Beaches are open during the summer along the Rockaway Peninsula from Beach 9th Street in Far Rockaway to Beach 149th Street in Neponsit. Read MTA Away's guide to Rockaway Beach.
You can get to Rockaway Beach a few different ways, including the and Rockaway Park Shuttle trains, bus, and Long Island Rail Road.
You can also get to Jacob Riis Park by bus.
Getting to Rockaway Beach and Boardwalk
By subway: Take a Far Rockaway-bound train or Rockaway Park-bound . All stations on the between Beach 90 St and Rockaway Park-Beach 116 St are a short walk from the beach. On the , use any station from Beach 67 St to Beach 36 St. On summer weekends, service is extended to Rockaway Blvd.
By bus: Take the Q22 toward Rockaway Beach Blvd, the Q35 or Q53 SBS toward Rockaway Park-Beach 116 St, or the Q52 SBS toward Arverne.
By LIRR: Take the Far Rockaway branch from Atlantic Terminal or Jamaica to the Far Rockaway station. Connect with the Q114 bus toward Far Rockaway-Seagirt Blvd for the beach.
By ferry: Take the NYC Ferry's Rockaway route to the beach.
Getting to Jacob Riis Park
By bus: Take the Q22 toward Rockaway Beach Blvd or the Q35 toward Rockaway Park-Beach 116 St and exit at Jacob Riis Pk Rd/Bath House.
Tips for getting to the beach
- Allow plenty of time. We do critical repair work on weekends and you may need to transfer or take a different line to finish your trip. Learn more about planned service changes.
- Skip the MetroCard vending machine and pay your fare with OMNY. Use your contactless fare payment device, like your smartphone or credit or debit card, to pay your fare. Learn more on the OMNY page.
- Buy your LIRR ticket before you board. You can buy tickets at a ticket office or at a vending machine, or use the MTA's TrainTime app.
- Keep seats and aisles clear. Try to keep your beach gear out of walkways and doorways, too.
Option 1: Take the subway
1. Take the Rockaway Park Shuttle for the western section of the beach.
On summer weekends, service is extended to Rockaway Blvd. Switch there from any train. At other times, take a Far Rockaway-bound to Broad Channel for the .
Exit at any of the stations along the Rockaway Park Shuttle and walk a short distance to Rockaway Beach. The Rockaway Park-Beach 116 St station is accessible.
2. Take a Far Rockaway-bound train to the eastern section of the beach.
Train signs and announcements will tell you where the train is headed. You can also ask the conductor, who sits in the middle of the train. All stations from Beach 67 St to Beach 36 St are a short distance from the beach. The Beach 67 St station is accessible.
Option 2: Take an MTA bus
The beach is a short walk from most bus stops along the Rockaway Peninsula. Fare information for this trip can be found here.
1. Take the Q22 toward Rockaway Beach Blvd.
Exit at any of the stops between Beach Channel Dr-Beach 36 St and Rockaway Beach Blvd-Beach 145 St.
For Jacob Riis Park, exit at Jacob Riis Pk Rd/Bath House.
2. Take the Q35 or Q53 SBS toward Rockaway Park.
On the Q35, exit at any of the stops between Newport Ave-Beach 145 St and Newport Ave-Beach 116 St. On the Q53 SBS, exit at any of the stops between Rockaway Beach Blvd-Beach 96 St and Beach 116 St-Rockaway Beach Blvd.
For Jacob Riis Park, take the Q35 and exit at Jacob Riis Pk Rd/Bath House.
3. Take the Q52 SBS toward Arverne.
Exit at any of the stops between Rockaway Beach Blvd-Beach 92 St and Beach 54 St-Beach Channel Dr.
4. Take the Q113 or Q114 toward Far Rockaway.
Exit at any of the stops along Seagirt Blvd.
Option 3: Take the Long Island Rail Road to Far Rockaway
Fare information: The fare will depend on your origin station. Plan a trip to see your exact fare.
This is an accessible trip.
1. Take a Far Rockaway-bound LIRR train.
You can catch a train to Far Rockaway from any of the stations on the Far Rockaway branch, including Penn Station, Grand Central, and Jamaica.
2. Catch an MTA bus from Far Rockaway station to the beach.
Take the Q22 bus from Far Rockaway station and exit at any of the stops between Beach Channel Dr-Beach 36 St and Rockaway Beach Blvd-Beach 145 St, or take the Q114 bus to the Far Rockaway beach.
Option 4: Take the NYC Ferry
1. Take a Rockaway-bound ferry from Wall St/Pier 11 or Sunset Park/Brooklyn Army Terminal.
If you take the ferry from a different stop, you must transfer to a Rockaway-bound ferry at Pier 11 or Sunset Park.
2. Exit the ferry at Rockaway.
The ferry stop is at Beach 108th Street and Beach Channel Drive. From there, it's a short walk to Rockaway Beach.
For fare information and schedules, visit the NYC Ferry page.