First New LIRR Station in Almost 50 Years
Will Provide Service to UBS Arena on Event Days
Eastbound Platform Opens First; Westbound Platform to Open in 2022
Photos Available Here
View Video from Today's MTA News Conference Here
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the Long Island Rail Road Elmont Station, the first new LIRR station in almost 50 years, will open for service on Saturday, Nov. 20. The beginning of service will coincide with the New York Islanders' first home game at UBS Arena. The Elmont Station will initially offer eastbound service to the new home of the New York Islanders, UBS Arena, as well as nearby Belmont Park, which retains its own dedicated station.
"Nothing says New York is back like building bigger and better transportation infrastructure," Governor Hochul said. "Just in time for the Islanders' season opener, the start of service for the first new LIRR station in 50 years is the type of project that my administration will continue to pursue as we strive to make Long Island more accessible and give Long Islanders the quality public transportation they deserve."
"The new Elmont station is a testament to New York's resilience in our ability to rebuild and move forward from where the COVID-19 pandemic set us back," Lieutenant Governor Benjamin said. "The completion of this project is a victory for Long Island and is just the beginning of what will be an exciting future of mass transit investment."
Service at the station will increase next summer when the westbound platform opens. At that time, the station will begin full-time year-round service to the local community and will begin to provide westbound service to and from events at UBS Arena and Belmont Park. Long Islanders who live east of Belmont on the Hempstead, Oyster Bay, Port Jefferson and Ronkonkoma Branches will have a one-seat ride straight to events for the first time. This will reduce travel times and is expected to increase the number of event attendees who use public transportation, helping alleviate traffic congestion on Long Island.
When both platforms are complete, the new station will feature two 12-car-long high-level platforms with canopies, elevators that are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, a pedestrian overpass, USB charging stations, Help Points, security cameras, digital signs with train arrival information, Wi-Fi and a state-of-the-art snow melting system embedded in the concrete of the platforms to ensure they remain free of snow and ice during winter storms.
MTA Acting Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said, "As New York continues its comeback, this beautiful, modern new station will provide our customers with the fastest, safest and greenest way to get to the state-of-the-art UBS Arena. This station delivers amenities and conveniences that give customers the ability to enjoy New York Islanders games, concerts and all of the fantastic events that will happen here, further incentivizing them to return to mass transit."
Empire State Development Acting Commissioner and President & CEO-designate Hope Knight said, "Modern, reliable transportation is the linchpin of New York's future economic growth. From travelling to and from work to exploring the region to attending an event at the UBS Arena at Belmont Park, the new Elmont LIRR station will go a long way towards ensuring New Yorkers' commutes are safe and swift."
LIRR Senior Vice President of Operations Rob Free said, "The brand-new Elmont Station shows the LIRR's commitment to improving and expanding mass transit to get people out of their cars and onto our trains, creating a safer, greener Long Island for generations to come. Marking the first new LIRR station in nearly half a century, we're thrilled to offer train service now for Islanders and concert fans to the incredible new UBS Arena, as well as in the future for other attractions like shows, shopping and dining."
MTA Board member and chair of the Long Island Rail Road Commuter Council Gerard Bringmann said, "We are delighted to welcome the first new station addition to the LIRR in more than four decades. Elmont Station will not only serve as the best way to get to the New York metropolitan area's newest sports venue and entertainment destination, but also provide a much-needed regular commutation station for the people of Elmont. This isn't just great news for area residents and sports fans, it's an economic boost for Long Island when we need it most."
State Senator Todd Kaminsky said, "The Elmont LIRR station, the first new station in 45 years, represents a huge win for both local residents and fans, who will have new, green mass transit alternatives that Elmont badly needed. Indeed, building the arena without it would not have made sense. This shows we can think big on Long Island and get things done."
State Senator Anna M. Kaplan said, "The new Elmont Station is a critical investment in our community that will let Islander fans take the train to the game, and finally give residents in the neighborhood a full-time stop on the LIRR main line. When fully completed, this new station will be a shining example of the great things that we can accomplish when we invest in infrastructure on Long Island, and it will be a testament to all the workers who showed up throughout the pandemic to get it done on-time and on-budget."
State Senator Leroy Comrie said, "New York has always led the way with bold and innovative ideas, and with the impending completion of the first full-time station in nearly 50 years, that legacy continues with the Elmont LIRR station. During my tenure as Chair of the Corporations, Authorities and Commissions Committee, I have continuously challenged the MTA and its affiliates to reimagine transportation across our state. I am proud to see that the MTA/LIRR is receptive to that vision while remaining committed to direct community input throughout the entirety of the process. Protecting our environment, the integrity and quality of life of local neighborhoods, relieving congestion, providing full ADA accessibility and encouraging people to use mass transit are all benchmarks that the new Elmont Station will allow us to hit squarely on the bullseye. I commend Governor Kathy Hochul, MTA Acting Chair and CEO Janno Lieber and LIRR President Phil Eng for their collaborative efforts to work alongside my colleagues and I, but most importantly community residents, to see the new station come to fruition."
Assembly Member Clyde Vanel said, "This is a great example when government and private partnerships work. We are excited about all the economic opportunities we are having in Nassau County and in Queens. It's great to have such partners going forward and we cannot wait until Saturday! I'm a season ticket holder, so I'm excited!"
