest.
Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad
Both the LIRR and Metro-North will have extra early afternoon trains Wednesday, Nov. 21. The railroads will offer off-peak fare and additional trains from Thursday through Sunday.
Subway
All subway lines will run on a Sunday schedule for the holiday on Thursday. If you are going to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the starting line is close to the 72 St. stop on the 1, 2 and 3, the 79 St. station on 1, the 81 St. station on the C and 59 St.-Columbus Circle 1ACD stations. There will be more 42 St. shuttles than usual to accommodate spectators as well as extra morning 1 trains.
Some entrances and exits at 59 St.-Columbus Circle and Penn Station will be closed. Select stations on the Sixth Ave. BDFM will be closed, and the 72 St. stop may be passed if it is crowded.
The MTA is bringing back its vintage trains to celebrate the holiday season on Nov. 25. The trains will run up the Sixth Ave. DFM from the Second Ave. F line to Rockefeller Center and up the Central Park West ACD line to 125 St. The subway cars will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays from Nov. 25 to Dec. 30.
Buses
The Q70 Select Bus Service is offering free rides to and from LaGuardia Airport from Monday, Nov. 19 until Monday, Nov. 26.
Buses will run on a Sunday schedule on Thanksgiving Day. Expect delays on Manhattan buses during the parade, especially the BxM2, M5, M7, M10, M11, M20, M31, M34 SBS, M34A SBS, M42, M50, M55, M57, M72, M79 SBS, M104, Q32, QM2, QM4, QM5 and QM6. The 79 St. Transverse will be closed from 12 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 21 until 12 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 22.
Friday buses will run on a normal weekday schedule with some exceptions. Express buses will be on special routes. Check the day after Thanksgiving bus schedule at mta.info for more information.
Service to JFK AirTrain
E trains will end at 179 St. in Queens on select nights and weekends throughout November, December and January. Free shuttle buses will be available and make all E stops between Kew Gardens-Union Turnpike and Jamaica Center. Customers could also take the A train to Howard Beach-JFK for the JFK AirTrain or LIRR to Jamaica. The dates and times of this work are as follows:
Nov. 20-21, 11:45 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Nov. 23-26, 11:45 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday
Nov. 27-30, 11:45 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Dec. 4-7, 11:45 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Dec. 7-10, 11:45 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday
Dec. 11-14, 11:45 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Dec. 14-17, 11:45 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday
Dec. 18-21, 11:45 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Dec. 24-28, 11:45 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Jan. 14-18, 11:45 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Jan. 18-21, 11:45 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday
Staten Island Railway
The Staten Island Railway will have early afternoon express trains running on Wednesday, Nov. 21. They will be running on the early departure getaway schedule. Extra trains begin at 2:30 p.m. There will be an express and local train for every ferry until 7:50 p.m. The railway will be running on a Saturday schedule on Thanksgiving.
