Governor Hochul announces that LIRR breaks post-pandemic daily ridership record twice in one week with over 298000 riders

Rochester, New York – The Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) is seeing a major surge in passenger numbers, marking a pivotal moment in the region’s ongoing recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a July 23 announcement from Governor Kathy Hochul, the LIRR broke its post-pandemic daily ridership record twice in just one week — signaling a strong rebound in public transit use across the state.

On Wednesday, July 23, the LIRR carried an impressive 298,419 passengers, surpassing the previous day’s record of 295,419 on Tuesday, July 22. These two record-setting days helped push the railroad’s total for the seven-day stretch from Thursday, July 17, through Wednesday, July 23, to a remarkable 1.72 million riders — the busiest week the railroad has seen since the start of the pandemic.

Before this milestone week, the highest daily total since the pandemic was 287,437 riders on June 19. While the LIRR still hasn’t quite reached its pre-pandemic average weekday ridership of 316,692 from 2019 — the highest figure since 1949 — the latest numbers show that New Yorkers are returning to the rails in large numbers.

Read also: Henrietta Town Board schedules August 13 public hearing to review special permit request for keeping more than three dogs at a residential property

“New Yorkers know that the best way to get to and from Long Island is by riding the Long Island Rail Road. From Mets games to beach days and beyond, the LIRR connects riders to so much of what makes summer in our state special,” said Governor Hochul. “By delivering better, more frequent service since the opening of Grand Central Madison in 2023, LIRR ridership has grown considerably to near-record highs. I look forward to celebrating more milestones to come as New Yorkers continue to benefit from the ease and convenience of taking the train to get around.”

These rising ridership figures reflect more than just seasonal activity. They coincide with improving customer satisfaction scores and record-breaking on-time performance. So far in 2025, the LIRR has delivered a 96.6% on-time arrival rate, the best in its history outside of the unique pandemic years. That’s a notable improvement over the 95.7% rate during the same period in 2024.

Riders have taken notice. According to a recent customer survey, overall satisfaction with the LIRR reached 81% in spring 2025, up five points from fall 2024 and 11 points higher than spring 2024, when it stood at 70%.

“So much for the slow summer season. The Long Island Rail Road is busier than ever, carrying more customers and with more trains and better on-time performance. Under Governor Hochul, the MTA’s delivering fast, affordable and accessible transit regionwide,” said MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber.

LIRR President Rob Free echoed those sentiments, saying, “The LIRR is consistently delivering clean, safe and reliable service for all New Yorkers. Ridership numbers like this show that people know that the LIRR is the best way to travel to work, school and everything that Long Island has to offer.”

The timing of the ridership boom also aligns with a packed summer season in New York, with concerts, baseball games at Citi Field, weekend escapes to the Hamptons, and daily commutes drawing people back to mass transit. Riders are using the railroad not only for work but also for fun — and the LIRR is stepping up to meet that demand.

Read also: Watertown man arrested after state police investigation reveals possession and online distribution of child sexual abuse material

“Riders are voting with their TrainTime tickets to use America’s busiest, and one of the most reliable, railroads as they tell us in the latest scientific survey that they are beyond satisfied with their experience. Whether it’s going to work, seeing friends, or heading for a summer afternoon at the beach, the LIRR is bringing New Yorkers together to get where they need to go,” said MTA Chief Customer Officer Shanifah Rieara.

Looking ahead, the LIRR expects even higher numbers as summer events continue to unfold. With the New York Mets pushing for a playoff spot, the U.S. Open tennis tournament approaching in August, and the Ryder Cup scheduled for September in Farmingdale, additional service expansions are planned, particularly on the Ronkonkoma Branch.

Meanwhile, the rider experience continues to improve. The LIRR concourse at Penn Station has become a vibrant hub, now filled with a growing selection of dining and retail options, making the journey more enjoyable for everyday commuters and weekend travelers alike.

This upward trend in LIRR performance mirrors broader patterns in the MTA’s transit network. Earlier this month, New York City Transit saw its best summer subway ridership week since 2019. For the first time in the post-pandemic era, subway ridership topped four million on three consecutive days: July 15, July 16, and July 17. Notably, the agency achieved this despite experiencing heavy rainfall on July 14, which had briefly disrupted service.

Subway crews worked overnight to restore operations, helping ensure the following day’s commute ran smoothly. In fact, the 4,121,751 subway riders recorded on July 16 marked a new post-pandemic high for summer travel on the subway.

Taken together, these developments show clear signs that New Yorkers are returning to public transit in force, and that investments in infrastructure, reliability, and service quality are paying off.

As Governor Hochul continues to push for improved transit options statewide, the LIRR’s success story could serve as a model for the rest of the region. With summer in full swing and ridership on the rise, the railroad is playing a key role in moving New York forward — one train at a time.