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Anyone use MNR/LIRR as a subway?


rockdove

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Does anyone actually use Metro north / LIRR as a subway, i.e. ride within NY city limits?

 

Where do you go and is it once in a while or regularly -- or just on weekends to take advantage of the cheaper city ticket? Also, is it "just for fun" and not much of a time savings, as in my case, or does it really make your commute shorter and more tolerable? Or is there an express bus that better serves your route with a more regular schedule that makes it pointless to get to the stations (my case also)?

 

For example, I can see that some people leave the train outbound at the Fordham station but no one leaves outbound at University Heights on the Hudson. There are a few express buses and subway lines serving this area - probably the reason why.

 

Or do you simply take the subway out of convenience of not having to arrive on a fixed schedule?

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While I don't personally ride within the city limits I do see plenty of people purchasing tickets from Grand Central to other stations within the Bronx via Metro North Railroad.

 

Hands down the most popular stop is Fordham. Other popular stations are Marble Hill, Spuyten Duyvil, Woodlawn and Botanical Garden. Let not forget the Yankee-153rd street station for game day riders.

 

These aren't just riders using City Tickets for $3.50, but regular passengers paying $7 for peak hour tickets and $5.25 for off peak tickets. Fordham and Marble Hill also has it's share of commutation riders (monthly ticket holders).

 

From talking to the riders I see the majority of them like the convenience MNR provides of quicker and more comfortable rides as many of these stations can also be accessed by the subway (Marble Hill on the (1) train, Fordham on the (:),(D) or (4) trains and Woodlawn on the (2) or (5) trains).

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While I don't personally ride within the city limits I do see plenty of people purchasing tickets from Grand Central to other stations within the Bronx via Metro North Railroad.

 

Hands down the most popular stop is Fordham. Other popular stations are Marble Hill, Spuyten Duyvil, Woodlawn and Botanical Garden. Let not forget the Yankee-153rd street station for game day riders.

 

These aren't just riders using City Tickets for $3.50, but regular passengers paying $7 for peak hour tickets and $5.25 for off peak tickets. Fordham and Marble Hill also has it's share of commutation riders (monthly ticket holders).

 

From talking to the riders I see the majority of them like the convenience MNR provides of quicker and more comfortable rides as many of these stations can also be accessed by the subway (Marble Hill on the 1 train, Fordham on the B,D or 4 trains and Woodlawn on the 2 or 5 trains).

 

Yup ever since the IRT Third Ave EL was demolished passengers only had/has the Bx55 bus and of course Metro-North and Bx12 BRT.. At Fordham Road..

 

To bad there isnt a special (S) MNCRR which would run at $2.25 for people in the Bronx to get a ride as like a subway.. At stations where there is no Subway...

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I took the LIRR from Penn Station to Jamaica several times. The last time I rode the LIRR was from Penn Station to Flushing during that (7) train G/O when there was no service between Woodside to Flushing and the LIRR was free between Penn and Flushing. That G/O was back in early 2008.

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On days I don't feel like dealing with (E) & (F) (when in Manhattan) or the (A)to the (J) (when Im in downtown Bklyn), I take the LIRR from Penn Sta or Flatbush to Jamaica, then take the Q30/31 bus home.I've acutally been doing that alot lately...and I think it may be because I don't really care for the R-160's....

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Definitely sitting on a comfortable chair and facing forward is part of the reasoning for me. It beats standing on a crowded subway or sitting squeezed between other people. And I dislike being jostled from side to side as the subway comes to a stop when sitting on bench seats. Hard to justify the expense for trains on a day to day basis, though.

 

I suppose I should have asked what would you do all different if you had a free transfer between LIRR/MNR and the subway system.

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Does anyone actually use Metro north / LIRR as a subway, i.e. ride within NY city limits?

 

Where do you go and is it once in a while or regularly -- or just on weekends to take advantage of the cheaper city ticket? Also, is it "just for fun" and not much of a time savings, as in my case, or does it really make your commute shorter and more tolerable? Or is there an express bus that better serves your route with a more regular schedule that makes it pointless to get to the stations (my case also)?

 

For example, I can see that some people leave the train outbound at the Fordham station but no one leaves outbound at University Heights on the Hudson. There are a few express buses and subway lines serving this area - probably the reason why.

 

Or do you simply take the subway out of convenience of not having to arrive on a fixed schedule?

 

I use the LIRR on weekends when there's City Ticket. The Port Washington Branch appears to have more people from Queens that Nassau. I also like using the express bus, even though certain people think the express bus is evil. At Fordham it seems like the majority of people are heading to White Plains, not Grand Central.

