MTA officials have shared the details of Thanksgiving service changes for the subway, buses, LIRR, Metro-North railroad and the MTA bridges and tunnels. The new schedule will be in effect from November 27 to December 1.
In celebration of the holidays, LIRR and Metro-North will offer tickets at off-peak prices over the four-day Thanksgiving holiday starting on November 28 until December 1. The MTA is encouraging costumers to purchase the tickets in advance.
Those who are traveling into Manhattan can get a 10-trip off-peak ticket to save 30% to 40% off the one-way fare. A ticket can be used by more than one person when traveling together. The “family fare” costs $1 per ticket for kids aged 5-11 when traveling with a fare-paying adult.
The MTA and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey will be offering free rides on the Q70 select bus service LaGuardia Link from November 25 to December 2. The Q70 SBS connects to the 7, E, F, M, R subway lines and LIRR to LaGuardia Terminals B, C, and D. If using the buses, allow for extra time due to construction.
The MTA Bridges and tunnels will suspend lane closures related to construction starting from 6 a.m. on November 27 to December 2.
The MTA shared more details about holiday travel broken down by day, which you can view below:
Wednesday, November 27
The Long Island Rail Road will operate 12 extra trains departing Penn Station between 12:45 p.m. and 4:15 p.m. The extra service includes four extra trains on the Babylon Branch, three on the Port Jefferson/Huntington Branch, two on the Ronkonkoma Branch, and one each on the Far Rocakway, Montauk and Port Washington Branches.
Metro-North Railroad will operate 18 early getaway trains departing Grand Central Terminal between 12:45 p.m. and 4:15 p.m. The extra service includes 10 extra trains on the New Haven Line, five on the Hudson Line, and three on the Harlem Line.
For Metro-North’s West-of-Hudson customers, early getaway trains will operate on both the Pascack Valley Line and Port Jervis Line. On the Pascack Valley Line, there will be a 2:58 p.m. departure from Hoboken (with a connection departing New York’s Penn Station at 2:51 p.m.), making select stops in New Jersey before arriving at Pearl River, Nanuet and Spring Valley. On the Port Jervis Line, the 2:41 p.m. train from Hoboken to Middletown (with a connection departing New York Penn Station at 2:33 p.m.) is extended to Port Jervis.
Due to the busier mid-day travel patterns, some Metro-North evening trains may be canceled or combined, including two from Hoboken: the 5:58 p.m. Pascack Valley Line departure and the 6:15 p.m. Port Jervis Line departure.
Staten Island Railway customers looking to get a head start on the Thanksgiving Day holiday will be able to catch earlier afternoon express train service on Wednesday, November 27, with MTA Staten Island Railway’s Early Departure Getaway schedule. Extra SIR trains will be added earlier in the afternoon, beginning at 2:30 p.m. from the St. George Ferry Terminal. There will be one express train and one local train awaiting every boat until 7:50 p.m.
Thanksgiving Day, November 28
On Thanksgiving Day, New York City subways and buses will operate on a Sunday schedule, and the Staten Island Railway will operate on a Saturday schedule. Metro-North is operating on a Saturday schedule with extra service before and after the parade. The LIRR and Metro-North’s West of Hudson service will operate on a weekend/holiday schedule with extra service before and after the parade.
The LIRR schedule is supplemented with 17 extra trains timed perfectly for those attending the Thanksgiving Day Parade or otherwise visiting the city. There will be six extra westbound trains originating on Long Island between 6 a.m. and 7:45 a.m. (two each on the Babylon Branch and Ronkonkoma Branch, and one each on the Montauk Branch and Port Jefferson Branch), and 11 extra eastbound trains departing Penn Station between 11 a.m. and 1:35 p.m. (four each on the Babylon Branch and Ronkonkoma Branch, two on the Port Jefferson/Huntington Branch and one on the Montauk Branch).
Cars will be added to select LIRR trains as the demand requires to accommodate holiday travelers.
Metro-North will provide additional inbound morning service for customers heading to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. There is also expanded outbound service starting in the late morning and continuing through mid-afternoon. If you’re leaving New York after the parade, customers must show a ticket before boarding trains at Grand Central or Harlem-125th Street Station.
Finally, there will be extra trains in the evening for customers returning to New York City after their Thanksgiving feasts.
West of Hudson, a regular holiday/weekend schedule is in effect for the Port Jervis Line and Pascack Valley Line, with one additional round trip on the Port Jervis Line (shown in the October 29 NJ Transit timetable). Parade-goers can take a 6:22 a.m. departure from Port Jervis arriving in Hoboken at 8:30 a.m. (a connection at Secaucus Junction arrives at New York Penn Station at 8:39 a.m.). After the parade, there is a 12:21 p.m. departure from Hoboken (12:14 p.m. from New York Penn Station) that operates express to Suffern before making all stops to Port Jervis.
All bus service in Manhattan may experience delays, and will be affected by reroutes, detours, and/or frozen zones, especially those routes operating in Midtown near the parade route such as the BxM2, M1, M2, M3, M4, M5, M7, M10, M11, M12, M20, M31, M34 SBS, M34A SBS, M42, M50, M55, M57, M66, M72, M79 SBS, M104, Q32, QM2, QM4, QM5, QM6, SIM1c, SIM3c, SIM4c, and SIM33c. The 79th Street Transverse will be closed from noon Wednesday, November 27, to noon Thursday, November 28, and buses will not be permitted to cross during this time.
November 29
On Black Friday, November 29, New York City buses will operate on a weekday schedule with some exceptions. On Staten Island, S81 Ltd, S84 Ltd, S86 Ltd, S90 Ltd, S91 Ltd, S92 Ltd, S94 Ltd, S96 Ltd, and S98 Ltd will not run; also, in Queens, Q4 Ltd (AM from subway), Q6 Ltd, Q25 Ltd, and Q65 Ltd will not run. Local service will be available on these routes.
A special schedule will be in effect for express bus routes run by the MTA Bus Company.
The LIRR will operate on a regular weekday schedule, with lower, off-peak fares in effect all day.
Metro-North will operate on an expanded Saturday schedule with additional inbound service in the morning and outbound service in the afternoon to accommodate the Friday workforce and Black Friday shoppers, as well as half-hourly service on the Harlem Line to/from North White Plains. West of Hudson, a regular weekday schedule is in effect.
The Staten Island Railway will operate on a regular weekday schedule.
November 30, and December 1
New York City Transit, the LIRR, and Metro-North will operate on regular weekend schedules.
For updated details, go to mta.com.
