LIRR To Add Additional Trains To And From Barclays Center For All Islanders Games
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The Long Island Rail Road is trying to make the Islanders' transition from Nassau County to Brooklyn easier on the core fan base.
On Tuesday, the transit agency announced that additional trains will be added for travel to and from Barclays Center on game days.
The convenient thing about Nassau Coliseum is its central location in the county. Even for those who were traveling from Suffolk County, the trip was always manageable. The LIRR is trying to recreate that ease of travel for games in Brooklyn on weeknights and weekends.
"Throughout the Islanders' relocation to Barclays Center, we have made it a priority to ensure that the team's fans on Long Island follow the team to Brooklyn," said Brett Yormark, CEO of Barclays Center. "We are proud to partner with the LIRR to announce additional trains that will make that process easier and more convenient for our Long Island fans."
As told on the Islanders' website, the following are the LIRR's planned upgrades:
* The new weekday schedule will include two additional eastbound trains that will depart from Atlantic Terminal 20 minutes following the conclusion of each Islanders home game. They will run to Babylon and Farmingdale, respectively, stopping first at Jamaica and then making all local stops.
Riders traveling on those two lines will not have to change trains at Jamaica. All other riders will change at Jamaica to catch eastbound trains serving their branch.
* As for weekday westbound service, fans heading to Barclays Center from stations on the Hempstead Branch and Far Rockaway Branch can travel directly to Atlantic Terminal, with a stop in Jamaica, without changing trains. All other riders will change at Jamaica for Brooklyn-bound service. Trains will depart from Jamaica for Atlantic Terminal every 15 minutes for the 15-20 minute ride to Barclays Center.
* As for games played on weekends and holidays, there will be two additional westbound trains and two additional post-game eastbound trains. Eastbound trains will leave 20 minutes following the conclusion of each game and will run on the same lines as weekday trains. Fans traveling round trip from/to Babylon or Farmingdale, and all local stops in between, will not have to change trains at Jamaica.
All other riders will change at Jamaica to catch eastbound trains serving their branch.
Barclays Center said it will show train schedules in real time during games on arena monitors located throughout the concourse and on the center-hung scoreboard.
"Park the car at your local LIRR station because Barclays Center is right across the street from our Atlantic Terminal station in Brooklyn," LIRR President Patrick A. Nowakowski said. "There is just no faster or more convenient way to get to and from an Islanders game than the LIRR."
The Isles open the 2015-16 season on Oct. 9 at Barclays Center against the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks.