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LIRR Makes Penn Station–Montauk One‑Seat Train Year‑Round

Rising ridership prompted the change with a $78 million two‑phase upgrade planned to shorten single‑track segments and improve reliability.

If you ride the train all the way out to Montauk on a whim there's a chance you'll run into an ex-lover who you had erased from your memory.

Overview

  • The MTA announced Tuesday that the Long Island Rail Road will run a year‑round weekday one‑seat train departing Penn Station at 5:13 p.m., with service starting in September 2026 and an end‑to‑end travel time of about 3 hours 10 minutes.
  • Published fares list $24.50 off‑peak and $33 peak one‑way tickets and weekly and monthly LIRR pass holders can use their passes on the service.
  • Agency data show the Montauk Branch has carried roughly 1.21 million riders so far this year, a 6.4% increase that includes steep station gains such as Hampton Bays (up 23%) and Southampton (up 46%).
  • To support the service the MTA unveiled a two‑phase infrastructure program totaling about $78 million that will extend the Amagansett siding by 14 car lengths with construction slated in the first quarter of 2028 through the second quarter of 2029 and will make the temporary Hampton Bays platform permanent with track and signal upgrades on a timeline to be developed.
  • Officials say the upgrades aim to cut single‑track bottlenecks that limit frequency and recovery from delays, reduce overcrowding on near‑full summer trains, and make travel to the East End more reliable for commuters and seasonal visitors.