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...or the (A)to the (J) (when Im in downtown Bklyn), I take the LIRR from Penn Sta or Flatbush to Jamaica, then take the Q30/31 bus home.I've acutally been doing that alot lately...and I think it may be because I don't really care for the R-160's....

 

I could give a rats ass what type of equipment is used, I take the LIRR because it saves me so much time. 20 minutes from Downtown Brooklyn to Jamaica by LIRR, up to an hour by subway.

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Fordham to GCT whenever I get a chance, and yes...Fordham is a popular reverse commuting stop...alot of people are heading to White Plains and New Rochelle and Mount Vernon rather than into the city.

 

The MNRR takes about 20 mins from Fordham to GCT and the same trip walking to Fordham plaza(about 5-10 minutes) waiting for the 12(another 10-20 minutes)...having it crawl up Fordham Road because the idiots in cars have never seen a bus lane before and wanna drive in it anyway knowing they'll get a ticket(20 minutes)...get to the (4), wait for the (4)(about anywhere in the time period of the train is right there to 8-10 minutes depending on my timing), taking the (4) down which is about a 30 min ride...it takes about an hour and change for me lol...so yeah if Im not in the mood for riding the (4) or the world series comes here again I'm hopping on MNRR

 

Also...when I don't have the cash for MNRR....walking to the (4) pwns also

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not to get too off topic but i think the 'cityfare' on metro north/lirr of $3.25 or w/e it costs now, should at least be in effect non-weekday peak hours, 7 days a week. thus 'busy and overcrowded lines' such as the (2)(4)(7)(E)(F) from the bronx and queens who get more riders to the (MTA) Rail Lines.

 

most of the time on weekends lirr/mnrr trainss going to nearby terminals in westchester and nassau counties such as the Croton-Harmon/Hudson River Local, Hempstead and Far Rockaway have plenty of seats and could be helpful for forementioned subway lines.

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not to get too off topic but i think the 'cityfare' on metro north/lirr of $3.25 or w/e it costs now, should at least be in effect non-weekday peak hours, 7 days a week. thus 'busy and overcrowded lines' such as the (2)(4)(7)(E)(F) from the bronx and queens who get more riders to the (MTA) Rail Lines.

 

most of the time on weekends lirr/mnrr trainss going to nearby terminals in westchester and nassau counties such as the Croton-Harmon/Hudson River Local, Hempstead and Far Rockaway have plenty of seats and could be helpful for forementioned subway lines.

 

The fare is higher to keep the riffraff off. You want a comfy chair and premium service, then pay the premium fare. If I was coming from Lawrence or Cedarhurst, I'd be rather miffed to see people who boarded at Far Rockaway who paid less!!!

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Well, they cannot because here it says that "LIRR CityTicket is not valid for travel to or from Mets-Willets Point and Belmont Park stations (which are only open during special events), or the Far Rockaway Station (because these trips travel through Nassau county)."

 

What I don't understand is that City Ticket is valid at Yankees-East 153rd, but not Mets-Willets Point.

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Quite often I take LIRR between Jamaica & Flatbush since that is like the fastest way for me to access Brooklyn from where I live. I also have done many other LIRR trips that are within the NYC limits or within Queens.

MNRR I don't take so much however I did recently ride MNRR within The Bronx like a few days ago as I was going to McLean & Broadway in Yonkers. Took MNRR from Yankees-153rd to Riverdale to pick up the RailLink bus over to Broadway where I transfer to the Bee Line 2 Bus to McLean & Broadway. Have done plenty of within NYC trips on MNRR as well as a fair amount of within Bronx MNRR riding!

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What I don't understand is that City Ticket is valid at Yankees-East 153rd, but not Mets-Willets Point.

 

Yankees-153rd is supposed to be open year-round, but Mets-Willets Pt is only open during special events. Why would you need to get off at a stop that's open for less than 1/3 of the year?

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Yankees-153rd is supposed to be open year-round, but Mets-Willets Pt is only open during special events. Why would you need to get off at a stop that's open for less than 1/3 of the year?

 

There is (on the average) hourly service every day to and from the Yankee-153rd St station with Manhattan bound AM peek and PM peek service every 1/2 hour.

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most of the time on weekends lirr/mnrr trainss going to nearby terminals in westchester and nassau counties such as the Croton-Harmon/Hudson River Local, Hempstead and Far Rockaway have plenty of seats and could be helpful for forementioned subway lines.

 

It is helpful in the fore mentioned subway lines as there is the fore mentioned "City Ticket" for $3.50

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