LIRR Closes Ticket Windows

The ticket window at the Forest Hills LIRR station, four more stations in Queens and 15 others in Brooklyn and Long Island, closed as of Wednesday, August 19 as part of a cost savings program instituted by the railroad Ticket office windows will close at 20 Long Island Rail Road stations, including Douglaston, Floral Park, Forest Hills, Kew Gardens and Little Neck in Queens, starting Wednesday, August 19. LIRR Passenger Services Department employees will be at the impacted stations from Wednesday, August 19 through Tuesday, August 25, excluding the weekend, during normal ticket office hours in order to assist customers.

The closings at the Queens stations and 15 others in Long Island and Brooklyn—Bethpage, Broadway, Cedarhurst, East New York, Farmingdale, Hewlett, Lindenhurst, Massapequa Park, New Hyde Park, Northport, Nostrand Avenue, Oceanside, Rosedale, Seaford and Woodmere—are part of a cost savings program, according to the LIRR. The 20 ticket offices are among the railroad's least utilized.

"With the declining economy the MTA identified a series of cost-saving measures last year in an effort to minimize the size of a potential fare increase and keep the budget balanced," LIRR officials said in a statement. "While the state ultimately identified new funding sources to preserve existing train service, the package did not provide for the restoration of all of the expense reductions, including the closing of some of the LIRR's least utilized ticket windows."

Ticket machines at each of the affected stations will continue to be available to customers 24 hours a day. Most LIRR customers who purchase tickets at a station do so using the popular ticket vending machines, which were first introduced in 1983. Approximately 70 percent of LIRR tickets sold are purchased through ticket vending machines. Customers are also encouraged to buy their tickets at a discount through the LIRR's popular Mail&Ride Program and WebTicket services. "The LIRR remains committed to providing a high level of customer service and is confident that riders will make ample use of its easyto use ticket machines, which are available 24 hours a day at these stations," the LIRR statement added.

Station waiting rooms will continue to remain open with their regular hours. Train service will not be affected. Cleaning schedules for the stations will not be changed and restrooms will be available for customer use during the same time periods currently in effect.

In addition, the LIRR Lost and Found Office located at Penn Station will no longer have weekend hours starting the weekend of August 22 and 23. The Lost and Found Office's weekday hours, 7:20 a.m. to 7:20 p.m., will remain. Customers who wish to report a lost item are urged to file a claim online at www.mta.info/lirr/LostandFound.