Trains and buses operated by the MTA will operate on special schedules on Wednesday, Nov. 23, through Sunday, Nov. 27, to accommodate the travel demands of Thanksgiving weekend.
Here's a breakdown of the service changes and adjustments you need to know about:
New York City Subways
New York City subways will operate on a Sunday schedule on Thanksgiving Day. The closest subway stations to the start of the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade are the No. 1 line at 79th Street and the C at 81st Street. There will be additional service on the 42nd Street shuttle as well as increased early morning service on the line.
Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad
The Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad will provide extra early afternoon train service on Wednesday to help travelers get an easier start to the holiday. Both railroads will offer off-peak fares and plenty of service to make travel a snap for shopping, dining and entertainment around the region.
New York City Buses
Local
Buses operated by MTA New York City Transit and the MTA Bus Company will operate on a Sunday schedule on Thanksgiving Day. There are many routes that either do not operate on Sundays or do not run on part of the route at certain hours. Customers traveling on Thanksgiving Day should check Sunday schedules, lines and routes.
Customers traveling on Thanksgiving Day are advised to expect delays on all bus routes in Manhattan, especially those operating in midtown, in and around the parade area. Due to street closures, crosstown traffic between 85th Street and 24th Street between Madison and Eighth avenues will be diverted. The following bus routes will be impacted by the parade: M4, M5, M7, M10, M20, M31, M34/34A SBS, M42, M50, M57, M66, M72, M79, M104, BxM2 Q32, QM2, QM4, QM5, QM6, and X1. On Black Friday,service will operate on a weekday schedule with some exceptions listed at http://www.mta.info
Staten Island Railway
Staten Island Railway customers looking to get a head start on the Thanksgiving Day holiday will be able to catch earlier afternoon express train service on Wednesday with MTA Staten Island Railway’s Early Departure Getaway schedule. Extra SIR trains will be added earlier in the afternoon beginning at 2:30 p.m. from the St. George Ferry Terminal. There will be one express train and one local train awaiting every boat until 7:50 p.m. On Thanksgiving Day, SIR will operate on a Saturday schedule.
MTA Bridges and Tunnels
MTA Bridges and Tunnels will suspend all lane closures related to routine maintenance and temporary construction work beginning at 6 a.m. on Wednesday through the end of the morning rush on Monday, Nov. 28, to accommodate motorists traveling throughout the busy travel weekend. Exceptions are the ongoing Fast Track Sandy Restoration work at the Queens Midtown Tunnel and at the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel through the weekend, and necessary work at the Henry Hudson Bridge northbound toll plaza. At least one lane in each direction will always remain open at both tunnels. Motorists can ease their trip by using E-ZPass.
