Take the LIRR to U.S. Open Tennis at Flushing Meadows Park
Queens, NY - August 15th, 2014 - Tennis fever is about to grip New York and MTA Long Island Rail Road will be providing extra train service to Mets-Willets Point Station in Queens to get fans to the U.S. Open Tennis Tournament beginning with the first pre-tournament event on Tuesday, August 19 through the championship showdowns that wrap up on Monday, September 8.
Whether you are heading to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center from Long Island or the city, there is no faster or more convenient way to see the world’s best players than taking the LIRR, which will be running trains every 30 minutes.
Mets-Willets Point Station at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park is just 19 minutes from Penn Station on the Port Washington Branch. For those traveling from Long Island, the trip is just six minutes from Woodside, 17 minutes from Great Neck and 27 minutes from Port Washington.
Traveling Via Woodside Station
If you are traveling to Mets-Willets Point from branches other than the Port Washington Branch, you can take the LIRR to Woodside Station and transfer there to a Port Washington Branch train for the short ride to Mets-Willets Point. Since Mets-Willets Point Station is located in Fare Zone One, tickets to that zone from outlying stations are valid. However, you must hold onto the ticket stubs and inform the ticket collector of your intention to travel to Mets-Willets Point.
Buy Your Tickets in Advance
Since on-board fares are higher, customers are advised to buy tickets in advance at station ticket offices, ticket machines or on-line through the LIRR’s WebTicket service (allow five business days for delivery). Customers planning to attend more than one match or planning to travel with other tennis fans may want to purchase a Peak or Off-Peak Ten-Trip ticket.
LIRR’s Weekend CityTicket is Another Option
Customers attending weekend matches and events at the U.S. Open and traveling to Mets-Willets Point from Penn Station or from stations in Queens on the Port Washington Branch can take advantage of the LIRR’s CityTicket. Available only on Saturdays and Sundays for adults and children over 12 years of age, CityTicket is a same-day, one-way fare of just $4 – a trip that otherwise carries a one-way charge of $5.75 from Zone 1 and $7 from Zone 3.
For More Information
For more information, customers can consult the MTA website www.mta.info for the U.S Open Tennis Special Timetable for the periods August 19 - September 8 or pick up copies of LIRR terminals or their local station. Help is also available from the LIRR’s Customer Service Center. which can be reached at 511, the New York State Travel Information Telephone Line. When prompted say: Long Island Rail Road. The hearing impaired can use their preferred relay service provider for the free 711 relay to reach the LIRR at 511.