Long Island, NY - April 23, 2015 - Thoroughbred racing returns to Belmont Park next Wednesday, April 29 as the racetrack’s spring meet gets underway and MTA Long Island Rail Road and the New York Racing Association (NYRA) again join together to provides daily train service for racing fans.
The LIRR has issued its Belmont Park Spring Meet Timetable with train service info through May 17. Copies are available at stations and at www.mta.info/lirr. NYRA will break from the gate with seven stakes races during the first week of the season. Post time is
This year, the 147th running of the Belmont Stakes – the oldest and longest race of thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown - will be held on Saturday, June 6. The LIRR will provide extra service that day and unveil station and service improvements that will help better accommodate the larger Stakes day crowd, including faster departures from the racetrack at the end of the day.
Leading up to the Belmont Stakes, Belmont Park will also be the place to watch the first two legs of the Triple Crown as it hosts a Kentucky Derby simulcast on Saturday, May 2 and a Preakness Stakes simulcast on Saturday, May 16.
Belmont Service on Wednesdays, Thursdays & Fridays
Eastbound
The LIRR’s Belmont Special will depart from Penn Station at 10:58 a.m., making stops at Woodside at 11:10 a.m., Jamaica at 11:19 a.m. and arriving at Belmont Station at 11:33 a.m. You can still catch most of the racing day on a second train that leaves Penn Station at 11:40 a.m., stopping at Woodside at 11:51 a.m. and Jamaica at 12:01 p.m. At Jamaica, customers will change for a shuttle train to Belmont that is scheduled to arrive there at 12:33 p.m.
Brooklyn customers can catch the Belmont train at Jamaica by taking the 10:35 a.m. or 11:35 a.m. trains from Atlantic Terminal.
Westbound
At the end of each racing day, trains will depart Belmont Station at 3:42 p.m. and 6:25 p.m. approximately 30 minutes after the last race.
Belmont Service on Saturdays, Sundays & Holidays
Eastbound
On Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, the first train departs Penn Station at 11:04 a.m., stopping at Woodside at 11:16 a.m. and Jamaica at 11:27 a.m. A second train leaves Penn at 11:55 a.m., stops at Woodside at 12:03 p.m. and Jamaica at 12:12 p.m. where customers change for a shuttle train to Belmont. Customers coming from Brooklyn can take the 10:45 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. trains from Atlantic Terminal and connect with the Belmont train at Jamaica
Westbound
At the end of each racing day, trains will depart Belmont Park at 4:41 p.m. and 6:08 p.m., approximately 30 minutes after the last race.
Saturday, May 2: Belmont Schedule Adjusted for Kentucky Derby Simulcast
The Kentucky Derby will be simulcast at Belmont Park on Saturday, May 2, supplementing the track’s regular racing card. Penn Station departures for Belmont are changed to 11:05 a.m. and 12.02 p.m. At the end of the racing day, trains will depart Belmont Station at 4:41 p.m. and 7:09 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday, May 16-17: Belmont Schedule Adjusted for Planned Track Work
The Preakness Stakes will be simulcast at Belmont Park on Saturday, May 16, supplementing the track’s regular racing card. Penn Station departures for Belmont are at 11:06 a.m. and 12:02 p.m. At the end of the racing day, trains will depart Belmont Station at 4:41 p.m. and 7:09 p.m.
Accessibility
The LIRR’s Belmont Station is NOT wheelchair accessible and there are no elevators and no escalator service because of ongoing construction. It is necessary to use a staircase to and from most train platforms.
Purchasing Tickets in Advance
To avoid higher on-board fares and save time, customers should purchase round-trip tickets in advance. City Ticket is not valid for travel to or from Belmont Park. Belmont Package tickets are available at LIRR ticket offices as well as from gray, blue and green ticket machines at stations. Tickets are NOT sold at Belmont Station. Weekly and monthly ticket holders can use their tickets for travel to Jamaica and need only purchase an $11 round-trip package ticket at an LIRR station prior to boarding the Belmont Special to cover the fare between Belmont Park and Jamaica. Round-trip tickets are not sold aboard trains.
For More Information
Again, customers should consult the special Belmont Park Spring Meet Timetable (below) available at LIRR stations and on line at www.mta.info/lirr and at the NYRA website https://www.nyra.com They may also call 511, the New York State Travel Information line, and say: Long Island Rail Road. If you are deaf or hard of hearing, use your preferred relay service provider or the free 711 relay to reach LIRR at 511.
Photo by Rennett Stowe, via Wikimedia Commons under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.