Gothamist

A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.

Gothamist

WNYC Listen Live

Donate

 

 

News

Meet me in Montauk: LIRR to run direct trains to eastern tip of Long Island year-round

By

Ramsey Khalifeh

Published Aug 25, 2026

Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail

Never miss a story

 Email address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .

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.

 

Marc A. Hermann / MTA

By

Ramsey Khalifeh

Published Aug 25, 2026

Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail

We rely on your support to make local news available to all

Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

MTA officials whispered “meet me in Montauk” to its riders on Tuesday as they announced the start of their direct service to the eastern tip of Long Island every weekday throughout the year.

The LIRR branch offers direct train rides from Penn Station to Montauk during the summer. But during the off-season, riders have to make at least one transfer to get out there. MTA officials said they’ll make a direct 5:13 p.m. train run a permanent part of its weekday schedule starting next month.

The announcement is a big win for fans of the film “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” in which the lead character played by Jim Carrey impulsively takes a LIRR train to Montauk where he rekindles with an ex-lover who he medically erased from his memory.

The MTA said ridership on the Montauk Branch continues to grow, with 1.21 million passengers recorded so far this year, a 6.4% increase compared to the same period last year.

A typical direct ride on the Montauk Branch out of Penn Station takes three hours and 10 minutes from end to end.

MTA officials said the year-round direct service comes as the Long Island Rail Road is making improvements to the infrastructure on the Montauk Branch, including efforts to reduce “single-track” miles, which means only one train can operate on the track at a time.

“These improvements on the Montauk Branch will deliver even more reliable service and shorter waits for the thousands of daily LIRR riders who depend on us,” LIRR President Rob Free said in a statement. “And with a new year-round weekday one-seat ride to Montauk from Penn Station, we’re delivering the kind of convenient, predictable service our customers deserve while supporting the tourism and local industries that power the East End.”

MTA officials also said the branch is popular during the peak summer season. Many trains going to and from Long Island’s East End travel at close to 100% capacity during the height of summer, according to the agency.

Tagged

long island

manhattan

new york city

transportation

Ramsey Khalifeh

Ramsey Khalifeh is a transportation reporter on the NYC Accountability desk covering the largest transit system in the country. He was previously a general assignment reporter at Gothamist and worked on the Boston Globe's metro and copy desk. Got a tip? Email [email protected]

Read more

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

MORE news

Nepali, Tibetan New Yorkers grieve the missing and dead in epic flooding

Many in the region are awaiting word on the fate of loved ones missing since tragedy struck Wednesday.

By

Arya Sundaram

Published Aug 28, 2026 at 4:52 p.m. ET

NYPD seizes 580 pounds of cocaine in Queens, its biggest bust in more than a decade

Prosecutors said the $10 million haul, taken from a Long Island City storage facility, would have likely been cut with fentanyl before reaching buyers.

By

Charles Lane

News

NYPD seizes 580 pounds of cocaine in Queens, its biggest bust in more than a decade

Prosecutors said the $10 million haul, taken from a Long Island City storage facility, would have likely been cut with fentanyl before reaching buyers.

By

Charles Lane

Hochul adds $36M for crime victim services after outcry, warnings of layoffs

By

Ryan Kost

NJ Transit lost nearly $4M on World Cup service, but officials say that's not so bad

By

Michael Sol Warren

Early Addition: The war on rats wages war against other NYC wildlife

By

Maddie Bristowe

Never miss a story

Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.

Sign upEmail address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .