Hamptons, NY - March 27th, 2014 - MTA Long Island Rail Road’s popular Hamptons Reserve Service will return this summer with a simplified boarding plan in which one ticket covers the cost of both rail travel and a reserved seat aboard The Cannonball, the LIRR’s premium express train running between Penn Station and Montauk on weekends beginning May 23.

The new Hampton Reserve Service ticket plan was approved unanimously earlier today by the MTA Board of Directors at its regular meeting.

The LIRR offers Hamptons Reserve Service on two of the 12 bi-level coach cars that comprise The Cannonball, which departs Penn Station on Fridays at 4:06 PM and makes Westhampton in just 94 minutes. The same Hamptons Reserve Service is available on the westbound Cannonball leaving Montauk on Sunday afternoons. On both trains, the remaining coach cars are available to all customers.

In Hamptons Reserve, customers enjoy a smooth and comfortable ride in our bi-level, air-conditioned coaches with ergonomic, two-by-two seating.  Reservations guarantee your seat and our courteous attendants serve beverages and snacks at your seat.

In the past, customers have had to purchase separate tickets for rail fare and a Hamptons Reserved seat. This year, one $47 ticket covers all costs for the eastbound trip on Friday, while Sunday’s return trip is priced at $39.75. Advance reservations are always required.

Making Seasonal Reservations (Starting Thursday, May 1)
Beginning Thursday, May 1, seasonal reservations for a minimum of eight weekends up to the full 15 weekend summer season can be made in advance by dialing 511, the New York State Travel Information Hotline and saying “LIRR” when prompted or e-mailing and including the reservation request form.  The request forms will be made available here in the coming weeks.

Making Weekly Reservations for Hampton Reserve Service
Weekly reservations are available starting on the Monday prior to Friday or Sunday departures through the LIRR’s Hamptons Reserve Reservation Office, which can be reached by dialing 511 or e-mailing hamptonreserve@lirr.org and including the reservation request form.  The request forms will be made available at http://web.mta.info/lirr/hamptons/reserveservice.htm in the coming weeks.

New Policy Will Free Up Seats
The introduction last year of Hamptons Reserve Service from Penn Station as well as westbound reserve seating from Montauk increased the Hamptons Reserve ridership by 107%. The new ticketing policy is designed to make more Hamptons Reserve seating available by curbing the practice of some customers who make bulk reservations upfront and never canceled unused reservations, only to return unused tickets at the end of the season for a refund. By requiring advance cancellations of reservations, seats will be freed up for purchase by other customers. As is the case with all LIRR tickets, Hamptons Reserve customers can return unused “tickets” for a refund for up to 60 days from the date of sale as long as the reservation was canceled by noon on the Thursday prior to date of travel. The regular refund processing fee of $10 will apply.

For More Information
Again, for the latest information on the LIRR’s Cannonball express train and its Hamptons Reserve Service go to the LIRR website.  Customers can also call 511, the New York State Travel Information hotline, and say: Long Island Rail Road. The deaf or hard of hearing can use their preferred relay service at 711.
 

Photo credit: MTAPhotos / Foter / CC BY.