MTA officials whispered “meet me in Montauk” to its riders on Tuesday as they announced the start of their direct service to the eastern tip of Long Island every weekday throughout the year.
The LIRR branch offers direct train rides from Penn Station to Montauk during the summer. But during the off-season, riders have to make at least one transfer to get out there. MTA officials said they’ll make a direct 5:13 p.m. train run a permanent part of its weekday schedule starting next month.
The announcement is a big win for fans of the film “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” in which the lead character played by Jim Carrey impulsively takes a LIRR train to Montauk where he rekindles with an ex-lover who he medically erased from his memory.
The MTA said ridership on the Montauk Branch continues to grow, with 1.21 million passengers recorded so far this year, a 6.4% increase compared to the same period last year.
A typical direct ride on the Montauk Branch out of Penn Station takes three hours and 10 minutes from end to end.
MTA officials said the year-round direct service comes as the Long Island Rail Road is making improvements to the infrastructure on the Montauk Branch, including efforts to reduce “single-track” miles, which means only one train can operate on the track at a time.
“These improvements on the Montauk Branch will deliver even more reliable service and shorter waits for the thousands of daily LIRR riders who depend on us,” LIRR President Rob Free said in a statement. “And with a new year-round weekday one-seat ride to Montauk from Penn Station, we’re delivering the kind of convenient, predictable service our customers deserve while supporting the tourism and local industries that power the East End.”
MTA officials also said the branch is popular during the peak summer season. Many trains going to and from Long Island’s East End travel at close to 100% capacity during the height of summer, according to the agency.
