MTA Offers Expanded Service Thanksgiving Week

NEW YORK, NY — With car and plane traffic expected to rebound to near pre-pandemic levels on Thanksgiving, the MTA, which has seen an average 40% drop in daily ridership, remains an attractive and crowd-free alternative for New York travelers. What’s more, the MTA announced Tuesday that it is offering extra trains, free buses, and suspended construction to help ease holiday congestion.

Free buses to LaGuardia Airport

From Tuesday, Nov. 24 to Sunday, Nov. 28, the MTA and the Port Authority are offering free rides on the Q70 Select Bus Service, which connects the Long Island Rail Road and the 7, E, F, M, and R trains to LaGuardia Airport Terminals, B, C, and D. Stops for the Q70 SBS LaGuardia Link are marked outside the LIRR Woodside and Jackson Heights stations. At LaGuardia, travelers can spot LaGuardia Link buses through their distinctive blue exterior designs, and SBS signage.

Extra Early Afternoon Service on LIRR, Metro-North, and SIR

AAA released a report predicting that the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., will see peak congestion around New York City. During that time, the commuter rails will offer many extra trains. Exact times are available through the LIRR TrainTime app, or through searching mta.info.

• The Long Island Rail Road will operate 12 extra trains departing Penn Station from 12:45 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 24. The extra service will include four extra trains on the Babylon Branch, three on the Port Jefferson/Huntington Branch, two on the Ronkonkoma Branch, and one each on the Rockaway, Montauk, and Port Washington branches.

• Metro-North will offer 10 additional early trains departing Grand Central Station from 12:05 to 3:05 p.m. Wednesday. The extra service will include three extra trains on the Hudson Line, two on the Harlem Line, five on the New Haven Line, and one on the Port Jervis Line.

• The Staten Island Railway is offering extra trains from 2:30 to 7:50 p.m. One express train and one local train will await every ferry arriving at St. George’s Ferry Terminal.

Suspended Construction

MTA Bridges and Tunnels will suspend temporary daytime lane closures from 6 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 24, through the end of the morning rush on Monday, Nov. 29 to ease congestion. Any extraordinary, “weather-critical” work that must be accomplished over the weekend will take place overnight, when traffic is at its lightest.

Thanksgiving Day

On Thanksgiving Thursday, New York City buses and subways will operate on a Sunday schedule, and the Staten Island Railway will operate on a Saturday schedule.

To accommodate the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the MTA is offering:

• Additional service on the 42 Street Shuttle and increased early morning service on the 1 Line
• 17 extra Long Island Rail Road trains. Six extra westbound trains will leave Long Island from 6 a.m. to 7:45 a.m., and 11 extra eastbound trains will leave Penn Station between 11 a.m. and 1:35 p.m.
• Metro-North will offer additional inbound morning service, and expanded outbound service from the late morning until the mid-afternoon.

Nov. 26-28

On Friday, Nov. 26, New York City subways and buses will operate on a weekday schedule with some exceptions. The Long Island Rail Road will operate on a regular weekday schedule with off-peak fares all day. Metro-North will operate on an expanded schedule with additional inbound service in the morning and outbound service in the afternoon. The Staten Island Railway will operate on a regular weekday schedule.

All MTA buses, subways, and commuter rails will offer regular weekend schedules from Nov. 27-28.

Mta.info and the @MTAm Twitter account will provide full schedules. To sign up for text messages or email alerts, visit mymtaalerts.com.

Related:

• This Is The Worst Time For Thanksgiving Travel In NYC: AAA
• Thanksgiving Travel Will Rebound To Pre-Pandemic Levels: AAA