Thanksgiving travel: Here’s what you need to know about NYC transit service for the long holiday weekend

Thanksgiving is on Thursday, Nov. 27, kicking off a four-day holiday weekend for many New Yorkers. In anticipation of holiday travel, the MTA announced service changes in effect for commuters who will be traversing the city and nearby suburbs during this long, festive weekend:

Know before you go

Subways and buses

On Wednesday, Nov. 26, subways and buses will operate on a regular weekday schedule. On Thanksgiving Day, New York City subway and buses will operate on a Sunday schedule.

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade kicks off at 8:30 a.m. at 77 St. and Central Park West on Thursday. It ends in front of Macy’s at Herald Square-34th St. The closest subway stations to the start of the parade are 72 St for the 1, 2, 3 trains; 79th St. 1 train; and 59th St.-Columbus Circle A, B, C, D and 1 trains.

There will be additional service on the 42 St. Shuttle and 1 train in the early morning to accommodate parade-goers on Thanksgiving Day.

Some station entrances and exits at 59th Street-Columbus Circle will be closed. Select exits and entrances will be closed at Penn Station and other stations along the Sixth Avenue line.

Bus service in Manhattan may experience delays, and will be affected by reroutes, detours, and/or frozen zones, especially those routes operating in Midtown near the parade route. The 79th Street Transverse Road will be closed from noon, Wednesday, Nov. 26, to noon Thursday, Nov. 27. Buses will not be permitted to cross during this time.

The Staten Island Railway will operate on a Saturday schedule.

On Friday, subways and the Staten Island train will run on a regular weekday schedule; most buses will run on reduced weekday schedules.

Long Island Railroad (LIRR) and Metro-North

Metro-North will have early getaway service on Wednesday.

For Metro-North’s East of Hudson commuters, there will be 10 extra trains departing Grand Central Terminal in the early and mid-afternoon. Some evening trains will not operate. There will be three early departures each on the Hudson and Harlem Lines, and four early departures on the New Haven Line.

For Metro-North’s West-of-Hudson commuters, a Port Jervis Line early getaway train will depart Hoboken at 2:41 p.m., making stops at Secaucus, Ramsey/Route 17, Suffern, and all stops in NYS to Port Jervis, arriving at 4:56 p.m. The connecting train from New York Penn Station will depart at 2:34 p.m.

On the Pascack Valley Line, riders on the 5:08 p.m. departure from Hoboken should note that the connecting train from New York Penn Station departs at 5:20 p.m., five minutes earlier than normal, the MTA said.

LIRR will run on a regular weekday schedule.

On Thursday, LIRR will run on a holiday/weekend schedule with extra service before and after the parade, adding 15 additional trains to accommodate travel to and from the parade.

Metro-North will operate a special schedule with extra service before and after the parade with additional inbound morning service. There will also be expanded outbound service starting in the late morning and continuing until mid-afternoon for commuters traveling to suburban destinations, with expanded evening service for riders returning to New York City..

Metro-North’s West of Hudson service will operate on a weekend schedule with two additional trains on the Port Jervis Line for service before and after the parade.

On Friday, Metro-North will run on an enhanced Saturday schedule; LIRR will operate on a regular weekday schedule.

Subways, buses and commuter rails on Saturday and Sunday

All MTA agencies will operate on regular weekend schedules on Saturday and Sunday.

Metro-North will run extra Shopper Specials on the New Haven Line into Manhattan in the morning and returning home in the late afternoon and evening to accommodate shoppers and sightseers.

The MTA encouraged riders to use the MTA apps or check mta.info to stay informed about service information.