Service Changes in Effect for Christmas and New Year’s
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is strongly urging customers to adhere to advice from public health experts to avoid travel this Christmas and New Year’s holiday season to best keep themselves, their families and fellow New Yorkers healthy and safe. Service changes in effect for Christmas and New Year’s eve and days are detailed below.
“The holidays are traditionally about gathering with family, but this year, in accordance with CDC guidelines, we are asking the public to avoid unnecessary travel as COVID-19 cases continue to rise in the nation,” said Patrick J. Foye, MTA Chairman and CEO. “The MTA will continue to provide clean, safe and reliable service for those who must ride with us and we look forward to continuing to serve our customers in the new year.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is continuing to recommend use of face masks in public, and is providing this guidance to Americans: “The safest way to celebrate winter holidays is to celebrate at home with the people who live with you. Staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others.”
The MTA has found that that 97% and 99% of customers are wearing masks on subways and buses, respectively, and 97% of customers are wearing masks on both the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad. The MTA’s Mask Force has distributed more than 400,000 free masks to riders since July and 5.8 million masks have been made available at station booths, on board bus dispensers and at other locations.
Service Details
Subways
- Subways will operate on a regular weekday schedule on Christmas Eve, Thursday, Dec. 24 and on New Year’s Eve, Thursday, Dec. 31.
- Subways will run on a Sunday schedule and the Staten Island Railway will run on a Saturday schedule on Christmas Day, Friday, Dec. 25 and New Year’s Day, Friday, Jan. 1, 2021.
- The subway is closed between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. for car and station disinfection and cleaning.
Buses
- On Christmas Eve, Thursday, Dec. 24, and New Year’s Eve, Thursday, Dec. 31, buses in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan and Queens will operate on a reduced weekday schedule. Buses on Staten Island will operate on a weekday school closed schedule.
- On Christmas Day, Friday, Dec. 25 and New Year’s Day, Friday, Jan. 1, 2021, buses in all five boroughs will operate on a Sunday schedule.
Metro-North Railroad
- Metro-North Railroad will operate on a regular weekday schedule on Christmas Eve, Thursday, Dec. 24 and on New Year’s Eve, Thursday, Dec. 31. Off-Peak fares remain in effect at all times on East of Hudson service; Peak/Off-Peak fare rules remain in effect on West of Hudson service.
- On Christmas Day, Friday, Dec. 25, and New Year’s Day, Friday, Jan. 1, 2021, Metro- North will operate on a regular weekend/holiday schedule. Trains do not operate between Southeast and Wassaic on weekends and will not operate on Christmas Day or New Year’s Day. Off-Peak fares are in effect all day on both East of Hudson and West of Hudson services.
Drinking alcohol on Metro-North trains and in stations is banned from noon New Year's Eve until noon New Year's Day.
Long Island Rail Road
- The Long Island Rail Road will operate on a regular weekday schedule on Christmas Eve, Thursday, Dec. 24 and on a holiday/weekend schedule on Christmas Day, Friday, Dec. 25.
- The LIRR will operate on a regular weekday schedule on New Year's Eve, Thursday, Dec. 31 and on a holiday/weekend schedule on New Year's Day, Friday, Jan. 1.
Drinking alcohol on LIRR trains and in stations is banned from noon New Year's Eve until noon New Year's Day.
Bridges and Tunnels
- MTA Bridges and Tunnels will suspend all lane closures related to routine maintenance and temporary construction work beginning at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 23. Overnight work will end at 7 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 24 and will not resume until the morning hours of Saturday, Dec. 26. Roadwork will again be suspended at 1 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 31 through 11:59 p.m. on New Year’s Day. Exceptions will be in place at the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge where off-peak lane closures with minimal traffic impact are required to support critical ongoing work. Any extraordinary weather-critical work that must be accomplished over the holiday weekends would occur only during overnight hours when traffic is at its lightest.
Channels for Service Updates
Information about the planned schedule change noted in this press release, and all planned service changes, is available through the MTA’s many real-time service information sources.
MYmta app – Customers who use the comprehensive MYmta smartphone app will see real-time travel information for all MTA services all in one place.
MTA.info – The “Service Status” box at new.MTA.info is always the definitive source for the latest status for each line.
Live Subway Map – The MTA launched a public beta of its groundbreaking Live Subway Map on Oct. 20. In its first iteration the Live Subway Map shows the real-time position of trains, planned service changes at any given time, highlight accessible stations, and much more.
Email and text message service updates – Customers are urged to sign up to receive alerts, tailored by specific branch and time of day, by visiting www.MyMTAAlerts.com.
Twitter – Twitter users can follow @MTA, @NYCTSubway, @NYCTBus, @LIRR and @MetroNorth to receive dynamic service updates and customer service support.
WhatsApp - NYC Transit recently started using WhatsApp to expand the number of customer service channels available to riders and is especially helpful for non-native English speakers. Riders can receive customer service support in their native language through the help of Google Translate.
These communication channels can be accessed while at home or on the go. For customers who are located at stations, the MTA will post the latest service updates on digital signs at station platforms and will make audio announcements over public address systems, and on-board announcements made by train crews.
For those who prefer to contact the MTA by telephone, information is available by dialing 511, the New York State Travel Information Line. For customers calling from Connecticut, the number is: 877-690-5114. Those who are deaf or hard of hearing can use their preferred service provider for the free 711 relay to reach the MTA at 511.