LONG Island Rail Road (LIRR), a subsidiary of New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), opened its new rail link between Jamaica and Madison station beneath Grand Central Terminal in the heart of Manhattan on January 25.
Initially, LIRR is operating a daily shuttle service between Jamaica and Madison in addition to its normal timetable of services from Long Island to Penn Station in New York.
Trains will run hourly westbound in the morning peak and eastbound in the evening rush hour with an intermediate stop at Woodside to serve Port Washington commuters. From 12.00, trains will run every half hour, with one train running non-stop between Jamaica and Grand Central Madison, and one train calling at Kew Gardens, Forest Hills, and Woodside. The first train will depart Jamaica at 06.17 and the final train will depart Grand Central Madison at 20.04.
At weekends trains will run every half hour between 07.00 and 22.00, with alternating express and stopping trains.
LIRR plans to introduce new timetables across its network in the coming weeks which will see up to 15 trains per hour serving Grand Central Madison and 18 trains per hour running to Penn Station.
The two new tunnels between Queens and Manhattan used by the Madison services will increase train capacity to and from New York City by 50% and improve reliability.
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