LIRR trains begin their service to the new Grand Central Madison

The Long Island Rail Road riders could save up to 40 minutes when traveling to Manhattan's East Side. On Monday, February 27, the LIRR launched its service from Long Island to its new destination, located beneath the iconic Grand Central Terminal. After a month-long delay, the Grand Central Madison is officially open to the public. 

The long-anticipated transit hub marks the first time LIRR has expanded its service since its inauguration in 1910. The nation’s busiest railway network adds 271 trains, with 296 traveling to and from Grand Central Madison and the rest going to Penn Station. Now, the LIRR system has 936 trains that carry over 300,000 passengers daily.   

"Grand Central Madison is a public transportation feat that will shorten commutes, giving commuters time back in their busy lives to spend with their families, friends and communities," said Governor Hochul. "Grand Central Madison will dramatically expand service and operate more reliably for commuters and reduce overcrowding at Penn Station.”

Located on the west side of the historic Grand Central Terminal, Grand Central Madison is the first new major rail terminal that opened in the United States in the past 67 years. The all-new LIRR schedules will increase service levels by 41 percent  and help ease overcrowding at Penn Station. The opening of Grand Central Madison follows two other significant  additions to the LIRR system: the Double Track Project and the Third Track Project.  

"LIRR is thrilled to be offering more frequent service and more flexibility to our customers,” said Catherine Rinaldi, Interim President of the Long Island Rail Road and President of Metro-North Railroad. “Grand Central Madison also provides connectivity between LIRRand Metro-North for the very first time, opening up a new era of regional rail travel for customers of both railroads."  

Although the new train station is a great addition to the LIRR system, the changes in the schedule could make the commute less convenient for some passengers. Under the new schedules, most services between Jamaica and Atlantic Terminal operate as a shuttle with stops at Nostrand Avenue and East New York. LIRR riders wishing to travel from Long Island to Brooklyn now have to make a transfer at Jamaica. 

The plan to build an LIRR terminal on Manhattan's East Side was first proposed in the 1960s. However, the construction of the 700,000-square-foot project began decades later, in 2006. Despite the setbacks, the $11 billion Grand Central Madison finally opened on January 25, 2023.

Image credit:

Marc A. Hermann / MTA (Flickr)

Resources:

“Governor Hochul, Senate Majority Leader Schumer, and MTA Chair and CEO Lieber Celebrate Start of Full-Scale Long Island Rail Road Service to Grand Central Madison Beginning Monday, February 27,” (New York State, 2023)

“Full LIRR service begins at Grand Central Madison,” by Aaron Ginsburg (6sqft, 2023)

“Full LIRR Service at New Grand Central Madison Starts Monday,” by Andrew Siff (NBC New York, 2023)

“Full service to Grand Central Madison starts with Monday morning's commute,” by Alecia Reid and Christina Fan (CBS New York, 2023)

“LIRR’s Grand Central Madison opens after years of delays and billions in cost overruns,” by John Surico (The Architect’s Newspaper, 2023)

“It took 50 years and $11 billion to complete a train station beneath NYC's Grand Central Terminal. It shows how hard it is to build things in the US.” by Jacob Zinkula and Catherine Boudreau (Business Insider, 2023)