LONG ISLAND – It’s day three of the LIRR strike – how exactly are commuters planning to get out of the city and into work tomorrow morning?
Workers picket at the Huntington Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) station in Huntington Station, New York, US, on Monday, May 18, 2026. Long Island commuters face congested roads and packed buses as a Long Island Rail Road workers’ strike threatens to di
LIRR commuting plans during strike
What we know:
While state officials are strongly urging all Long Islanders to work from home, the MTA has rolled out a massive contingency plan, including free shuttle buses, cheap park-and-rides and boosted subway service, for essential workers who have no choice but to head into the city.
Shuttle buses
Free shuttle buses will transport essential workers from six locations across Nassau and Suffolk counties directly to subway stations in Queens from 4:30 to 9 a.m. Return shuttles will run from 3 to 7 p.m.
Peak and reverse peak direction service: Bay Shore (LIRR) to Howard Beach-JFK AirportHuntington (LIRR) to Jamaica-179 St F at Hillside Av and 179 StreetRonkonkoma (LIRR) to Jamaica-179 St F at Hillside Av and 179 Street Peak direction service only: Hempstead Lake State Park, near Lakeview (LIRR), to Howard Beach-JFK Airport AHicksville (LIRR) to Howard Beach-JFK AirportMineola (LIRR) to Howard Beach-JFK Airport NICE bus
The Nassau Inter-County Express (NICE) will run extra weekday bus service connecting directly to Queens subway stations.
MTA locations with NICE Bus connections: 179 StreetFar Rockaway-Mott AvenueFlushing-Main StreetJamaica Bus TerminalJamaica Ctr-Parsons/Archer
For more information and service changes, visit the NICE Bus website.
Citi Field parking
Commuters can park at Citi Field for $6 and transfer directly to the 7 train, which runs on two-to-three-minute headways.
Subway
Officials say the subway system is fully prepared for the influx. Lines including the 7, A, E, F, J and Z have plenty of capacity, and “gap trains” are on standby to deploy immediately if stations become overcrowded.
How long was the last LIRR strike?
The backstory:
The last time there was a Long Island Rail Road strike was in June 1994. It lasted 2 days.
The Source: This article includes previous FOX 5 NY reporting.