Discounts planned for LIRR to Citi Field

Mets and U.S. Open tennis fans soon may benefit from a Long Island Rail Road rarity -- a fare decrease.

The LIRR plans to substantially cut the price of a weekend train ticket to Citi Field as part of a plan to extend its popular City Ticket program to the Mets-Willets Point station, railroad officials said Friday.

City Ticket offers discounts for weekend train travel between stations within New York City.

In a statement, spokesman Sam Zambuto said the LIRR "hopes to attract new customers" through the program.

Because Mets-Willets Point (formerly known as Shea Stadium) is a seasonal stop, the LIRR excluded it from the City Ticket program, which began in 2004.

A one-way LIRR City Ticket to the station from anywhere in New York City will cost $3.75 -- less than the one-way weekend fare of $5 from Penn Station and $6.25 from Jamaica.

Pending the approval of the MTA board on Wednesday, the new weekend City Ticket fares will take effect on Aug. 6.

The program also will benefit those traveling to special events in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park for which the LIRR provides service to Mets-Willets Point, including the U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center running from Aug. 29 through Sept. 11.

The LIRR stands to lose $29,000 in fare revenue from the price cut, but officials said they would make that up with just 150 new train passengers per weekend Mets game.

Average ridership to Mets-Willets Point during weekend game days is 1,365, or about 5.4 percent of total game attendance, LIRR officials said.

Since the City Ticket program began, the number of such tickets sold by the LIRR has nearly doubled, from 582,454 in 2004 to 1,150,300 last year.