LIRR service to Mets-Willets Point goes 24/7 on Monday
The Mets-Willets Point station does not appear to be busy on Sunday afternoon, with the Mets out of town. Credit: Jeff Bachner
It will become a little easier for Long Island residents to meet the Mets this week.
The Long Island Rail Road will reinstate 24/7 service at the Mets-Willets Point Station on the Port Washington branch beginning Monday, the agency announced. Service at the station during most periods will run at half-hour intervals. It will be more frequent during peak times.
The LIRR will also run extra trains at the end of events on an as-needed basis. These trains are not advertised on a schedule or TrainTime app until placed into service, because they are coordinated with the conclusion of Citi Field events.
The LIRR instituted full service at Mets-Willets Point in February 2021 to help transport people to and from New York City’s COVID-19 vaccination site at Citi Field. The railroad said it had received positive feedback from customers who used the station for commuting. The MTA ended 24/7 service when the vaccination site closed.
“The additional Mets-Willets Point service implemented during the pandemic provided an alternative mass transit option to Flushing, one of the most vibrant and diverse communities in the entire city, and we are pleased to be able to give people traveling to and from this area more opportunities to use the LIRR," the railroad's interim president Catherine Rinaldi said in a statement.
The LIRR carried an average of 2,806 fans to the Mets' first six home games this season, according to MTA spokesman Aaron Donovan.
Customers traveling during off-peak periods within city limits such as Penn Station to Mets-Willets Point can purchase a City Ticket for $5.
