Long Island Rail Road adjusts schedules across all lines starting Nov. 9

The Long Island Rail Road serves as the busiest commuter rail system in North America, carrying millions of passengers daily. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced schedule changes for all LIRR lines that will take effect on Monday, November 9, 2026. These adjustments are designed to accommodate track maintenance and station improvements.

Peak hour services will remain largely unchanged. However, midday weekday trains and weekend services will see various modifications. Some trains will depart earlier, while others will add stops or restore previous frequencies. The MTA stated that these changes are necessary to allow workers direct access to the tracks and station sectors during off-peak hours.

On the Hempstead branch, a specific morning train will change its stopping pattern. The service currently leaving Westbury at 6:34 a.m. for Penn Station will no longer stop at Elmont-UBS Arena. Passengers relying on that stop must find alternative routes, particularly for early morning trips to Manhattan.

The Montauk branch will see a shift in its morning service. The train that leaves Speonk at 5:47 a.m. for Long Island City will instead originate from Hampton Bays at 5:30 a.m. This change provides an additional morning option for residents in Hampton Bays and Westhampton. Direct service from Penn Station to Montauk remains available year-round at a fare of $24.

Weekend riders on the Port Jefferson branch will gain a new local option. A train departing Hicksville at 4:33 p.m. will increase capacity for travelers heading to events on Long Island. Additionally, the return trip from Penn Station will depart at 10:02 p.m. on weekends.

Minor timing adjustments affect other lines. The Ronkonkoma branch train to Grand Central, currently leaving at 6:27 a.m., will advance its departure by two minutes. On the Greenport service, midday weekday trains east of Ronkonkoma will resume operations on November 23. In Brooklyn, the frequency between Jamaica and Atlantic Terminal will return to one train every 20 minutes during the midday period.

The Babylon branch will undergo a phased return to normal operations. Starting Saturday, November 14, weekend services will restore routes that were altered during the Babylon station reconstruction project. Direct service will resume from stations east of Massapequa to Grand Central. Two local trains per hour will run between Manhattan and Babylon, with one terminating at Penn Station and the other at Grand Central.

Express trains between Babylon and Penn Station will operate only to facilitate connections to the Montauk branch. These express services will stop exclusively at Jamaica, Freeport, and Babylon. A special midday weekday schedule will be in effect between November 9 and November 20 due to track work between Amityville and Lindenhurst. The new standard midday weekday schedule for the Babylon branch takes effect on November 23.

The MTA aims to restore the pre-construction operating pattern for the Babylon line. The changes are part of broader maintenance efforts to improve accessibility for passengers with disabilities and extend the life of the infrastructure. Passengers are advised to check updated schedules before traveling, especially for trips involving connections or midday departures.