Assembly Member Michaelle Solages said, "It is exciting to officially open the new Elmont LIRR Station, the first new full-time LIRR station in nearly 50 years. From the start of the Belmont Redevelopment Project, residents from the surrounding communities have been clear that a train station was an absolutely essential component of this project. We thank Governor Kathy Houchl and the MTA for facilitating this investment in 21st century transportation infrastructure. Both visitors, commuters and the community will benefit from this Long Island Rail Road initiative."
New York Islanders Co-Owner Jon Ledecky said, "This new station will provide an essential transportation option for hockey and music fans attending events at UBS Arena. We encourage our guests to take the train whenever possible - it's the fastest and most sustainable way to get to our new, state of the art venue."
The station is expected to receive service approximately every half hour during peak times and hourly during off-peak periods. The parking lot north of the Belmont racetrack, which has 2,860 spaces, will be shared by commuters and arena patrons.
Travel Options
Depending on where a person is coming from, there are three possible stations for service to the UBS Arena. Until the westbound platform at Elmont Station opens in 2022, routes to and from the event might not be the same. Options are below.
Customers Coming from Manhattan, Brooklyn & Queens (Penn Station, Jamaica, Kew Gardens, Forest Hills, Woodside)
To UBS Arena
Option 1
- Board a Hempstead-bound train and exit at Elmont Station.
- Transfer to a free shuttle bus to UBS Arena or walk (10 minutes).
Option 2
- Take any eastbound train stopping in Jamaica and exit at Jamaica Station.
- Board a Belmont Park-bound train at Jamaica and exit at Belmont Park Station, which is adjacent to UBS Arena.
From UBS Arena
Option 1
- Walk to the adjacent Belmont Park Station.
- Board a westbound train to Jamaica (two trains scheduled to leave after the event) and transfer for service to Penn Station and Atlantic Terminal.
Option 2
- Board a free shuttle bus to Queens Village Station and transfer to a westbound train for service to Penn Station and Atlantic Terminal.
Customers from the Port Jefferson Branch & Ronkonkoma Branch
To UBS Arena
- Board a westbound train and exit at Queens Village Station.
- Transfer to a free shuttle bus to UBS Arena.
From UBS Arena
Option 1
- Board a free shuttle bus to Queens Village Station.
- Transfer to eastbound Huntington/Port Jefferson or Ronkonkoma-bound train service
Option 2
- Walk to the adjacent Belmont Park Station.
- Board a westbound train to Jamaica.
- Change for eastbound Huntington/Port Jefferson or Ronkonkoma-bound train service.
Customers from Hempstead Branch Stations
To UBS Arena
- Board a westbound train and exit at Queens Village Station.
- Transfer to a free shuttle bus to UBS Arena.
From UBS Arena
- Board a free shuttle bus to Elmont Station or walk (10 minutes).
- Transfer to an eastbound Hempstead-bound train.
Customers from the Oyster Bay Branch
To UBS Arena
- Board a westbound train and exit at Mineola Station.
- Transfer to a westbound electric train and exit at Queens Village Station.
- Transfer to a free shuttle bus to UBS Arena.
From UBS Arena
Option 1
- Board a free shuttle bus to Queens Village Station.
- Transfer to eastbound Port Jefferson or Ronkonkoma-bound train service and exit at Mineola.
- Transfer to an Oyster Bay-bound train.
Option 2
- Walk to the adjacent Belmont Park Station.
- Board a westbound train to Jamaica.
- Change for eastbound Oyster Bay Branch service.
Customers from Babylon, Far Rockaway, Montauk, Long Beach & West Hempstead Branches
To UBS Arena
Option 1
- Board a westbound train and exit at Jamaica Station.
- Change for a Hempstead-bound train and exit at Elmont Station.
- Transfer to a free shuttle bus to UBS Arena or walk (10 minutes).
Option 2
- Board a westbound train and exit at Jamaica Station.
- Change for a Belmont Park-bound train and exit at Belmont Park Station, which is adjacent to UBS Arena.
From UBS Arena
- Walk to the adjacent Belmont Park Station.
- Board a westbound train to Jamaica.
- Change for eastbound train service to your destination.
Accessibility
Belmont Park Station is accessible via ramp.
Elmont Station is accessible via ramp.
Queens Village Station is accessible via elevators at the east end of each platform.
Fares
The LIRR encourages customers to buy a round-trip ticket to Elmont Station in advance from staffed Ticket Windows, Ticket Machines and the free MTA eTix app. If you are traveling from the Huntington/Port Jefferson, Ronkonkoma, Oyster Bay, or Hempstead branches, select the direct travel option. The ticket will be honored on all viable routes between your origin stations and all 3 stations (Belmont Park, Elmont, Queens Village), even if you need to travel via Jamaica or use free shuttle bus service to complete your trip.
Those who have a monthly ticket that includes Fare Zone 4 can travel to the arena via any of the three stations.
Upcoming Events at UBS Arena
For a full list of upcoming events at UBS Arena, click here.
For more information
For service-related questions, chat live with customer service agents through the LIRR TrainTime app. To speak with an agent, call 511 or 718-217-LIRR (718-217-5477) and say "Representative" when the prompts begin. Automated schedule information is available via phone 24/7.