MTA boosts weekend subway service to Rockaway Beach
Photo by Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit on Flickr
Getting to the beach without a car will be a little easier this summer. Service will expand on the Rockaway Park Shuttle on weekends, allowing beachgoers to board any A train and get a transfer to Rockaway Beach, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced. On Saturdays and Sundays through Labor Day, the shuttle will also operate with 10 cars, doubling its normal capacity.
The five-car Rockaway Park Shuttle typically operates between Broad Channel and Rockaway Park-Beach 116th Street. This summer, between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, the 10-car shuttle will operate from Rockaway Boulevard, with additional stops at Aqueduct Racetrack, Aqueduct-North Conduit Avenue, and Howard Beach-JFK Airport.
Beachgoers can transfer to and from A trains serving both the Ozone Park-Lefferts Boulevard and Far Rockway branches. The extended route will kick off on Thursday for the long July 4 weekend.
The MTA also announced mid-day and evening service increases on weekdays on the B, D, J, and M lines. Weekend service will increase on the 3 and 5 lines starting Saturday, July 6, with trains arriving every 10 minutes. The expanded service is part of $35 million that was included in last year’s state budget for subway service enhancements.
“Why sit in traffic when you can beat the rush in transit? You can return calls and catch up on your TikToks,” MTA Chair Janno Lieber said during a press conference Tuesday. “You don’t have to worry about all those aggravated drivers and the congestion.”
The NYC Ferry also goes to the Rockaways, leaving from Pier 11 and Brooklyn Army Terminal/ Sunset Park. The city also launched “Rockaway Reserve,” which lets commuters book a spot two weeks in advance on weekend trips to the beach from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and back from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. for $10. The regular ferry fare is $4.
For non-Rockaway NYC beaches, riders can take the D, F, N, and Q trains to Coney Island and the B and Q trains to Brighton Beach. The Bx29 travels to City Island and Orchard Beach and on Staten Island, there are several buses that make stops at South Beach, Midland Beach, Cedar Grove Beach, and Bay Terrace.
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Good afternoon, Hi.
You can also add that the BX5 and BX12 provide some direct service to and from Orchard Beach. Beach goers can transfer at the Pelham Bay Park #6 train station. There’s also other train/railroad to bus transfers along the BX12 route, this includes the 1, 2, 5, B/D and Metro North.
Be well