LIRR Makes Afternoon Montauk Run a Year-Round Fixture

Commuters and weekend travelers heading to the East End of Long Island gained a permanent transportation option Monday when the MTA announced that an afternoon Long Island Rail Road train to Montauk will operate every weekday, year-round.

The 5:13 p.m. departure from Penn Station will now make the full run to Montauk Monday through Friday without interruption, the railroad's president, Rob Free, said at an MTA board committee meeting. The train pulls into Montauk at approximately 8:30 p.m. after stopping at Jamaica and then Babylon — its first Long Island stop — before continuing east along all stations on the Montauk Branch.

The announcement caps a gradual expansion of direct Manhattan-to-Montauk service. The train had historically terminated at Speonk on most weekdays, with a Montauk extension added only on Fridays in prior years. Earlier in 2026, the railroad stretched the run to run Monday through Friday during the summer months. Making it permanent year-round removes that seasonal limitation entirely.

The practical benefit, Free noted, is fewer forced transfers. Under the old schedule, passengers heading far out east on many days had to change trains — typically at Jamaica Station — adding time and inconvenience to the trip. The new schedule eliminates that extra step for the afternoon peak.

"This train will now operate to Montauk Monday through Friday year-round, providing our customers another opportunity to get out East," Free said.

The move reflects continued investment in the Montauk Branch, which serves some of the most densely traveled summer destinations in Suffolk County. The MTA said further details on the schedule are available through railroad spokesperson Lucas Bejarano.