MINOR
City Terminal Zone
You must be in the first four cars for eastbound trains and the first six cars for westbound trains to exit at Forest Hills [12]
What’s Happening? Accessibility improvements Active: Until Summer 2027
LIRR Schedule, Delays & Service Status
Today's schedule status, live delays branch by branch, real rider reports from X, and a train-vs-drive cost calculator for Manhattan commuters.
Live System Map ALL CLEAR
Every LIRR branch, live. Tap a line for that branch's alerts, stations, fares, and driving alternatives.
Riders Are Saying LIVE FROM X
Recent social posts about LIRR service, surfaced automatically. Posts link to their authors; not verified by Long Island Traffic.
Active Alerts 3
MINOR
City Terminal Zone
You must be in the first four cars to exit eastbound trains at Forest Hills [12]
What’s Happening? Accessibility improvements Active: Until Summer 2027
MINOR
BabylonRonkonkoma
We’re adding extra eastbound service on the Babylon and Ronkonkoma branches from Penn Station after the Knicks parade. [1, 4]
The added service may not reflect in our TrainTime app ahead of time. Listen for announcements in Penn Station before boarding your train. Active: Jun 18 12:00 PM - Ongoing
Planned & Upcoming 6
These are advisories about planned or possible future disruptions (including strike contingencies). Service is not affected by these right now — but plan ahead.
UPCOMING
Port JeffersonCity Terminal ZoneRonkonkomaBabylonHempsteadOyster BayMontaukLong BeachFar RockawayWest HempsteadPort Washington
LIRR train service may be suspended by 12am Saturday because of a possible strike. If you're traveling Friday night, complete your trip before midnight. [10, 12, 13, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]
Find out more about travel if the strike happens here: https://www.mta.info/lirrstrike Active: Evening, May 15
UPCOMING
West Hempstead
Eastbound trains skip St. Albans [8]
MTA buses are accepting LIRR tickets on the Q4 route between Jamaica Center and St. Albans, and on the Q6 between Jamaica LIRR and Jamaica Center. What's happening? Track maintenance Active: Wed and Thu nights, Oct 7 - 8, starting at 10 PM
UPCOMING
City Terminal Zone
No eastbound service at Forest Hills and Kew Gardens; eastbound trains towards Jamaica bypass Woodside [12]
Trains run nonstop from Manhattan to Jamaica. Port Washington Branch trains continue to stop at Woodside in both directions. The subway will allow LIRR riders to enter the following stations at no cost: 34 St-Penn Station [E] 42 St-Grand Central [6][7] Woodside-61 St [7] Forest Hills-71 Av [E] Kew Gardens-Union Turnpike [E] Present your LIRR ticket to the station booth agent for access to the subway system. What's happening? Track maintenance Active: Oct 7 - 8, Wed and Thu, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM
UPCOMING
Ronkonkoma
Buses replace trains between Ronkonkoma and Greenport [4]
What's happening? Track maintenance Active: 7 AM to 6:30 PM Mon-Thu and 7 AM to 3:30 PM Fri, Sep 8 - Nov 6
UPCOMING
Ronkonkoma
Buses replace trains between Ronkonkoma and Greenport [13, 4]
What's happening? Track maintenance Active: 7 AM to 6:30 PM Mon-Thu and 7 AM to 3:30 PM Fri, Sep 8 - Nov 6
UPCOMING
Port JeffersonCity Terminal ZoneRonkonkomaBabylonHempsteadOyster BayMontaukLong BeachFar RockawayWest HempsteadPort Washington
LIRR train service may shut down by 12am Saturday because of a possible strike. If you're traveling Friday night, complete your trip before midnight. [10, 12, 13, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]
Find out more about travel if the strike happens here: https://www.mta.info/lirrstrike Active: Evening, May 15
LIRR Schedule for Today — By Branch
Today is Thursday, October 8 — the weekday schedule is in effect (tentative labor deal reached; normal service is running). Live departures, track assignments, and today's full timetable are in the MTA's official TrainTime app — the links below open each branch's live schedule directly. Typical end-to-end travel times and fares for every branch are in the grid below.
Babylon Today's timetable → Ronkonkoma Today's timetable → Montauk Today's timetable → Port Jefferson Today's timetable → Hempstead Today's timetable → Long Beach Today's timetable → Oyster Bay Today's timetable → Port Washington Today's timetable →
Planning around a disruption? Check the live rider reports and active alerts above before you leave — and our train-vs-drive analysis if you're weighing the car instead.
Drive vs. Train to Midtown
Time and cost comparison for Long Island commuters to Midtown Manhattan (Penn Station / Grand Central). Driving estimates include rush hour reality, not the GPS "best case" fiction.
| From | Train Time | Drive (off-peak) | Drive (rush hour) | LIRR Peak Fare | Drive Cost | Daily Savings (RT) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mineola | 34 min | 35 min | 55-75 min | $12.25 | $64.29 | $40 |
| Great Neck | 33 min | 30 min | 50-70 min | $10.25 | $63.39 | $43 |
| Babylon | 62 min | 50 min | 80-120 min | $15.75 | $69.42 | $38 |
| Ronkonkoma | 82 min | 65 min | 90-150 min | $18.75 | $74.24 | $37 |
Mineola to Midtown
LIRR 34 min $12.25 peak one-way
vs DRIVE 55-75 min $64.29 gas + toll + parking
Train saves $40/day round-trip. Rush hour driving takes 55-75 min vs. a consistent 34 min on the train.
