Northeast Queens LIRR Commuters To Get Monthly Discounts

BAYSIDE, QUEENS — Long Island Rail Road commuters in Northeast Queens will get a new discount on their monthly pass, officials announced Wednesday.

Commuters who take the LIRR to and from the stations in Auburndale, Bayside, Broadway, Douglaston, Flushing-Main Street, Little Neck and Murray Hill will get a 20% discount on their monthly pass, Assemblyman Edward C. Braunstein and Assemblywoman Nily Rozic said Wednesday.

A commuter traveling to and from Penn Station would save almost $50 a month with the new discount, Braunstein and Rozic said. A significant number of Northeast Queens LIRR commuters pay at least $200 for a monthly pass, according to Braunstein.

"Relief in the outer boroughs is long overdue for Northeast Queens transit riders who are far too familiar with increasing fares and travel times," Rozic said. "As part of this year’s state budget, it was critical for us to ensure that the needs of our communities were not neglected and that our transit system is fully funded."

Funding for the fare discount comes from the state legislature's Outer Borough Transit Fund, launched last year to help New Yorkers living in areas with limited public transit options. The discount is part of the 2019-2020 state budget passed on April 1, which also includes a congestion-pricing plan to toll drivers entering Manhattan below 60th Street.