MTA Announces New Long Island Rail Road Schedules Starting November 9, With Babylon Branch Restored

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced new Long Island Rail Road schedules for all lines, taking effect starting November 9, 2026. The most significant change is the restoration of weekend Babylon Branch service to pre-construction levels from November 14, following the completion of the Babylon station reconstruction project, with weekday service also restored from November 23. Direct service from stations east of Massapequa to Grand Central Terminal will return. On the Port Jefferson Branch, a new weekend local train to Penn Station will leave Hicksville at 4:33 p.m. with a return from Penn Station at 10:02 p.m. An early-morning Ronkonkoma Branch train will run two minutes earlier. A stop deletion is planned on the Hempstead Branch, and a midday weekday schedule change will run on the Babylon Branch from November 9 to 20 to accommodate ongoing track work between Amityville and Lindenhurst. PIX11 noted that some Brooklyn LIRR riders had voiced concern about how the revised timetables affect their commutes.