"LIRR riders unable to go into Penn Station this summer because of Amtrak's emergency fix work deserve a discounted fare for enduring the inconvenience of a disrupted commute", Governor Cuomo said. Amtrak wants to expedite repairs this summer but will have to shut down some tracks and cause more delays to do so.
LIRR will offer, on average, a 25 percent fare reduction for all passengers traveling to Hunterspoint Avenue and Atlantic Terminal.
The announcement comes in response to a recommendation from Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Monday that the LIRR discount fares for commuters whose trains will be diverted from Penn Station during what he's dubbed "the Summer of Hell". Shortly after Cuomo's comments, the MTA seemed to go along with his suggestion.
The reductions are based on distance passengers travel, and will be in effect from July 10 to the completion of Amtrak's fix work, according to the MTA.
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At an Long Island Rail Road Committee meeting Monday, LIRR President Patrick Nowakowski spoke about the importance of getting customers to commute to alternative stations so as to reduce the potential for crowding on trains to and from Penn Station, which will be operating with three fewer tracks throughout the summer.
Starting Tuesday, the discounted monthly tickets will be available via ticket windows, ticket vending machines and through the Mail & Ride program. The larger project involves redeveloping the historic Farley Post Office into the 255,000-square-foot Moynihan Train Hall to serve passengers on Amtrak and LIRR trains. "The state-of-the-art-infrastructure, technology upgrades, and wayfinding improvements of the expanded West End concourse will provide immediate relief for passengers enduring increasing congestion and overcrowding in Penn Station and help New Yorkers get to where they need to go better and faster", Cuomo said.
New Yorkers whose commute involves passing through Penn Station have yet to truly know how the so-called "summer of hell"-Amtrak's forthcoming eight-week-long track fix project, which will result in significantly reduced service-will affect them". The work is largely expected to take place during the business week, at all hours.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority's Suffolk County board member later suggested such a discount could be up to 15%.
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