Great Neck to Midtown
LIRR 33 min $10.25 peak one-way
vs DRIVE 50-70 min $63.39 gas + toll + parking
Train saves $43/day round-trip. Rush hour driving takes 50-70 min vs. a consistent 33 min on the train.
Babylon to Midtown
LIRR 62 min $15.75 peak one-way
vs DRIVE 80-120 min $69.42 gas + toll + parking
Train saves $38/day round-trip. Rush hour driving takes 80-120 min vs. a consistent 62 min on the train.
Ronkonkoma to Midtown
LIRR 82 min $18.75 peak one-way
vs DRIVE 90-150 min $74.24 gas + toll + parking
Train saves $37/day round-trip. Rush hour driving takes 90-150 min vs. a consistent 82 min on the train.
When driving wins: If LIRR service is suspended on your branch, or you're traveling off-peak with free parking at your destination. Check the alerts above before deciding.
Off-peak savings: LIRR fares drop 25-30% on weekdays before 6 AM, 10 AM-4 PM, and after 8 PM. A Ronkonkoma off-peak ticket is $13.25 vs. $18.75 peak.
Driving costs: gas at $3.77/gal, 25 MPG, Midtown Tunnel E-ZPass ($11.75), avg Manhattan parking ($45/day). Rush hour times reflect typical weekday 7-9 AM / 5-7 PM conditions on the LIE.
LIRR Branches
Babylon 3 alerts
Jamaica to Babylon 62 min
Peak: $15.75 Off-peak: $11.00
Ronkonkoma 5 alerts
Penn Station to Ronkonkoma 82 min
Peak: $18.75 Off-peak: $13.25
Montauk 2 alerts
Jamaica to Montauk 170 min
Peak: $27.75 Off-peak: $20.00
Port Jefferson 2 alerts
Penn Station to Port Jefferson 95 min
Peak: $18.75 Off-peak: $13.25
Hempstead 2 alerts
Penn Station to Hempstead 38 min
Peak: $12.25 Off-peak: $8.75
Long Beach 2 alerts
Penn Station to Long Beach 55 min
Peak: $12.25 Off-peak: $8.75
Oyster Bay 2 alerts
Jamaica to Oyster Bay 70 min
Peak: $15.75 Off-peak: $11.00
Port Washington 2 alerts
Penn Station to Port Washington 40 min
Peak: $12.25 Off-peak: $8.75
LIRR Status FAQ
Is the Long Island Railroad running today?
Yes. As of the latest MTA service feed (snapshot: Oct 8, 6:01 AM EDT), the Long Island Rail Road is running today on its normal schedule across all 8 branches, with no major delays reported. Confirm live departures for your branch in the MTA TrainTime app.
Where can I see the LIRR schedule for today?
Live departures and today's full timetable for every branch are in the MTA TrainTime app and at mta.info/schedules — the Schedule section on this page links each branch directly. For typical end-to-end travel times and peak/off-peak fares, see the branch grid; for whether today's schedule is actually holding, the live alerts and rider reports above update continuously.
Is the LIRR on strike?
Not right now, but a strike has been flagged as possible. The MTA feed currently states: "LIRR train service may be suspended by 12am Saturday because of a possible strike. If you're traveling Friday night, complete your trip before midnight. [10, 12, 13, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9] Find out more about travel if the strike happens here: https://www.mta.info/lirrstrike Active: Evening, May 15". Complete essential travel before any deadline and have a driving backup ready — this page updates continuously from the MTA feed.
Are there LIRR delays today?
No major LIRR delays are reported in the latest MTA service feed (snapshot: Oct 8, 6:01 AM EDT). Conditions change quickly — check your branch below and confirm departures in the MTA TrainTime app.
How do I check LIRR status right now?
This page reads the MTA GTFS-realtime service feed and lists active alerts for every LIRR branch. For minute-by-minute departures and track assignments, use the official MTA TrainTime app. Long Island Traffic rebuilds this page continuously so the alerts reflect the most recent feed pull.
Which LIRR branch is delayed?
Open the branch grid below — each branch shows its current alert count. All branches are currently showing normal service. Click any branch for its full delay history, stations, fares, and driving alternatives.
Is it cheaper to take the LIRR or drive to Manhattan?
For most Long Island commuters the LIRR is dramatically cheaper than driving once you add the Midtown Tunnel toll and Manhattan parking — often a $40–$70 per-day round-trip saving versus driving. The Drive vs. Train comparison above breaks down the time and cost from Mineola, Great Neck, Babylon, and Ronkonkoma.
What are the LIRR branches?
The Long Island Rail Road has branches serving Nassau and Suffolk: Babylon, Ronkonkoma, Montauk, Port Jefferson, Hempstead, Long Beach, Oyster Bay, and Port Washington. Most trains run to Penn Station, Grand Central Madison, or Atlantic Terminal, with transfers at Jamaica.
Service alerts from MTA GTFS-RT feed. Fares approximate — verify at mta.info/fares. Driving costs based on $3.77/gal, 25 MPG, Midtown Tunnel E-ZPass toll, avg Manhattan parking.