MTA will extend discounted LIRR ticket program for another year

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Riders board a LIRR train at Jamaica, one of the stations that is part of the Atlantic Ticket program. Eagle file photo by Jonathan Sperling.

Riders board a LIRR train at Jamaica, one of the stations that is part of the Atlantic Ticket program. Eagle file photo by Jonathan Sperling.

By Jonathan Sperling

Long Island Rail Road riders who use the Atlantic Ticket — the MTA’s discounted fare program for customers traveling between Brooklyn and seven stations in Queens — are in luck.

The MTA announced on Monday that it would extend the Atlantic Ticket field study for an additional year, meaning riders traveling between Hollis, Jamaica, Laurelton, Locust Manor, Queens Village, Rosedale, St. Albans, Atlantic Terminal, East New York and Nostrand Avenue pay just $5 for a one-way fare, no matter the time of day.

Atlantic Ticket users save 51 percent from the LIRR baseline peak fare of $10.25, and 33 percent from the baseline off-peak fare of $7.50. Between Brooklyn and Jamaica, the LIRR offers direct rush hour service of roughly every 10 minutes, and off-peak service every 30 minutes, according to the MTA

“We are seeing some promising results from Atlantic Ticket,” LIRR President Phillip Eng said in a statement. “We hope this continues to support our common goal of providing more public mass transit options and giving our customers a better commute.”

The Atlantic Ticket study, which launched in June 2018, measures the impact of lower fares on ridership across the LIRR and New York City Transit’s subways and buses. 

The Atlantic Ticket also offers a $60.00 joint weekly unlimited-ride ticket valid for LIRR travel between the aforementioned stations and transfers to subways and buses. That ticket offers a 42.5 percent discount over the baseline two-system fare of $104.25.

Atlantic Tickets can be purchased at ticket machines or from ticket sales offices. They are not available for purchase via the MTA’s eTix app or from conductors on board trains.