LIRR Thanksgiving schedule includes extra trains to Macy's parade

The Long Island Rail Road will operate additional trains on Thanksgiving Day for the Macy’s parade in Manhattan.

The extra services are part of a larger push from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to accommodate an anticipated rush of holiday travelers over Thanksgiving weekend.

Six extra LIRR trains will travel westbound from Long Island between 6 a.m. and 7:45 a.m. — three each on the Babylon and Ronkonkoma lines — and five extra trains will depart east from Penn Station between 11:45 a.m. and 1:25 p.m., with two on the Babylon line and three headed toward Ronkonkoma.

AAA has projected that more than 55 million Americans will travel for the Thanksgiving holiday this year, making it the third-busiest in more than 20 years. Nearly 11% percent more people, or 1.55 million travelers, will be taking a cruise, bus or train this year compared to 2022.

“The economy remains strong, inflation is lowering, and gas prices are moderating,” John Rizzo, economist and Stony Brook University professor, told Newsday earlier this month.

Trains and buses across the MTA system will operate on special schedules from Wednesday through Sunday, the transportation authority announced, and routine maintenance and construction at bridges and tunnels will pause throughout the week.

On Thanksgiving Day, New York City subways and buses will operate on a Sunday schedule, meaning some bus routes will not operate or not run parts of routes at certain hours.

The parade starts at 8:30 a.m. at 77th Street and Central Park West and ends in front of Macy's at Herald Square.

On Black Friday, the LIRR and subways will operate on regular weekday schedules. The LIRR will have off-peak fares.

By Brianne Ledda

brianne.ledda@newsday.com@brianne_ledda

Brianne Ledda covers personal finance and affordability for Newsday. She previously covered Southold and Greenport for The Suffolk Times and is a graduate of Stony Brook University.