LIRR monthly discount for NYC approved, excludes Long Island

The MTA has approved a plan to discount monthly LIRR tickets for New York City commuters by 10%, but not for those traveling from Long Island stations.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board at its monthly meeting Tuesday unanimously voted in favor of giving the break to monthly pass holders on its two commuter rail systems — the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North — traveling between stations in the five boroughs.

MTA officials have said the pilot program aims to encourage motorists to use public transportation as the MTA launches its congestion pricing toll plan this summer. The discount will take effect in July and last 12 months, according to the MTA.

“These are the kinds of investments outer borough commuters want to see, and the State Legislature understands that — as proven by this year’s budget,” MTA chairman and CEO Janno Lieber said in a statement.

Asked after the meeting about why the discount was not extended to commuters outside the five boroughs, including those in Nassau and Suffolk counties, Lieber deferred to state lawmakers, saying “they made that decision.”

The New York City-exclusive discount, which is costing the MTA $4 million to provide, was included in the recently approved state budget. It’s being funded out of the state’s Outer Borough Transportation Account, which earmarks a portion of taxi and for-hire vehicle trips to transit improvements in the city.

With the 10% discount, a monthly ticket between Queens Village and Penn Station will drop from the current $211 to $198. Meanwhile, a monthly ticket from Elmont-UBS — one stop east of Queens Village — costs $253.

Some Long Island lawmakers decried the city-only fare reduction. Sen. Monica Martinez (D-Brentwood) said in a statement that, by excluding Nassau and Suffolk commuters from the discount, the MTA has chosen against “easing any of the financial and lifestyle impacts congestion pricing” will have on Long Islanders.

“It’s not only commuters from the five boroughs who will be severely affected by the implementation of congestion pricing, so why should they be the only ones offered an incentive?” asked Martinez.

In a social media post on X, Sen. Kevin Thomas (D-Levittown), alluding to the LIRR's 4% fare increase last year, said the railroad "can't have it both ways."

"You can't say we need to make up money for Covid so we are increasing fares on LIers and then give a discount to those taking the LIRR in the city," Thomas wrote. "Not fair to Long Islanders!"

Lieber noted LIRR riders in Nassau and Suffolk already got a 10% discount on monthly tickets in 2022, when the MTA was trying to encourage lapsed commuters to return to the system following the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Long Island commuters have also benefited from the opening of Grand Central Madison and the increased service levels that came with it, Lieber said.

“We’re providing on the Long Island Rail Road 40% more service, a brand-new terminal, and we’re doing it all while having low fares for a big portion of our customers,” Lieber said. “So we’re really confident that we’ve done a lot on the affordability front.”

Lieber also pointed out that the 10% reduction on monthly tickets is in line with the discount the railroads already offer for one-way trips within the five boroughs through the “City Ticket,” which costs $5 during off-peak hours and $7 during peak hours.

Some state lawmakers from New York City praised the plan, including Sen. Leroy Comrie (D-St. Albans), whose district borders Nassau County.

“Queens and other areas of New York have suffered from inadequate transit service for far too long, which is why my colleagues in the legislature and I have been fighting tooth and nail to secure funding for major improvements in the system,” Comrie said in a statement.

Although the promotion is intended to coincide with the commencement of its Central Business District Tolling Program, MTA officials said the LIRR discounts will take effect even if congestion pricing is delayed.

The MTA has set June 30 as the first day that most vehicles will get hit with a $15 toll for driving below 60th Street in Manhattan, but is still facing multiple lawsuits challenging the legality of the plan. Lieber said Tuesday the MTA is “hoping and expecting” that the pending litigation will be resolved before the targeted launch date.

By Alfonso A. Castillo

alfonso.castillo@newsday.com@alfonsoreports

Alfonso Castillo has been reporting for Newsday since 1999 and covering the transportation beat since 2008. He grew up in the Bronx and Queens and now lives in Valley Stream with his wife and two sons.