Subway, LIRR, Buses and Paratransit Provide Plentiful Service to All Mets Home Games
View Chairman Foye’s PSA
View Rolling News Conference
View Photos from Rolling News Conference
In an effort to encourage baseball fans to take public transportation to Citi Field ahead of the New York Mets’ home opener, MTA Chairman and CEO Patrick Foye and LIRR President Phil Eng held the Authority’s first-ever rolling news conference, aboard a Citi Field-bound. train and LIRR train to see who would arrive first. (Although Phil Eng’s LIRR train was first to arrive at its platform, Chairman Foye, who rode the line, was first to set foot on stadium grounds. Eng maintains he was delayed by his efforts to hand out “New York Tough” masks to fans on his walk from the station to the stadium.) Chairman Foye, who also handed out masks to fans, later appeared on a public service announcement on the Citi Field jumbotron to remind New Yorkers the best way to move around the city is on the subway, bus, or train.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) provides service options to get to local home games. Fans can take the MTA to the game with convenient service on the subway, Long Island Rail Road, buses, or paratransit, and enjoy a hassle-free trip to Citi Field. As a lifelong Mets fan, Chairman Foye would take the train from the 74 St-Broadway / Roosevelt Av stop in Jackson Heights to Mets games. Both Chairman Foye and President Eng -- also a lifelong Mets fan – are LIRR commuters.
A transcript of Chairman Foye’s PSA appears below.
Hey Mets fans, welcome back, it sure feels good to be here again. I'm Pat Foye chairman of the MTA. I want to remind you that public transit is still the cleanest and cheapest way to get to the game. Plus, it's good for the environment. So as more and more folks get vaccinated and the city continues to reopen, remember that the best way to get around town is on the subway, bus, or train. Your wallet and planet Earth will thank you.
"As a lifelong Mets fan, seeing fans back on the LIRR headed to Citi Field is just what we need to boost our spirits. And just as we all root for our home team, know that the LIRR is rooting for all New Yorkers in this battle against the pandemic," said Phil Eng, LIRR President. "We proudly continue to provide train service to Mets-Willets Point, whether it is to get vaccinated or to cheer on our New York Mets. Let's Go Mets!”
“It is an exciting time to be a baseball fan and after the year that we’ve had, to be able to attend a game in-person again has an added feel of significance,” said Sarah Feinberg, NYC Transit Interim President. “Just remember: wear your mask, take the subway, bus, or train to the game and get vaccinated. The sooner we beat back COVID completely, the sooner we can all enjoy a postseason run at Citi Field together.”
“With the city’s reopening cautiously underway now is a good time to remind everyone that the best way to get around is using mass transit,” said Sarah Meyer, MTA Chief Customer Officer. “So, welcome back Mets fans, don’t forget your mask while riding, but just in case you do, stop by a station booth for a free one, and enjoy the game.”
Due to COVID-19 restrictions the capacity at Citi Field is set at 20%, with approximately 8,000 (8,384) fans permitted into the stadium. Fans will have to adhere to health guidelines detailed on the Mets’ website.
Here are details of game day service to Citi Field:
New York City Subway and Buses
The train’s Mets-Willets Point station is right in front of Citi Field on Roosevelt Avenue near 126th Street. Fans can always take either the local or the express to reach Mets-Willets Point.
The Q48 bus stops at 126th Street and Roosevelt Avenue, right in front of Citi Field. Customers can use the real-time bus ridership tracking feature on the MYmta app before boarding.
Long Island Rail Road
The LIRR provides direct service to the Mets-Willets Point station all season long via the Port Washington Branch, just a 19-minute ride from Penn Station. Citi Field is just 17 minutes from Great Neck and 27 minutes from Port Washington. Fans traveling from Long Island on other branches can reach Citi Field by changing at Woodside, just a five-minute ride from the stadium.
Port Washington Branch trains have been making stops at Mets-Willets Point around-the-clock to provide service to the mass vaccination site at Citi Field during non-game hours and will make stops at Mets-Willets Point Station throughout the regular season for all home games.
Access-A-Ride
Access-A-Ride paratransit has designated stops at Citi Field. To book a trip customers can call (877)-337-2017, use MyAAR or the MYmta app.
Metro-North Railroad
Mets fans from the Hudson Valley or Connecticut can catch any Metro-North train to Grand Central to connect with the train to Citi Field.
New York Transit Museum
Fans can travel to home games in style with the New York Transit Museum Store’s Train to the Game Collection that includes tees, hats, magnets, mugs and more.
For fans enjoying the game from home, the Transit Museum will host a free online discussion on Thursday, April 8 to discover fascinating stories that show the ways in which public transportation and sports are intertwined in New York City.