LIRR service to Grand Central Madison gets opening date

NEW YORK (PIX11) --- The long-awaited Long Island Rail Road service to Grand Central Madison starts on Wednesday but the trains will run with limited service for several weeks before a full schedule is announced, according to the MTA.

The transportation hub's first train will depart Jamaica, Queens at 10:45 a.m. and arrive at Grand Central Madison at 11:07 a.m., the MTA said. Trains will not run during the morning rush hour commute on Wednesday, according to an MTA spokesperson.

The soft launch will last for at least three weeks while commuters familiarize themselves with the station, the spokesperson said. When complete service begins, the Grand Central Direct trains will run hourly during the morning and afternoon commutes. The peak-hour shuttles will stop at Woodside for Port Washington commuters.

On weekdays, the first train will depart Jamaica at 6:17 a.m., and the final train will leave Grand Central at 8:04 p.m. On the weekends, the trains will run every half hour between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m.

A full schedule will be announced on the MTA's website and Train Time app before the soft launch is completed, the agency said.

The $11.1 billion project has been decades in the making and has been delayed twice in the past few months. Grand Central Madison, along with the new third track on the LIRR, will increase train service by more than 40% systemwide, according to the MTA.