Heading into NYC for New Year's? No Drinking on Metro-North

If you’re planning on riding the rails to your destination to celebrate the New Year, remember that Metro-North does not permit drinking alcohol on its trains, starting the afternoon of New Year’s Eve and continuing through the morning of New Year’s Day.

Additionally, Metro-North prohibits drinking on its platforms and at its stations along the Hudson, Harlem and New Haven lines.

“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,” Metropolitan Transit Authority officials said in a statement. ”Because there comes a time when the party really does have to end...”

If you’re planning on taking a train back home after midnight, be sure to purchase your return ticket in advance, because tickets “will be collected prior to boarding trains at Grand Central.” Trains will run out of New York City between midnight and 5 a.m.

Below are additional tips and information from Metro-North about New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day and Jan. 2:

For New Year’s Eve (Wednesday, December 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).

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

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

On Friday, January 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.

All of us at Metro-North wish you a safe and happy holiday season.

Patch file photo.