What's Open, What's Closed Around New Year's Day in Norwalk

Governments, many businesses, all or nearly all banks in Connecticut and most other institutions (except for the Maritime Aquarium) are closed on Thursday, New Year’s Day, Jan. 1.

For Catholics, Jan. 1 is the Solemnity of Mary and a Holy Day of Obligation (although that obligation is waived in years when the holiday falls on Saturday or Monday — but this year it’s a Thursday).

A reminder: Start writing dates with the year “2015,” especially on checks and other important documents.

Wednesday, Dec. 31, New Year’s EVE

If you want a gift to a tax-deductible charity to count for this year’s income taxes, today is the last day to give that donation.

CLOSED

• Norwalk Public Schools on holiday recess since Dec. 24, classes resume Monday, Jan. 5.
• Norwalk Community College
• University of Connecticut-Stamford (classes resume Jan. 20)

OPEN for regular hours

• Norwalk City Hall and city government offices
• Norwalk Transit District announced no changes to its regular schedule for this day.
• Maritime Aquarium, open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Garbage and Recycling will be picked up as normal Monday through Wednesday.
• The Yard Debris Site, 15 S. Smith St., will be open for regular business hours, weather permitting.
• New York Stock Exchange
• Connecticut state government offices, including the Connecticut Lottery
• U.S. government offices
• Crossroads Cards & Gifts in Norwalk, a high-tier claim center for the Connecticut Lottery, will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

CLOSING EARLY

Most U.S. post offices will close at noon, but individual office hours may vary. “Need services later in the day? Just visit one of our Self Service Kiosks, listed below. These Self Service Kiosks allow customers to do almost any transaction that can be done at a service window, except money orders and passports.”

Norwalk Public Library and the South Norwalk Branch closes at 5:30 p.m.

Stepping Stones Museum for Children closes at 3 p.m.

METRO-NORTH CHANGES

From an announcement on the Metro-North website:

For New Year’s Eve (Wednesday, Dec. 31), we will operate a special weekday schedule with:

• Reduced AM peak and PM peak service, to match service and train crew resources with the reduced passenger demand;
• Additional inbound trains in the afternoon/early evening (for those of you preparing to “party hearty” in the city);
• Hourly service outbound after 8 PM (for those who prefer to “party early”);
• Our traditional post-midnight outbound service between midnight and 5 AM (for all of you professional party goers).

Please remember that drinking alcohol on Metro-North trains and at our stations is banned from noon New Year’s Eve until noon New Year’s Day. (Because there comes a time when the party really does have to end...)

As in past years, those traveling home “early morning” (after midnight) on New Year’s Eve must resolve to purchase your train tickets in advance. Tickets will be collected prior to boarding trains at Grand Central.

Free parking is available at many stations on New Year’s Eve. Look for station signs or visit our Stations page.

Thursday, Jan. 1, New Year’s DAY

Metro-North fares in Connecticut rise by 1 percent, starting this day.

CLOSED

• Norwalk City Hall and city government offices
• Norwalk Public Schools on holiday recess since Dec. 24, classes resume Monday, Jan. 5.
• Norwalk Public Library and the South Norwalk Branch
• Norwalk Transit District
• Garbage and Recycling Collection — Thursday routes will be collected on Friday Jan. 2.
• Norwalk Transfer Station
• Norwalk Community College
• University of Connecticut-Stamford (classes resume Jan. 20)
• Connecticut state government offices, including the Connecticut Lottery
• U.S. government offices
• Post offices
• New York Stock Exchange
• Stepping Stones Museum for Children
• Banks in Connecticut are allowed to open on state holidays if they post an announcement about opening. In practice, all banks that we know of (including TDBank, which stays open for quite a few holidays) will be closed.

OPEN

• Maritime Aquarium, open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• The bus between Norwalk and Stamford will operate on a Sunday schedule on Jan. 1, as will all CTTransit buses in Stamford.

• Crossroads Cards & Gifts in Norwalk, a high-tier claim center for the Connecticut Lottery, will be open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. (although the Connecticut Lottery headquarters will be closed). Connecticut Lottery has announced: “Winning Lottery tickets for prizes up to $599 can be validated and cashed at any Lottery retailer open that day. High-Tier Claim Centers are able to cash CT Lottery prizes up to $5,000.”

METRO-NORTH CHANGES

From an announcement on the Metro-North website (and remember, fares in Connecticut go up 1 percent starting New Year’s Day:

On New Year’s Day (Thursday, Jan. 1, 2015), we will operate hourly service, with two additional mid-day trains to New Haven to accommodate higher demand between noon and 2 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 2

CLOSED

• Norwalk Public Schools on holiday recess since Dec. 24, classes resume Monday, Jan. 5.
• Norwalk Community College
• University of Connecticut-Stamford (classes resume Jan. 20)

OPEN

• Norwalk City Hall and city government offices
• Norwalk Public Library and the South Norwalk Branch
• Norwalk Transfer Station
• Norwalk Transit District announced no changes to its regular schedule for this day.
• Maritime Aquarium, open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Stepping Stones Museum for Children
• Connecticut state government offices, including the Connecticut Lottery
• U.S. government offices
• Post offices
• New York Stock Exchange

CHANGED

Garbage and Recycling Friday routes will be picked up on Saturday January 3, 2015.

METRO-NORTH CHANGES

From an announcement on the Metro-North website (and remember, fares in Connecticut went up 1 percent starting New Year’s Day:

On Friday, Jan. 2, we will operate a Saturday schedule with additional AM inbound and PM outbound trains.

See our special Christmas/New Year’s Eve Holiday Timetable for full details or visit our schedules page. Or download our free Train Time APP for train times on the go.

Picture: From a postcard with a 1912 postmark, according to Wikimedia Commons