The Babylon Branch is getting its regular service back. The Long Island Rail Road says weekend trains on the branch return to the pattern they ran before the Babylon station reconstruction project starting Saturday, November 14, and midday weekday trains follow on Monday, November 23. The most noticeable change for South Shore riders: direct trains to Grand Central from stations east of Massapequa come back.

What changes on the Babylon Branch

On weekends from November 14 and on weekday middays from November 23, the branch returns to the service it ran before the Babylon station reconstruction project:

  • Direct Grand Central service resumes for stations east of Massapequa, which covers Massapequa Park, Amityville, Copiague, Lindenhurst and Babylon.
  • Two local trains an hour run between Manhattan and Babylon, one to and from Penn Station and one to and from Grand Central.
  • Express trains between Babylon and Penn Station run only to connect with Montauk Branch trains, and stop only at Jamaica, Freeport and Babylon.

Before that, there is one more stretch of track work. From Monday, November 9, through Friday, November 20, a special midday weekday schedule is in effect for work between Amityville and Lindenhurst. The railroad's Planned Work lookup tool on mta.info lists the details train by train.

LIRR trains to Grand Central arrive at Grand Central Madison, the terminal beneath Grand Central's main concourse on the east side of Midtown.

New schedules on every branch, November 9

Separately, new timetables take effect on all LIRR branches on Monday, November 9. Rush hour service is largely unchanged; the moves are mostly to midday weekday and weekend departure times, with some trains leaving a few minutes earlier than they do now so crews can keep up track maintenance and station accessibility work. Changes on other branches:

  • Montauk Branch: the 5:47 a.m. train from Speonk to Long Island City will now start in Hampton Bays at 5:30 a.m., adding an early morning option for riders in Hampton Bays and Westhampton.
  • Greenport service: midday weekday trains east of Ronkonkoma return on November 23.
  • Port Jefferson Branch: a new weekend local leaves Hicksville for Penn Station at 4:33 p.m., with a return from Penn at 10:02 p.m., adding capacity for people heading into the city for evening events.
  • Ronkonkoma Branch: the 6:27 a.m. train from Ronkonkoma to Grand Central leaves two minutes earlier.
  • Hempstead Branch: the 6:34 a.m. train from Westbury to Penn Station no longer stops at Elmont-UBS Arena.
  • City Terminal Zone: the 7:18 p.m. from Grand Central to Long Beach leaves a minute earlier and adds a stop at Kew Gardens.
  • Brooklyn: midday weekday service between Jamaica and Atlantic Terminal is back to a train every 20 minutes.

How to check your train

The new timetables for each branch are posted on the LIRR timetables page, and the TrainTime app shows the updated departures. Many midday and weekend trains move by a few minutes, so it is worth looking up your usual train before Monday, November 9, and again before the Babylon Branch changes on November 14 and November 23.

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